What is the difference between holy water and normal water?

shakenbake

I mean, what is the difference between water that has been blessed or not, at a molecular level? Is there a difference between a blessed H20 molecule and an unblessed one that exists somwhere outside of someones neurology?

If it is fair to say that there's not a blind bit of difference between them and the differentiating factor is a belief, is it not fair to assume that there may be some distance between what someone believes about their religion and reality?

togster

Is that a question or a statement?

shakenbake

It's a question

prinz

I don't "believe" in Holy Water, in an Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail kind of way. I do believe in Christianity. I don't get the question either... It's water that has been blessed...

crotalus667

about €10 per bottle :rolleyes:

prinz

crotalus667 wrote: »

about €10 per bottle :rolleyes:

:pac: yup, that Evian is a rip off

homer911

I think you need to get someone from the RC persuasion to give you an honest and considered answer to this. A response from anyone else will will be pretty predictable

Noffles

Haha... is this a joke?

There is no difference... both taste the same, look the same and shockingly enough ARE the same... since the person who "blessed" them (or what ever it is they do) is not a wizard or something they're not going to be able to make any difference what so ever... surely you're having a laugh???

shakenbake

It's not a joke!

What's the difference between water that's been blessed and water that hasn't? If there's no difference, then what's the point in blessing it? Is 'holy' water not an integral part of baptisms, exorcisms and those tiny bowels you dip your fingers into on the way into/out of the church?

In fact, taking the comparison further if there's no difference then what's the point in blessing anything?

Zombrex

I think what he is asking is

Do Christians believe that blessed water is symbolic or do they (some, all, a few?) believe that the water actually becomes something different by being blessed, does it under go some kind of physical transformation into blessed water that has physical properties other than normal water?

You know, like throwing blessed water on a vampire starts to burn him, and that stuff (disclaimer, may not be official Christian doctrine)

JimiTime

Wicknight wrote: »

I think what he is asking is

Do Christians believe that blessed water is symbolic or do they (some, all, a few?) believe that the water actually becomes something different by being blessed, does it under go some kind of physical transformation into blessed water that has physical properties other than normal water?

You know, like throwing blessed water on a vampire starts to burn him, and that stuff (disclaimer, may not be official Christian doctrine)

Isn't it only a Catholic thing? Holy water, holy medals, holy pictures etc. Aren't all these things just catholic things?

prinz

No, I've never heard of it ever becoming something else or physically / chemically transformed.... why do you fear the RCC has hit on a cheap and easy way to make heavy water?

kelly1

Info here http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07432a.htm

Soul Winner

It is all about faith. Faith connects you to God and as such God can work through you to do great things.

"And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified." Acts 19:11-17

In these few verses we see faith at work. It is not that the objects themselves have any power but the faith of the people who believed God wrought so much through Paul that they believed that things that even touched him could heal people and cast out demons. It is the same with Catholics who carry crucifixes, holy water and holy medals. These things are blessed by people in whom they believe to be spokesmen of God. They believe that these things work, and in a sense they do work but only for those people because of their faith. Notice in the verse above that the Jews which tried to cast out demons in the name of the Jesus that Paul preached didn't do it in the name of Jesus as their own Lord and savior? The demon seen right through their non faith and was able to over come them. God knows when faith is active and so does Satan. For me to try and cast out a demon from somebody using just a crucifix would be stupid because I do not believe that the crucifix actually does anything. I would just invoke the name of Jesus to do it, that's all I would need. But others believe that crucifixes and such things work and that is why it does work for them.

So to answer the OP. I don't believe there is any molecular difference between normal water and blessed water but then nobody ever claimed that there was. It's just blessed, but for people to whom that is an important thing, that can also be a very powerful thing as well.

homer911

JimiTime wrote: »

Isn't it only a Catholic thing? Holy water, holy medals, holy pictures etc. Aren't all these things just catholic things?

I dont think the Catholic church places medals and pictures on the same level as "holy" water, in that I cant imagine either are "blessed"

homer911

shakenbake wrote: »

It's not a joke!

What's the difference between water that's been blessed and water that hasn't? If there's no difference, then what's the point in blessing it? Is 'holy' water not an integral part of baptisms, exorcisms and those tiny bowels you dip your fingers into on the way into/out of the church?

In fact, taking the comparison further if there's no difference then what's the point in blessing anything?

I'm not putting my fingers into anybody's bowel! - I'll leave that to the doctor!

prinz

homer911 wrote: »

I dont think the Catholic church places medals and pictures on the same level as "holy" water, in that I cant imagine either are "blessed"

Unless you ask for them to be. A lot of times Rosary beads in particular come pre-blessed.

JimiTime

Its all trinketry IMO. More akin to the practices of witchcraft, with rabits feet or amulets etc than to anything Christ like.

prinz

JimiTime wrote: »

Its all trinketry IMO. More akin to the practices of witchcraft, with rabits feet or amulets etc than to anything Christ like.

Would you say the same for prayer beads (non-rosary, but more for meditation) and crucifixes?

JimiTime

prinz wrote: »

Would you say the same for prayer beads (non-rosary, but more for meditation) and crucifixes?

Anything which brings God down i would apply it to. If one believes that a crucifix is respecting Christ, or protects them in anyway etc then I'd say the same. Also, prayer beads etc are as valueless as rosary beads IMO. Does repeating a hail mary or our father numerous times in a row achieve something? If Christ was there with you, would you say the hail mary 10 times in a row at him? They are certainly things to be discouraged IMO. I know of no-one who carry these things that haven't got an element of superstition attached to them. The faithless who wear crosses as pieces of jewelery I don't really have issue with.

prinz

JimiTime wrote: »

I know of no-one who carry these things that haven't got an element of superstition attached to them.

I know for example the Dominican Order usually wear a beaded rope or bead with their habit. Not for superstition or protection but because of contemplation and meditation. Do you think that they're "bringing God down" in some way? Anglican beads, Lutheran beads etc etc.

JimiTime

prinz wrote: »

I know for example the Dominican Order usually wear a beaded rope or bead with their habit. Not for superstition or protection but because of contemplation and meditation. Do you think that they're "bringing God down" in some way? Anglican beads, Lutheran beads etc etc.

If they are soley for the purpose of contemplation/meditation, then fine. I would ask though, why would one require such trinkets for meditation/contemplation? Every day i consider God, be it when I sin, or when i pray or whatever. Why would someone, who is based in a monastary/convent/seminary, who is surrounded by folk in specific dress, who has defined their very life with God require a trinket for contemplation/meditation. Personally, I'm a bit skeptical about the practice.

I'd like to clarify, its about ones heart. I've also expressed my disapproval of the term 'trinity' over in the thread about it. Its comes down to ones motives and ones heart though. 'I' couldn't in good concience call God the trinity, or wear religious trinkets, or indeed kneel before religious trinkets. Others however can, and they are no less or more Christian than I if their motives and heart are right.