Hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Adapted from www.docstoc.com.

Welcome to my final post on Catholicism. It has been an incredible fortnight sharing about the religious customs and origination of Catholicism with everyone. However, all good things have to come to an end. Today, I will be talking about hierarchy in Catholicism.

Pope
Like other forms of Christianity, Catholicism considers Jesus Christ as the invisible leader of the church. Under his authority, the Bishop of Rome, more commonly known as the Pope, is the visible head of the church. The word "pope" is derived from the Latin word "papa" and the Greek word "pappas", which both refers to "father" in their respective languages. The current pope of the Catholic Church is Pope Francis and began his papacy on 13 March 2013. He is also the 266th pope of the Catholic Church. The pope is in charge of civil and religious matters within the Catholic Church.

The power of the pope is grounded based on Matthew 16:18-19 of the bible within the Roman Catholic Church only. The Catholic Church holds that the pope is not allowed to make mistakes in important official declarations with regards to faith and morality by God. When the pope passes away, a new Pope is being elected by The College of Cardinals. However, popes can also choose to make their resignations when they want to. The most recent example of a retirement of the pope is Pope Benedict XVI, which is succeeded by Pope Francis. The pope lives in Vatican City, which is an independent state within the city of Rome.

Cardinals
Cardinals is considered the second group under the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are basically bishops who have been chosen and elevated to this position by the Pope. Cardinals make up the College of Cardinals, which is in charge of electing a new pope.

Cardinals are required to attend meetings held by the College of Cardinals and making themselves available either individually or in groups to the pope when he needs their advice. Most cardinals are also required to lead districts or sees under the supervision of a bishop (diocese) or the more significant archdioceses. Others are also in charge of departments in the central governing body of the Catholic Church known as the Roman Curia. As mentioned earlier, they are also responsible for the election of the new pope when the existing one passes away or resigns.

Archbishops
Archbishops are the third group under the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Archbishops are responsible for the supervision of metropolitan districts or sees known as archdioceses. However, there are also non-metropolitan archbishops in charge of non-metropolitan sees. It is ranked higher compared to a bishop. Archbishops are granted their titles or by ordination as a chief pastor of the metropolitan see or of another episcopal see to which the title is being attached.

Bishops
A bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for the education of Catholic religious practices and governing Catholics under a district known as a diocese. A diocese can be further divided into many groups of parishes. Parishes are individual communities under a diocese. Bishops are classified under the College of Bishops. Some bishops also hold additional titles such as archbishops. The most powerful bishop (i.e. The bishop of Rome) is known as the Pope of the Catholic Church and is elected by the College of Cardinals. In the past, bishops were known more for a teacher and leader of worship in Catholicism. However, bishops are more of administrators in the Catholic Church.

Priests
Priests are responsible for running individual parishes under a diocese. A priest is a liturgical leader and pastor and takes charge of the administration of the sacraments of the Catholic Church. They also hear confessions and assign penance to the Catholics.

Deacons
Deacons are ordained ministers of the Catholic Church who work alongside with priests and bishops. They are more focused on the outreach to poor and needy Catholics and the ministries of direct service. There are transitional deacons, who are seminarians preparing for ordination to the priesthood and permanent deacons who do not wish to become priests. Deacons are required to be at least 25 years old if single and 35 years old if married under the permission of his spouse. Married deacons are considered permanent based on Latin rites.

The Laity
The Laity, also known as lay Catholics, refers to the people in the Catholic community who are not deacons, priests, archbishops and bishops in the Catholic Church. They are to follow the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church and go through religious practices of Catholicism.

With this, I have come to the end of my post. I hope that everyone had an enjoyable time reading more about Catholicism and learned new things about Catholicism.

- Chong You

References

Hierarchy of the Catholic Church - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierarchy_of_the_Catholic_Church

Pope Francis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis

Cardinal (Catholicism) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_%28Catholicism%29

Archbishop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop

Bishop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_%28Catholic_Church%29

Deacon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deacon

Catholic Laity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Laity

The Hierarchy in Catholicism - World Religions
http://www.netplaces.com/world-religions/catholicism/the-hierarchy-in-catholicism.htm

The Hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/105286233/The-Hierarchy-of-the-Roman-Catholic-Church

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, a typical Catholic church. Picture from Wikipedia.

In this post, I will talk about how the history of Catholicism, in terms of how it originated as a form of Christianity.

