Apr 22, 2012 -- 9:19AM, Dutch777 wrote:

....

listverse.com/2007/09/12/top-10-bizarre-...

Natch, the list only mentions the "top 10" bizarre aspects, out of an innumerable list of possibilities.  I've already indicated "in utero baptism".  The article mentions auto-flagellation, so dear to Lady Heather and His Holyhood in Rome.

Not mentioned in the article:

-   Jesus had two penises: two churches in Italy claim to have His foreskin.  Cheers !

-  The annually liquifying blood of St. Januarius, which does its "thingie" once per year; held in a monstrance in an Italian church.

-  The morbid, pathological fascination the RCC has for body parts of dead "saints".

The list is virtually endless, but I want to go drink my quart of tea and puff my pipe.  Till later.

If religious Faith did not have the popular support, and thereby the cultural protection it enjoys, this "stuff" would be rigthly classified as evidence for mental illness.   I would also bet that there is a brain connection between the regions that correspond to self inflicted pain and feelings of transcendence, given the universality of these type of practices across religious traditions.  Perhaps the brain connection is similar to Synesthesia. 

One day neurological therapies can be offered to help cure people of this bizarre behavior of self infliction.  IMO Freud was not too far off in his analysis of religion.

Apr 22, 2012 -- 10:32AM, Dutch777 wrote:

this "stuff" would be rigthly classified as evidence for mental illness.  

Just consider:

An old man, wearing a strange, pointy hat and odd clothing, plus red Prada loafers.  He claims that God appointed him Christ's vicar on earth; that he can make infallible pronouncements and define religious truth; that he leads this planet's one-true-religion; that he has the power to declare dead people saints and prestidigitize bread and wine into human tissue and blood.

OK, now is that person:

1.  A paranoid schizophrenic with delusions of grandeur.

2.  A cult leader.

3.  The world's greatest bull$#!+ artist.

Hmmm well he could possibly be one of the above or all 3

Apr 21, 2012 -- 7:52PM, journeying wrote:

Apr 21, 2012 -- 7:28PM, Jupiter6208 wrote:

...I like the Episcopal Church because The Episcopal Church focuses on love not sin and all are welcome to the table.

I attended a Gregorian Chant workshop a couple of years ago and enjoyed all but the prayers and sermons. Every time a priest opened his mouth he emphasized what horrible sinners we all are and how undeserving of God's mercy. By the end of the week I was ready to stand up and call them on it. But I had learned what a nasty god those people worship. Apparently those who love chant tend to be very conservative. At one lunch a woman launched into a diatribe against Joan Chittester that permanently alienated me from those folks. Their god is not worth my time. I'll never attend again.

I know this is just my opinion but i have been to a Catholic Church for mass and of course i have been to Episcopal Services on several occasions and i have felt more Spirituality there then at the RCC Church again that is just me and i have no grips with the RCC.