Dear Josun, I would like to share a couple of things that I have in my mind right now .
First of all Congratulations for being courageous and talking to your friend about your beleif and sharing about Jesus with him . Secondly I have a point to discuss . I might be wrong also.But What I think about it is that there is nothing wrong in taking that as a food stuff which they beleive is something. But if in my mind I think of that only as walnuts hazelnuts and puffed rice what's the problem? Jesus says whatever goes into your body will not make you impure ,but what comes out of your heart will make you impure.In my heart I adore the only God ,The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit ,creator of heaven and earth as my Lord . But In the letter of St.Paul there is a mention of this asking not to eat the food which was offered to idols.In my mind I beleive that St Paul was correcting the attitude that the Romans had while taking the food. Father Thomas and the other theologians Please share your views in this regard before I create confusions. Praise God George Kuriakose --- Josun Jose <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This morning as I was doing some work in office, > One of my colleagues who had > visited vaishno devi (hindu shrine) was distributing > Prasad (offering) to all > in the office. > As I saw him in a distance, I immediately got up > from my seat and ran into the > toilet and locked my self in... I was there for > about 20-25 mins (as though i > had nothing better to do in life!) :):). I did that > coz I was scared I may be > ostracized if I said I couldn't take the prasad. I > also didn't want to receive > the offering and then throw it away! > > After about say some half an hour I emerged from the > washroom, relieved that I > had dodged Miss embarrassment quite well, I came to > my seat. Alas! There on > my workstation was a handful of walnuts, hazel nuts > and puffed rice that my > colleague had kept for me! Why did he do this?? I > could have pumped in a quart > of iodine into his thyroid gland!! Now what do I do > with this? > > I thought of flushing the prasad into the loo or > throwing it away. But > something inside me told me not to do that. I prayed > for my colleague and I > asked the lord to give me an opportunity to tell him > that I cannot accept > these kind of offerings. > > As I was praying for him, (I take this as my Lord > intervening) there he came > to my seat with some work.... wow! What better > opportunity can I get?? > > I said to him, "thank you for the prasad that I > found on my table, how was ure > trip to vaishno devi?" he said it was ok. but he > doesn't believe much in all > this stuff, he only went becoz his family was going > and it was imperative for > him to accompany the family.. I said to him, "please > don't feel bad but u see, > I am a Christian and I like to practice my faith.. I > cannot accept this > offering as my faith doesn't permit me to". Then I > continued, "see if I wanted > I could have just gone and flushed it in the loo or > thrown it away, nobody > would have ever known about it, I felt that is not > the right thing to do and > so please do take it back ok. Please don't mind ok" > so saying I opend my > drawyer and gave him back the stuff. > > All this while I was watching his face for any > reactions.. He told me, "Josun > I respect you as a person of integrity, I respect > you for the love you have > for your faith..don't worry I don't feel bad". And > he took it back and munched > it up in a jiffy! He finished his work and went > back. > > I went again to the wash room, locked the door, > knelt down there itself and > thanked the lord for salvaging the situation, > initially I acted like a coward, > but when I called on my Lord He came to my rescue! > > There in the washroom itself, looking in the mirror > I started singing very > quietly... > > You are my strength when I am weak, > > you are the treasure that I seek > > you are my all in all > > Seeking you as a precious jewel, > > Lord to give up I'd be a fool, > > you are my all in all.." > > Friends, if the Lord can come to the rescue of a > coward like me! He'll do much > more for u brave hearts! Just check it out for your > selves. Do keep me in your > prayers ok. > > Jesus in me loves you all. > > Josun Jose/New Delhi/India > > **************************************************************** > This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth > mailing list. > To unsubscribe, send a mail to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To subscribe to this mailing list, visit > http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet > For automatic help, send a mail to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > In case of any issue related to the mailing list > contact > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > **************************************************************** **************************************************************** This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. 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