Can we borrow rituals from religions other than our own?
A friend whose house is on the market said someone told her to bury a statue of Saint Joseph in her yard and her house will sell right away. I’ve heard that before. And after a chuckle at the superstition she asked if I would do it. Did she mean because I’m Jewish and I don’t know from Saint Joseph? Or did I believe that burying something in your yard have any affect on how quickly you sell your house?
Well, I told her if my house wasn’t selling I guess I’d try anything. And then she reminded me that as Jews we are prohibited from worshiping idols. It’s a big no no. And she was worried that God would look down upon her for committing idolatry. Ok. She’s got a point. But is burying a plastic statue in your yard really worshiping an idol?
And then it got me thinking. Remember a few years ago when all those celebrities were wearing the red string bracelet? Kabbalah, an ancient form of Jewish mysticism, says that one wearing the red string bracelet will be protected from
the influences of the “evil eye”. Well, is it ok to do that if you’re not a Kabbalist?
Interestingly enough, you can find a whole slew of stuff on the web about both of these religious practices. There are websites after websites selling statues of Saint Joseph for the very purpose of selling your house. They come in “home sales kits”. Seriously. And you too can be protected from the evil eye with your very own “red string package” for $26. Ouch.
I know some of you detect my sarcasm but I mean no disrespect. To each his own. Really. If it works for you, great. (And you can find tons of testimonials about how effective these practices are. Especially Saint Joseph.) But the commercialization of these religious customs seems a bit cynical.
So, just a little food for thought. Good luck to my friends with their sale of their house. And anyone else out there trying to sell. Oh, and if you do decide to go the Saint Joseph route, it seems that burying him upside down facing the house is the most popular method.
Kim Wallis, 33, currently facilitates Rosh Chodesh groups for Jewish teenage girls in the St. Louis area. A graduate of the University of Miami, she worked in asset management for several years and now teaches Pilates part-time. Originally from Chicago, Kim is starting to feel at home in St. Louis with her husband, toddler daughter and infant son. 
Mom,
First I would like to say that I intend only to be constructive, and that this type of debate is good for all involved.
Secondly, you opened this door. I am only pointing out where your arguments break down. I am not bashing or telling you how to act. Catholics can Christians as a whole are commanded to spread their point of view, and we are instructed to keep each other sharp. What’s a debate without a search for truth?
Thirdly, the biggest problem I have is not with the official church doctrine, but with the lack of clarification when paritioners stray. There is plenty of prayer directly to Mary and saints for THEM to do works for us. This is not what the Church stands for, at least officially, and they should offer firm instruction against it.
The points about intercession are pretty weak as far as apologetics go. To be clear, I don’t think anybody’s saying that saints and angels don’t praise God. I think you have an uphill battle to say they hear us, and intercede for us, and furthermore even if they do hear us that does not mean we are necessarily to speak directly to them. This is a world away from praying for each other or in groups.
The Psalms 103 passage is clearly not a prayer or request. It is a declaration of saints and angels praising God.
The Psalms 148 passage is exaltation and again a declaration of the heavenly beings as well as earthly praising God. The Bible speaks of creation declaring His glory, should we pray to trees and mountains?
The passage in Revelation is the only somewhat convincing evidence, but still not enough to base doctrine on.
Examples of prayer to the dead would go a long way. The only examples we have are in reference to witchcraft. Instruction from Peter or Paul would go a very long way. We have neither. We do have Paul telling us that Jesus is the one mediator. We also have Jesus telling us how to pray to the Father.
As far as relics go, I’m not opposed to them. It’s what they easily lead to that we need to be careful of. These St. Joseph statues make the point. Keeping a statue around to remind us of his teachings is fine. Expecting a ritual surrounding the statue to bring about a result is pagan magic. This is not old testament times, and the statues are not serpents in the wilderness, the guy who pedals them for a profit is not Moses. If you thin
I don’t have a problem giving honor to great men and women of faith. But the lines between honor and adoration are blurred in practice by many Catholics. Believing that they hold special powers that they can provide if prayed to is heresy.
I have no problem with imitation at all. It’s paramount in discipleship.
Tradition is fine. It is good. It must fit in with scripture. Just because we’ve always done something doesn’t make it right, true or good. Tradition is subjective. Rejecting the word of God as final authority is a real problem for any Christian tradition.
From an earlier posting:
“Thus, in Psalm 103 we pray, “Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will!” (Ps. 103:20–21). And in the opening verses of Psalms 148 we pray, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!”
These angels, these hosts … Mary, St. Joseph, etc., are NOT who’s being referred to here. According to the Bible, the “angels,” the “hosts of heaven,” are an entirely different order of beings from humans.
Again, that is what the Bible teaches, and I understand that Catholic and other religious teachings state otherwise.