Most hilarious Canadian politics story I've heard in ages. Harper accepts Catholic communion when he's really Protestant. Somehow this has actually been a leading story on CBC newsworld. What a joke. I really thought we were above this kind of crap that muddles American politics.
Can't we just focus on things that actually matter? Harper is at the G8 summit afterall.
Quote:
Harper, who is a devout Protestant, accepted the host but appeared to put it in his program or his pocket, according to some onlookers.
However, a review of videotape shot at the event was inconclusive, and the Prime Minister's Office says Harper consumed the wafer, in accordance with Catholic law.
The video of his sin:
IMO he didn't eat it, but who knows the video is inconclusive. More importantly who cares? For all I care he can feed it do his dog.
Catholics believe that the "host" transforms literally in to the flesh of Jesus. Therefore, to accept it without having gone to confession recently is a sin, even if you are Catholic, let alone have never gone to confession at all. It's about purifying your soul before letting Jesus enter.
It's a big deal to Catholics. Very big actually.
And FYI If you ever go to a Catholic Church and you dont want to accept the bread, yet find yourself in line, cross your arms over your chest and you'll just get a blessing.
If you don't want an actual answer...
Yeah! How stupid! What a waste of time!
Last edited by alltherage; 07-08-2009 at 02:23 PM.
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Catholics believe that the "host" transforms literally in to the flesh of Jesus. Therefore, to accept it without having gone to confession recently is a sin, even if you are Catholic, let alone have never gone to confession at all. It's about purifying your soul before letting Jesus enter.
It's a big deal to Catholics. Very big actually.
Really? I know when I went to Catholic school the local pedophile was passing them out to all the kids without asking if any of them had gone to confession.
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I was told, as a Protestant who married a Catholic, that I should simply cross my arms over my chest and the Priest would give me a blessing instead of offering the wafer.
However, I tried this once in a country that was mostly catholic and they had no idea what I was doing. It was a really awkward moment....
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Agreed, silly story. But since it's out there, I think it's a difficult situation for anyone, PM or not: being polite and respectful to the other religion vs. being true to your own (or to your lack thereof). If he declines to eat it, it's seen as disrespectful, if he pretends to eat it but doesn't, it's really disrespectful, and if he does eat it even though it's a meaningless gesture then it cheapens the whole ceremony.
I'm not 100% sure, but if he is Protestant, he should never have accepted it to begin with as he would have never have gone through the Catholic rites of First Communion at around the age of 12. I know some Protestants might have the same thing, but I don't think the Catholic church recognizes it.
Really, who cares. I don't... The proper ettiquette would have been not to accept the communion to begin with if he didn't want it. It makes me glad that I stopped caring about Canadian politics for the most part.
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Well... a small understanding of Catholicism would reveal that they treat the waffer as being transformed into the actual body of Christ. If he did not take it in after accepting it, it is a slight to the entire ritual - which is the single most important ritual in the Catholic faith.
Being a "protestant" as a child and going to Catholic school, we were instructed that unless we were confirmed as Catholics, we should not stand up to receive the Eucharist. It's ridiculous Church dogma to be sure, but it's also a core belief system of a great many people. For a public figure to think it's ok to accept the waffer and then try to dispose of it demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the people he's trying to appease.
Catholics believe that the "host" transforms literally in to the flesh of Jesus. Therefore, to accept it without having gone to confession recently is a sin, even if you are Catholic, let alone have never gone to confession at all. It's about purifying your soul before letting Jesus enter.
It's a big deal to Catholics. Very big actually.
And FYI If you ever go to a Catholic Church and you dont want to accept the bread, yet find yourself in line, cross your arms over your chest and you'll just get a blessing.
If you don't want an actual answer...
Yeah! How stupid! What a waste of time!
Thanks tips.
I never said I don't know the Catholic beliefs, I just don't see how it is news. I am well aware of transubstantiation but I don't think it has anything to do with the news or politics.
I totally understand how a bunch of anal retentive Catholics might get offended, I just don't get why anyone would think this is newsworthy.
(Not solely directed at you ATR) It never ceases to amaze me how ######y and condescending people can be on CP. I am well aware of Catholic traditions and the smart ass comments about how my lack of understanding led to me thinking this is silly. Thanks but I am well versed, probably moreso than the people who called me on it.
