Comment Re:Patron saint? (Score 1) 208
Hi again.
(Note: I am sometimes using "he" instead of "he/she" for simplicity sake. I am not trying to be sexist. :-)
I must confess (no pun intended) that the way I have explained original sin was somewhat misleading. The word "pride" has many meanings. Sometimes, being proud of oneself is a Good Thing, but sometimes too much pride can be destructive (e.g. a person suffering from addiction but too proud to seek help).
As you said, It is good for one to be proud of being who he is and of the things that he do. However, one must also be humble at the same time, acknowledging the fact that his talents is a gift from above (God).
Trying to be like God is good too. Afterall, in the Bible, there are passages that tell us "Be perfect, because your Father in heaven is perfect." And we are all supposed to imitate Christ to learn in His way. I see that I wasn't very clear in my explanation in my last message.
What I was trying to say, is when a person become so proud (in a negative sense) thinking he is the end all and be all, thus trying to be his/her own god, in the process forgetting our true God, the person becomes so selfish and so self-centred that he cut himself off from the community, and even from the grace of God. This kind of pride, i.e. when one basically turns away from God, thinking he knows better and think he can do anything (esp. bad things) as he wish without regard for God, is a cardinal sin, because many other sins stem from it.
Have you watched the movie "Where dreams come from"? (I forgot the name... Robert Williams is in it.) His wife suicided and was in hell because she was so wrapped up in herself and no one (not even God if she doesn't let Him) could reach her. Fortunately, in the movie, when Robert Williams (Chris) decided to join her that she was finally awaken, and they both returned to heaven. Unfortunately, there are many loss souls who never awakes from such hell.
Disclaimer: I am no theologian, so the way I have explained it might be misleading, but I guess you see what I mean. It is not just the teaching of the Catholic Church, but in a sense, it is traditional wisdom/ethnical teaching that is universal to everyone even to someone with no religious background.
Now, as for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, note the emphasis on "reconciling" to God and to the community. I see your point of someone feeling guilty, but guilt exists not because of this sacrament. Afterall, even before we go to confession, God has already forgiven us, but God would still like us to go to Him and say "I am sorry." And nothing is more reassuring when the priest says "I absolve you from all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Go now in peace, your sins are forgiven." (Note that God is doing the forgiving and absolving. The priest is acting on behalf of God, as taught by Jesus: "What you loosen on Earth would be loosen in Heaven".)
Oh, last but not least: Having impure thoughts is not a sin. Afterall, bad thoughts pop into our minds from time to time even when we do not will it. The right thing to do is, when such impure thoughts come, try to chase them away by thinking something good or doing some productive things to distract ourselves. We only sin if we choose to indulge in such impure thoughts, as in "Oooh, hey, this is a neat idea! It feels good! Let's keep fantasizing it (e.g. fantasizing having sex with some TV star)!" Now, that's sinning. I know many Slashdotters would say "Ya right!" and tell me to get lost at this point. But seriously, although such fantasizing may seem harmless, it is tempting the person to go the next step, then the next step, etc. Not to mention that the person is becoming less respectful of women since he is using them as "objects" for his own sexual pleasure, even if it was in his mind in the beginning.
Case in point: For the parents here, would you like your young child to be fantasizing having sex? I don't think so. "Yeah, they are children, so it is not okay for them, but we are adults and so it is okay for us." Answer: Double standard.
Hmmm... I know I am sounding a bit self-righteous, so let me say this: I have been there, and now I realize the destructive effects such impure thoughts are having on me and on the relationships I have with others.
Well, that's all for now. :-) Have a nice day. :-)
Anthony
(who's wondering what he has gotten into. :-)
(Note: I am sometimes using "he" instead of "he/she" for simplicity sake. I am not trying to be sexist.
I must confess (no pun intended) that the way I have explained original sin was somewhat misleading. The word "pride" has many meanings. Sometimes, being proud of oneself is a Good Thing, but sometimes too much pride can be destructive (e.g. a person suffering from addiction but too proud to seek help).
As you said, It is good for one to be proud of being who he is and of the things that he do. However, one must also be humble at the same time, acknowledging the fact that his talents is a gift from above (God).
Trying to be like God is good too. Afterall, in the Bible, there are passages that tell us "Be perfect, because your Father in heaven is perfect." And we are all supposed to imitate Christ to learn in His way. I see that I wasn't very clear in my explanation in my last message.
What I was trying to say, is when a person become so proud (in a negative sense) thinking he is the end all and be all, thus trying to be his/her own god, in the process forgetting our true God, the person becomes so selfish and so self-centred that he cut himself off from the community, and even from the grace of God. This kind of pride, i.e. when one basically turns away from God, thinking he knows better and think he can do anything (esp. bad things) as he wish without regard for God, is a cardinal sin, because many other sins stem from it.
Have you watched the movie "Where dreams come from"? (I forgot the name... Robert Williams is in it.) His wife suicided and was in hell because she was so wrapped up in herself and no one (not even God if she doesn't let Him) could reach her. Fortunately, in the movie, when Robert Williams (Chris) decided to join her that she was finally awaken, and they both returned to heaven. Unfortunately, there are many loss souls who never awakes from such hell.
Disclaimer: I am no theologian, so the way I have explained it might be misleading, but I guess you see what I mean. It is not just the teaching of the Catholic Church, but in a sense, it is traditional wisdom/ethnical teaching that is universal to everyone even to someone with no religious background.
Now, as for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, note the emphasis on "reconciling" to God and to the community. I see your point of someone feeling guilty, but guilt exists not because of this sacrament. Afterall, even before we go to confession, God has already forgiven us, but God would still like us to go to Him and say "I am sorry." And nothing is more reassuring when the priest says "I absolve you from all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Go now in peace, your sins are forgiven." (Note that God is doing the forgiving and absolving. The priest is acting on behalf of God, as taught by Jesus: "What you loosen on Earth would be loosen in Heaven".)
Oh, last but not least: Having impure thoughts is not a sin. Afterall, bad thoughts pop into our minds from time to time even when we do not will it. The right thing to do is, when such impure thoughts come, try to chase them away by thinking something good or doing some productive things to distract ourselves. We only sin if we choose to indulge in such impure thoughts, as in "Oooh, hey, this is a neat idea! It feels good! Let's keep fantasizing it (e.g. fantasizing having sex with some TV star)!" Now, that's sinning. I know many Slashdotters would say "Ya right!" and tell me to get lost at this point. But seriously, although such fantasizing may seem harmless, it is tempting the person to go the next step, then the next step, etc. Not to mention that the person is becoming less respectful of women since he is using them as "objects" for his own sexual pleasure, even if it was in his mind in the beginning.
Case in point: For the parents here, would you like your young child to be fantasizing having sex? I don't think so. "Yeah, they are children, so it is not okay for them, but we are adults and so it is okay for us." Answer: Double standard.
Hmmm... I know I am sounding a bit self-righteous, so let me say this: I have been there, and now I realize the destructive effects such impure thoughts are having on me and on the relationships I have with others.
Well, that's all for now.
Anthony
(who's wondering what he has gotten into.
