What about piercings? I'm thinking about getting another one in my ear. Let's hear it :)

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), May 26, 2003

Answers

*bump*

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), May 26, 2003.

I know of a person who has multiple ear piercings. She whistles when she runs. (rumpum...crash)

Rod.

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), May 26, 2003.

Ha ha ha. Well, right now I have two in each ear. But I was thinking of getting a tragus or industrial... I'm not sure which. Or if I'm not too chicken ;)

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), May 26, 2003.

Ok, I'm showing my age and ignorance here, what is "tragus" and "industrial"?

rod. .

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), May 26, 2003.

A tragus is ... you know the little triangle cartalidge that sticks out right next to your head? Getting that pierced is a tragus piercing.

The isndustrial is a little harder to explain

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), May 26, 2003.

http://store.yahoo.com/mypiercing/f11.html

Check out that link for a pic of industrial piercing. I found another site, but I looked at another page and they had pictures of piercings in *ahem* other body parts, so I had to find another site to link to. I have 3 holes in one ear, 2 in the other (my third hole in that ear closed)... if I HAD to choose between industrial or tragus I'd opt for industrial, I think. I don't really care for either, personally, though.

-- R. (me@myaddress.com), May 26, 2003.

Well, I wanted a labret or a septum, but I already have a nose ring on the right nostril and my teacher doesn't want anymore holes in my face (something about that opera image ;) )

I like the industrials the most, they just.. well, it looks painful. And while I usually don't mind, it looks a little too painful. But on the other hand, I like the way it looks.

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), May 26, 2003.

What is more painful Opera Diva: to endure a piercing or to do good to people you know many times will not thank you?

I say this because Jesus said to do good to those who hate us.(See Matthew Ch. 5).

Do what you think is more painful and pleasing to God.

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), May 27, 2003.

Considering that I still love my sister, I think the piercing hurts more. At the time anyhow. It really doesn't matter if people appreciate when I'm nice to them or not. If that affected what I did, I would prolly only be nice to the people that thanked me and that kind of defeats the purpose. It's nice when people apreciate it, but it isn't necessary. Basically, if you choose to appreciate it: that is your choice, if not: that is your choice too. What you do is up to you, not me.

On another note, I don't think God cares so much about what I do to my earlobe.

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), May 28, 2003.

Dear ODC,

If He knows the count of hairs you have then He knows the earlobes well. He does care and probably likes His own design too.

Karl

-- Karl (Parkerkajwen@hotmail.com), May 28, 2003.

Ok, I'm showing my age and ignorance here, what is "tragus" and "industrial"?

Ok, I've seen much worse. Actually, some have mutilated themselves.

I suppose that, if one is not careful, these piercings could advance to some ugly deviations and fetishes. It has to start somewhere.

rod

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), May 28, 2003.

All good things in moderation. I agree that if you don't stop, it can get really nasty. I'm not into BodyMod, that is just yuck-o. Just a piercing here and there :)

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), May 28, 2003.

Gosh! I'm really showing my age here. But, hay! Everything's groovy.

rod

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), May 28, 2003.

Jmj

Cecilia, you have really disappointed me. I just can't believe that you wrote these words:
"All good things in moderation. I agree that if you don't stop, it can get really nasty."

I have been treating you as an adult, even thinking that you are very mature (even precociously so). But you are just another immature, insecure little girl after all. Grow up already please! You said you are 22, for Pete's sake.

"All good things in moderation," you said?
But you already have two piercings in each ear [one is plenty] and are thinking of another -- even a radical type that is not ornamental to most people, but just looks plain ridiculous! You know nothing of "moderation," apparently. Not only would you look "immoderate," but your spending of money would be immoderate. Save that cash for your education or for entertainment or to give to the poor, instead of wasting it on idiocy.

"... if you don't stop, it can get really nasty," you said?
From what you have described, it already is nasty -- so nasty that I wouldn't even want to look at you. It turns my stomach to read that you have a hunk of metal piercing one of your nostrils, as though you were some kind of heifer.

