(no subject)

[holyoutlaw]

Thank you for the blessings bestowed upon me and may I always strive to walk the path that best honors them.

I have no idea who the you is in that prayer. I basically think all forms of spirituality are attempts to find succor and comfort, to rationalize an unpredictable, casual, and capricious life. This is, really, an argument for their necessity. All forms of religion are about cementing the temporal authority of the religious body, as an arbiter of self worth. (In this case, religion is to spirituality as advertising jingle is to symphony.)

The two prayers I learned in Catholic grade school -- the Our Father and the Hail Mary -- are about powerlessness and idolatry. There is no obligation to act in them (other than the nudge about "as we forgive those who trespass against us" in the Our Father). Certainly no obligation as strong as that in the prayer that begins "Lord, make us intruments of your peace."

Comments

[wild-patience.livejournal.com]

Excuse me, idolatry???!!!!!

I assume this is based on misconceptions about the Hail Mary. "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee," is pretty much what the angel says to her in the gospel of Luke. "Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus," is also based on that. "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death" is a petition, asking Jesus' mama to pray for us, pretty much as we would ask other folks to pray for us, too, only we know she has her son's ear for sure. How exactly is that idolatrous? It is not worship of Mary, it is asking her to ask God to help us after establishing her Biblical credentials.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

I was hoping you'd see and respond to this post, but I'm sorry if it angered or offended you.

I take your point about the Hail Mary, and will think about it.