Mass Misunderstandings and Worse March 12, 2013
Posted by Beachcombing in : Ancient, Medieval, Modern
What is a Catholic or an Orthodox Mass? Well, it is essentially an act of magic, a miracle, the bread and the wine that are brought together become the flesh and the blood of Christ, which Christians then devour. Put in these brief, crude terms Christianity is a cannibalistic and highly unpleasant: though, of course, [...]
The Survival of the Marranos June 22, 2012
Posted by Beachcombing in : Contemporary, Medieval, Modern
A Beachcombing favorite to day, the Marranos of Belmonte. In 1492 Spain expelled its Jews or at least those who refused to convert to Catholicism. Some of these fleeing Spanish Jews crossed the border into Portugal where they joined an already substantial Jewish population and the Jews of all descriptions there were driven out of [...]
Suicide and Historical Loopholes April 7, 2012
Posted by Beachcombing in : Actualite, Ancient, Contemporary, Modern
***Dedicated to David: ‘between the bridge and the river…’*** Suicide has proved abhorrent to most spiritual traditions. Certainly, the great monotheistic religions and most of the far Eastern religions have condemned ‘self-murder’: cue lots of pulpit bashing and descriptions of hell or unpleasant reincarnations. This begs the question though of what you can do if [...]
