The Catholic Church practices symbolic cannibalism

No, no. it is NOT cannibalism. You're missing MY point. I understood your's. Now listen a little. In "consuming" or even if you want to say it is "eating" the "body" of Christ, it is not his physical being. No, no. It is the SPIRIT, the "body" of the SON OF GOD. To eat that bread and drink the wine symbolizes something so much more than cannibalism. It is not in fact the point that it is representative of body and blood. Oh no. It is representative of Jesus, the SON OF GOD, of giving himself to the followers. It is giving up his being, spiritual and physical, to the people. It symbolizes a unity between master and follower. Nothing to do with eating literal flesh and drinking literal blood.

You aren't looking deep enough at the picture.

If that isn't clear enough, let me specify. Please ask =]

As an ordained deacon, and a lifelong Catholic, I hope that answers your questions. If not, like I said, feel free to ask. But, as I said before, it is not the shallow literal answer of consuming flesh and blood, it is not symbolic cannibalism. It is symbolic of consuming everything about the son of god into one's self, and therefore being in unity and harmony with him.

Originally posted by shantyman
Whatever the current forms of the New Testament Gospels claim? Harsh. I have written in earlier posts about the concept of Transubstantiation. If you are a dictionary maven, I might allow that the literal-minded could and would - and obviously ARE - maintaining that this is 'cannibalism'. This does not make it any less crass. In my experience, the literal minded often resembles the feeble-minded. Generally, I am not so nasty, but I really prefer to see arguments with more meat on them then what I am seeing here.

I have always made it a point throughout this thread that I view this ritual as symbolic and not literal. Yet, as I write this I am holding a dictionary that gives this definition of the word:
transubstantiation - n. doctrine that substance of bread and wine changes into substance of Christ's body when consecrated in Eucharist.

Despite this description, I choose to remain constant with the view that said ritual is one of a symbolic nature. This literal description is horrible not to mention ridiculous in my opinion.

Of course my particular dictionary may give a less than authentic description of the ritual in question just as many written works throughout history may give a less than authentic description of the subjects and events and people described therein.
I hope I am not to be regarded as too harsh in allowing for the possibility that my dictionary definition is less than authentic.

WeBDeviL,
I do see your point of view and did indeed shared it for many years.
However my opinion has changed because I have looked deeper into the picture.
The symbolic link is very apparent in my current view.
Of course many will disagree with my view and that is to be expected especially if one's view is consistant with the Catholic view.

Originally posted by point
The symbolic eating of the Body of Christ and drinking of the Blood of Christ as practiced in the ritual of Holy Communion in the Catholic Church seems to me to be directly linked to the goulish practices of cannibalism and vampirism.


[edit on 12-5-2006 by point]

[edit on 12-5-2006 by point]

Sounds more like Wiccan "propaganda" to me.

Wisconsin