{"tag":"relics","articles":{"blog\/mythology\/the-catholic-polytheism":{"key":"blog\/mythology\/the-catholic-polytheism","type":"article","published":true,"meta":{"createdAt":"2019-08-15T09:47:26+02:00","publishedAt":"2019-08-15T19:37:00+02:00","group":"mitologia-po-imieniu","category":"blog","subcategory":"mythology","slug":"the-catholic-polytheism"},"content":{"en":{"slug":"the-catholic-polytheism","title":"The catholic polytheism","intro":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\n                \u003Cnoscript\u003E\n                    \u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_small.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022 class=\u0022border-bottom\u0022 width=\u0022480\u0022 height=\u0022269.8682284041\u0022\u003E                \n                \u003C\/noscript\u003E\n                \u003Cspan class=\u0022hide-noscript\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022data:image\/png;base64,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\u0022 data-src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_small.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022 class=\u0022border-bottom\u0022 width=\u0022480\u0022 height=\u0022269.8682284041\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n                \n            \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor whatever reason, many monotheists seem proud of believing in just one god as opposed to those \u201cpagans\u201d who believe in many. They consider it some kind of a \u201cprogress\u201d (well, one is closer to the actual number of gods \u2013 zero \u2013 so technically it might be correct). But are they \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E monotheistic?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen you walk into the church I used to attend as a child, what do you see in the very center? Yes, the tabernacle, allegedly containing god himself. But what\u2019s way way above it?  What\u2019s surrounded by golden ornaments and votive offerings? A figurine of Mary.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Csvg xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\u0022 style=\u0022display: none;\u0022\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E","content":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\n                \u003Cnoscript\u003E\n                    \u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_big.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022 class=\u0022border\u0022 width=\u0022960\u0022 height=\u0022539.7364568082\u0022\u003E                \n                \u003C\/noscript\u003E\n                \u003Cspan class=\u0022hide-noscript\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022data:image\/png;base64,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\u0022 data-src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_big.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022 class=\u0022border\u0022 width=\u0022960\u0022 height=\u0022539.7364568082\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n                \u003Cfigcaption\u003E\n                    \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/admin.fatima.szczecin.pl\/webroot\/upload\/gallery\/PC152459_1476601226.jpg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\n                        \u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\n                        admin.fatima.szczecin.pl\/webroot\/upload\/gallery\/PC152459_1476601226.jpg\n                    \u003C\/a\u003E\n                \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n            \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor whatever reason, many monotheists seem proud of believing in just one god as opposed to those \u201cpagans\u201d who believe in many. They consider it some kind of a \u201cprogress\u201d (well, one is closer to the actual number of gods \u2013 zero \u2013 so technically it might be correct). But are they \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E monotheistic?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen you walk into the church I used to attend as a child, what do you see in the very center? Yes, the tabernacle, allegedly containing god himself. But what\u2019s way way above it?  What\u2019s surrounded by golden ornaments and votive offerings? A figurine of Mary.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne might get into semantic tricks, sure... Talk about how Catholics don\u2019t \u003Cem\u003Eworship\u003C\/em\u003E Mary or any other saint, they just \u003Cem\u003Eadmire\u003C\/em\u003E their lives. How they don\u2019t pray \u003Cem\u003Eto them\u003C\/em\u003E, they pray to Jahwe \u201c\u003Cem\u003Ethrough the intercession\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d of the saints. We all know that\u2019s bullshit.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn ancient Greece sailors had figurines of Poseidon on their ships, they would pray to him before setting sails and they believed that would keep them safe during their journey. Modern Catholic sailors have a picture of saint Nicholas of Myra in their wallet and they pray to him before embarking.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth ancient polytheists and modern quasi-monotheists believe that there\u2019s a group of beings, immortal (at least spiritually), inhabiting heavens, each having a \u201cdomain\u201d assigned to them, who deserve of having their images made, who can listen to their prayers and somehow cause them to come true.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA catholic bishop once really \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E wanted to trick me into just \u003Cem\u003Etouching\u003C\/em\u003E a golden reliquary containing a piece of fabric of John Paul II\u2019s cassock. Would he believe so much in that stupid object having some magic powers if he really believed in just one god and treated all the images and relics of saints as merely reminders of how to be a good person like them? Please...\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd don\u2019t even get me started about the god himself being simultaneously three persons. Early Christians were so into the idea of Jesus being a god, but also so into the Jewish teaching of there being just one god, that they invented this idiotic idea that there is indeed just one god, he just happens to technically consist of three separate persons, who are also not so separate.