Wow, the left attack dogs are out in full force on this one if CBCNW is showing this as a leading story.
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Really? I know when I went to Catholic school the local pedophile was passing them out to all the kids without asking if any of them had gone to confession.
Really? It's too bad you were at school with a pedophile, did you know about him first hand?
You were actually supposed to divert to the second answer I had.
I wasn't trying to be a smart ass here, I thought you genuinely were asking a question.
Quote:
I never said I don't know the Catholic beliefs, I just don't see how it is news. I am well aware of transubstantiation but I don't think it has anything to do with the news or politics.
I totally understand how a bunch of anal retentive Catholics might get offended, I just don't get why anyone would think this is newsworthy.
I don't think you can call them anal retentive when they are genuinely concerned for sacred bread which they believe is the flesh of God.
Quote:
(Not solely directed at you ATR) It never ceases to amaze me how ######y and condescending people can be on CP. I am well aware of Catholic traditions and the smart ass comments about how my lack of understanding led to me thinking this is silly. Thanks but I am well versed, probably moreso than the people who called me on it.
Yeah, I'm finding more and more on CP that you can't discuss religion in a serious sense whatsoever, nevermind Christianity. That's why I prefaced my origional response.
Well... a small understanding of Catholicism would reveal that they treat the waffer as being transformed into the actual body of Christ. If he did not take it in after accepting it, it is a slight to the entire ritual - which is the single most important ritual in the Catholic faith.
Being a "protestant" as a child and going to Catholic school, we were instructed that unless we were confirmed as Catholics, we should not stand up to receive the Eucharist. It's ridiculous Church dogma to be sure, but it's also a core belief system of a great many people. For a public figure to think it's ok to accept the waffer and then try to dispose of it demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the people he's trying to appease.
When it comes to cultural or religious ignorance, I think people should be a little forgiving though. It's not like he had bad intentions or anything. I could see some of my Protenstant or non-religious friends doing the same thing and not realizing that it was all that bad.
I'm sure that if I walked into a synogogue or mosque, I'd likely do things that might offend people without even realizing it. I'd hope the people would be a little forgiving.
I suppose that Harper, being a national leader whose country has a large number of Catholics, should probably educate himself more on the practices if he is going to attend them... Consider it one to grown on for him.
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Wow, the left attack dogs are out in full force on this one if CBCNW is showing this as a leading story.
My thoughts exactly. Hence my comments about this being stupid. Canadian media and politics usually try and avoid issues like this because it is obviously partisan hackery. This reminds me of the PC ad from the 90s about how Chretien couldn't speak and not to trust a leader that "looks like this" or the swift boat attack ads in the US.
Watching the idiot on CBC talk about how the evidence of the wafer eating incident was inconclusive and analyzing the video was priceless.
I seem to recall some high up Catholic person saying not too long ago that Host desecration was worse than murder recently. Not saying this is desecration though.
When it comes to cultural or religious ignorance, I think people should be a little forgiving though. It's not like he had bad intentions or anything. I could see some of my Protenstant or non-religious friends doing the same thing and not realizing that it was all that bad.
I'm sure that if I walked into a synogogue or mosque, I'd likely do things that might offend people without even realizing it. I'd hope the people would be a little forgiving.
I suppose that Harper, being a national leader whose country has a large number of Catholics, should probably educate himself more on the practices if he is going to attend them... Consider it one to grown on for him.
I agree. In Catholic's minds, God is the only one who will judge him anyway. If God knows it was a mistake, he will be fine.
Everyone will just make some stupid stink over this because they like to get emotional and stupid before actually considering that Harper was probably caught off guard with the Host, and didn't want to consume it or disgrace it. He just followed what others were doing, which isn't the end of the world.
Honest mistakes happen, noone cares, but the Media will blow it up to get people watching/reading.
I never said I don't know the Catholic beliefs, I just don't see how it is news. I am well aware of transubstantiation but I don't think it has anything to do with the news or politics.
Well, you are the one who posted the story here. If it's not news that Harper might have stuck a wafer in his pocket, how is it news that some news agencies think it is news? Seems just a tad hypocritical.
Or were you hoping that the discussion of the thread would ignore the original incident completely and focus entirely on whether the media reaction was justified?
Wafergate: Did Harper eat the communion wafer?
