SATAN'S ALLEY

I've found a Christmas movie for Robert, knowing that he likes religious stuff, particularly Catholic stuff.

Richard, that Catholic church condemnor who doth condemn too much should appreciate this as well.

Here's a trailer for the film that gives a fair idea of what it is about.

SATAN'S ALLEY

Critics rave about this:

" It made me even harder than my name suggests" -  Allan Woodcock - St Patrick's College Silverstream

" Gave me a nice tingling sensation 'down there'"  - Peter Hercock - Sacred Heart Intermediate Nelson

" I could do with some more of this" - Brother Randy Hitchcock - Marist Brother's Moera.

" Takes me back, way back - I like it" - Father Dick Cockburn - Saint Onan's Parish Wainuiomata

MAKING ASSUMPTIONS (AND ASCENSIONS)

Mary, in the left panel can clearly be seen to being dragged up into heaven (The Assumption) while Jesus in the right panel is clearly free spiriting his way up there (The Ascension).

As I said in my previous post I want to try to give Robert a fair chance to explain his various religious beliefs without my coming across as being too dismissive or judgemental. In the post KARL, JOHN AND ME I agreed with Robert that churches have good qualities and can be beneficial to the wellbeing of churchgoers. Robert's response was:

" "I believe in churches and religions being havens for people who are busy, sad, tired, stressed, unwell and needing some affirmation and support."
So no one goes to church to joyfully worship a supreme spiritual being that created the universe and all the other realms we have never heard of?"

So, the approach wasn't exactly a success.

Nevermind, I think that I'll keep going, again without being dismissive and judgemental and, like Richard (of RBB) try to be open minded.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has articles of faith that catholics must abide by. Now I've probably got this all wrong - Christian Doctrine for me, at Intermediate and Secondary schools was my worst subject and one that I regularly failed. I would get A pluses in the sciences and languages but D minuses in Christian Doctrine. I should have, instead of trying to remember and regurgitate the nonsense (stop being dismissive and judgemental - Ed.), just made up some 'articles of faith' myself. I couldn't I'm sure have been any more wacky.

ARTICLE 6
"HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER"
662 "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces his lifting up by his Ascension into heaven, and indeed begins it. Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, "entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands. . . but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

ARTICLE 9
"SHE WAS TAKEN UP BODY AND SOUL INTO THE GLORY OF HEAVEN"

966 "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death."

OK then. The Catholics believe, by mandate, that both Jesus and Mary went 'up to heaven' in both body and soul. Robert, as a reborn catholic must then believe this. Fair enough. He's a mature and grown man. He can believe whatever he wants to believe. What I want to know then is what is his reading of this.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that these people, who history seems to prove existed, somehow went up to heaven. This raises some questions:

What is heaven?

Why is it up?

If these people went up body and soul, why didn't gravity bring them down again?

What kind of propulsion was involved?

I believe that I'm not being dismissive and judgemental in asking these questions.

I'm hoping that Robert can provide some insights.