The Power of Prayer

[Mythopoeika]

What happened to all that forgiveness stuff? Is zero tolerance Christianity the in thing for friars?

Yeah, that was what I was thinking too.
What it amounts to is that they're asking for a curse (i.e. something that is not very 'Christian').

 

[Cochise]

Of course prayer works - but not necessarily because anyone is listening! In the same way placebos work, I daresay.

Being a Christian I shouldn't really say that - I know what I believe, but I don't think you have to believe in any particular god for it to work, just that you actually do believe. If you can convince yourself there really is a giant spaghetti monster that would probably do. I doubt you'll grow an amputated leg back, but you may well get over the flu quicker.

If only even a tiny proportion of those who call themselves Christians would have a stab at reading His words (whether they believe He actually existed or not) then they would find out how ridiculous their prejudices and condemnations are. 'Judge not that ye be judged'.

 

[Analogue Boy]

Tuscan friars ask God to deliver diarrhoea for basilica bible thief


A group of Franciscan friars furious at the theft of bibles from their church in Florence have taken the unusual step of praying for the thief to be struck down by diarrhoea.

Well, at least he'll have plenty of paper.

 

[OldTimeRadio]

Around 25 years ago the pastor of a US Lutheran church made the news by delivering a formal bell, book and candle curse against the miscreant who'd vandalized a tree on church property.

It was afterwards generally recognized that the tree had been damaged by a naturally-occurring plant disease.

So had the good Rev. formally cursed God?

 

[Cochise]

Probably. Its faux pas of that nature that make it important to ask for forgiveness. Quite often.

 

[OneWingedBird]

So had the good Rev. formally cursed God?

Assuming we're going with the view that the curse is simply another way of the priest asking god to intercede and punish the perp, then he had actually asked god to curse himself? :madeyes: