Recieving blessings from another religion

[roseproject]

If, say you have a friend who is not a Christian who, out of the goodness of the person’s heart and as an act of good will, wanted to give you a blessing from said non Christian religion, like if he or she is practicing Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

Should you accept this little act of kindness or should you decline their giving you a blessing because it doesn’t pertain to the Christian religion?

Thanks in advance

 

[captainrick]

If, say you have a friend who is not a Christian who, out of the goodness of the person’s heart and as an act of good will, wanted to give you a blessing from said non Christian religion, like if he or she is practicing Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

Should you accept this little act of kindness or should you decline their giving you a blessing because it doesn’t pertain to the Christian religion?

Thanks in advance

To decline would be very rude. I would be pleased that they think enough of me to offer a blessing. It is not necessary that everything in my life pertain to Christianity.

 

[catholictiger]

If, say you have a friend who is not a Christian who, out of the goodness of the person’s heart and as an act of good will, wanted to give you a blessing from said non Christian religion, like if he or she is practicing Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

Should you accept this little act of kindness or should you decline their giving you a blessing because it doesn’t pertain to the Christian religion?

Thanks in advance

I think you need to be careful with this. What are these blessings representing, what are they invoking. It is never good to play with things that could be connected to evil spirits, even if you are accepting it out of charity.

There needs to be a friendly way to say I appretiate it but I don’t want you to do that.

But again it depends on the situation.

If you have someone call on the spirit of the Eagle and the power of the seaweed, or something than you shouldn’t accept it.

Things people do in other religions aren’t necessarily just bodily moments or words, they can invoke spiritual powers, good or evil. This is why many people are against people doing Yoga not because of their physical benefits but because the positions they do can invoke spirits without a persons knowledge.

Let me put it this way, you want to give a muslim a blessing and you invoke the name of Jesus Christ, who they don’t believe in, how would that make them feel? what would that do their own religious practice?

To put it another way, Jews couldn’t eat meat sacrificed to idols you could say that it wouldn’t be charitable for a jew to go to a pagan’s house and not eat meat.

Again all should be done in Charity, but don’t do something that may hurt your own spiritual life, like allowing a person to invoke a blessing that could be connected with an evil spirit.

 

[captainrick]

(Sigh) I wasn’t thinking of tree worshippers or satanists, but of mainstream religions like those cited. My answer would have been different. However, if a tree worshipper said “may the tree spirits bless you,” I would simply smile, rather than appear uncharitable and arrogant. Just my opinion.

I’m secure enough in my spiritual life that I will not harm it by this simple interaction.

 

[on_the_hill]

I think if someone gives you a blessing–it’s not like you have much choice in the matter. They speak the words. What can you do? Run away? Cover your ears?

That’s somewhat facetious, but I think a blessing needs both a transmitter and a receiver. Someone to give the blessing and someone to accept it.

Assuming that the person is speaking a blessing in the name of God, or Jesus, I don’t see a problem with it. I’ve been to any number of dinners and banquets where someone gives a blessing before the meal. And organizations, such as state legislatures, often open their sessions with a blessing from the clergy.

 

[roseproject]

(Sigh) I wasn’t thinking of tree worshippers or satanists, but of mainstream religions like those cited. My answer would have been different. However, if a tree worshipper said “may the tree spirits bless you,” I would simply smile, rather than appear uncharitable and arrogant. Just my opinion.

I’m secure enough in my spiritual life that I will not harm it by this simple interaction.

Yeah, I wasn’t referring to Satanists and the like. Especially in regards to Satanists, it would seem like the obvious thing to do would be to decline it or, at the very least, mentally say a Hail Mary or something to be safe (not that one should purposely expose themselves to the occult in any circumstance). If a friend of yours was a Satanist, they’d most likely know how this would make you feel uncomfortable anyway, maybe.

I wonder if the Pope, during his conversations with people of other religions, accepts blessings from their religions if they’re offered?

 

[catholictiger]

(Sigh) I wasn’t thinking of tree worshippers or satanists, but of mainstream religions like those cited. My answer would have been different. However, if a tree worshipper said “may the tree spirits bless you,” I would simply smile, rather than appear uncharitable and arrogant. Just my opinion.

I’m secure enough in my spiritual life that I will not harm it by this simple interaction.

this is difficult to put a universal guideline on.

But I would just give you this warning, our lives are all about spiritual warfare we are at constant battles with the spirits of evil. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t receive any blessings from any religions but we should be careful about it.

Two things should always guide our life just as Christ told us.

1. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart mind and soul.
2. love your neighbor as yourself

these two commandents the whole law and prohpets depend on. Don’t allow acts of charity to offend your relationship with God.

I may be little extreme on the blessings part, but just a warning be very careful what you deal when it comes to other religions.

I would guess in general it is fine and you shouldn’t worry about it, but from time to time, there may be some things that strike you as strange.

 

[catholictiger]

Yeah, I wasn’t referring to Satanists and the like. Especially in regards to Satanists, it would seem like the obvious thing to do would be to decline it or, at the very least, mentally say a Hail Mary or something to be safe (not that one should purposely expose themselves to the occult in any circumstance). If a friend of yours was a Satanist, they’d most likely know how this would make you feel uncomfortable anyway, maybe.

I wonder if the Pope, during his conversations with people of other religions, accepts blessings from their religions if they’re offered?

I think he does.

I admit I probably overreacted little bit, but I don’t think we should just blindly accept things of other faiths. There are appropriate boundaries that have to be in place.

Another reason I reacted the way I did was I had some experiences (for the sake of privacy and to avoid scandal I will not mention details) that struck me very strangely and I think borded on sacrilege. Now they weren’t blessings but they were “ecumenical” activities that didn’t keep in mind proper boundaries.

Just be very careful .

but again remember love of God and love of neighbor should always guide all of our actions.

 

[Inisfallen]

I have been to services at my wife’s church (United Church of Canada) many times. I’ve received blessings there, and always felt the good intentions of those (including the minister) of those asking for the blessing. And I’ve felt the presence of God in that church.

And I’ve been at Jewish ceremonies where I’ve felt the same thing.

Shinto and Buddhism are a bit different, in that they don’t have the same concept of a deity that we do, but still, the intention is good.

I would happily accept the blessing.