Snap out of it, Cecilia, and start behaving like the Blessed Virgin Mary, a model for all young women -- instead of following the mindless crowd of chicks surrounding you.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), June 03, 2003.

ODC

do you remove this gunk when you are at Mass?

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), June 04, 2003.

Ha ha ha, John, you never cease to amaze me. I don't look like a heifer, I look like a normal human being. If you really had any idea what you were talking about I would give this more time, but as you have so clearly demonstrated, you really have no clue.

No, I don't remove it to go to church. At present I have the earrings out because sometimes I like them bare and sometimes I like the earrings. The few (and I say few and moderate, because if you think about it, the human body is quite large and five tiny holes are *quite* moderate) that I hve are quite small and really barely noticable. :D

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), June 06, 2003.

ODC

Real Presence requires (IMHO) dignity. are you dignified before the Lord? by way of a crude test: would you make a greater effort if your parents (or parents-in-law) were coming round your house? or the President? or the Pope?

interested in yr response.

God's Love to you.

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), June 06, 2003.

Greater effort to do what? Clean or take out my piercings ?

The piercings, I wouldn't take them out.

The cleaning? I would clean the house no matter who came over, they are al people, just the same, I wouldn't want to subject them to yuck messy. Noone likes that.

-- OperaDivaCecilia (solosoprano@juno.com), June 07, 2003.

Ian-

Would you deny a diseases man or woman to enter into your church?

Would you deny a poorly or ugly dressed person to enter your church?

Would you sit that person in the back of the church hidden away as to not offend anyone?

Would you feel digust for such a person?

Should people who dress and walk like you only be allowed to worship God in your manner?

rod

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 08, 2003.

"Would you deny a diseases man or woman to enter into your church?" NO, unless they had something contagious that might transmit.

"Would you deny a poorly or ugly dressed person to enter your church?" NO, provided that they had made some effort. Eg if someone came to Mass dressed in a clown's outfit, i would be pretty annoyed about it. it would be for the priest to sort it out, of course, although i might be so annoyed as to have a word myself. i said nothing about porr people or diseased people; i do have an issue with people bringing their personal affectations to Mass.

"Would you sit that person in the back of the church hidden away as to not offend anyone?" NO (well, the clown i would hope would be ejected, but the "poorly or ugly dressed person" -- well so long as they had made some effort, given their circumstances).

"Would you feel digust for such a person?" NO - except possibly for the guy in the clown suit.

"Should people who dress and walk like you only be allowed to worship God in your manner?" DEFINITELY NOT.

As i said before, the Mass is a solemn occasion. we are in Real Presence. the priest/deacon wears his garb. we have formal Liturgy. the congregation should make an effort. i might wear a scruffy T-shirt and perhaps shorts in my own time, but at Mass i would make an effort recognising the solemnity of the Mass.

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), June 08, 2003.

Dear Rod,
Why do you infer from something Ian said that he wishes to keep out somebody else?

His point was-- do we worry at all that our personal tastes are sometimes a sign of ''not caring'' if they look outrageous??? Not caring what God sees?

No doubt many people (not just the young) have a higher regard for liberty than for any intention of pleasing God. It never enters their minds God may be offended; what counts more is their SELF.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), June 08, 2003.

Hi Ian and Eugene.

I simply wanted to get the facts from Ian.

Now, there are people who have not yet developed respect for God. In time and guidance, those people may eventually conform to a proper dress code and behavior and respect and worship. Basically, such people are ignorant and must gradually be brought into the body of Christ. I wouldn't want to take away any chance of continuing their walk with Christ by being critical of their dress and manners. The guy in the clown suit would push the limits, if he were intentionally being disrespectful. I'd have to think that there was something not quite right with him, though.

I do get a little ticked when I see young women wearing skin tight clothing to church or low cut blouses. I suppose that we could tell them how to dress, but I don't believe that they will truly get the point of it all, unless they are true believers and take matters into their own hands. Church is not a night club. Or, it could be my prudish age showing itself again.

