Went into Church bookstore/ giftshop and saw a non-Christian prayer hanging on the door

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The Indian symbol was a fetish

“American Indians have used
fetishes throughout recorded
history; especially the Indians of
the Southwest. A fetish is an
object which is believed to have
magic powers.”

The communist poster was basically a workers of the world unite mural complete with leftist slogans carried by the workers. It was on their fair trade table.
 
Cluny said:
You’ll probably get the same answer to my question about what pagan symbol was under the door.

Question–had that message on the door NOT been identified as an Indian prayer, how would SSPXwannaB have felt about it?

(Since SSPX clergy exercise NO licit ministry in the Catholic Church, according to two different statements by Pope Benedict this year, why does someone who calls himself traditional Catholic “wannaB” part of it?)

And I just happened to think–would it be appropriate to have a Christian prayer casually mounted on the door, probably flapping and banging around, and glanced at and otherwise treated casually?
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Take a deep breath…exhale. You will notice that I finally got around to responding to the fourth post (the million Christian prayers one) yesterday. I did read all of your posts, but I did not have time to respond to them all.

Attacking my handle is a red herring: “an argument, given in reply, that does not address the original issue. Critically, a red herring is a deliberate attempt to change the subject or divert the argument.”

Obviously if I am shopping at the Catholic bookstore at my diocese Church (the one my family attends) I am not a member of SSPX. I just agree with them, and all the new-age junk I saw at the “Catholic” bookstore solidifies my belief that they are on the right track. But I digress, this thread is not about the SSPX, although I must admit that I took the bait.
 
Timothysis said:
Perhaps when you open your own bookstore you can put up any prayer you wish, hum?
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If I were to open a Catholic bookstore I’d put up the prayers of the Catholic Church.

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It’s only logical, Tim.
 
SSPXwannaB said:
Today I went into the bookstore of the local Church to buy a couple of things for an Altar in my room. They had many lovely items. I bought a free standing Crucifix and a little Holy Water glass jar with a medallion of Holy Mary and Jesus Christ on it.
…(snip)…
I was about to say something (I’m the guy that speaks up when someone is cussing in front of children in public) because I was alone at the register with two ladies, but then two customers walked up. I did not want to embarass anyone or cause harm to anyone’s faith in that Church, so I decided to write a letter instead.

I am 3/8 Indian and look it, but I feel that such things have no place in a Roman Catholic Church. My faith comes before my race.
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Instead of saying something to the two ladies, you need to talk to the Pastor of the church. If it is anything like our church store, the ladies there are volunteers. Chances are, they didn’t put up or choose any of the merchandise. 🤷

If the Pastor isn’t in charge, then maybe it isn’t the Catholic Store you think it is. Is it located in the church building?
 
SSPXwannaB said:
I agree with the “…million Christian prayers available…” statement, which was my feeling. This is not some Catholic Bookstore about town, it is a bookstore at the Roman Catholic Church.They had books like ‘Three women’s spiritual journey: A Muslim, a Jew and a Catholic’, and ‘How the centralization of the Church is harming it’, and lots of feminist books. They also had communist art, and Hindu art depicting a religious elephant thing. I heard them speaking about eastern meditation and spiritualism in glowing terms a couple of times.

Rigor mortis if a Catholic book store in a Church were to be wholly (holy) Catholic.
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that does sound …suspicious… 😦
 
Once I saw this “new age” prayer in a Catholic place, I do not know if it was from some Indian tribe! 😉

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great humility.
 
This prayer reminds me of one by St. Francis Assisi about brother sun, sister moon.
 
maryjk said:
Instead of saying something to the two ladies, you need to talk to the Pastor of the church. If it is anything like our church store, the ladies there are volunteers. Chances are, they didn’t put up or choose any of the merchandise. 🤷

If the Pastor isn’t in charge, then maybe it isn’t the Catholic Store you think it is. Is it located in the church building?
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Yes, it is at a diocese Church of Card. Mahony.
 