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHonestly, the \u201cbest\u201d explanation of the trinity I\u2019ve ever heard was from an actual sermon in an actual church quoting an actual Christian theologian, who basically said that the absurdity of that idea is actually the whole point! It\u2019s a god thing, we can\u2019t comprehend god... So if we think we understand the concept, that means we don\u2019t, and if we accept it regardless of its absurdity \u2013 that\u2019s when we \u003Cem\u003Esomehow\u003C\/em\u003E really understand it.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat a neat, anti-intellectual bullshit.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs much as they might claim otherwise, what Catholics believe in is actually the same kind of mythology that the ancient pagans believed in.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Csvg xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\u0022 style=\u0022display: none;\u0022\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E","tags":["catholic church","christianity","monotheism","polytheism","relics","religion"],"hasMore":true,"image":"https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_small.jpg","introLite":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_big.jpg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_mini.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022 width=\u0022240\u0022 height=\u0022134.93411420205\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor whatever reason, many monotheists seem proud of believing in just one god as opposed to those \u201cpagans\u201d who believe in many. They consider it some kind of a \u201cprogress\u201d (well, one is closer to the actual number of gods \u2013 zero \u2013 so technically it might be correct). But are they \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E monotheistic?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen you walk into the church I used to attend as a child, what do you see in the very center? Yes, the tabernacle, allegedly containing god himself. But what\u2019s way way above it?  What\u2019s surrounded by golden ornaments and votive offerings? A figurine of Mary.\u003C\/p\u003E","contentLite":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_big.jpg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/sanktuarium-s\u0142oneczne_mini.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022 width=\u0022240\u0022 height=\u0022134.93411420205\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\n                    \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/admin.fatima.szczecin.pl\/webroot\/upload\/gallery\/PC152459_1476601226.jpg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csmall\u003Eadmin.fatima.szczecin.pl\/webroot\/upload\/gallery\/PC152459_1476601226.jpg\u003C\/small\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n                \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor whatever reason, many monotheists seem proud of believing in just one god as opposed to those \u201cpagans\u201d who believe in many. They consider it some kind of a \u201cprogress\u201d (well, one is closer to the actual number of gods \u2013 zero \u2013 so technically it might be correct). But are they \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E monotheistic?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen you walk into the church I used to attend as a child, what do you see in the very center? Yes, the tabernacle, allegedly containing god himself. But what\u2019s way way above it?  What\u2019s surrounded by golden ornaments and votive offerings? A figurine of Mary.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne might get into semantic tricks, sure... Talk about how Catholics don\u2019t \u003Cem\u003Eworship\u003C\/em\u003E Mary or any other saint, they just \u003Cem\u003Eadmire\u003C\/em\u003E their lives. How they don\u2019t pray \u003Cem\u003Eto them\u003C\/em\u003E, they pray to Jahwe \u201c\u003Cem\u003Ethrough the intercession\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d of the saints. We all know that\u2019s bullshit.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn ancient Greece sailors had figurines of Poseidon on their ships, they would pray to him before setting sails and they believed that would keep them safe during their journey. Modern Catholic sailors have a picture of saint Nicholas of Myra in their wallet and they pray to him before embarking.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth ancient polytheists and modern quasi-monotheists believe that there\u2019s a group of beings, immortal (at least spiritually), inhabiting heavens, each having a \u201cdomain\u201d assigned to them, who deserve of having their images made, who can listen to their prayers and somehow cause them to come true.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA catholic bishop once really \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E wanted to trick me into just \u003Cem\u003Etouching\u003C\/em\u003E a golden reliquary containing a piece of fabric of John Paul II\u2019s cassock. Would he believe so much in that stupid object having some magic powers if he really believed in just one god and treated all the images and relics of saints as merely reminders of how to be a good person like them? Please...\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd don\u2019t even get me started about the god himself being simultaneously three persons. Early Christians were so into the idea of Jesus being a god, but also so into the Jewish teaching of there being just one god, that they invented this idiotic idea that there is indeed just one god, he just happens to technically consist of three separate persons, who are also not so separate.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHonestly, the \u201cbest\u201d explanation of the trinity I\u2019ve ever heard was from an actual sermon in an actual church quoting an actual Christian theologian, who basically said that the absurdity of that idea is actually the whole point! It\u2019s a god thing, we can\u2019t comprehend god... So if we think we understand the concept, that means we don\u2019t, and if we accept it regardless of its absurdity \u2013 that\u2019s when we \u003Cem\u003Esomehow\u003C\/em\u003E really understand it.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat a neat, anti-intellectual bullshit.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs much as they might claim otherwise, what Catholics believe in is actually the same kind of mythology that the ancient pagans believed in.\u003C\/p\u003E","words":501,"readTime":3,"lang":"en"}}}}}