A Call for the Conversion of All Men
I was reading about Pope Benedict XVI...a German who is recently on the outs because he reinstated some "Lefebvrist" bishops; these are ultra-conservative bishops who love the council of Trent, think Vatican II was close to heresy, and want the Catholic Church to go back to saying all of their services in Latin.
Pause. (so that you can ponder how anyone would want to go to a church service entirely in a language that no one even speaks anymore).
The real cause of the controversy however, is less the reinstatement, and more the fact that one of the reinstated bishops has gone on record saying that he believes that the Holocaust was a bit of an exaggeration.
Now, I have no real opinion on the reinstatement. The Roman church has no allegiance to the Bible, and therefore can do whatever they want to do. I find the ugly ignorance of Holocaust deniers repellent, but why should I care what the idolatrous Roman church does? The more credibility it loses, the better, in my opinion. However, I found one item interesting.
Apparently, this is not the first time Benedict the Roman-numeraled has gotten into trouble with the Jews. In 2007, he allowed churches to use an old Good Friday "rite" that includes a prayer for the conversion of the Jews. This was controversial, I guess, because Jewish people don't want to be converted?
If you don't believe in the Roman Catholic Church, why would the Roman Catholic Church praying for you to be converted bother you? Unless you think that those prayers will be heard and answered, in which case, you should probably be grateful for them, right?
At any rate, the ritualistic prayers of the Roman Church don't really scare me. But shouldn't each religion have the right to desire that other people would see the "truth" of that religion? Seems weird to get mad about that.
At any rate, in order to offend everyone, I will now issue a prayer for the conversion of every man.
posted by Steven at 2:35 PM
3 Comments:
Well done my friend.
7:51 PM
You ask, "If you don't believe in the Roman Catholic Church, why would the Roman Catholic Church praying for you to be converted bother you?"
Let me attempt to answer. Simply put, I think Jews are offended by that prayer because it is supremely arrogant. Let me expand on that a little.
The Jewish faith has existed for a very long time, and predated Jesus Christ by many, many years. The Jewish culture has survived what I think we can all agree is a terrible and bloody history due in no small part to their faith. To this day, people suffer and die because they follow the teachings of the Torah. There are remnants of antisemitism in many areas.
At the same time, the Jewish faith--unlike many others--does not require that its adherents proselytize. Their attitude generally seems to be one of "live and let live"--their religion works for them, your religion works for you, and they see no reason to try to impose their beliefs on you. This is the case even though they are just as adamant and convinced of the truth of their beliefs as you are of yours.
Jews don't feel like they need you to save them. They don't feel like they need you to pray for them. And, I think, they feel that it is condescending to pray for them when, from their perspective, it is Christians that are lost.
Here's an analogy. Let's say that I like oranges and you like apples. One day I say to you "You like apples, huh? Well, you are wrong to prefer apples, and I hope that one day you understand that oranges are better." This is an insult, regardless of my intent or the likelihood that my wish will come true. You made a choice and I belittled you for it.
Consider another example. Let's say I like to eat candy but you eat all your vegetables. One day, you say to me, "You like candy, huh? You are wrong to like it, and I hope one day you like vegetables." This is still an insult. You are correct to hope that I develop a taste for vegetables, and you are correct to point out that I am wrong to prefer candy. But you are insulting a choice I made and, by extension, me.
If you can see how this is true for something as trivial as food preference, then hopefully you can see how it would be extremely hurtful where something as important as faith is involved. By praying that a Jew will convert, you are essentially saying "You are wrong to be a Jew, and I hope one day you will correct your mistake." Imagine yourself in that position: you'd be hurt and insulted if an institution regularly told you that you were wrong to be a Christian and that you should change your ways.
Jews don't like that prayer because it is insulting and demeaning. Plain and simple. And I hope you can see that.
11:12 PM
Many, many people think that I am wrong for being a Christian, or, at least wrong for believing that Christ is the only means of knowing God.
My religion says Christ is the only way. If Christ is the only way, than all other ways are wrong. That's what I believe. So you are telling me that I what I believe is wrong. I am offended!
Just kidding. But not really. Antisemitism and wanting Jews to become Christians is not the same thing. To want someone to convert to your religion means no more than that you think it is right. Such thinking is rare and unpopular, even in the Roman church, which since Vatican II teaches that other religions contain truth which can lead to God (so you can see why the previous Pope restricted the controversial mass).
At any rate, it may indeed be offensive to be told that you are wrong. In reality, that is the only thing people really get offended at anymore. Which is why seeking and praying for conversion is so offensive to the most.
What I am pointing out is the inherent absurdity of that position. After all, you are telling them that they are wrong for thinking that you are wrong. I pray for your conversion, because I think you are wrong in your current beliefs, and you write a whole blog post to tell me you are offended at it and that I am wrong for having said it.
1:25 AM
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