The Catholic Church first originated from Roman Empire and was founded by the Jesus Christ, based on Catholic traditions. Jesus Christ designated 12 Apostles and gave them instructions, which are known as The Great Commission, to them to continue his work. The Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles signaled the beginning of the public ministry of the Church. Peter was the first bishop of Rome and the consecrator of Linus as its next bishop.

Due to the encouragement by the government for inhabitants to learn Greek language, the ideas of Catholicism were able to be more easily elaborated and comprehended. Therefore, many Jewish communities were able to be converted to Christians, with 40 Christian communities established by Year 100. The communities were also formed in other countries such as Armenia, Iran and Malabar Coast. As the early Christian Church was not well-managed, it led to difference in manipulations of beliefs in Christianity.

To ensure more consistency in their teachings, Christian communities developed into a more rigid hierarchy. A central bishop has more power over the appointed church personnel in his city, leading to the formation of the Metropolitan bishop. Since the second century, bishops often gather in regional synods to resolve doctrinal and policy issues. By the third century, the bishop of Rome serves as a court of appeals for problems that cannot be resolved by other bishops. The doctrine was refined by the Church Fathers, a series of influential theologians and teachers. However, proto-orthodox teachers such as Ignatius of Antioch and Irenaeus explained Catholic teaching in huge contrast to other things such as Gnosticism.

Find out more about the history of the Catholic church in this video.

That is all I have to offer for now. Look forward to my next and final post on Catholicism which will be published within this weekend.

- Chong You

References
History of The Catholic Church - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catholic_Church



Hey people! I am back with more on Taoism! Sadly, this will be the last post I will be posting as I have finished all of my 5 posts! :). Thank you so much for all your support the past 3 weeks, and all your comments are very much appreciated!

So anyway, back to topic, I will be talking on other Taoism practices. :)

Recitation

Reciting passages from the Tao Te Ching has been a spiritual practice for over 2000 years. For people who couldn't read and write it was an important way to learn the text, but even for those who could read, recitation was a vital expression of devotion and a way of spiritual growth.

As Taoism became more religious, various groups taught that recitation could do more than make the reciter a better person: the words of the Tao Te Ching were thought to have the power to cure sickness, banish evil spirits, and bring good luck.

For the Celestial Masters group, the Tao Te Ching was a liturgical tool as well as a source of philosophical wisdom.

Many other Taoist groups gave the Tao Te Ching a central place in the liturgy and chanted it ritually in the belief that doing so under the right conditions would prolong life and bring human beings closer to complete unity with the Tao.

Talismans






Talismans are objects thought to have the power to bring good luck. They can also be used to remove or keep away evil spirits.

In Taoist tradition talismans are strips of paper on which are written words of power and religious symbols which focus benevolent spiritual energies to purify, heal the sick and drive away demons.

Talismans can only be written (the word normally used isdrawn) by highly qualified people, who have undergone long training and who are in a state of purity.



Alright! I have completed my number of posts for the project. Thank you so much for the support and comments! :). Do show support for my other group members!

- Clarice

Citations:
http://scenery.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/upload/upfiles/2009-08/10/taoist_music_of_wudang_mountains6081c849bd856d240553.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk3_vmpGJhLwcMKNiwRDpQ5B2dRtR-4p_9FVGgv3RPwx_k1wn15PeIw5N2BMxpbJMVG0XTYKnYQ5NSJUz5QDJuZjg_chkeQDMTRK-_ydERa0FTi5pwu-lbz7S9LGNPO_0_nAA91gTRBc/s320/Talisman+All+In+One.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/practices/recitation.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/practices/talismans.shtml



Conservation of sexual energy

Classical Taoist sexual techniques are designed to increase a person's sexual energy and to retain it. This is because sexual energy is life-enhancing.

Taoist texts recommend that men should conserve their sexual energy by not ejaculating during sexual activity, as this involves losing sexual energy. A similar practice is recommended for women by some writers, although other texts teach that the female orgasm does not involve losing sexual energy but in some way increases it for both the woman and her partner, and that there is therefore no reason for women to avoid it.

This second philosophy leads the texts to recommend that men should have many sexual partners in order to gain access to the female release of beneficial sexual energy.

