I have been enjoying this interchange of ideas as to who has the better handle on preaching the word of their own imaginary supernatural deity.
When you refer to 'the word of God' what exactly do you mean? Something that was dictated by an ethereal being into the ears of faithful scribes centuries ago? Interpretations of the same and modifications as times and norms changed? Are the parameters set out by the theologians at the Vatican any different from those maintained by the charlatans at Pota or other faith healers like Benny Hinn? There is absolutely no evidence that prayers have remotely helped anyone else who did not know they were being prayed for (praying for oneself seems to provide some mental relief without any divine intervention). Who are we to burst the bubble of those who wish to exercise their (God-Given?) right to spend their money on any form of mental relief provided by psychologically astute aides? I have a belief that by maintaining a gym membership, I will somehow get into shape, whether I actually exercise there or not. The gym managers promote unattainable ideals in the hope that I will continue to believe that some day I will attain adonis stature. I continue to wallow in false hopes. Like the millions of visitors to places like Pota and Lourdes. Religion (and it's faith healing offshoots) continues to be the opium of the masses but as an article recently stated, we need to be concerned of it becoming cyanide. http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/dec/15ram.htm Kevin Saldanha Mississauga, ON.
Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2007 07:36:08 -0800 (PST) From: Carvalho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [Goanet] Mission/to Albert
Dear Albert, Would you like a lay person without a medical degree to operate on you? Then why pray tell are you confident that lay people can preach the word of God better than priests. I've been to Pota, Kerala, where lay people preach. Their interpretations of the word of God are arbitrary, hollow, without substantive reading or understanding of the matter. They lead gullible people astray, they corrupt all that is good about religion and serve it on a platter of untruths. The Archbishop is absolutely right in not allowing lay people to preach or participate in the mass, other than in a peripheral manner. When a priest preaches, he has had years of theological grounding and he preaches within the parameters set out by the Vatican. Selma
