feast of all souls-----do you have any religious observations in nov?
968780
Praying for the Dead\nSeptember 24, 2001\nby Wayne Jackson\n\nIn times of great crisis, people cry out to God in prayer. While this is understandable, prayers for the dead are both futile, and contrary to biblical truth.\n\nSince the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, our nation has been plunged into a deeply “religious” mood. The parallel of this “praying posture” has not been observed in our beloved America since Pearl Harbor was bombed—almost sixty years ago. This disposition is encouraging; and one, we hope, that will not be short-lived.\n\nOur hearts cannot but anguish with those who are suffering such soul-tearing losses. Some children have lost one or both parents; husbands and wives have been robbed of loving mates; others will never see brother or sister again. To describe these separations as “painful” is an egregious understatement. The caring soul is wholly sympathetic to the tears of damaged family members.\n\nIt is most difficult to be critical of sincere people in a time of such distress. But we must, with genuine compassion, call attention to a glaring error that has manifested itself repeatedly—and occasionally on the part of Christians who ought to know better.\n\nNot infrequently of late, the public has been encouraged to “pray for those whose lives were lost, and for their families.” For those grieving families—yes. Certainly so. For the dead, no. Is this a heartless admonition? It is not. It is spiritual reality. No one should entertain the illusion that someone may be able to pray for him, effecting some beneficial result, after he is dead.\n\nWhile it is natural to have the inclination to pray in times of acute distress, the only thing one really knows about the parameters of valid prayer is that which is revealed in the Bible. The Scriptures constitute the only legitimate prayer manual. And there is ample evidence in that sacred volume that prayers for the dead are not only futile, the practice is antagonistic to certain aspects of divine truth—in spite of the fact that this pagan practice is common in certain circles of “Christendom.” For example, Roman Catholic theology allows for prayers both to the dead, and on behalf of them. But reflect upon the following points.\n\n\n   1. Even Catholic authorities concede that there is no explicit authorization for prayers on behalf of the dead in the sixty-six books of canonical Scripture. Roman authorities appeal to the Apocrypha (2 Macabees 12:46), church tradition (late second century and onward), the decree of the Council of Trent (Session xxv), etc., but there is no valid biblical defense to be made for the practice (see Donald Attwater, A Catholic Dictionary, New York: Macmillan, 1961, p. 137). It is only from a few passages, not relevant to the issue, that unwarranted inferences are drawn.\n   2. The Scriptures teach that those who have yielded to the Savior’s will (Heb. 5:8-9), enter directly and immediately into the presence of the Lord (Lk. 23:43; Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:6,8). What need, then, do they have for the prayers of people upon the earth?\n   3. In the parable of the virgins (Mt. 25:1ff), there is the clear lesson that after those “virgins” went to “sleep” (v. 5 – signifying death; cf. Dan. 12:2; 1 Thes. 4:13ff), there was no further opportunity for preparation (the “door was shut” v. 10). The lesson then is taught that only those who had made adequate, personal preparation would meet the “bridegroom” in that condition. The implications of this illustration are firmly opposed to the notion of praying for the dead.\n   4. When Jesus related the details regarding the selfish rich man, and the righteous beggar, Lazarus, (Lk. 16:19ff), he affirmed that a “great gulf” stood between the abode of the unrighteous and the righteous (v. 26). This “gulf” is permanently “fixed” (this is the force of the perfect tense verb), and there is no crossing from one side to the other. How, therefore, c
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What underlies holidays in memory of the “spirits of the dead”?\n\nThe 1910 edition of The Encyclopædia Britannica states: “All Souls’ Day . . . the day set apart in the Roman Catholic Church for the commemoration of the faithful departed. The celebration is based on the doctrine that the souls of the faithful which at death have not been cleansed from venial sins, or have not atoned for past transgressions, cannot attain the Beatific Vision, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the mass. . . . Certain popular beliefs connected with All Souls’ Day are of pagan origin and immemorial antiquity. Thus the dead are believed by the peasantry of many Catholic countries to return to their former homes on All Souls’ night and partake of the food of the living.”—Vol. I, p. 709.\n\nThe Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”—(1977), Vol. 13, p. 725.\n\nThe book The Worship of the Dead points to this origin: “The mythologies of all the ancient nations are interwoven with the events of the Deluge . . . The force of this argument is illustrated by the fact of the observance of a great festival of the dead in commemoration of the event, not only by nations more or less in communication with each other, but by others widely separated, both by the ocean and by centuries of time. This festival is, moreover, held by all on or about the very day on which, according to the Mosaic account, the Deluge took place, viz., the seventeenth day of the second month—the month nearly corresponding with our November.” (London, 1904, Colonel J. Garnier, p. 4) Thus these celebrations actually began with an honoring of people whom God had destroyed because of their badness in Noah’s day.—Gen. 6:5-7; 7:11.\n\nSuch holidays honoring “spirits of the dead” as if they were alive in another realm are contrary to the Bible’s description of death as a state of complete unconsciousness.—Eccl. 9:5, 10; Ps. 146:4.