To Western eyes there may be a contradiction between the basic Taoist philosophy of not interfering in the natural course of events, and the highly interventionist sexual strategy recommended by Taoism. To Western eyes there may also be a rather distasteful favouring of the sexual experience of men against that of women, although it can be argued that the prolonging of intercourse by delaying male orgasm may in fact benefit women.

Taoist teachings on sex are clearly intended for adepts rather than ordinary people - if ordinary people practiced this level of sexual control all the time, then Taoism would cease to exist in a few generations.

Body and spirit

A true understanding of Taoist practice can only be obtained by studying with a Taoist master because many of the liturgical and practical elements of Taoism are taught through an oral tradition and not fully documented.

Taoism doesn't make a rigid division between body and spirit and regards physical activities, such as yoga, meditation and martial arts, as an important way to spiritual growth and a long life.

Taoist practice [seeks] to develop the body back toward the level of primordial energy, to the state at the beginning of creation. The body, no longer a mere means to live harmoniously in the world, becomes a universe in itself.
Livia Kohn, The Taoist Experience: An Anthology



Thank you for reading! I'll be back with more on Taoism soon! :)

- Clarice

Citations:
http://www.topchinatravel.com/pic/china-guide/philosophy-and-religion/taoism-2.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/practices/sex.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/practices/bodyspirit.shtml




 Hey guys! I'm back with more on Taoism! :)

I'll be talking about practices of the Taoist. I'll be highlighting on Alchemy and Physical Practices.

Internal and external alchemy

Internal and external alchemy

Taoist physical practices, such as breath exercises, massage, martial arts, yoga and meditation are designed to transform a person both mentally and physically and so bring them into closer harmony with the Tao.

The writer Norman Girardot puts it like this:

the whole thrust of Taoism has always been in terms of healing methods that seek to re-establish the original balanced wholeness of human nature and society.
Girardot, N.J., Myth and Meaning in Early Taoism: The Theme of Chaos (hun-tun)
Many of these practices are called internal alchemy (nei-dun) by Taoists.

Taoists also practice external alchemy (wai-dan), which involves diet and the use of minerals and herbs to promote long life.

Why call it alchemy?

Alchemists are people who want to transform things into something more valuable, such as converting lead into gold.

Taoist alchemy is concerned with transforming human beings so as to give them longer life and bring them closer to the Tao.

The first alchemists were seeking an elixir which could be used to turn cheap metal into gold. They worked in laboratories, grinding, mixing and heating various substances together in search of the magical compound.

Other alchemists went in search of a different sort of elixir; a pill, potion or practice that would make human beings immortal.

Creating this elixir also involved various combinations of ingredients and particular methods of heating, grinding and mixing, together with other rituals.

This became known as wai-dan (external alchemy) presumably because it involved adding something to the body from outside.

It was both a literal idea, since some people must have hoped to live for ever, and a metaphorical one in which the spirit was steadily purified and came closer to unity with the Tao.

Interior alchemy, which didn't involve external physical compounds, probably developed slightly later. For a long time both were practiced together (rather in the same way that some modern patients will use both drugs and meditation to deal with sickness).

Interior alchemy also seeks to achieve longer life, purity and closeness to the Tao, but the practitioner works on themselves without the use of chemicals to transform the elements within their body into purer forms that will promote the energy of life.

The texts retain the alchemical link by using the language of making an elixir and of chemical transformation to describe internal spiritual development.

Physical practices


Because Taoism doesn't make a rigid division between body and spirit, it recognises that physical actions have a spiritual effect.

Purity

Taoist texts teach the importance of keeping the body pure in order to ensure spiritual health. To remain pure a person should avoid certain activities and foods. Greed, lust, pride and dishonesty are examples of things that should be avoided.

Meditation

Meditation is important to many Taoists. Complex meditation rituals are practiced in various temples.

A vital use of meditation is to create mental stillness and enhance mindfulness. This can give a person the mental space to know the Tao directly.

Breathing

Breath is the most easily perceived form of ch'i, and there are many Taoist breathing exercises. Taoist breathing exercises are called Qui Gong (qigong).

Energy flow

The flow of life energy - ch'i - within the body can be enhanced, regulated and harmonised by various forms of exercise, meditation, and techniques such as acupuncture and moxibustion.

Martial arts

Tai Chi (taiji) originally derived from Taoist exercises created by Chang San-Feng (Zhang Sanfeng) (1127-1279 CE). Modern forms of Tai Chi are more likely to be secular exercises than Taoist practices.

