Joe Coleman on The Late Late Show

I watched the interview on the rte player online.

First of all, I have doubts about what he thinks he saw. I was very surprised by his claim that the devil himself taunts him, not just a demon, and I would've thought the devil would be a bit more powerful and, well, dangerous. He said the devil was the usual half goat creature we are used to seeing in mythology and such. But surely this image comes from somewhere and is based upon something else - I did a quick search on wikipedia and it claims the goat imagery began in Christianity in a way to demonise other religions.

lmaopml wrote: »

Gosh, I don't understand why people don't really get why Our Lady would play a part in Christianity.

Your lack of understanding is probably due to the fact that the above does not represent the views of most non-catholics. Mary played a HUGE part in Christianity. She was the MOST blessed of all women. She was chosen to give birth to our saviour!! She is of immense importance. HOWEVER, this does not mean we pray to her, call her 'Queen of Heaven' etc etc. There is absolutely NO evidence biblically that the reverence the RCC places on her is anything but dubious. The RCC say she remained a virgin after Jesus' birth. The bible indicates otherwise. The RCC say she was born without the inherant nature of Adam, The bible mentions nothing of the sort. The cult of Mary is like a sect within the RCC. Between relics of the dried milk from her breast that fed Jesus, to Angels moving her house etc etc. Its at the very least, an unhealthy obsession within the RCC.

I often find it equally weird when it's reported that Catholics believe that Our lady is the focal point; as in our saviour....huh? not in any class I've ever attended, even when I couldn't have cared less and was agnostic/atheist......we only ever asked her to pray for us..

This is lip service. Statues everywhere, medals, pictures, grotto's, relics, claims of visions, titles like QUEEN of HEAVEN. The fact is, the cult of Mary within the RCC has so many dubious claims that have absolutley no grounding in the bible.

She is the Mother of Christianity

She is the Mother of Christ, and blessed amongst women. This DOES NOT translate into the mother of Christianity. Christianity came from Christ. If you want to go this maternal route, then HER Mother is the grandmother of Christianity etc etc. its meaningless.

and one of the commandments is to honour our mother and father...

Yet the RCC completely DISHONOUR her by lying about her, and creating a cult around her. I can gurantee that she would be disgusted with the idoltry carried out in her name. She wants ALL GLORY, WORHIP and PRAISE to go to GOD ALONE, just like ANY GOOD CHRISTIAN WOULD, including our Lord Jesus himself.

I imagine Jesus has a special place in his heart for the 'human' mother of his church that made his coming so profoundly free willed....

Again, no-one denies the love God, Jesus, the angels etc have for Mary, the most blessed of all women. That however, does not translate into what the RCC have done.

Perhaps it strikes a chord to have a mother and father, in so far as our faith is concerned,

Maybe it does to some. Doesn't make it right though.

but I really don't get why Our Lady is written off as a Catholic phenomena,

Because the cult of Mary IS a catholic phenomena. The rest of Christianity keep her in reverence, and realise her vital role. They also realise that all the stuff said about her by the RCC in relation to Queen of heaven, immaculate conception and Ascention is completely unbiblical.

As a female, I think she is awesome, and a wonderful mother..it doesn't diminish my faith in Jesus, it just makes his coming more 'real'...having a mother.

Again, insignificant. I know a girl who went to a place in Italy to get off Heroin. She became deeply religious, catholic wise, but I've never heard her talk about Jesus. Its all Mary. Whatever claims you or the RCC make, they have created a very unhealthy cult of Marian devotion. You can play word games about it, and say its reverence, intercession etc etc. In practical terms however, the RCC have allowed this cultic devotion to arise.

IrishTonyO wrote: »

I honestly think that the man is demented, and strangely enough all of his 'visions' etc came after him falling on his head.
I would also like to know if his income from 'donations' is declared to social welfare where he receives his disability benefit from, and to revenue.

How do we know but all the prophets had some sort of psychological problem or a head injury? - that includes the likes of Jesus and those who wrote the bible too.

