Prayer is useless?

[H2Andy]

Where do you get this info?

well... a life-long fascination with Christian Scritpture as part of my
cultural heritage, then a minor in religion in college, and continued
reading on the subject.

i'm afraid most of my knowledge is quite basic; i don't have the
time to do the real serious research (or learn Greek to be
able to read the original sources).

here's a basic study sheet for the synoptics:

http://nike.heidelberg.edu/~bgrangaa/NT/Synoptic_Gospels_Review.html

here's some stuff on Thomas, including the text:

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_thomas.htm

Thomas is particulalry interesting because of its early origins (thought
to predate the synoptics), its simple, "here's what Jesus said" approach,
and its lack of narrative, which indicates a source very close to the
historical Jesus (his audience knew jesus, knew what he had done,
and needed no explanation. they just wanted to know what he'd said)

 

[Ana]

alas yes, many protestans take grape juice for communion, not real wine,
as alcohol is evil and must be avoided at all costs
(i grew up Baptist, and grape juice it was)

(of course, Jesus drank wine... as did all the Apostles, but that's a diff. story.
not to mention the bit about turning harmless WATER into eeeveel
WINE... but hey...)

I told myself "stay away from this" but reading this post was like a switch that turned on some freaky memories from catholic school in Spain.

Protestans may or may not be aware that when the catholic priest bless the wine and the bread the "transformation" is for real (as real as all these things are ofcourse).
Growing up, the nuns used to warn me (along with the full class) about not chewing the round communion thing, because once it is blessed it IS the body of Christ. Just like the wine becomes the blood. Well, I didn't seem to have a problem with the blood which may explain a lot of my weirdness, but it sure was tough to deal with the so called "body".
It is funny now, but so many, many times I'd wished for a hand or elbow instead of an eye, stomach or kidney. For years 90% of my prayers were asking God not to let me get the liver. I think those prayers did work, don't recall ever getting a liver taste during communion.
Good thing the catholic faith is around to give a hand to the hopeless and all that mercifull jazz.

 

[H2Andy]

once it is blessed it IS the body of Christ. Just like the wine becomes the blood.

good story!

yes, transubstantiation is a wonderful thing...

i don't think i bought that bit either :14:

i must say that of all the Christian services, the Catholic Mass is my favorite

 

[Kim]

good story!

yes, transubstantiation is a wonderful thing...

i don't think i bought that bit either :14:

i must say that of all the Christian services, the Catholic Mass is my favorite

Protestants didn't either.

 

[keruxts]

Of course no one has a copy of "Q" and is an assumed work based on the similarities in the synoptic gospels.

 

[BIGSAGE136]

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/q.html

 

[Mike Veitch]

have any of you read "Lamb: The gospel according to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" ?

Give it a read, absolutely hilarious
Its by Christopher Moore

www.chrismoore.com

 

[MaxBottomtime]

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/q.html

I'm guessing that's not the same omnipotent Q from Star Trek?

 

[H2Andy]

hahaha... Plankspanker and I just had that convo on PM's

 

[plankspanker]

I'm guessing that's not the same omnipotent Q from Star Trek?

Roddenberry named the character of Q after Janet Quarton, an English fan of the series. But many fans believe Roddenberry based Q on Trelane, a character with very similar powers who appeared in the original series episode 'The Squire of Gothos'. Q has appeared in episodes of Deep Space Nine and Voyager, and it has long been rumoured that John DeLancie would reprise the role in one of the Star Trek films, but he has sadly yet to materialise on the big screen.

So I am going to say yes because it sounds cooler