Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Superstition or Sacramental?

American Papist reports (link), you decide.

My own two cents: this is plainly superstition. The Giants' victory had nothing to do with a scrap of metal in someone's pocket. I doubt the American Papist would be willing to debate the topic of: "Resolved: that blessed medals are effective for winning football games."

Nevertheless, we have amazing anecdotal evidence to support that resolution. The Giants were thought by the masses (hoi polloi) to be the underdogs, and yet they won. One could point out that the other team's star player had been nursing an ankle injury in the week prior to the game, but that would just show lack of faith in the church. So don't. Instead, believe that rubbing the medals and praying to whoever is depicted on them won the biggest sports game of the year.

I wonder if they work for Hockey too?

-Turretinfan

9 comments:

GeneMBridges said...

Perhaps Dave Armstrong would like to find biblical support for this one too. (Snicker).

Turretinfan said...

Don't snicker too loud - I bet he would like to give it a shot if he had time.

From one of his web pages, in response to "(so long as it was limited to that and didn't spill over into road-side chapels and holy medals and all that silliness). But the idea that St. Whoever can hear what I think is completely unsubstantiated, and is in my opinion mere superstition."

Dave wrote:
Ah, this is where the Protestant bias comes in (and you were getting my hopes up in that last admission!). I disagree that it is superstition. I think all the biblical data we can muster regarding the afterlife deductively lends itself more readily to the viewpoint that these souls both see and hear what is going on on earth. E.g., it sure seems that they are at least observing us closely in the scenes in heaven in Revelation. I fail to see why it is so great of a stretch for you to move from "observation" to "hearing." The saints are perfected in love, being as they are, with God. Love always by definition leads to a concern for others (still in this vale of tears). Therefore, is it not altogether reasonable to expect these saints to pray for us, and if so, why wouldn't God make it possible for them to hear our intercessory requests? You call much of the intercession of saints "superstition." I call the Protestant denial of the same mere prejudice, based on misunderstandings (e.g., the idolatry and spiritism charges), a misplaced and exaggerated horror of abuses, and an incomplete grappling with all the scriptural information which can be brought to bear.

(source

-Turretinfan

TheoJunkie said...

I suppose this must mean there are no Catholic fans of the Patriots...

Reminds me of the old puzzle, what is God to do if both generals in a war pray for his assistance?

Anonymous said...

Wow! I guess I'm not in the Know Zone. I didn't realize that God and the saints who have passed on to glory were fans of football!

Rhology said...

The line between superstition and sacrament is a fine one.
'S' why I dig being Babdist. :-D

Carrie said...

I suppose this must mean there are no Catholic fans of the Patriots...

Or the NE fans addressed "lower" saints. Mary has more pull.

Turretinfan said...

Or maybe the NE fans simply did not pray as loudly or often to Mary.

Hidden One said...

I'll ignore the sniping and ask oen very brief question in terms most easily understood.

What part of "might" in the original article title did you not understand/freely choose to ignore in order to bash Catholics?

Turretinfan said...

Hidden One,

Why take it personally?

It's the superstition that I'm "bashing" not "Catholics." I bet most have the sense to realize that there is zero chance that a piece of metal or a prayer to Mary had anything to do with the game's outcome.

If they had said "was" instead of "might" the chuckling would have been louder, but "might" was enough. The fact is that no, "might" is not even correct.

-Turretinfan