Claims against the Catholic Church concerning idolatry?

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Some guy who's been emailing me anti Catholic stuff such as the Sexual abuse junk which has already been covered in another thread just sent me this in an email:

"I thought this might interest you. This is just one example of the very danger that comes with idolatry and images of our Lord.." [http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1011503.html

Jesus actor mistaken for the real deal

James Caviezel has been swamped with requests to perform miracles by Mexican fans who believe he really is Jesus Christ.

The 35-year-old actor, who played Jesus in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, was on a one-week tour of the east Mexican state of Veracruz.

According to Mexican newspaper Reforma, dozens of residents from villages throughout the state, one of the poorest in the country, asked Caviezel to heal the sick and perform other miracles as he passed through.

The actor, who is himself a strict Catholic, said: "The belief of these people really moved me.

"It was a shock for me to see how they came up to me to ask for my help. I had to explain to them that I was only an actor, and wasn't really the son of God."

Mexico has the biggest population of Catholics in the world after Brazil and has been visited by the Pope five times.]

I don't see how some confused Catholics affects the Church as a whole...

-- Jacob (jacobrainey@hotmail.com), July 08, 2004

Answers

Well, it says something about the power of the big screen, and the realism of Mr. Caviezel's performance, but I don't see that it says anything about the Catholic Church.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), July 08, 2004.

first off, i find the email insulting towards mexicans. it presupposes that mexicans dont have a basic understanding of reality versus hollywood production. i, for one, would not stoop so low as to insult a people based on racism in order to fulfill an anti catholic agenda... but thats just me. simply put: the mexicans are just like us, they know he is an actor.

-- paul h (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), July 08, 2004.

I wonder why reporters from a Mexican newspaper would accuse a few of their own people of believing that Jim is actually Jesus, if it's not true? They said "Dozens of residents," not "all residents."

And why do we assume that everyone is just like us, and if anyone says they're not, it's an insult to them?

There's no shame in being naive and provincial. After all, most of the people our Blessed Mother has appeared to were just that!

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything. I just don't see any cause for offense.

-- NotOffended (nospam@nospam.com), July 08, 2004.


And there are people in this country that would do the SAME THING!

-- Gail (Rothfarms@socket.net), July 08, 2004.

Gail, you just reminded me... Soap Opera Fans!!! They have a reputation for doing this sort of thing all the time (treating actors like the characters they play).

-- NotOffended (nospam@nospam.com), July 08, 2004.


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