SSPXwannaB said:
Today I went into the bookstore of the local Church to buy a couple of things for an Altar in my room. They had many lovely items. I bought a free standing Crucifix and a little Holy Water glass jar with a medallion of Holy Mary and Jesus Christ on it.

I was troubled by a large Apache Indian prayer they had hanging on their door that stated:

“May the sun bring you new energy every day. May the moon softly restore you by night. May the rain wash away your worries. May the breeze blow new strength into your being…”

It was the only thing on the door and was very prominent; you could not enter without passing it. It also had a pagan symbol under it.

I was about to say something (I’m the guy that speaks up when someone is cussing in front of children in public) because I was alone at the register with two ladies, but then two customers walked up. I did not want to embarass anyone or cause harm to anyone’s faith in that Church, so I decided to write a letter instead.

I am 3/8 Indian and look it, but I feel that such things have no place in a Roman Catholic Church. My faith comes before my race.
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I have no problem with it…after all…who brings us the sun and the moon and the rain? When I see a full moon I realize the beauty given to us by God…and the total immensity of His work.

I know in my parish church prayers for rain are said during the growing season…
 
malachi3 said:
Sorry, this would irritate me to no end. There must be a million Christian prayers available to hang on one’s door. May the rain wash away your worries? yeah, that happens. :rolleyes:
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Just run about in pouring rains, just for once. No matter how much clothing you have. You will feel exhilirated, unless you are a biblica piller of salt or a bush of fire.

Try to bask in warm yourself in cosy sun, it will lull and sooth you, ynless you are made of ice.

May you find such joys of nature.
 
SSPXwannaB said:
The Indian symbol was a fetish

“American Indians have used
fetishes throughout recorded
history; especially the Indians of
the Southwest. A fetish is an
object which is believed to have
magic powers.”

The communist poster was basically a workers of the world unite mural complete with leftist slogans carried by the workers. It was on their fair trade table.
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Prime example of a fetish is the cross.
 
malachi3 said:
Sorry, this would irritate me to no end. There must be a million Christian prayers available to hang on one’s door. May the rain wash away your worries? yeah, that happens. :rolleyes:
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Exhiliration produced by rain is real. But do the bread and wine REALLY become flesh and blood?
 
rcscwc said:
Prime example of a fetish is the cross.
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No, it isn’t. A cross has no inherent magical powers, any more than a prayer does. (Physical sacramentals are prayers.) A lot of sloppy anthropology has been done by non-Catholics who don’t understand Catholicism and simplify it by making hasty comparisons with other religions.
 
Cecilianus said:
No, it isn’t. A cross has no inherent magical powers, any more than a prayer does. (Physical sacramentals are prayers.) A lot of sloppy anthropology has been done by non-Catholics who don’t understand Catholicism and simplify it by making hasty comparisons with other religions.
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Haha. Beliefs of American Natives are FETISH, yours are NOT!!

Hindu swastika too has spiritual powers.
 
rcscwc said:
Haha. Beliefs of American Natives are FETISH, yours are NOT!!

Hindu swastika too has spiritual powers.
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But the cross doesn’t.

Believe it or not, different religions are different!

I made no claim about the merits or truth of any religion or of fetishism, or even whether it is correct to attribute fetishism to Native American beliefs or any other system (though I don’t think that generalization of Native American beliefs has ever been challenged). I merely stated that that was an inaccurate portrayal of my religion, which I happen to be more familiar with than you are.

If what you are trying to do is an “equal-opportunity” denigration of religions - Native American beliefs are “fetish” which is bad, therefore Catholicism must be fetish too so nobody can claim to be different or superior or anything - then I feel rather insulted. And there is no scientific validity to any “anthropology” which blatantly ignores what a religion claims that it believes in favor of what the anthropologists want to say we believe. In the hard sciences we call that fraud.
 
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