Jesus Gave me the Flu?

The media is helping get the word out from Catholic Archdiocese about the flu risks from partaking in communion.

(CBS/AP) The Boston Archdiocese is asking parishioners with cold or flu symptoms to forgo long-standing traditions of Mass � including communion and shaking hands as a symbol of peace � to avoid spreading the illnesses.
www.cbsnews.com...

But it's a fine line between faith and pragmatism: "While at this time we do not advocate refraining from offering the cup, we made suggestions that anyone who had symptoms or who would be vulnerable to contagion refrain," archdiocesan spokesman the Rev. Christopher Coyne told the Boston Herald for its editions Wednesday, one day before Christmas.

My questions, or rather confusion on this issue regard the dogmatic beliefs in Trans-substantiation and Intiction. I'm not trying to argue against the Catholic beliefs, but if you have faith that the act of Communion actually transform the wine into the physical blood of Christ, and the wafer into his flesh... aren't there any sanctified protections built in?

The Intinction angle is the on-going debate in Catholicsm that simply placing the wafer in your hand doesn't cut it... the priest must feed you like Jesus for Trans-substantiation to take place. (My apologies if I understate, please elaborate if you are Catholic.)

But the flu/SARS scare is just the most recent of historical attacks on the trans-substantiation, and plea for communal cup sharing and submission by mouth. Some backwoods protestant churches still preach Catholics are cannibals. (No offense to Catholics or Protestants... but it's not exactly a new spin in the protestant movement.)

Really the flu scare just brought it back to my attention, but I'd like any and all input and links to the trans-substantiation debate and the like. The problem as I understand it, is that this is one belief that can be scientifically disproven. I think the flu scare just adds to weaken the stance on trans-substantiation. I recall hearing an of an official Papal investitagtion some years ago to 'prove' exactly when the change takes place. The result of course was 'right after ingestion'. More proof you need "faith". (a-hem).

I knew the church was trying to turn us into processed food....just like Xenogears!

You would think that Trans-substantiation would kill flu germs....???

Surely, if the power of faith can transform wine into the blood of Christ, and a wafer, into his flesh...it can kill a flu virus?

Guess not....*snicker*

Well, I don't usually speak out like this against another belief system, but I find the whole "I'm-literally-eating-Jesus-thingy" unfounded by scripture, really kind of disgusting and well, very easily rejectable if you get right down to it.