Relics based religion versus not a relics based religion

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Vasian,
The LDS church is not a relics-based religion,…
The Catholic Church is a good example of a “relics based religion”. Perhaps “relics based” is an inaccurate term, because it implies that the whole religion is based on “relics,” which is not true. But the Catholic Church is a religion in which the veneration of relics is allowed,…

The LDS Church, on the other hand, is totally denuded, theologically or historically, of any such “relics”. The plates of the Book of Mormon or the “seer stone” cannot in any shape or form be compared to such relics. The plates were taken by an angel to heaven as soon as the translation was completed; and even if they existed on earth, they would have not been “venerated”. They were not venerated even when Joseph Smith had them! The same is true of the Urim or Thummim or the seer stone. The seer stone exists, but it is not venerated.
2 Kings 2:13-15
He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

2 Kings 13:21
Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
There is also The Ark of The Covenant which contained:

the stone tablets of the ten commandments,

Aaron’s rod (staff),

and manna.

Hebrews 9:4
having a golden censer, and the ark of the testament, covered all around and on every part with gold, in which was a golden urn containing manna, and the rod of Aaron which had blossomed, and the tablets of the testament.

The Ark
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ark_of_the_covenant

The stone tablets of the ten commandments
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablets_of_Stone

Aaron’s rod (staff)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Aaron

manna
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manna
And the small cloths and wrappings from Saint Paul’s body that healed the sick.
Acts 19:11-12
And God was accomplishing powerful and uncommon miracles by the hand of Paul,
so much so that even when small cloths and wrappings were brought from his body to the sick, the illnesses withdrew from them and the wicked spirits departed.
About relics, some of the apostles did…St. Jude carried something…my Nigerian Catholic man pointed out the use of remembrances with us.

St. Bernadette Soubirous…you can see her corpus online…totally intact and so beautiful…like she is asleep.

St. Dominic and other saints were given power to raise the dead back to life.

You need to look at the ‘relics’ of documents and artifacts of the earliest churches to also see the Christ and the Apostles ended their work with the death of the last apostle.
Keep in mind what the Church says about relics. It doesn’t say there is some magical power in them. There is nothing in the relic itself, whether a bone of the apostle Peter or water from Lourdes, that has any curative ability. The Church just says that relics may be the occasion of God’s miracles, and in this the Church follows Scripture.
 
The body of Jesus The Christ was revered more than a usual body.
One of the most moving accounts of the veneration of relics is that of the very body of Christ itself. Rather than leaving his body on the cross, to be taken down and disposed of by the Romans (as was the customary practice), Joseph of Arimathea courageously interceded with Pilate for Christ’s body (Mark 15:43, John 19:38). He donated his own, newly hewn tomb as Christ’s resting place (Matt. 27:60). Nicodemus came and donated over a hundred pounds of spices to wrap inside Jesus’ grave clothes (John 19:39), that amount of spices being used only for the most honored dead. And after he was buried, the women went to reverently visit the tomb (Matt. 28:1) and to further anoint Christ’s body with spices even though it had already been sealed inside the tomb (Mark 16:1, Luke 24:1). These acts of reverence were more than just the usual courtesy shown to the remains of the dead; they were special respect shown to the body of a most holy man—in this case, the holiest man who has ever lived, for he was God Incarnate.
(color added)
And after he was buried, the women went to reverently visit the tomb (Matt. 28:1) and to further anoint Christ’s body with spices even though it had already been sealed inside the tomb (Mark 16:1, Luke 24:1).
 
Aaron’s garments are made “sacred” so he may serve as priest, and his sacred garments are passed down to his descendents so his descendents can be annointed and ordained in them.
Exodus 28:2-3
Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron
, to give him dignity and honor.
Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.

Exodus 29:29
“Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.”
 
Catholicism is not ‘relics-based’. The use of relics is an expression of the anthropology and Christology of the Church. It expresses the sacramental character of Grace. God redeemed man in his whole being and brought the human nature into communion with the divine nature. The whole person, including the body, is transformed and deified so that we become children of God by Grace.
 
Whatever touches the things that were consecrated with the “sacred anointing oil” becomes holy.
Exodus 30:25-29
Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil.
Then use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony,
the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense,
the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand.
You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.
**The “sacred anointing oil” is for the generations to come.
Aaron and his sons are anointed with the oil and consecrated so they may serve God as priests.**
Exodus 30:30-33
“Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve Me as priests.
Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come.
Do not pour it on men’s bodies and do not make any oil with the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.
Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.’”
**Special incense is to be considered holy to The Lord.
**
Exodus 30:37-38
Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord.
Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from his people.”
 
It seems to me that Mormonism does have its own share of venerated relics (e.g. cherished historical documents and other early Mormon artifacts) and what might be loosely called sacramentals (e.g. temple garments). They’ve also got a number of pilgrimage sites (e.g. Cumorah, the Sacred Grove). :hmmm:
 
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