Has anybody got Joe's book " The message " The incredible true story of the knock visionary, yet? I got it today, and had a quick scan through it. My first reaction is, that he should have left the word " true " off the cover of it. Joe used to be my friend, and I know all about his story. On page 141 , under the heading "apparition at Kerrytown September 29th 2009" he says "when the time came, I travelled there. Keith was unable to attend. We gathered at the statue................" THIS IS LIES. I was one of the 14 people there that night and JOE WAS NOT THERE.

Why is he doing this ? ? ?

Jakkass wrote: »

lmaopml: To be honest with you. I'm not sure about the spate of visions of Mary either, including Lourdes, Fatima and so on. I don't see why these people have a much better case than Joe Coleman.

The RCC version of Mary seems too elevated to me. I don't see why people would need saints such as Mary to intercede in prayer when one already has a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Mary was a great woman, but people have tried to make her almost to deity status, and I don't know if that is correct. I don't see the need for her to be sinless, or the case for the Immaculate Conception from a Biblical point of view.

Hi Jackass,

I understand you are approaching this from a different 'lens' as such and the marian doctrines are 'quite obviously' from the latter posts contentious. Actually, I was under the impression that the immaculate conception was biblical? and also, that some Protestant denominations adhere to it too? or perhaps it's the virgin birth?

Suffice to say that in normal everyday life, Our Lady as seen by most Catholics the same way we view our own parents who help us grow in faith...

Also, and I know, and again that you guys don't ask Saints for help as far as redemption is concerned and this leads onto other doctrinal differences....which could fill up the whole of the Christianity forum. We do though We take all the help we can get, and ask anybody who's willing to listen to pray 'for' us, family, friends, saints and indeed Our Lady who we look on as being a perfect Christian. Our Lady said she would be called 'blessed' by all generations..Catholics honour this and this is our prayer....it's said in many households world over for generations...

Hail Mary, full of Grace,
The Lord is with Thee,
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and Blessed is the fruits of thy womb Jesus,
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

What's wrong with this prayer that takes away from Christ? It's a misrepresentation of how we 'actually' function to imply that it's either Our Lady or Jesus; not so, and this is not taught in the Catholic faith. It doesn't diminish Jesus for me as a Catholic? it gives me one more person who obviously God loved so much to pray to for intercession...I pray for my children all the time, I don't see why Our Lady wouldn't pray for us..

While I'm sure axer's post wasn't meant tongue in cheek or even meant to be....It was oddly placed in there too and it did make me think about how we actually 'form' our faith. I like the continuity of the Catholic faith, the 'faith' and 'morals' end of it especially...However, I'm no biblical scholar, but I try to be honest when searching for truth...much like my Protestant friends who do the same looking through their own varied lenses..

Camelot wrote: »

I think what puzzles us 'non RCs' is why Mary is held up as being on a par with Jesus in the RC Church, there are just so many statues of the virgin Mary in RC Churches, there are shrines to her too, and you also have the rosary, (This is bewildering to other Christians), Why? because as far as the rest of the Christian churches are concerned 'Jesus' is the focal point.

There is only one mediator between God & Man, and that is Christ Jesus.

Very well put.

Any members of the RCC I have questioned about Mary usually give the same answer. "Sure there's no harm in praying to Mary". I'm afraid there is. Its breaking the first commandment by putting someone ahead of God's rightful place. Its showing that you have no faith in God to hear and answer your prayers, its almost like you are ashamed of Him and dont trust Him.

Perhaps someone of the RC persuasion can explain to me why they feel praying to God isn't sufficient?

lmaopml wrote: »

Do you pray for you family to God?

It's the same thing. Simple..

So you're saying in the RCC Mary has equal standing with God?

Or am I (hopefully) misunderstanding you?

JimiTime wrote: »

Not to mention being omnipresent. Also, it goes against EVERY biblical incident of prayer. All prayer was directed to God. The Jews did not pray to Moses when he dies, or Elijah etc. Though when he was on earth, he was their mediator. When Jesus, remember that, Jesus himself, was aked 'How do we pray', was he or was he not concise as to who we pray to?

Also, look at the cult of Mary that has arisen from Marian devotion, and then ask yourself if it does any harm.

Just to clarify, I'm with you on this one Jimi!

When did he begin seeing people at his home? The time I knew him , his wife was not too keen on that.