Diet

Classical Taoist teaching recommends abstaining from alcohol, meat, beans and grains.

I'll be back with more on Taoism soon! :)

- Clarice

Citations:
http://www.roletabjj.com/images/martialarts.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/22/article-0-19ED425F000005DC-707_964x640.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2011/5/23/1306170173777/martial-arts-training-at--007.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/practices/physical.shtml 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/practices/alchemy.shtml


Hello. jason here. AGAIN. i just got scolded by my teacher so i have to post again zzz. so yeah,

about trancing, a downside is the medium would receive many scars especially when he goes to traditional festivals called “ tua yew keng ”. During these festivals, the mediums ( with the spirits in them ), allow ridiculously large needles and swords to pierce through their skin.

The spirits protect the medium and stop him or her from feeling pain. The medium will have totally no control over his or her senses. The gods see it as a sort of game and the needles are seen as toys for the gods.

However, this also helps the medium cleanse his soul of previous sins. It also allows the spirit to be more accurate in calculating stuff and y
eah. below is a picture of what it looks like




 Hi, this is Bryan Lee and i'm here are some of the common questions people usually asked regarding Christianity.


1. Can Christian date or marry a non-christian? From a christian point of view, dating a non believe is an unwise thing to do and marry one is definitely not an option. The Bible says tells the Christian "do not be yoked with unbeliever" (Quoted from the Bible verse) . This means a Christian should not be too attached to a non-believer. Why is this so? This is because both parties have different values and different beliefs. The Christian puts God first and place God as their top priority because God is the most important to them. However, a non-believer may not be able to comprehend the value of God from a christian perspective. This means there can be no spiritual harmony between a Christian and non-believer. There are also things which the Christian can't do and a non-believer can. Christian are restricted to many things in order to be faithful to God. Hence, there will be conflict between both parties. There is nothing wrong with building a quality friendship with a non-believer but that is as far as a Christian can go. If a Christian were to date or marry a non-christian, he or she will be defying God because the Bible is God's word to them and Christians is suppose to follow what the Bible says. A Christian may ask for forgiveness from God by praying. Praying is a part of Christian and they do it often. It also helps Christian to grow closer to God.


 2. Why can't Christian drink or smoke? The Bible did not actually says Christian can't smoke or drink. Drinking is not a sin, drinking to excess is. The Bible says " Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life" . God want Christian to be the "master" of their body and does not want them to harm their body. A little alcohol is fine but excessive alcohol is considered a sin. The Bible says "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." This means Christians must take care of their body but smoking and drinking certainly is not the way. The negative effects of smoking harms lungs and the body which God does not want. Hence , smoking is considered a sin in Christianity. I hope i have answer your doubts regarding Christianity.

 Reference:
http://christianteens.about.com/od/whatthebiblesaysabout/a/WBSASmoking.htm


jason here again.

OK IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY I POSTED 2 AT ONCE IT'S BECAUSE I DIDNT THE PREVIOUS DAYS SO I'M KIND OF OWING A FEW POSTS LOL. ANYWAY.....


A darker side of Buddhism is the existence of kumantong. It is basically a dead fetus inside a jar of some sort. It has been infused with black magic and the spirit of the dead fetus follows you around like a child. A direct translation would be ghost child. 

There is a father ghost, a mother ghost, and a baby ghost. All 3 of them have their specific uses. The father ghost is the easiest to handle whereas the mother ghost is the hardest.

 A baby kumantong does your bidding and would haunt a person in return for a soft drink or some sweets. and as we all know, haunting is bad. and haunting people is even worse. so there should be no need for black magic and kumantongs. because it is bad and the owners should feel bad. and if you own a kumantong, you are keeping the spirit on earth and not letting it reincarnate, which is also a bad thing.

hello, jason here again to do another post on buddhism........ Trancing however, is a more complex form of worship where the ritual is said to allow the " Gods " to come down to earth. Trancing allows a god to possess oneself. Trancing bears likelihood to dancing as the medium would perform some sort of hand and body movement specific to the god when the spirit enters the medium’s body. The purpose of trancing is to help believers with their problems, be it spiritually or physically. Believers can also ask the gods questions. It has been proved a number of times that those gods are real as they know exactly what a believer has been doing no matter how secretive he or she may be in doing a certain activity. Videos of the ritual procession can be found in the links below.

this is the standard first step of any ritual involving trancing. without this, the ritual can't proceed.

joss sticks are offered to every altar in the temple where the god is at.

chanting commences.

trancing starts. a special chair is needed and the chant has to continue until the god comes.

