Catechism

cat•e•chism (noun)


a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of Christians.
• a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts used for instruction in other situations.

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What is the Catechism?

The catechism is a basic outline of the theology and practices of the church. It both outlines the faith and instructs the reader how to live out that faith in general ways to be applied in specific situations.

How is it structured?

All the main articles and doctrines are taught by means of questions of answers. A simple question of faith or practice is put forth followed by a somewhat lengthy (depending on the question) response, which is intended to be memorized by those being taught the Catechism at a future date, usually as part of ceremony or test.

What is the purposes of this testing?

The testing is used primarily in the Catholic church as part of the initiation into the larger church body. This is known as Confirmation, a rite of passage every child who grows up in the Catholic church must go through in order to be officially Catholic. This ceremony is symbolic of the Holy Spirit descending upon the youths, usually at pre-teen age and confirmed in the presence of the church and other believers.




So why am I talking about the Catechism?

Well, for a few reasons. I think it's a very interesting way of indoctrination. It's in a way very similar to Jewish Bar / Bat Mitzvahs as it is not only a means of joining a community, but it also doubles as a rite of passage; a way of growing up, something I think our Western culture needs more of.

I also think that it relates to what you talked about in your penultimate post. I'll admit, the text was daunting and I bet that as soon as you read that you'll be preparing to apologize. Don't even let that cross your mind. I didn't mind it because it let me know something very valuable about you I should have recognized a lot earlier.

What was it that I should have noticed?

Basically that even though neither of us (to my knowledge at least) were born in a Catholic church and didn't have to memorize a catechism text (again, I may be wrong about this), we both agree on a lot of crucial issues.

When I was writing my response about Machiavelli (a name that will now live in infamy amongst the two of us. . . just like the way he lives in infamy in today's culture (Curse you Niccolo!)), I wasn't even thinking about the implications of being obsessed with the eternal kingdom. I'm well aware of what happens when people become too focused on it rather than the present world in which we live in, I just didn't bother to ponder that implication while writing, and for this I apologize.

You're absolutely right. I once heard that Satan doesn't use our weaknesses but our strengths. He all to often uses the fact that we have been redeemed by Jesus on the cross to make us think that we are completely free of the troubles of this world and that we no longer have to worry about it. This just brings us right back to where the devil wants us: caring about no one other than ourselves and not living out our lives to the full as Christ intended.

Oh! I just thought of the perfect example while writing! Sorry, now I'm going off on a tangent, but it's only to affirm what you were saying!

This is St. Ignatius of Loyola (seen here becoming friends with some lions)

Hello Lions!


He was martyred and was thus canonized for dying for his faith. However, he is not someone we should look up to.

In his last letter written while being transported in chains to Rome to be executed, he urged the people of his church not to rescue him. He said he had become tired of life and just wanted to go to heaven, finally doing away with all the trials and tribulations he had to endure.

Now while the gospels do call us to accept the suffering for our faith, this doesn't mean even for a second that we should jump at the chance to die. Ignatius even tried to use pathos, saying that rescue attempts would be cruelty towards him as he was really looking forward to dying.

Now I'm not here to criticize a saint or his choices, but I will say as an example, this is not what should be done. Ignatius left his church without a leader or even parting words of guidance for the future. He was so focused on going to heaven, he lost sight of the bigger picture of what heaven really is.

So what is Heaven, really?

That, Mr. Tim, is a question for another time.

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So, based on my rudimentary understanding of esterfication, I would say only b) and c) contain esters. However, I'm not sure if an Oxygen bonded to another Oxygen which is then bonded to a Carbon counts or not, which would then change my answer.

I like the Theory of Endosymbyosis (sorry if I spelled that wrong). It reminded me about what I learned about skeletal/striated muscle tissue the other day! Did you know that if you put two of these cells in a dish together, they will beat in unison, without even touching each other! That's crazy!

Also, while your meme was interesting, I don't think I'll repost it for myself because I don't think either you or I need to be defined by a list on the internet. I'm sure that's not your intent, but I just want to be careful not to get caught up in what the answers are. Tim, you're not normal and I mean that in the good way, not the bad way.

Normality is not a good thing (as Smunchkin demonstrated), at least in terms of just being like everybody else. You are so unique sometimes I don't think that basic physics will keep the universe together based on how crazyawesome you are.

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling lethargic and I hope you get the chance to do something exciting soon. We have less than a month until winter break and then we will be bombarded with igloos, sledding and other such necessary nonsense. Oh yes, it is entirely necessary. So much necessaryness.

And yes that is a word. I just made it real.

Have a great Remembrance Day weekend, Tim!

-Clayton