TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:
Ananias and Sapphira died for being dishonest. Had nothing to do with them eating impure food. They were impure and paid the final price.
"No one gets sick or dies from a symbol." - That's arbitrary and not necessarily true. Lots of people died due to symbols in the Bible and not following God's intent. And not everyone gets sick, and not everyone dies immediately after taking communion with a less than pure heart, right?
I should have been more specific with my statements.
I should have said, "No one gets sick or dies from
eating a symbol." Paul wasn't talking about a symbol making one sick. He was referring to those that eat the body of Christ unworthily.
TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:
I'm not sure what you need me to explain. The spiritually figurative language is very clear, the rigidity around transubstantiation of today's Catholic differs from the historical church in the didache and the scriptures - and the early church wasn't as unified as the RC's pretend. It's always been described as body and blood, the metaphor is without doubt, and has deep spiritual significance, that is what is clear from the many diverse opinions in the early church.
Not sure how you're reading the Didache or the Scriptures as a symbolic-only reading. John 6 is explicitly clear that Jesus said what he meant and meant what he said (no less than 6 times). The Last Supper narrative confirms this.
The Didache also confirms:
- Eucharist was only meant for the baptized
- It is It is spiritual food and drink ordered to eternal life
- It is a sacrifice - the fulfillment of Malachi's pure offering
- It requires moral preparation confession, reconciliation
Please find a Church father that claims that it is ONLY a symbol.
TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:
Rome since right after Constatine grew more central and more political, concerned about controlling the masses, and you must submit to Rome, and thus being the "only" way to God. And since they've done some pretty unChristian things (at least according to those that are free to speak against the church). So as for the significance of transubstantiation, popularized in the medieval period, and the medieval church used some pretty coercive practices, it's clear that they were intent on being THEE only pathway to heaven. And would there be any other way for a power-centric, group to operate at that time? So yes, it is very convenient for the RC church. They control the eucharist, they control the doors, they control your salvation. You enter heaven through them and them alone. You are not even allowed to believe that Augustine may have held less literal views ... that are clear to anyone with an objective look.
Wow. You are projecting your views onto the early Church that are clearly untrue.
The earliest Church fathers believed in the supremacy of Church in Rome.
AD 96 St Clement of Rome - writes to the Church at Corinth to correct them and restore order after a schism.
AD 107 - St. Ignatius of Antioch writes in his letter to the Romans praises Rome as the church that "presides in love" and "presides in the region of the Romans." asking the Romans not to interfere to prevent his death a remarkable admission that they could.
AD 180 - St. Irenaeus of Lyons - writes that it is necessary for every church to agree with (
convenire ad) the Church of Rome "on account of its more powerful principality."
AD 200 Tertulian - In Prescription Against Heretics, he directs readers to the apostolic churches, with Rome at the forefront, to settle doctrinal disputes. He recognized Rome as the church where Peter and Paul both taught, suffered, and died making it uniquely authoritative.
AD 250 - St. Cyprian of Carthage - "He who does not hold this unity of Peter, does he think that he holds the faith? He who deserts the chair of Peter, upon whom the Church was founded, does he trust that he is in the Church?" Cyprian described the Chair of Peter as the root and womb of the Church.
If the Church "controls the Eucharist", it's only because that's how Christ ordained it. He instituted the Eucharist and the Priesthood at the Last Supper. If you are upset with this, please take it up with Him.