So, Ian. My questions were simply devised to make sure I knew where you're coming from.

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 09, 2003.

I think that, providing we don't wear anything too outrageous or obscene, it shouldn't matter what we wear to church. I'm sure that what is our hearts, and the state of our souls is more important to God than our attire. I wear whatever is my normal daily attire for the particular Mass that I'm going to. For example on Sundays I wear jeans and a t-shirt to Mass. On weekdays I wear a suit to Mass, as I'm going straight from there to work. I see men attend daily Mass wearing working-men's overalls. Should they not attend Mass because they are unable to change into something 'better'? I don't think so.

However, that said, I would say that deliberately dressing with the intention to cause scandal/offence is an entirely different matter.

God bless

Sara

-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), June 09, 2003.

There are many catholic churches throughout the world. Many different cultures which practice all sorts of strange body modifications, I don't think they are any less welcomed by God in his house. Though we ourselves may find these practices somewhat on the strange side, it does not make them any less valid in their culture. The youth of today has a very different culture than that of their parents, and somehow piercing and such has entered their lives and society. Now I'm 27 years old and I personally find most piercings to be unattractive but there does exist a culture within my own that disagrees with me. I do not believe God loves less simply because you added a hole in your body. This is after all a temporary vessel. If she goes to church with all her piercings I find no offense in that, after all her presence there has everything to do with God and nothing to do with what we think of her piercings.

Sing on...

-- ubuibme (ubuibme@nomail.com), June 09, 2003.

no problems Rod. i suspect that Eugene's rather more eloquent statement of the point of view removed any confusion.

i simply do not accept that we can believe in Real Presence yet pay lip service.

i think that the solemnity of the Mass is very very important. we must all make a great effort to present in His presence in the best possible light.

the clown analogy was extreme (i hope!) and no offence to OperaDivaCecilia. i have my doubts about our personal affectations to Mass. i would never wear a baseball cap; i would never wear a sports shirt; etc etc

i try to imagine what i would do if guests were arriving at my home (that could be my dear old friends, or the Pope, or the Prime Minister, or the father of the girl my son is goin to marry, or Tiger Woods, or THE LIST IS ENDLESS...) -- what would i do to impress. that is, provided the circumstances permit, the least i should be doing.

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), June 09, 2003.

Hi.

Well, here's one for you.

What do we want to look like or be like when Jesus returns?

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 09, 2003.

Rod--

You and I won't impress Our Lord on the last day. If I stand before him in a dress suit and you are there in rags; all is the same to Him.

It is rather the honor we do him both in appearance and by purity of heart & intention that will affect Him. Not for our salvation. That is determined in another way. In our CARE. Our hope that His divine presence will be honored and respected. The sense of decency before God.

Let's suppose for example: In the judgment hour, while angels and saints are prostrate before His glory; one soul out in the multitude is laughing, making fun of everybody. Or simply falling on the ground asleep!

Won't you and I say: ''Who is that bimbo? Who is the stupid idiot, who fails to see the glory of God?'' --We we will; on account of the solemn ocassion, the awesome power of God in Person.

Well, the same conditions are present at Holy Mass, for True Believers.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), June 09, 2003.

Hi Eugene.

Thanks for answering my question. Generally, your answer is the same for everyone who truly believes. It isn't what we look like in our flesh, but instead, it is about we how look in our soul. Really, my question was meant to provoke our thinking as to whether or not we have prepared our souls for Christ. Can we look at ourselves and see if our lives have been lived in accordance with God's will? Hopefully, our answers will be yes. Whether my ears are pierced is rather irrelavent at some point.

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), June 09, 2003.

"From what you have described, it already is nasty -- so nasty that I wouldn't even want to look at you. It turns my stomach to read that you have a hunk of metal piercing one of your nostrils, as though you were some kind of heifer."

Nice one, JFG. I sure hope you don't have any children.

-- jake (jake1REMOVE@pngusa.net), August 09, 2003.