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Yes. After crossing myself three times, he was still coming after me. I had to run to my refrigerator and get garlic. Lucky I had some. The whole stake-through-the heart thing is SO messy.
That's what I meant by derogatory about keeping away vampires, ex husbands, ex wives, bratty kids, mean bosses, etc. The only time I've seen the cross made has been something funny like this. Not to judge, but I've seen Catholics do it and by the way they do it and by the way they live their lives, not wanting anything to even do with Jesus, seems like a joke and I think maybe that's where all the derogatory came from. (I'm not saying all Catholics are hypocritical, but the ones I've known and the way they were living, when I saw them make a cross like this, it was meant as a joke, or at least that's the way I took it.
Does this make sense? It just seems to be more of a joke to a lot of people and I'm guilty of making a joke out of it too, that is, until the other day at church, when the pastor did it and talked about it and now I'm beginning to understand.
LovesMountains, Yes I am enjoying my spiritual journey. This is all so new to me and I've probably never looked at the Bible all my life as much as I am now.
I appreciate and thank you all for your responses. For a bit of funny, I'm of Irish descent, I don't believe in vampires but I have been told the banshee stories when I was a kid. This should keep them away, although I will use it in a more serious manner now.
Heartsong, thanks for the link. I saw that the other night while researching. Interesting learning the meaning. I'm a leftie so it looks like I have to use my right hand.
OK, I made the vampire joke, but I do make the sign of the cross in church as an Episcopalian. Again, it's ceremonial, and the idea is that it's a way to incorporating your body/movement into the worship.
I haven't finished reading the posts that followed this one, so I'm sure that by now you already have been called out on your gratuitious offensiveness toward Catholic Christians, but I'd like to add my voice to theirs. Was there any real reason to say such things? It actually sound pretty stupid to say that Catholics don't want anything to do with Jesus.
By the way, writing "Not to judge" and then following it with a judgmental statement doesn't make the judgmental statement less judgmental. It's right up there with "No offense, but <insert offensive words>".
Mightyqueen, in no way did I mean to offend anyone. I think you are the only one that read more into what I am saying and added to it. Couldn't make it any plainer. This has been my experience is the reason I'm mentioning it.
I say 'not to judge' because I don't judge others. That's God's job, not mine.
I also did not say 'all Catholics'. I was talking about some of the Catholics I've known in my life. They don't want anything to do with living a godly life and they brag about it and then make a comment that all they need to do is go to confession. In case you don't know or in case anyone else has any questions, that's not the way it's supposed to be. I don't know every Catholic in the world so therefore, I can't say that about everyone of them but I can say that about some of them; not only Catholics either.
That's what I meant by derogatory about keeping away vampires, ex husbands, ex wives, bratty kids, mean bosses, etc. The only time I've seen the cross made has been something funny like this. Not to judge, but I've seen Catholics do it and by the way they do it and by the way they live their lives, not wanting anything to even do with Jesus, seems like a joke and I think maybe that's where all the derogatory came from. (I'm not saying all Catholics are hypocritical, but the ones I've known and the way they were living, when I saw them make a cross like this, it was meant as a joke, or at least that's the way I took it.
Does this make sense? It just seems to be more of a joke to a lot of people and I'm guilty of making a joke out of it too, that is, until the other day at church, when the pastor did it and talked about it and now I'm beginning to understand.
LovesMountains, Yes I am enjoying my spiritual journey. This is all so new to me and I've probably never looked at the Bible all my life as much as I am now.
I appreciate and thank you all for your responses. For a bit of funny, I'm of Irish descent, I don't believe in vampires but I have been told the banshee stories when I was a kid. This should keep them away, although I will use it in a more serious manner now.
Heartsong, thanks for the link. I saw that the other night while researching. Interesting learning the meaning. I'm a leftie so it looks like I have to use my right hand.
And, yet, you decided to be judgmental. My word, I'm really at a loss to find any church that doesn't have its fair share of backsliders and hypocrites. Why in the world are you singling out the poor catholics? Because, by the sounds of it, you haven't gotten very far on your spiritual journey at all.
