shatteredlands
September 28th, 2003, 01:18 PM
I have just returned home from Sunday worship at my Catholic Parish. Words cannot describe how I feel right now. before you go saying awwww, that's great, he's at a loss for words because of his worship...let me tell you, it is not that. I saw something transpire today that I would never have dreamed to have seen in a Church...Catholic, Protestant, Baptist...denomination is not the issue. Today, the priest's homily (his sermon, I guess you would call it after the Gospel reading for anyone not familiar with the Catholic service) was skipped today for a "presentation" by some of the Catholic children and a few adults. The first of two skits was probably 5 or 6 kids dressed up in little wizard costumes (pointy hat and all) with the letter "H" in red on their chests. When they were introduced the mention of Harry Potter and his plan to help others...on the altar, they proclaimed that helping the church and others is a "magical experience." The second skit involved 2 adults dressed as pirates (swords, skull and crossbones, eyepatch...the whole 9 yards) shouting out ARRGGHH, MATEY...it's the Pirates Code to help the church!
Now, here is my take on this...maybe I am over-reacting...
While I can see that this was probably an attempt to reach the younger people in the congregation, I can also see that there may have been more appropriate characters to help portray the image of brother helping brother and the church. While I have no real objection to Harry Potter in fiction, my belief is that he has no place in the church. As much as I hate the Teletubbies or Barney (That big, purple irritating dinosaur :twitch ) I would have chosen them over a wizard's portrayal of Christianity any day. As for the second skit...well, spank me and call me Shirley. :frusty Again, as I KNOW this was an attempt to get through to the younger members...but pirates and swords and running around with skulls and crossbones yelling ARRRRRGGHHH...am I over-reacting? Do any of you, my brothers and sisters, feel that this belongs in a church? Seriously, it took every ounce of decency in me for me not to leave. Now, correct me if I am wrong. but as it is documented in history I don't THINK that pirates in RL were warm, fuzzy loveable church goers...
Sorry for the rant...
Frank
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Rev 9:21
And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Rev 18:23-24
But these two [things] shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, [and] for the great abundance of thine enchantments
For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I [am], and none else beside me.
Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, [which] thou shalt not know.
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: [there shall] not [be] a coal to warm at, [nor] fire to sit before it.
Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, [even] thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.
-Isaiah 47:9-15
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no [more] soothsayers.
-Micah 5:12
The proof is in the pudding, as they say...
Now, here is my take on this...maybe I am over-reacting...
While I can see that this was probably an attempt to reach the younger people in the congregation, I can also see that there may have been more appropriate characters to help portray the image of brother helping brother and the church. While I have no real objection to Harry Potter in fiction, my belief is that he has no place in the church. As much as I hate the Teletubbies or Barney (That big, purple irritating dinosaur :twitch ) I would have chosen them over a wizard's portrayal of Christianity any day. As for the second skit...well, spank me and call me Shirley. :frusty Again, as I KNOW this was an attempt to get through to the younger members...but pirates and swords and running around with skulls and crossbones yelling ARRRRRGGHHH...am I over-reacting? Do any of you, my brothers and sisters, feel that this belongs in a church? Seriously, it took every ounce of decency in me for me not to leave. Now, correct me if I am wrong. but as it is documented in history I don't THINK that pirates in RL were warm, fuzzy loveable church goers...
Sorry for the rant...
Frank
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Rev 9:21
And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Rev 18:23-24
But these two [things] shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, [and] for the great abundance of thine enchantments
For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I [am], and none else beside me.
Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, [which] thou shalt not know.
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: [there shall] not [be] a coal to warm at, [nor] fire to sit before it.
Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, [even] thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.
-Isaiah 47:9-15
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no [more] soothsayers.
-Micah 5:12
The proof is in the pudding, as they say...