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[Baffler]

Another Catholic trivia: very few Catholics believe in transubstantiation. I think the number is around 10%.

Source? That seems a bit low for so core a tenet.

[TD1]

Well, yea, but who could actually believe they're eating human flesh when it looks, tastes and feels like bread? You'd at least have doubts.

Anyway, my careers teacher said something interesting today. He stated that Mathew, Mark, Luke and John are very unusual names for people in that area. Very anglicised. He also said that some say that they are merely twisted versions of names from that area, to which he said there are no even vaguely similar names. What do you think of that? Why do Gospel names sound so English?

[Frumple]

Matthaion doesn't sound very english to me at all. Nor does Markon, Loukan, or... whatever John originally was, since the wikipedia page isn't being very forthcoming as to the initial translation. Probably Ioannes, or some variation around Yohanan.

... but no, it took like five seconds with google and wikipedia to pretty sufficiently lay out the etymology of the synoptic gospel names, and they look pretty in line with what they should be. Just because many idiots take the KJV as fully accurate doesn't mean it actually is.

Which is to say, yeah, those sound anglicized because they were. The original greek/hebrew was different.

[TD1]

Excellent. I can now show my careers teacher up in front of everyone

[tahujdt]

Wait.
Holy water on tap?


....Why??

You anoint yourself before you enter the chapel. At least, Catholics do. I don't. I asked my Theology teacher why that was, and she said that it's to remind you of your baptism.

According to my freshman theology teacher (who left last year), holy water tastes like ordinary water, except with a bit of a metallic taste from the basin.

Another thing that is interesting to note is that when Catholics genuflect upon entering the church, they're not actually bowing towards the pictures and/or graven images up there. They're showing respect to the Blessed Sacrament™, which is kept up there. The Blessed Sacrament is the name used by various churches to mean the communion after it's been consecrated.

[timferius]

Yes, the Tabernacle is a box or something similar up front of the church that holds the Eucharist after it's been blessed. Traditionally, there's a lit candle hung above it to signify that the Eucharist is in there currently. Genuflecting to it is important, because you can't worship images etc., but in Catholicism, it IS the body of Jesus, and therefore a direct act of respect to him.
As an Altar server, we used to sometimes snack on the unblessed wafers in the back.

Edit: And ya, just to confirm, you do the sign of the cross with the holy water when entering or exiting the church, walk to your pew, genuflect, enter pew, kneel and pray, then sit down, all before mass begins. I did this for 17 years, and I haven't for over 10 years now, and it's still all ingrained in my head.

[penguinofhonor]

Another Catholic trivia: very few Catholics believe in transubstantiation. I think the number is around 10%.

Source? That seems a bit low for so core a tenet.

I'm at work so I'll look up a real source later, but this is the number I was given by religion teachers in high school. I think they thought our reaction would be "Oh wow, so many bad Catholics. I'll be one of the good ones!"

10% might be a little low. I know the number was no higher than 20%.

[timferius]

Another Catholic trivia: very few Catholics believe in transubstantiation. I think the number is around 10%.

Source? That seems a bit low for so core a tenet.

I'm at work so I'll look up a real source later, but this is the number I was given by religion teachers in high school. I think they thought our reaction would be "Oh wow, so many bad Catholics. I'll be one of the good ones!"

10% might be a little low. I know the number was no higher than 20%.

Heh, my Religion teacher and priests push against "Halfolics" (Catholics who pick and choose what aspects of Catholicism they believe/follow) is part of what led to me retiring.

[penguinofhonor]

Yeah, I don't think that strategy worked on many people. I think a lot of Catholics went "Oh good, most people don't believe that stuff either" and went on not believing.

[Descan]

I'd be curious on the numbers of actual believers if you stripped out the social aspects of religion.

Like, how many people actually believe, versus how many people say they believe because ostracism or because they like the community at their church, or whatever other reasons compels them to say "Oh, yeah, yay jesus, woo," without actually believing in Christ the Lord.*

I've no idea what it'd actually be, normally I'd give a guess but it could be anywhere from "everyone but the fundamentalists" to "only the lay people don't believe" to "nearly everyone, even the priests and fundies, don't believe" to "about half" to "no one doesn't believe who says they do."

*Also curious about other religions, but (and this is just me talkin') I feel like Christianity is rather unique in the position... Maybe Islam could be also in the same position of "needing to pay lip service" but I don't think the others are quite that "YOU MUST BELIEVE OR ELSE!" as these two.

[scrdest]

Christ, no pun intended, I know I AM. And don't get me wrong, I tried to just outright go and say that outright to my mom (my dad's semi-openly an atheist, plus he's not even in the same country, so it's a non-issue). Let's just say it didn't end well.

I ended up outright lying to her that I changed my mind back, and while there had been smoother lies (in part because I had and still do despise lying and being lied to), it worked.

[TD1]

Eh, I didn't tell my parents I didn't really believe. I just stopped going to church. And then they heard I got into an argument with a minister during Scripture Union, so I think they may have sussed it

[Cryxis, Prince of Doom]

Well, yea, but who could actually believe they're eating human flesh when it looks, tastes and feels like bread? You'd at least have doubts.

Anyway, my careers teacher said something interesting today. He stated that Mathew, Mark, Luke and John are very unusual names for people in that area. Very anglicised. He also said that some say that they are merely twisted versions of names from that area, to which he said there are no even vaguely similar names. What do you think of that? Why do Gospel names sound so English?

I think ive heard that its just their names translated over from greek/hebrew/ etc.

[Frumple]

Sorta'? I mean, yeah, they did decide to change the names to make the text more accessible to english language folks. But that's... not really translation, per se, so much as it is public relations/localization (and there's definitely a difference between localization and translation, ha.). You'd kinda' think something like the bible would stick to the original spelling and whatnot for, y'know, proper names et al, but... well, see PR. Plenty of stuff in church history that chose more converts over sticking close to whatever the original was.

[Cryxis, Prince of Doom]

Sorta'? I mean, yeah, they did decide to change the names to make the text more accessible to english language folks. But that's... not really translation, per se, so much as it is public relations/localization (and there's definitely a difference between localization and translation, ha.). You'd kinda' think something like the bible would stick to the original spelling and whatnot for, y'know, proper names et al, but... well, see PR. Plenty of stuff in church history that chose more converts over sticking close to whatever the original was.

I meant that they translated it out of archaic languages that arent generaly spoken into what that name is in (whats the word im looking for) modern? languages

Like i dont change my name if i move to another country but if i was named in greek i may go by a more normal/ modern language