And, yet, you decided to be judgmental. My word, I'm really at a loss to find any church that doesn't have its fair share of backsliders and hypocrites. Why in the world are you singling out the poor catholics? Because, by the sounds of it, you haven't gotten very far on your spiritual journey at all.
What part of it don't you understand? I said it as plain as day that I'm not judging anybody but that I have in mind some Catholics that don't take the symbol of the cross on their bodies seriously. In no way did I mean ALL Catholics are like this. Yes, all denominations have backsliders and hypocrites. We are human. The church, or I should say, Christians do not claim to be perfect. If you are looking for the perfect church, full of perfect people, you will never find it.
As far as the spiritual journey is concerned, I'm doing my best right now and that's all I can ask for. I'm making an effort.
Please go back and re read my posts. You will see that I make judgments on no person. I may make a comment but I don't judge. There is a big difference.
What part of it don't you understand? I said it as plain as day that I'm not judging anybody but that I have in mind some Catholics that don't take the symbol of the cross on their bodies seriously. In no way did I mean ALL Catholics are like this. Yes, all denominations have backsliders and hypocrites. We are human. The church, or I should say, Christians do not claim to be perfect. If you are looking for the perfect church, full of perfect people, you will never find it.
As far as the spiritual journey is concerned, I'm doing my best right now and that's all I can ask for. I'm making an effort.
Please go back and re read my posts. You will see that I make judgments on no person. I may make a comment but I don't judge. There is a big difference.
Actually, I did. It's just that you're choosing to single out Catholics. What? You observed one or two people do it in jest?
Raised Baptist and was told all my life that making the sign of the cross on ones body is a Catholic thing and I've seen some use it in a derogatory way when in trouble.
I've been going to a Lutheran church the past couple of weeks. The regular pastor is away and a temp filled in yesterday. He talked about doing this. Like I've said, I thought it was a Catholic thing, so I've never given it much thought until yesterday. He mentioned it was a Christian thing and that all Christians should be doing this, mostly when getting out of bed in the morning and going to bed at night.
I think it's a pretty cool thing now that I've thought some about it and read a little today about how a person does their fingers for the Trinity. I enjoy hearing about the different meanings.
Is there any scripture that specifically talks about this?
alot of non-catholics have a hissy when one of their own does something that pretty much only Catholics
do. I like the practice for example, Catholics will make three crosses on thier body before the Gospel is read, one of their forehead, one on their lips and one of their heart. It means let the words of the Gospel be on my mind, lips and in my heart. I think the Episcopalians do it too. there is nothing "Roman Catholic" about it but mainly Christian in my opinion. I do it if I am in a protestant church and sometimes get dirty looks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by songinthewind7
Raised Baptist and was told all my life that making the sign of the cross on ones body is a Catholic thing and I've seen some use it in a derogatory way when in trouble.
I've been going to a Lutheran church the past couple of weeks. The regular pastor is away and a temp filled in yesterday. He talked about doing this. Like I've said, I thought it was a Catholic thing, so I've never given it much thought until yesterday. He mentioned it was a Christian thing and that all Christians should be doing this, mostly when getting out of bed in the morning and going to bed at night.
I think it's a pretty cool thing now that I've thought some about it and read a little today about how a person does their fingers for the Trinity. I enjoy hearing about the different meanings.
Is there any scripture that specifically talks about this?
alot of non-catholics have a hissy when one of their own does something that pretty much only Catholics
do. I like the practice for example, Catholics will make three crosses on thier body before the Gospel is read, one of their forehead, one on their lips and one of their heart. It means let the words of the Gospel be on my mind, lips and in my heart. I think the Episcopalians do it too. there is nothing "Roman Catholic" about it but mainly Christian in my opinion. I do it if I am in a protestant church and sometimes get dirty looks.
It's a shame you get dirty looks when you do that but there are a lot of fake Christians in church.
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