Don’t Drink the Water, Stupid
I’m not Catholic, so somebody will correct me if I’m wrong, but everybody knows you don’t drink the holy water, right?
The half-liter bottles of Holy Drinking Water are being distributed by Wayne Enterprises. They only carry the blessings of Catholic and Anglican priests, but company president Brian Germann plans to expand to other faiths.
Query: What “other faiths” give out blessings of physical substances that anybody actually believes have a tangible effect? (That’s not rhetorical. I’m actually wondering.)
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I’m Greek Orthodox. We have Euhelaion, blessed oil which heals. It is our version of the “laying on of hands” or faith healing. I do not know whether it is a Sacrament — I think that it is a Tradition.
Since you asked about “tangible effects”, I will not discuss Communion, Baptism or Chrismation.
Comment by nk — March 7, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
Holy water is merely symbolic, just like the holy communion. If you are a sinner, taking the holy comminion would not clear your sins. Everything is about faith. All these symbols are meant to remind us that God is in us as in the holy comminion. It has a “doing” effect on us. In fact, it puts a physical aspect to help us remember. Merely drinking holy water to feel spiritual is an abuse of the intended action because the effect does not lie in the holy water. It is all about faith. So, you could make your own holy water.
Comment by Ouabam — March 7, 2007 @ 11:53 pm