Credits to Limbang's temple. yes i took all the videos on my own so i dont owe anyone any copyrights.

FOLLOW MY TWITTER @ItsJayyyson!!!!!!

Have you ever thought of using soil or sand to clean your face? Yup, I doubt so either! However, there is actually a procedure in the Islamic circle that uses clean fine sand for dry ablution. This unique ritual is called the tayammum.

This procedure truly embraces the saying "Desperate time calls for desperate measures". The routine is an alternative for ghusl and wudu.

With niyyah (intention), the palms of the hands are tapped on the surface where there is clean fine sand or dust. Then, the face is wiped with it. The second tapping is repeated, to clean the two hands.

Tayammum is permitted (as a mean of purification for both minor and major impurities) under the following conditions:
1. Absence or inadequate water
2. Water available sufficient for sustenance
3. If the use of water aggravates one’s illnesses
4. If there is danger in reaching the source of water.

(Did I say this post won’t be wordy, I think I lied.)

I decided not to tell you about Islamic etiquettes and practices, in a terrible attempt to stop myself from rambling on. I’m sorry! L

Now, for the pictures I took at the Sultan Mosque! I missed the visiting hours but managed to take some photos of the mosque.

If you are interested to go to this temple, it is called the Sultan Mosque. This magnificent masjid is located on 3 Muscat Street. For more information, that click here!

State of Taharah	Reasons for Impurity	Purification Acts	State of Taharah after
Major Impurity	Conversion, Childbirth, Mensuration	Ghusl (Includes istinja and wudu)	State of ritual purity
Minor Impurity	Nature’s Call	Istinja	Normal state
Normal State	Breaking Wudu’	Wudu	State of ritual purity
Ritual Purity	-	-	-

Hello everyone!

Today I am going to tell you more about the preparation and procedures for solat and what constitutes to one raka ‘ah.

It is stated in the Qur’an (Islamic bible) on the importance of solat.
Tell My servants who believe to establish regular salah (Qur’ an 14:31).

Preparation for solat:
A solat is invalid without the following arrangements:
1. One should be free from any ceremonial impurity (major or minor),
2. Wudu must be performed,
3. The place for prayer must be clean,
4. The attire donned must be clean,
5. One must face the direction of the qiblah,
6. One should make the intention, niyyah, for the performance of solat.





References

WikiHow. (n.d). How to Perform Salah. Retrieved on July 21, 2013 from http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-Salah

The Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore. (2010). Essence of Islam. Singapore.

 

 Hey guys! I'm back with more on Taoism! :)

Picture from: http://www.tao.org/images/zodiacgods.jpg

Taoist Pantheon:

Westerners who study Taoism are sometimes surprised to discover that Taoists venerate gods, as there doesn't seem to be a place for deities in Taoist thinking.
Taoism does not have a God in the way that the Abrahamic religions do. There is no omnipotent being beyond the cosmos, who created and controls the universe. In Taoism the universe springs from the Tao, and the Tao impersonally guides things on their way.
But the Tao itself is not God, nor is it a god, nor is it worshipped by Taoists.
This may seem surprising as Taoists do use 'God-talk' to refer to the Tao:

        The Venerable Lord, the Tao, was at rest in open mystery, beyond silent desolation, in mysterious emptiness... Say it/he is there and do not see a shape; say it/he is not there, yet all beings follow him for life.
        Taishang laojun kaitian jing, in Livia Kohn, The Taoist Experience: An Anthology, 1993

And they conventionally revere Lao Tsu both as the first god of Taoism and as the personification of the Tao.
Nonetheless, Taoism has many gods, most of them borrowed from other cultures. These deities are within this universe and are themselves subject to the Tao.
Many of the deities are gods of a particular role, rather than a personal divine being and have titles rather than names.
Books often describe the Taoist pantheon as a heavenly bureaucracy that mimics the secular administrations of Imperial China. Some writers think that this is the wrong way round and that the secular administrations took their cue from the structure of the heavens. Since the Imperial administrations and the religious culture of the time were closely intertwined this would not be surprising.

 I'll be back soon with more information on Taoism! :)

- Clarice :)

Citations:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/beliefs/gods.shtml

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