January 29, 2010
Pope John Paul II Often Beat Himself, New
Book Claims
He used self-flagellation in order to 'bring himself closer to
Christ.'
Pope John Paul II Often Beat Himself, New
Book Claims
He used self-flagellation in order to 'bring himself closer to
Christ.'
SUMMARY: Pope John Paul II used to beat himself with a belt and sleep on a
bare floor in order to bring himself closer to Christ. He had a particular belt for
self-flagellation which he would bring with him to his summer residence.
This is the claim made in a new book, Why He is a Saint: The True Story of
John Paul II written by Vatican insider, Slawomir Oder and Italian journalist
Saverio Gaeta. Oder is head of the Vatican committee investigating whether
or not John Paul, who died in 2005, should be declared a saint. The authors
of the book cautioned against being critical of the practice, comparing it to
fasting which many people do.
Self-flagellation is not unusual in Catholicism, though not nearly as extreme as
depicted in The Da Vinci Code. According to a Catholic priest, in actual
Catholic self-flagellation, "there is no blood, no injury, nothing to harm a
person's health, nothing traumatic. . .this voluntarily accepted discomfort is a
way of joining oneself to Jesus Christ and the sufferings he voluntarily
accepted in order to redeem us from sin." Mother Teresa is another famous
Catholic known to beat herself. Shiite Muslims also lash themselves when
observing a mourning period known as Ashura.
In an apostolic letter, Pope John Paul II once wrote that Jesus "suffered in
place of man and for man. Every man has his own share in the Redemption.
Each one is also called to share in that suffering through which the Redemption
was accomplished. In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ
has also raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption."
(Picture from Wikipedia.)
To read the entire article, click on this link to CNN.
COMMENT: Some five centuries ago, another well-known Catholic man living
in a monastery in Germany also practiced self-flagellation. He feared God and
hoped that his life of service and poverty and self-punishment could earn him
God's love and peace-of-mind. It didn't. He began learning in the Bible that
there is nothing we can do to earn God's love and turn away His wrath. The
man's name was Martin Luther.
Luther learned from the Word of God that earning God's love is neither
possible nor necessary. God's love is already ours because of the life and
suffering and death of Jesus. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he
was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon
him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). Forgiveness for our
sins and salvation become ours through faith in Jesus as our Savior. We need
not suffer for our sins because Jesus has already done it all for us.
There is nowhere in Scripture where we are told that self-punishment will bring
us closer to Jesus. We come closer to Jesus through the study of God's Word
("You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word." Psalm
119:114 NIV) and regular attendance in His house. ("One thing I ask of the
LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the
days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his
temple." Psalm 27:4)
So, what about the Bible passages that discuss the crosses we may have to
carry or suffering we may have to endure because we are Christians? These
crosses could be as serious as death and imprisonment which Christians in
many countries today must face. Or they could be less harsh like the taunting
and smears American Christians have to put up with at times. However, these
crosses are what the unbelieving world sometimes sends our way and should
not be understood as any kind of self-punishment.
For those who punish themselves because of Satan deluding them into
thinking that by doing so they are coming closer to God or earning His love,
we feel nothing but deep sadness. Anything we do to try to earn forgiveness
shows we misunderstand the Gospel and it implies Jesus hasn't done enough
for us. Instead, we simply need to believe the words: "(Jesus) is the atoning
sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole
world." (1 John 2:2) Then we automatically become "saints" in God's sight,
and we don't have to wait for some election by humans (Colossians 1:12).
****************************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
****************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What are some ways to make yourself look older than you really are?
****************************************************************************************************
bare floor in order to bring himself closer to Christ. He had a particular belt for
self-flagellation which he would bring with him to his summer residence.
This is the claim made in a new book, Why He is a Saint: The True Story of
John Paul II written by Vatican insider, Slawomir Oder and Italian journalist
Saverio Gaeta. Oder is head of the Vatican committee investigating whether
or not John Paul, who died in 2005, should be declared a saint. The authors
of the book cautioned against being critical of the practice, comparing it to
fasting which many people do.
Self-flagellation is not unusual in Catholicism, though not nearly as extreme as
depicted in The Da Vinci Code. According to a Catholic priest, in actual
Catholic self-flagellation, "there is no blood, no injury, nothing to harm a
person's health, nothing traumatic. . .this voluntarily accepted discomfort is a
way of joining oneself to Jesus Christ and the sufferings he voluntarily
accepted in order to redeem us from sin." Mother Teresa is another famous
Catholic known to beat herself. Shiite Muslims also lash themselves when
observing a mourning period known as Ashura.
In an apostolic letter, Pope John Paul II once wrote that Jesus "suffered in
place of man and for man. Every man has his own share in the Redemption.
Each one is also called to share in that suffering through which the Redemption
was accomplished. In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ
has also raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption."
(Picture from Wikipedia.)
To read the entire article, click on this link to CNN.
COMMENT: Some five centuries ago, another well-known Catholic man living
in a monastery in Germany also practiced self-flagellation. He feared God and
hoped that his life of service and poverty and self-punishment could earn him
God's love and peace-of-mind. It didn't. He began learning in the Bible that
there is nothing we can do to earn God's love and turn away His wrath. The
man's name was Martin Luther.
Luther learned from the Word of God that earning God's love is neither
possible nor necessary. God's love is already ours because of the life and
suffering and death of Jesus. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he
was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon
him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). Forgiveness for our
sins and salvation become ours through faith in Jesus as our Savior. We need
not suffer for our sins because Jesus has already done it all for us.
There is nowhere in Scripture where we are told that self-punishment will bring
us closer to Jesus. We come closer to Jesus through the study of God's Word
("You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word." Psalm
119:114 NIV) and regular attendance in His house. ("One thing I ask of the
LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the
days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his
temple." Psalm 27:4)
So, what about the Bible passages that discuss the crosses we may have to
carry or suffering we may have to endure because we are Christians? These
crosses could be as serious as death and imprisonment which Christians in
many countries today must face. Or they could be less harsh like the taunting
and smears American Christians have to put up with at times. However, these
crosses are what the unbelieving world sometimes sends our way and should
not be understood as any kind of self-punishment.
For those who punish themselves because of Satan deluding them into
thinking that by doing so they are coming closer to God or earning His love,
we feel nothing but deep sadness. Anything we do to try to earn forgiveness
shows we misunderstand the Gospel and it implies Jesus hasn't done enough
for us. Instead, we simply need to believe the words: "(Jesus) is the atoning
sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole
world." (1 John 2:2) Then we automatically become "saints" in God's sight,
and we don't have to wait for some election by humans (Colossians 1:12).
****************************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
****************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What are some ways to make yourself look older than you really are?
****************************************************************************************************
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| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
Get divorced and add 1.7 years to your face.
Add 2.5 years for every decade you smoked.
Add two years by age 40 if you spent 30 extra
hours a week in the sun.
Source: Bahman Guyuron, MD, writing in Bottom
Line Personal (2/1/2010)
Add 2.5 years for every decade you smoked.
Add two years by age 40 if you spent 30 extra
hours a week in the sun.
Source: Bahman Guyuron, MD, writing in Bottom
Line Personal (2/1/2010)
