SC - feasting and religion (longish)

[Siegfried Heydrich]

Lee-Gwen wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bonne
> > putting what is supposed to be faithfully beleived the body of Christ into
> > the soup, esp. soup to be eaten by non-beleivers, would pretty much be a
> > straight ticket to hell!   It's no way to convert anyone, nor ever was.
> 
> Perhaps, but some Catholic nurses in the (19)60s (and I suspect much earlier
> too) would baptise babies who were in danger of dying unbaptised and thus
> going to hell.

_Much_ earlier, Gwynydd- It was especially important for local midwives
to be upstanding, good Christian women, because they were supposed to
baptise a child in danger of dying. But they had no powers to say rites
over a dying mother- the extent of their jurisdiction as laywomen was
only over the neonate.

There is a vast difference between baptising a dying baby and forcing
the Host on an unwilling adult. The Church Fathers repeated over and
over that conversion must be made of the free will, with knowledge, or
it doesn't stick (various attempts otherwise notwithstanding).
Augustine, Alcuin, and many others insisted that it must be a matter of
informed consent.

I think Bonne's original point is- putting the Host, or holy water, or
whatever, into food or drink to be consumed by the unwary
Jew/Saracen/Saxon pagan etc. would have been a very serious offense-
misusing the Host is a mortal sin. I seriously doubt that anyone valuing
their salvation would have done it.

This is of course not part of the original question- as to whether or
not it would be offenseive to a Jew or Muslim to share a Lenten meal.
Well, look at it like this- Lenten diet is one of _exclusion_- there is
nothing on the table that is not in an ordinary diet, simply _less_.
There really would be no reason for offense any more than there would be
on an ordinary day. Infact less- for the things that would normally be
on the table- pork, meat and milf mixtures, etc.- would be there.

And I would think that rather than offen a host, CAriadoc' solution is
simplest, best, and most likely. if you encounter a dish that is not
allowed to you, simply excuse yourself quietly or skip it without
comment. Only a rude guest would make a fuss.

'Lainie