Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

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Tcg
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Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #1

Post by Tcg »

.
Catholics place emphasis on the ritual known as Mass. It includes receiving the Eucharist, also known as Communion, where participants eat the body of Christ and drink his blood. Protestants also practice Communion thought they don't teach that it involves the actual blood and body of Christ. Some refer to it as the Lord's Supper.

This practice has been in the news recently as Pope Francis has suggested Biden continue to receive communion even though he is Pro-Choice. This has of course created quite a stir amongst the primarily Pro-Life Catholics. This caused me to wonder why Communion is so important to both Catholics and Protestants.

Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining eternal life?

If not, why is so much emphasis placed on the practice?


Tcg
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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #21

Post by Athetotheist »

[
Replying to Tcg in post #6
]
Why is it so hard for those eating a wheat based product of some sort to see it? Or is it a gluten free rice based cracker these days?
The Catholic Church doesn't allow gluten-free bread to be used for communion and will do no more for those with an allergic reaction than using bread with a reduced amount of gluten.

The CC has asserted that wheat bread has to be used and that it must contain a certain amount of gluten in order to be proper wheat bread. That would logically make gluten part of the substance of wheat bread, but when the gluten isn't transubstantiated they turn around and label it an "accidental" substance within the bread. It seems to me that they're trying to have it both ways.

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #22

Post by Tcg »

Athetotheist wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:53 pm [
Replying to Tcg in post #6
]
Why is it so hard for those eating a wheat based product of some sort to see it? Or is it a gluten free rice based cracker these days?
The Catholic Church doesn't allow gluten-free bread to be used for communion and will do no more for those with an allergic reaction than using bread with a reduced amount of gluten.

The CC has asserted that wheat bread has to be used and that it must contain a certain amount of gluten in order to be proper wheat bread. That would logically make gluten part of the substance of wheat bread, but when the gluten isn't transubstantiated they turn around and label it an "accidental" substance within the bread. It seems to me that they're trying to have it both ways.
Wow! I was halfway joking. It's interesting to see that even allergies have become an issue when it comes to Communion. I wonder how many suffer through considering the benefits of Communion more important than physical health?


Tcg
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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #23

Post by Tcg »

JoeyKnothead wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 5:32 pm
As I respect it might be off the OP, I gotta stand with 2ndpillar2 on this'n.

Biden bungled the retreat. He's a cognitively weak, empty suit of a plagiarizing liar.

I reject any argument he was bound to the pumpkin's timeline. A leader leads. A failure fails.
The question here doesn't address Biden's competence or lack thereof, but rather why does he and so many others consider Communion so important. It has after all become the subject of nation news of late.


Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #24

Post by nobspeople »

Tcg wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:33 pm
nobspeople wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 8:52 am
Tcg wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:55 pm .
Catholics place emphasis on the ritual known as Mass. It includes receiving the Eucharist, also known as Communion, where participants eat the body of Christ and drink his blood. Protestants also practice Communion thought they don't teach that it involves the actual blood and body of Christ. Some refer to it as the Lord's Supper.

This practice has been in the news recently as Pope Francis has suggested Biden continue to receive communion even though he is Pro-Choice. This has of course created quite a stir amongst the primarily Pro-Life Catholics. This caused me to wonder why Communion is so important to both Catholics and Protestants.

Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining eternal life?

If not, why is so much emphasis placed on the practice?


Tcg
Speaking as a past protestant, it's simply symbolic, nothing more.
I was never taught nor told it's necessary in anyway; fact is it was always seen as optional. Even when I was practicing, I often times sat out communion. It made little sense and seemed nothing more than a show. And if god couldn't see my heart, eating a wafer and drinking juice wouldn't have helped open its eyes.
I viewed Communion similarly when I was a Protestant. I wonder if some Protestants view it as more vital than we did?


Tcg
Surely some did. It is a belief, after all, so that opens it up to all sorts of things
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #25

Post by 1213 »

Tcg wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:23 pm
1213 wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:02 pm
Tcg wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:55 pm ...
Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining eternal life?
...
Bible tells eternal life is for righteous, by what I know, it does not require Communion.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
The second verse doesn't support your assertion. In fact it contradicts it. It states that eternal life is a free gift.
Please explain why do you think so?

