What kind of Christian ?
IGNORANCE AND RELIGION
Religion is always based on ignorance and misinformation.
People did not know what caused lightening and thunder; so religious explanations were created to fill in the ignorance gap. The entire history of religion is an exercise in exchanging one level of ignorance for another. To question and discard religious ignorance does not mean that one rejects God. It simply means that you question and reject a particular destructive illogical view of God.
examples:
Coffee was believed by some Christians to be the devil's drink. Pope Vincent III heard this and decided to taste it before he banished it. He enjoyed it so much he baptized it, saying "coffee is so delicious it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it."
source: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/coffee/history.htm
Tattoos
Tattoos are extremely prevalent in Shan society. In fact, it has been said that this practice existed prior to Buddhism. Tattoos are known for their ability to bring prosperity, to attain victory over evil spirits, to protect from gunshots, knives and other weapons, and to extend one's life.
It is believed that tattoos gain their power when they are being applied. The person applying the tattoo, primarily a spirit doctor, blows a spell into a tattoo while simultaneously making a clicking noise. Tattoos are usually written in Shan script because it is believed that spirits cannot read. In addition, it is thought that when a spirit comes close to a tattoo the spirit gets hot and goes away.
Different tattoos cost different prices depending on the power that is needed, i.e. protection from being killed costs more than being healed. The most difficult tattoos to get include those that bring honor, high position and wisdom.
Many civilian men who believe in the supernatural power of tattoos tell both legendary and personal stories of being untouched in battle because of the powers afforded by tattoos. The tattoo has in many cases, transcended its practicality. Today, many use tattoos to serve as promises not to do certain evil acts.
source: http://www.surehope.net/perspectives/shan%20buddhism/elements_of_animism.htm
WASHINGTON SQUARE COIN EXCHANGE
Notes on Gargoyles
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Before written history began (about 8,000 years ago) China, Egypt, Bali, South America, and other forgotten lands and peoples created symbolic sculptures of gods and unseen spirits that had power over their daily lives. The artists made idols out of them, fetishes, door guards, keepers of gates, of cities, and of both, public buildings and individual houses, huts, and caves. In the beginning it was the worship of Animalism (animal worship), in simpler terms, it was the belief in animal or nature spirits. As my Native American Grandfather use to remind me of, all living things are made of spirit and have a spirit. The Great Mother (Earth), the Great Father (Sun), and the Soul of Darkness (Lucifer or the Moon).
Coming out of the last Ice Age when human spirits began their migration and expansion they covered the Earth, it was their local animals that taught them survival methods and their flesh sustained their lives. Out of this symbiotic relationship grew the worship of animal spirits.
According to ancient beliefs, all spirits both good and bad have the power to fly through time and space. People of all ages have believed that their individual spirits evoluted through animals of lesser intelligence. Look at the Egyptian gods, all had animal heads on human bodies. Look at American Indian tribal clans, the bear, beaver, otter, wolf, eagle, snake, and other animal clans. In fact you can look at folks today, some look like pigs, hawks, and other assorted animals.
You can see these deep seated belief structures not only in gargoyles and totems (poles of wood with ancestral spiritual ancestors) of all types, but on all coins down through 3 or 4 thousand years, including modern world and U.S. coins adorned with totem animals. In fact, almost every American coin has an eagle spirit on it.
Almost all gargoyles when shown with complete bodies have wings like angels. Added wings on all animals denotes their spiritual powers of movement through time and space. Like winged angels, gargoyles are protectors and keepers of the human spirits.
During the 5th and 6th centuries large churches, castles, public buildings were becoming the new rage.
Architects of the day followed both Roman and Greek thought about building adornment. Mythical animals began to appear on building corners as spiritual protectors and guardians.
Their job was to keep away evil spirits and demons. Plus, the architects of the day also put them to work by making them water-down spouts.
Stone and wood buildings had edge gutters that caught the water, much as we have today. The water was channeled through the gargoyle's mouth in such a way as to make the stream of water pour out several feet away from the sides of the building and into the street. In small buildings a gargoyle was placed at the four corners of the building, in larger buildings there might be 5 to 6 gargoyles spouting water. The gargoyles had the utilization purpose of preventing erosion and keeping mosses from growing on the stone castles and buildings of the day.
The use of gargoyles on buildings reached it's zenith during the middle ages and gothic period with sculptures being designed and created by the thousands.
You can still find the gargoyles doing their jobs as water spouts and protectors in the older cities and towns around the world.
Many gargoyles, garudas, dragons, and other types of fierce looking totems have been created to scare off demons and evil or dark powers of the universe. Today, most people still believe they have guarding angels with wings that will protect them from evil spirits or they prey to Jesus, Buddha, or one of the myriad of saints or devils.
source: http://www.wscoin.com/Info/Gargoyles.htm
Wind Chimes
The origin of chimes and bells has long been debated, as both Eastern and Western Asia have claimed its invention. However, regardless of region, the use of chimes and bells is widespread throughout Asia. In temples, the sound of bell tolls signifies a period of prayer and meditation. In the home, chimes and bells are believed to frighten away evil spirits, or used to cast or remove spells. They are also instrumental in channeling positive energy to create a harmonious environment.
source: http://www.asianideas.com/luckycharm.html
The Coffee Controversy
In both the Muslim and Christian worlds coffee was seen as morally and physically degrading, and, perhaps most alarming, politically destabilizing. Coffee houses were seen as potential threats to the status quo for the simple reason that they provided a forum for people of all walks of life to get together and start talking. Open discussion about religion and/or politics was not necessarily approved of by the powers that be. Coffee drinking was often seen as the real culprit behind associated vices such as gambling and dancing girls.
Although persecution of coffee and coffee drinkers in both the Islamic and Christian worlds was sporadic, the penalties could be quite severe. At one time even the Turks had a ban- punishable by death. However, because the prohibition depended more upon the individual whims of the local rulers rather than on any general consensus among the elite as to it's supposed subversiveness, every prohibition was eventually repealed.
One Islamic scholar and preacher in 1532 expressed the moral concerns of the times:
"What do you think of a drink they call qahwa, which they gather about and drink, and which they claim is allowed, in spite of the fact that many wicked things spring from it...?"
In 1765 a German potentate made the following proclamation:
"Our subjects all and sundry in the countryside and similarly the artisans, workers and day-labourers in the towns, shall upon pain of payment of a fine of five golden florins and the confiscation of their crockery, refrain forthwith from thye injurious habit of drinking coffee..."
Coffee was not without its supporters however.
"Why, this Satan's drink is so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it. We shall cheat Satan by baptizing it." Pope Clement VIII
In 1688 the Dutch physician Cornelius Bontekoe had this to say about the "disgusting Turkish habit":
"Although they are not Christians, and on occasion are of somewhat wild disposition, nevertheless in this respect they are not foolish or Turkish, indeed they can be said to be superior to the Christians who consume wine, beer and other cool drinks..., the general custom demonstrates furthermore that coffee is not unhealthy, and no unpleasant effects are experienced afterwards, as is the case when drinking wine or beer."
source: http://www.harvardespresso.com/cofhist.htm
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