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dude give us a break, or at least a date for judgement day so i can prepare an answer\n\nand are u putting words in gods mouth....how does ur priest/minister/pastor feel about such blasphemy??
849359
Its not there, however, you are using the wrong calendar.  We should really worship Friday Night to Saturday, with the Jews, as Jesus did.  Using the Calendar and traditions he used.
882343
Every single day when I recite the Magnificat and the Angelus.\n\nMidge.....did you go to Mass???\n\n;-)\n\nI'm running late as usual....Pax vobiscum.
606817
Yeah, right on! I'm down. Winter Solstice, Turkish Crist-mas! Reincarnating is a blast from the past! Commercial-consumerism-down! Pagen fridge-magnet making and twig/rock giving UP! Stuff it in your yule-tide sock!!!! Rad!
669682
its against my religion to ask good questions today...this is the Feast Of Maximum Occupancy!
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mm, i like that concept, give a long, heartfelt prayer. & then after giving the goodlord thanks for the feast, dig in.\n"bon apitite"
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All right, Rev Trask. This does it! Have you been taking your medication?\n\nActually, you forgot to include deviled ham. How many sinful foods have we been eating? Are we doomed?
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Happy Thanksgiving!\n\nHere is a good link\n\nhttp://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/br.htm
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What an amazing event. I hope you treasure it for the rest of your life as a message of God's love for all his creatures.  I believe in angels, and I am convinced that all of us act as angels sometimes.  I know I have been blessed plenty of times by people whom I know, who have helped me in several ways. ALso, I have been touched by complete strangers who have actually saved my life in many ways.  God bless you
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It does seem like just a few months ago that it was last Christmas.  This year does seem to have flown by.  May God Bless
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It's funny you asked that.  My girlfriend and I were discussing last night what we and our friends will be doing for Yule this year.\nWe always get together at one or the other's house and do a ritual that is kid as well as non pagan friendly because we usually have family and/or friends in attendance who are not pagans.  And of course we eat... a lot.\nI was just about to do a little research and start working on our ritual.  Thanks for reminding me...
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Hallelujah!!\n\n& thank you! same goes for you. may all go well and bless your soul!
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The only thing I associate with 6/6/6 is The Omen starting.  I am definately going to see it.  I love people that question "the christian way of thinking,"
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Ok I am Egyptian Orthodox so I think I can help\nwe live in Islamic country (as you know)\nThe country's official holiday is in Frieday\nwhen the church make mass at sunday many many are not able to go, because of them jobs\n\nso church make more than one mass: one in sunday and another one in frieday and maybe in others days\n\nthe sunday mass suppose to be the only one, but we have no choice, you understand?\n\nalso yes christmas in Egyptian (For Orthodox) is in Jan. 7 of each year\nyou didn't ask for this point so I won't talk about this point now
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Hi "One_man_woman",\nOne time, I was walking to the corner market for a loaf of bread when I had to pass by a neighborhood church. I was somewhat acquainted with the structure as it was always mentioned in the newspaper's community section. Known as "The loft," folks would gather there on Thursday evenings for poetry readings.\n\nHowever, this day happened to be a Saturday afternoon and a pair of gentlemen greeted me as I walked by. They invited me inside to sample an hour of their presentation. Ok, I went inside and found myself to be a prospective new recruit for their brand of religion.\n\nMost of the pews were filled with hooded monks chanting a haunting rhythm. There were others who like me, were wearing their regular denims. The service began like most other church-goers would be familiar with. A grand master of ceremonies led the group through some songs and gave a sermon. Near the end of the hour it was time for their ritual of "laying on of the hands." Some of the parishioners would come forward and ask for prayers for their ailments or a sick grand mum whom fell down in the tub. All the hooded dudes whose faces could not readily be seen would all place a hand on the person and their combined energies were presumed to have a strength and expedite a solution to the problem.\n\nOK now, there was another new guy in the pews who was watching eagerly. I noticed he had a shaky-leg syndrome. When he saw a chance, he approached the ring of conspirators and described how he never was able to settle down. The hooded goons closed in upon him, all to make a physical connection. The master of ceremonies began a prayer, a dogmatic mix of logic and pure hocus-pocus. I immediately saw the effects as the tension went out of the man's body. When the beseeching was near an end, the master asked, "Are the brothers ready?"\n\nA suspenseful few moments passed until he almost shouted, "NOW!"\n\nOn that cue, the brothers began to pummel their hapless victim. Continually delivering blows over head and to the solar plexus until he was down on the floor getting stomped. After another minute, the grand Pooh-Bah decided the treatment administered was sufficient to induce a relaxing calm that would assuage the nervousness for a long, long time.\n\nI can't say for certain that the syndrome was lifted permanently as I had a loaf of bread to buy and some other errands to do that day. I hope for you "One_man_woman", that you can find a cure.\n\n-Mark