LTNgurl Posted October 18, 2003 Share Posted October 18, 2003 ok...every now and then i hear of catholic "matyrs", to be honest, it kind of freaks me out. i heard of ppl crucifying themselves or theur children for Chrsit/God/the church..anyway, what are your opinions about fanatics or martyrs? personally, i dislike pain, i dont think God would want me to suffer, but i have heard stories of Isaac and his father Abe, and i do respect that and i know is a test from God. but do you think ppl go to far in other cases? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norseman82 Posted October 18, 2003 Share Posted October 18, 2003 Well, I've been implicitly labeled as a fanatic simply because I hold to official church teaching.... But the example of crucifying one's children....is this a case of child sacrifice becase a voice in their head told them to do it??? Or is this a case of someone saying "deny your faith or I'll kill a family member?" In the former, it is insanity...in the latter, that is martyrdom. My general take on martyrdom: if it just so happens that life turns out that I cannot avoid it, so be it. But I am not going to actively look to be martyred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted October 18, 2003 Share Posted October 18, 2003 In some cultures people do temporalily crucify themselves ( especially around Easter) to show solidarity with the suffering or to expiate their own sins. It is an extreme mortification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloysius Posted October 18, 2003 Share Posted October 18, 2003 EDIT> i cant seem 2 find the Apologist's website the Apologist in one of his songs is like "it's not fanatic, we're just livin out our baptismal vows labelin us as a God-given child" or somethin like that. anyway, i like that part! but as for ppl seeking martyrdom, that's not the way it's intended to be. that's an islam extremist standpoint. self-mortification can be a pious action, but it can be taken too far. as long as it doesn't give u any lasting damage to the body God gave you, it's alright. at least that's what i always thought. so i don't see how crucifying yourself is good. where's the line drawn between healthy self-mortification and self mutilation? i think it should be drawn that mortification should not have lasting effects on your health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katholikos Posted October 18, 2003 Share Posted October 18, 2003 ok...every now and then i hear of catholic "matyrs", to be honest, it kind of freaks me out. i heard of ppl crucifying themselves or theur children for Chrsit/God/the church..anyway, what are your opinions about fanatics or martyrs? personally, i dislike pain, i dont think God would want me to suffer, but i have heard stories of Isaac and his father Abe, and i do respect that and i know is a test from God. but do you think ppl go to far in other cases? (Some) Catholics have always been willing to die for their Faith. Most of the Apostles were martyrs. To name only two, St. Peter was crucified upside down in Nero's Circus on Vatican Hill, and St. Paul was beheaded on the Ostian Way, c. 64 -67 A.D, in Rome. "Martyrs of the Coliseum" is a very old book that tells the story of the many Christians who died in the famous Coliseum for their Faith. There were more martyrs for the Faith in the 20th century than in any other! "My son [daughter], do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him, for the Lord disciplines him [her] whom he loves, and chastises every son [daughter] whom he receives" Hebrews 12:5-6. God loves the Pope dearly, and vice versa, yet JPII is teaching us all the value of suffering by his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTNgurl Posted October 19, 2003 Author Share Posted October 19, 2003 ok..thank you guys, i understand a little more about why some ppl were sacrificing themselves. i would die for my faith too, but like my boyfriend (former muslim) told me about the shi'ites whipping themselves and slicing thier heads..etc.etc. it kind of scared me a lil'. (i know that is in Islam) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP2Iloveyou Posted October 19, 2003 Share Posted October 19, 2003 ok..thank you guys, i understand a little more about why some ppl were sacrificing themselves. i would die for my faith too, but like my boyfriend (former muslim) told me about the shi'ites whipping themselves and slicing thier heads..etc.etc. it kind of scared me a lil'. (i know that is in Islam) fI've never heard of a Catholic doing something like that. I wouldn't advise it. I've also never heard of anyone crucifying themselves to the point of death. They do do this briefly in the Philippines every Good Friday, but no one dies. As for actual martyrdom, we should all be martyrs. All the word means is "witness." We should all be witnesses for Christ in our thoughts, words, and deeds. If that means that we might have to give up our lives for the Church, either litterally or figuritively, then so be it. St. Maximilliam Kolbe is one of my favorite martyrs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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