kissing an image

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RichardG

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I have a question, sure, it is OK to kiss a picture of someone you love, but is there any case in which it can go too far? Of course, one should not be doing unchase things, obviously, and one should always be remembering the picture is not the person itself. I mean, would hugging it, go too far, even though it is an expression of love for that person which you cannot contain? One could say, look up that person, however that person is in heaven (i hope). A lot of people I know would say ‘how can you love someone who is dead’. But to me she isn’t, she is the woman I love most. I think it can even be an example of faith in God for others, to have love for someone who is away the greatest distance…
 
Given the caveats you mentioned, I don’t see anything wrong with it. I think you may have your own way to relate to those you have lost worldly contact with. What parent, for example, would hesitate to hug a cherished stuffed animal of a lost child?

Alan
 
How far is too far? I think it would depend on the person expressing the affection, the object of affection, and the circumstances. To take an example, one could be *obsessed *with a deceased loved one, so that it interfered with his life, “moving on,” and other relationships. It could prevent him from going through the normal grief process. In a similar vein, if one has inordinate affection for someone who dies, and that disordered emotional tie continues to some extent, then it continues to hinder the person’s relationship with God insofar as it is inordinate. Finally, one can delude oneself into thinking one has a quality of relationship which does not exist; for example, one can be so emotionally wrapped up with a deceased loved one, he thinks he “gets messages” from her. While such an extraordinary grace is certainly possible, it is not something we should seek out.
 
One thing I haven’t mentioned. It may sound odd, but i’m talking about someone here who I haven’t known worldly. Because of this, it may sound like a form of idolatry a lot of americans have with celebrities these days. However, I can genuinly say that I owe the will to serve God to her. I just see my soulmate in her, I cannot see why it should be less real, just because I didn’t know her worldly. I mean, none of us today know Jesus, Mary or ANY of the long gone saints worldly. But this doesn’t change we love them anyway.
 
oh yes, and just for the record, this is not preventing me to go to God, or preventing me of what He wants from me. I ALWAYS keep the promise, that if God wants me to marry and have a bunch of kids, I will do so. So it is not preventing me from doing what i’m supposed to be doing.
 
RichardG said:
I just see my soulmate in her, I cannot see why it should be less real, just because I didn’t know her worldly. I mean, none of us today know Jesus, Mary or ANY of the long gone saints worldly. But this doesn’t change we love them anyway.
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Sounds unhealthy to me. Too easy for her to be a fantasy of your own making. We know our Lord and our Lady through unique spiritual bonds that are part and parcel of being Catholic, and can check our understanding against Church teaching. There is no such assurance with ordinary folk.
 
I see your point, but in a certain way we do love saints as well. There can always be some form of uncertainty, of course, but i’m convinced there is nothing that will keep me away from Catholic teaching, with one of the reasons she was Catholic as well. So in that case we are all one part of the Body of Christ. It’s all about having faith I guess. I just put my faith in God about it, I always have. ‘You shall know a tree by its fruit’ There would be no reason for me to have the faith in it, if I didn’t have faith in God. Because how could I be certain? God has made me certain.

Just as long as don’t do nothing wrong with an image (hence my first question, i DON’T want to do anything that is against Gods laws, but loving someone of course isn’t one of it), I personally don’t see a problem. Just as long as it doesn’t keep me from the faith in ANY way. On the contrary, it has helped me. Even in a way that has helped me put Him above everything else.
 
And of course there would be a big chance of creating my own fantasy about her, if there was just too less information. But there are literrally tons of information, about the things she has said and done, and on basis of that we can conclude that there are not many persons as genuine as she is. That I why I tend to read anything I can find, it will only make the complete image more objective. With all the information that is around will only lessen the chance the build my own fantasy.

Only one thing counts at first: she has restored my faith in a way (or better, God has used her as an instrument).

I guess for each it’s own way how God works His way into our hearts.
 
RichardG said:
there are literrally tons of information, about the things she has said and done
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That certainly makes a difference. I don’t mean to deny that God could use such a thing, just approaching with caution. 🙂
 
ok thank you, with all this, it is again all clear to me now that it is important to have all the details. And as you can see by now, i’m always cautious in my mind
 
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