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #26

Post by Tcg »

1213 wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:18 am
Tcg wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:23 pm
1213 wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:02 pm
Tcg wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:55 pm ...
Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining eternal life?
...
Bible tells eternal life is for righteous, by what I know, it does not require Communion.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
The second verse doesn't support your assertion. In fact it contradicts it. It states that eternal life is a free gift.
Please explain why do you think so?
I just did in the sentence immediately above your question.

Given that you don't think Communion is needed to attain eternal life, perhaps you'd care to address the second O.P. question for debate:

"If not, [Communion is not needed to attain eternal life] why is so much emphasis placed on the practice?"


Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #27

Post by historia »

Tcg wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:33 pm
nobspeople wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 6:36 am
Speaking as a past protestant, it's simply symbolic, nothing more.

I was never taught nor told it's necessary in anyway; fact is it was always seen as optional.
I viewed Communion similarly when I was a Protestant. I wonder if some Protestants view it as more vital than we did?
Yes, in fact the original statement in the OP is misleading in this regard:
Tcg wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:55 pm
Protestants also practice Communion thought they don't teach that it involves the actual blood and body of Christ.
A sizable number of Protestant groups -- including Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed churches -- believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Much like the Eastern churches, they hold the elements become the body and blood of Christ, they just disagree (to varying degrees) with Roman Catholics as to how that happens.

The view that the Eucharist is merely symbolic derives from the Swiss Reformer Zwingli and is largely (formally) held today among Baptists and Baptist-influenced Protestants, who are quite numerous in certain areas, particularly in the United States, so folks who have come from those traditions tend to think of this view as normative for all Protestants, when it isn't.

Those are the official beliefs of these churches anyway. Many partitioners of these churches, including many Roman Catholics, actually tend toward the symbolic view.

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #28

Post by Tcg »

historia wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:27 pm
Tcg wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:33 pm
nobspeople wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 6:36 am
Speaking as a past protestant, it's simply symbolic, nothing more.

I was never taught nor told it's necessary in anyway; fact is it was always seen as optional.
I viewed Communion similarly when I was a Protestant. I wonder if some Protestants view it as more vital than we did?
Yes, in fact the original statement in the OP is misleading in this regard:
Tcg wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:55 pm
Protestants also practice Communion thought they don't teach that it involves the actual blood and body of Christ.
A sizable number of Protestant groups -- including Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed churches -- believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Much like the Eastern churches, they hold the elements become the body and blood of Christ, they just disagree (to varying degrees) with Roman Catholics as to how that happens.

The view that the Eucharist is merely symbolic derives from the Swiss Reformer Zwingli and is largely (formally) held today among Baptists and Baptist-influenced Protestants, who are quite numerous in certain areas, particularly in the United States, so folks who have come from those traditions tend to think of this view as normative for all Protestants, when it isn't.

Those are the official beliefs of these churches anyway. Many partitioners of these churches, including many Roman Catholics, actually tend toward the symbolic view.
Thank-you for that correction. Amongst all these groups, do you know how many, if any, consider receiving the Eucharist a requirement for gaining eternal life?


Tcg
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- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #29

Post by 1213 »

Tcg wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:49 am
1213 wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:18 am
Tcg wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:23 pm
1213 wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:02 pm
Tcg wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:55 pm ...
Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining eternal life?
...
Bible tells eternal life is for righteous, by what I know, it does not require Communion.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
The second verse doesn't support your assertion. In fact it contradicts it. It states that eternal life is a free gift.
Please explain why do you think so?
I just did in the sentence immediately above your question.
..
Sorry, I don't think I said it is not a gift.

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Re: Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining Eternal Life?

Post #30

Post by Tcg »

1213 wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 10:19 am
Tcg wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:49 am
1213 wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:18 am
Tcg wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:23 pm
1213 wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:02 pm
Tcg wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:55 pm ...
Is receiving Communion a requirement for gaining eternal life?
...
Bible tells eternal life is for righteous, by what I know, it does not require Communion.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
The second verse doesn't support your assertion. In fact it contradicts it. It states that eternal life is a free gift.
Please explain why do you think so?
I just did in the sentence immediately above your question.
..
Sorry, I don't think I said it is not a gift.
You stated this, "Bible tells eternal life is for righteous." You've got to pick one or the other.


Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

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