This was originally published on the Catholic Debate Forum (CDF), but the online pictures did not turn out, so I republished here as well. Feel free to comment here on the blog or in CDF.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 5:25 PM, Scott Windsor wrote:
sw: Even if you're accusing us of subliminally worshiping a sun god - you accuse us falsely. Even when the Protestants split from the Catholic Church they did not accuse Catholicism of worshiping a sun god - this sounds like it came straight out of a Chick tract. Where are you getting your information?sw: Yep, I thought I recognized it...
sw: The term "transubstantiation" did not exist until the 14th century - AD. Catholics do not believe in "magic" here - we believe in the declaration of God Himself. Jesus Christ, True God and True Man, declares "This IS My body" and we have faith and BELIEVE Him!
sw: Lots of things are "disk shaped" - like the tires on my car, but that doesn't mean I worship my tires! Chick's argument here is so juvenile - who is really so gullible to believe these jokes?
sw: 1) The age of the communicant is a tradition of the Latin/Western Church. Eastern Rites actually participate in infant communion. Mr. Chick is simply misinformed on this point.
sw: 2) Again, we do not believe in "magic" here. Mr. Chick wants to conjure up thoughts of magic and witchcraft (another common theme he utilizes) because he knows that most Protestants are aware that magic and witchcraft are condemned by Scripture. Catholics, again, do not believe in magic - we believe in the authority of God through God the Son, whom declared, while holding a piece of bread, "This IS My body." Catholics do not rationalize their way around this very clear statement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we just accept it on FAITH.
sw: 3) Mr. Chick, demonstrating even more ignorance, does not seem to realize that "IHS" are Greek letters and are the first letters of the name "Jesus:"
The IHS monogram is an abbreviation or shortening of Jesus' name in Greek to the first three letters. Thus ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, ιησυς (iēsus, "Jesus"), is shortened to ΙΗΣ (iota-eta-sigma), sometimes transliterated into Latin or English characters as IHS or ΙΗC. [Disclaimer, not a Catholic site: http://www.jesuswalk.com/christian-symbols/ihs.htm]The use of this monogram or Christogram, though rare use is found in the catacombs (burial and worship place for Christians prior to the conversion of Rome) was not popularly used until the 14th century - AD - again exemplifying Chick's ignorance of history. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07649a.htm
sw: 4) I am aware of no "law" which says Catholics "must" bow down and worship the appearance of God in the Eucharist - but why would we NOT bow down and worship that which we believe IS God? It would be wholly inconsistent of us to NOT bow down and adore God Himself!
sw: 5) There are other similarities between Osiris and Jesus, namely the myth of Osiris is that he was resurrected from the dead - so based upon Chick-logic - the very heart of Christendom, the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, is really pagan Osiris worship. The slippery slope that Chick starts upon destroys all of Christianity, not just Catholicism - IF it were true.
sw: 6) What "upsets" me is that some people actually believe in the lies Jack Chick publishes... I know, I was one of them at one time.
In JMJ,
Scott<<<
PS- The use of the images from Chick tracts is permitted through the "Fair Use" as defined by the U.S. Copyright Office: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
