Christians Urged to Display Sign of Faith

[HagiaSophia]

AP News offers the following blurb:

Pope John Paul II exhorted Christians on Friday to display signs of their faith more forcefully, contending the practice neither infringes on separation of church and state nor breeds intolerance.

His comments appeared to be a clear reference to raging debates over laws such as France’s recent ban on wearing Islamic headscarves, Jewish skull caps or large Christian crosses in schools.

In Italy, a Muslim activist’s efforts last year to remove crucifixes from public school classrooms stirred widespread resentment in the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country.

In a 31-page letter focused on the central role of Holy Communion in the life of Catholics, the pope kept up his campaign to invigorate the faith of followers.

“May there be more commitment, on the part of Christians, to give witness with more force to the presence of God in the world,” John Paul wrote. “Let’s not be afraid to speak of God and to carry on high the signs of faith.”

“Those who contend that public reference to faith can infringe the rightful autonomy of the state and civil institutions or that it can even encourage attitudes of intolerance are wrong,” he said.

news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&u=/ap/20041008/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_religious_symbols_1&printer=1

 

[ridesawhitehors]

Hooray PJPII !! :clapping:

Can always count on him to be spot on.
I am going to order 3 new crucifixes for my home and business next time I have extra cash.

 

[moira]

I’m wearing one of my ‘signs’ of faith right now. My t-shirt says EUCHARIST Est. 0033 John 6:51 SOURCE AND SUMMIT.

 

[LindaS]

We have decorative banners that we use outside our home. We try always to get ones that have a religious theme. The one we have out now has a lighthouse and says, “Let there be light.” We have also used a banner with a baby’s hand holding a rose. This is our way of proclaiming our faith.

Peace,
Linda

 

[otm]

France seems to be leading the way in abnning religious symbols. But given the fact that their birth rate is below replacement, their embracing of contraception is coming home to haunt them in terms of the influx of Muslims. and given that the Enlightenment starte there, we should not be surprised at their secularization.

I wonder if, when Kerry refered to a global forum, he was thinking of French (name removed by moderator)ut.

Not that we have to worry; the ACLU is doing their best to do the same thing.

 

[Teresa9]

Dear friends

There is a concerted and headlong intent in some quarters to thrash out God from every aspect of our lives no matter what faith someone holds in God, be they muslim, catholic, christian or jew, supposedly this is then for the good of people, when such intolerance is clearly for the harm of people. This is all done under a banner of 'causing offence ’ to some person or bodies of people.

This is futile, as they cannot thrash God out of our hearts! It is perilous and futile, it will lead to hatred, murder and discord. So they wish to remove religious teachings in the schools, imagry in public places, what they fail to see and understand that the most important and the most deepest religious teaching goes on in the home, done by the parents. Will they then call this offensive and have this legislated against, woe to those who even consider it!

This secularised thinking or one religious group campaigning against another will lead to absolute ruin, in terms of religious practice if this continues, we will soon once again live in perilous times where a person will be persecuted even for mentioning the name of God.

As humans we are clearly unable to learn from our past, history has taught us again and again that that which is oppressed does not remain oppressed, it rises up to righteousness.The oppressor left to accountability and making excuses for their unrighteousness.

What these quarters also fail to see is that there is no oppression in God, only freedom and their efforts to oppress worship and expression of love for God only strip the outward, it can never strip the inward expression of love for God, it cannot be beaten out nor driven out, it cannot be taken even when life is taken, it is FUTILE to even attempt to destroy love of God…because that gift which is given from God, the gift of grace that is faith, is His gift and no man can take it, though through his worst efforts, faith is victorious always even until death.

I have a picture of Jesus on my outside front door and underneath it reads ‘all welcome’, you can see it from the street and nothing on this earth will make me remove it, no law, no judge, no person.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

 

[mkw]

I have a statue of our Blessed Mother in my front yard and a bumper sticker of our Lady of Grace on my front screen door.

I find these to be wonderful witnesses to the faith without being confrontational with neighbors who don’t share similar beliefs.

I also wear my Cursillo crucifix in public when ever I can. I get alot of responses and questions. Most of the time good, but not always. I smile and answer questions when asked, a great witnessing/evangelization opportunity.

 

[Path]

I belong to the Christian Motrocycle Asssociation, We wear our colors proudly! It shows a bible with hands crossed with riding for the Son around it. Jesus said he will acknowledge those to his father who acknowledges him to man on earth (rough translation). Anyway I am proud to wear this among the many unbelievers out there, and pray they will ask me about it.

 

[Cherub]

Teresa9:

Dear friends

There is a concerted and headlong intent in some quarters to thrash out God from every aspect of our lives no matter what faith someone holds in God, be they muslim, catholic, christian or jew, supposedly this is then for the good of people, when such intolerance is clearly for the harm of people. This is all done under a banner of 'causing offence ’ to some person or bodies of people.

This is futile, as they cannot thrash God out of our hearts! It is perilous and futile, it will lead to hatred, murder and discord. So they wish to remove religious teachings in the schools, imagry in public places, what they fail to see and understand that the most important and the most deepest religious teaching goes on in the home, done by the parents. Will they then call this offensive and have this legislated against, woe to those who even consider it!

This secularised thinking or one religious group campaigning against another will lead to absolute ruin, in terms of religious practice if this continues, we will soon once again live in perilous times where a person will be persecuted even for mentioning the name of God.

As humans we are clearly unable to learn from our past, history has taught us again and again that that which is oppressed does not remain oppressed, it rises up to righteousness.The oppressor left to accountability and making excuses for their unrighteousness.

What these quarters also fail to see is that there is no oppression in God, only freedom and their efforts to oppress worship and expression of love for God only strip the outward, it can never strip the inward expression of love for God, it cannot be beaten out nor driven out, it cannot be taken even when life is taken, it is FUTILE to even attempt to destroy love of God…because that gift which is given from God, the gift of grace that is faith, is His gift and no man can take it, though through his worst efforts, faith is victorious always even until death.

I have a picture of Jesus on my outside front door and underneath it reads ‘all welcome’, you can see it from the street and nothing on this earth will make me remove it, no law, no judge, no person.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

This is an excellent reminder to us that God cannot be put down by human iniquity, nor love abolished by social trends that come and go. Thanks, Teresa.