Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It is said that during the Second World War some soldiers serving in France wanted to bury a friend and fellow soldier who had been killed. Being in a foreign country they wanted to ensure that their fallen comrade had a proper burial. They found a well-kept cemetery with a low stone wall around it, a picturesque little Catholic church and a peaceful outlook. This was just the place to bury their friend. But when they approached the priest he answered that unless their friend was a baptized Catholic he could not be buried in the cemetery. Well, their friend wasn’t.
Sensing the soldiers disappointment the priest showed them a spot just outside the walls where they could bury their friend. Reluctantly, they did so.
The next day the soldiers returned to pay their final respects to their fallen friend but could not find the grave. “There’s no WAY we got this wrong. It was right here!” they said. Confused, they approached the priest who took them to a spot inside the cemetery walls.
“Last night I couldn’t sleep” said the priest. “I was troubled that your friend had to be buried outside the cemetery walls, so I got up... and moved the fence.” Christianity, grace, is about moving fences – it is about inclusion – it is about communion, community.
There is no source to this story on the various webpages it appears.
It is likely fiction.
Anyway, if the fictional priest moved the wall, then the fictional soldier still wouldn't be
buried in a Catholic cemetery because the hallowed ground only extends
to the borders upon which it was sacramentally blessed.
There is no source to this story on the various webpages it appears.
It is likely fiction.
Anyway, if the fictional priest moved the wall, then the fictional soldier still wouldn't be
buried in a Catholic cemetery because the hallowed ground only extends
to the borders upon which it was sacramentally blessed.
FICTION? why, surely only a Rhodes Scholar could recognize a metaphor as fiction!
where did that massive cranium tell you it was even close to being real?
This is a prime example of what has gone so completely wrong with evangelical fundie-ism...even a simple FICTIONAL STORY, meant to instill HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT is criticized and ridiculed and stripped of JOY simply because the EF wants to impart FEAR, OPPRESSION and DISCOURAGEMENT into the lives of others..
Well done, well done. I suppose some people were the first ones to run through their second grade class telling everyone Santa was a fraud and that there was no such thing as a tooth fairy or that the Easter Bunny was a lie...
Sometimes I wonder if all that stolen lunch money shouldn't have been used for etiquette classes?
FICTION? why, surely only a Rhodes Scholar could recognize a metaphor as fiction!
where did that massive cranium tell you it was even close to being real?
This is a prime example of what has gone so completely wrong with evangelical fundie-ism...even a simple FICTIONAL STORY, meant to instill HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT is criticized and ridiculed and stripped of JOY simply because the EF wants to impart FEAR, OPPRESSION and DISCOURAGEMENT into the lives of others..
Well done, well done. I suppose some people were the first ones to run through their second grade class telling everyone Santa was a fraud and that there was no such thing as a tooth fairy or that the Easter Bunny was a lie...
Sometimes I wonder if all that stolen lunch money shouldn't have been used for etiquette classes?
There is no source to this story on the various webpages it appears.
It is likely fiction.
Anyway, if the fictional priest moved the wall, then the fictional soldier still wouldn't be
buried in a Catholic cemetery because the hallowed ground only extends
to the borders upon which it was sacramentally blessed.
And what is to prevent a priest who has more compassion than many other Catholics from blessing the inclusion? A priest not afraid to move fences?
Gosh, and so critical of how people interpret Biblical law yet posting fiction. Whatever! OK, let's see where this thread is headed, like I don't know. I'll check back later.
There is no source to this story on the various webpages it appears.
It is likely fiction.
Anyway, if the fictional priest moved the wall, then the fictional soldier still wouldn't be
buried in a Catholic cemetery because the hallowed ground only extends
to the borders upon which it was sacramentally blessed.
You are correct. Zthatzman pointed out that it was obviously not a true story, but quite a few people might have wondered. I'm not sure that one might not even argue that anywhere that the boundary fence was extended to might not itself become hallowed ground - though it would surely not work the other way (1) and for all I know this might not even occurred to the priest, who thought in terms of a commonsense practical solution rather than one that accorded with theological doctrine.
(1) In one of Kemelman's "Rabbi" stories, a problem for the temple committee was a buried Jew who was thought to have killed himself. Thus his burial defiled the others. The solution was to build a path within the cemetery putting the supposed suicide Outside.
P.ps. It was one of my favourite bits. The rabbi was outraged: "Is a man a dog? I forbid it!" The temple committee president said that his views were noted but they were going to do it anyway. The Rabbi said that this was not their decision: "I forbid it."
If they had gone ahead anyway (as there was no practical way he could stop them) he would have no choice but to resign.
Remember the story of the man who was not allowed to remain at the wedding feast because he did not have the correct clothing. The king did not allow it.
Matthew 22 NRS
1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, "Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen."
Remember the story of the man who was not allowed to remain at the wedding feast because he did not have the correct clothing. The king did not allow it.
Matthew 22 NRS
1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, "Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen."
This is an excellent example of a "not so nice" teaching of Jesus. The "fire-and-brimstone" is clear. Passages like this chip away at the Nice Social Activist Jesus narrative.
How can this passage be explained away? Is there "cultural context" that sheds some light on the issue?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Whatever!
(1) and for all I know this might not even occurred to the priest, who thought in terms of a commonsense practical solution rather than one that accorded with theological doctrine. 
