Marrying a Hindu

[Porknpie]

Humans evolved, just like all other animals. We share a common ancestor, and at no time has humanity been reduced to a single couple. So we as Christians are faced with a choice. We can reduce human dignity so it corresponds with other animals, or we can extend dignity to encompass all sentient beings. As for value, it is a relative term. A pig’s life may not be very valuable to you, but it is valuable to the pig. And even if you think animals are less worth than humans, what justification is there for murdering them when you have the option not to? It is quite possible to eat nutritious, healthy, food that will reduce your likelihood of getting cancer and extend your life and not sustain yourself on the flesh of other sentient beings. By killing animals for food, you both reduce your own lifespan, and you kill a creature of God needlessly.

As for the vegetable argument, it makes little sense. Plants have no nervous system and no brain. They do not experience pain or fear. And it is not possible to avoid eating plants. We cannot eat rocks. But it is possible to abstain from eating meat.

As for war, the ideal in Isaiah is clearly a society without violence, without swords, where lions and lambs peacefully coexist. If this is what God wants why not begin doing our part in creating such a society in the here and now?

Veedar, Where in the bible does it say that we should become vegetarians? Was Jesus a vegetarian?

PnP

 

[Gary_Sheldrake]

Science is showing that we do indeed come from a single couple, a scientific Eve. Tract is here.

The Church does not need correction.

PnP

Good morning Pornpie: I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble who wants to believe in Adam and Eve or Noah’s Ark and the like, however, I might point out that Mitochondrial Eve was not the only living human female of her time. However, her female contemporaries, except her mother, failed to produce a direct unbroken female line to any living woman in the present day. She is not thought to have known, mated with or even lived at the same time as Mitochondrial Adam. The study had to do with genetic mutations and markers within an already existing species (modern humans) and does not represent the emergence of a new species. She doesn’t represent something new from what was already there as far as modern humans go.

 

[Gary_Sheldrake]

False. The Catholic Church teaches, and you profess to be a member of her, that Adam and Eve existed at some point in time. Denial of this is heresy.

Catholic theology allows for the possibility that the story about them is a metaphor.

 

[Veedar]

The Human soul once created by God is immortal. From the Catechism:

366 The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God - it is not “produced” by the parents - and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection.235

certainly

the stage you are referring to is the moment of creation.

PnP

It is not immortal in the sense that it is self existing. Only God is. It may continue to exist because God will uphold it, but it is not immortal in its own essence. My point stands.

Science is showing that we do indeed come from a single couple, a scientific Eve. Tract is here.

The Church does not need correction.

PnP

The tract is wrong. Here is an article by a Christian biologist who explains why:

“Mitochondrial Eve, though the most recent common matrilineal ancestor of all humans, was but one of a large population living about 180,000 years ago. So too for Y-chromosome Adam: he was also a member of a large population, and he lived about 50,000 years ago. As has been discussed several times here at BioLogos, there are multiple lines of evidence that indicate the human population has never been below around 10,000 members at any time in its history: we branched off as a large population to form our own species.”

biologos.org/blog/understanding-evolution-mitochondrial-eve-y-chromosome-adam

Stop fighting science. The Church is not infallible in matters of science, and the question of human biological origins is a scientific one, not a theological one.

 

[Veedar]

Veedar, Where in the bible does it say that we should become vegetarians? Was Jesus a vegetarian? PnP

I didn’t realize you were a believer in Sola Scriptura. The Bible does not say slavery is wrong, and yet the Church condemns it. The Bible does not say that the death penalty is wrong, and yet the Church condemns it. Tradition develops. And it needs to develop further in this area. I have already pointed to one text that suggests vegetarianism: Isaiah, paradise, lions and lambs. If this is the ideal, if this is how paradise is supposed to be, then Christians should strive to live that way now.

Furthermore, I have also pointed out that there can be no justification for murdering an innoncent animal when there is no need to do so. The fact that you like the taste of meat or like to have an animal skin around your bible is not sufficient reason to take the life of a poor animal that wants to live. If you are a steward, the image of God with responsibility for animals, then behave that way! Treat them like brothers who cannot defend themselves. Don’t abuse them because “my worth is much greater than theirs”. That is arrogance and has nothing to do with being christlike. It also shows a lack of respect for your own life, since you shorten it by eating animals.

And, no, Jesus was not vegetarian. This is true. But the question is whether it was possible in that time and culture to choose to be a vegetarian without suffering from malnutrition. I think not. It is, however, easily possible now. I think it is also telling that he chose bread and wine to become the eucharist and not a lamb, even though he is called “the lamb of God”.

 

[robwar]

I think this thread has gone way off course here. Sadly, the basic question which Op posted as well as her other six posts concerns marrying a Hindu who seems pretty intent on practicing his religion and desire to bring his children up in it. Sadly, Op needs to rethink marriage to someone that isn’t Catholic and not even in the Christian realm of religions and wants to raise the children his faith as well. This is a divided household and divided households over religion don’t stand well. This is a very basic principal and is the advice given by other religions as well, not just Christian. Her questions has already been answered by a CAF apologist if anyone as bothered to look and read her posts. One can discuss till the cows come home over all the differences and nuances of Hinduism but it isn’t a Christian religion. This is bigger than cultural differences between western and Indian. This is bigger than having Op learn about Indian food and dance. This is much bigger than all those things because it cut to the core of a person and if someone cares about practicing their Catholic faith in marriage and raise their children in it then they need to find someone who shares it.

 

[Porknpie]

It is not immortal in the sense that it is self existing. Only God is. It may continue to exist because God will uphold it, but it is not immortal in its own essence. My point stands.

Veedar, you said that the soul is not immortal and did not clarify. It is immortal from its creation and it is true that God keeps us all in existence. Certainly.

The tract is wrong.

That your opinion.

Here is an article by a Christian biologist who explains why:

“Mitochondrial Eve, though the most recent common matrilineal ancestor of all humans, was but one of a large population living about 180,000 years ago. So too for Y-chromosome Adam: he was also a member of a large population, and he lived about 50,000 years ago. As has been discussed several times here at BioLogos, there are multiple lines of evidence that indicate the human population has never been below around 10,000 members at any time in its history: we branched off as a large population to form our own species.”

biologos.org/blog/understanding-evolution-mitochondrial-eve-y-chromosome-adam

Stop fighting science. The Church is not infallible in matters of science, and the question of human biological origins is a scientific one, not a theological one.

The Church doesn’t claim to be infallible in matters of science and you error in saying that our origins is strictly a scientific one, excluding theology. No one is fighting science but science itself does not have unified answer to our origins. As revelation and science both come from God, they can not be in conflict even if they appear to be.

From the Catechism:

159 Faith and science: “Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth.” "Consequently, methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God. The humble and persevering investigator of the secrets of nature is being led, as it were, by the hand of God in spite of himself, for it is God, the conserver of all things, who made them what they are.

There have been some great Catholic scientists, many directly supported by the Church. Read here.

In fact, the greatest supporter of science through the ages has been the Catholic Church as we come to know God through his creation and science helps us to know him better. The Church even brought forward the scientific method. Read more here.

PnP