My Foray into Islam

[bupanishad2012]

I am ashamed of this, but have no way to get it off the Net.  Some of it is interesting from a Catholic viewpoint, but after the 1993, FIRST World Trade Center bombing (in the basement), I dropped this "conversion" like a hot potato!  I told you I was a searcher all my life:

 

http://thetruereligion.org/modules/xfsection/article.php?articleid=218

 

 

 

[QuisUtDeus]

Don't worry about it.  I've done lots of things I'm ashamed of too.  What's important is that you're back in the faith now and that you stay in it.

 

 

 

 

[Hristoroquen]

Bu- I echo the above sentiments. 

I apostatized in the 70's for much the same reasons you probably did, and became you basic relativist pagan.  Only diff is that I was a cradle Catholic, who really knew very little about true Catholicism to begin with, and as a teen I found the zany New Church created out of the V2 revolution to be completely devoid of anything approaching spiritually, replaced by a saccharin 'I'm OK, Your OK' sort of pop-psychology.  The Church we went to, Holy Redeemer in St. Paul, Minn, was moved to the suburbs with a new and truly hideous protestant warehouse-like building, a hot-dog-like Jesus-on-a-stick mod-sculpture crucifix propped to the side, and the Tabernacle nowhere to be seen.  No kneelers and plastic chairs of the type you'd see in a cheaply furnished lunch room.

 

We all have regrets from the past.

 

Important thing now is to stick with tradition, and Holy Mother Church.  The Church is being crucified from without and within.  As a friend who is a Traditional Priest put it, 'its a sort of honor to be part of the Remnant, undergoing this Crucifixion with the Church as a whole." 

 

BTW, you might want to chose a new avatar and name to reflect yr renewal in Christ...

 

Yrs in Christ,

[bupanishad2012]

"BTW, you might want to chose a new avatar and name to reflect yr renewal in Christ..."

 

I can't deny my history or even my basic beliefs.  I have effectively used some form of "...upanishad . . ." for years and no one has ever broken into my computer because of it being so unusual.  As to the "avatar," which, as a matter of fact, is a Hindu term for an incarnation of Brahma, it simply reflects my admiration for both Buddhism, and for the great display in the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, MO.  I have a small copy of this statue, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, also, and it reminds me of the Buddhist doctrine of those who pledge themselves to forego their own salvation until all living beings who ever existed or will ever exist are saved---very Christian in my opinion.  I, as I have written elsewhere, also believe that if Buddha and the Bodhisattvas had lived AFTER Our Lord Christ, they would, without doubt, be Catholic Christians.  I base this on a quotation from John Henry Cardinal Newman:"The use of temples, and these dedicated to particular saints, and ornamented on occasions with branches of trees; incense, lamps, and candles; votive offerings on recovery from illness; holy water; asylums; holy days and seasons, use of calendars, processions, blessings on the fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring in marriage, turning to the East, images at a later date, perhaps the ecclesiastical chant, and the Kyrie Eleison, are all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the Church." (Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, John Henry Newman, made a Cardinal by Pope Leo III in 1879).

 

Anyway, I have my own reasons for these things, but I appreciate your thoughts.

 

 

[CampeadorShin]

Its easy to see how Islam just doesn't line up with the history of Christianity and PreChrist Judaism.

A Muslim tried to argue with me that God never made covenants, ha!  Tell that to Jews and Christians, two religions that are older than Islam.

I try to point out that Christianity "lines up" with preChrist Judaism, but Islam doesn't.

Muslims deny the Trinity, they deny Christ was God, they think that the Bible speaks of Mohamed, when the Bible is actually talking about the Holy Ghost, the Koran contains apocryphal works that were kept out of the Bible for good reasons, the heresy of Arius is one of the components of Islam, post-Temple/post-Christ Talmudic Judaism was another big contributor to Islam, too much blind obedience to the Koran, and what's this about "Islam" as though it were one united group???  The Muslims are divided into as many groups as protestants from what I've read.  Why?  Because their isn't a final authority on the interpretation of the Koran, just like the protestants don't have a final authority on the interpretation of the Bible, Mohamed had signs of demonic possesion etc. etc. etc.

Too many problems with Islam...

Anyways, welcome home to Mother Church.

[Hristoroquen]

+
JMJ

I have a small copy of this statue, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, also, and it reminds me of the Buddhist doctrine of those who pledge themselves to forego their own salvation until all living beings who ever existed or will ever exist are saved---very Christian in my opinion.  I, as I have written elsewhere, also believe that if Buddha and the Bodhisattvas had lived AFTER Our Lord Christ, they would, without doubt, be Catholic Christians.  

My friend, your on dangerous ground.  Buddhism is NOT sympathetic to Catholicism.  Take it even from the late Holy Father, who despite his ecumenical obsession recognized Buddhism for its intrinsic 'nihilism.'  His word, not mine.

In fact, ask any truthful Buddhist and they will tell you they DO NOT believe in a diety.  They are absolutely atheists.

If Buddha had lived after Christ, I have no idea what he would have been.  Perhaps he would have found the peace he sought in a Monastery, perhaps he wold have been a New Age guru a la Rudolf Steiner.

You are either a syncretist or courting syncretism.  I note you started off as a Baptist.  They protestant malady is never being satisfied with the spirituality you've got.  You see it in many of the protestant converts to Catholicism who are trying to protestantize Catholicism, change it to their tastes.  Beleive me, there's enough different tastes in Traditional Catholicism for all.

This has nothing to do with what may be 'naturally' good in other so-called religions.  It has nothing even to do with adopting folks customs that may have had some religious context.  

It has to do with your soul, and the danger you are putting it in by holding on to elements of pagan religions, religions that are in fact demon-inspired (Traditional Catholic teaching on such things-- not mine).

Take it from a former apostate.  Hanging on to these things is very dangerous.  As a former prod, you're even more in danger than I might be since I'm back to my cradle home.  You might well always be plagued with a restless spirit regarding your faith because of the prod ethic you imbibed early on.

I say this in Charity, for to withhold the Truth would do you no good at all.  I really know where you're coming from.  Been there, done that, have the T-shirt.

I'll pray for you.  

Another self-righteous Trad...

[QuisUtDeus]

This is why I have Meatwad as my avatar.  Cute, small, non-threatening, and he gets the honeys.

 

Who doesn't like Meatwad?  No one.  Now if I had Master Shake, that would cause problems.

[bupanishad2012]

I sincerely believe you are way out of bounds in judging me.  I am ashamed of once going into Islam, NOT of the avatar.  Did you not know that "avatar" is a Hindu word for an incarnation of God (Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva)?  And you use the term like it was invented by the Church!  What I collect and what I use to represent myself is MY business.  If the Moderators say so, I will change it.  Until then . . .

[bupanishad2012]

 

This is why I have Meatwad as my avatar.  Cute, small, non-threatening, and he gets the honeys.

 

Who doesn't like Meatwad?  No one.  Now if I had Master Shake, that would cause problems.

Actually, it looks more like something that comes out of the south end of a north-going mule.  But, to each his own, huh?  (P.S.  I hated it from the beginning, but was too much of a gentleman to comment on it.)

[Clarkthepapist]

He didn't say avatar was a word used by the Church, he was talking about your image on the forum.