₦airaland Forum

cyrilamx:
When you dont understand the significance of something plz ask questions and dont let your anti-catholic bias influence your write up. This was a church built around 12-13th century. In an era where majority of populace were not only poor to afford few hand copied bibles available but also unlettered. Hence the importance of visual and representative Arts to help teach the people the faith. Stop using your 21st century ideas to judge 800 years knowledge.

Now take your time and read the below article about Notre Dame de Paris' Images...

Demonic gargoyles on Catholic Churches..... (these photos are from Notre-Dame de Paris).

Some extremist Pentecostal websites said: “Catholics are to blame for the flames at Notre-Dame. The building has a lot of demons on it. Catholics invited this upon themselves. “��‍♂️��‍♂️��‍♂️

In the past, when I was much more reactionary, I might have misinterpreted the intentions of those who have criticized the presence of gargoyles (demonic sculptures) in Catholic Church building. But on a 2nd thought I think the sentiments of those who are uncomfortable with those structures are LEGITIMATE this.one.time. I don’t think they stem from anti-catholic prejudice that is prevalent in Protestant circles..... unfortunately.

So perhaps, I should say a thing or two about them. I’ve outlined four points.... strangely the last two are the most important. That has always been my style. I save the best for the last. The first two explains why Catholics allow paintings, images and sculptures in the first place.

BEFORE THAT, A PREFACE:
In my logic and philosophy class, back in undergrad.... I picked up something from my lecturer that changed my life FOREVER. He said: “when you want to criticize a people. Study them with a clean slate. Place yourself in their shoes. You don’t necessarily need to agree with them on the long run, but you’d see things in their perspective. In a way, this even helps you in countering their arguments at the very root.”

With this in mind, I plead that those of you whose anti-Catholicism erupts like a volcano, at the mere mention of the word: CATHOLIC, should keep calm and hear me out. You don’t necessarily need to agree with me, but at least you’d understand the reason why demonic sculptures are on some ancient Catholic Churches.

THE REASON FOR DEMONIC SCULPTURES ON SOME CATHOLIC CHURCHES.

1. First and foremost, the Roman Catholic, orthodox, traditional-Lutheran and traditional-Anglican understanding of “images, sculptures and paintings” is very different from those of most Protestants.

For Catholics, when God forbade the making of images, he wasn’t saying you can’t have images. He was saying you can’t deify (godize) images or worship them. A few chapters after God forbade the making of images, he instructed the Israelites on the specifications of how the temple of Jerusalem should be built. What do we find there: images, sculptures and unknown creatures. The most significant is the sculpture of the two cherubims above the Ark of the covenant on either side.

GOD CANNOT CONTRADICT HIMSELF.

If he forbad images, in their totality, why would he instruct that above the ‘holy of Holies’ (as the ark is called), should be the sculpture of two Cherubims. And remember, it was typical for the Priests to lay flat before it. In fact, non, but the tribe of Levi could even touch it. On one occasion, during the transportation of the ark, it almost fell from the hands of the Priests. Two lay men decided to save the ark from falling and the Bible records that the lord struck them dead, IMMEDIATELY.

This shows that the ark with the cherubims was very important, I could even say ‘sacred.’

Was it not the same God that instructed Moses to mould the snake and place it on a standard? And through it, transmitted his healing power on the Jews in the wilderness that looked onto it.

We can immediately see, that the biblical prohibition on statues are not absolute. What the Bible forbids is that “you shall not have any other god besides me.” Don’t deify images, sculptures and statues. Technically, if we are to apply the obscure logic used against Catholics, then the Bible might also forbid us having regular family pictures in our homes; It will be a sin for a grieving mother to kiss the picture of her deceased son; Rochas Okorocha might be on a first class flight to hell for his multiple sculptures in Owerri. (Don’t tell him I wrote this � ).

I know to Protestant sensibilities, the idea of Catholics bowing to images of saints, is a form of worship. But that’s not really true. I know we have some Catholics who are excessive about the outward practice of their faith, but we must look at official church documents and teachings. The Catholic is not like some churches, where you do what you like. The Catholic Church has canons, ecumenical councils, synods and official papal documents. If you do as you please, well you’re living contrary to the catholic faith. FULL STOP!

Anglicanism itself allows that joke. It calls it “comprehensiveness and diversity.” (This wasn’t intended to be a critique of Anglicans. I am only quoting the official church documents on diversity of theological expression as composed by Anglicans themselves in the Lambert Conference). CATHOLICISM calls that heresy.

More-also, If bowing to anyone but God is an act of worship, then we are in for a serious problem. Yoruba people will be going to hell for prostrating before their elders; the English and royalists around the world will also go to hell for ‘curtsying’ to royals. Lawyers also bow to judges. The lists go on. So we should be careful what we wish for.

So images are not forbidden by God but worshipping them is. Bowing to anything or anyone but God does not necessarily mean it constitutes an act of worship.

2. Secondly, it’s painful when modern lawyers are ignorant of history and the evolution of civil law.

Most of us don’t know that civil law in anglophone and francophone jurisdictions- in the past- were influenced by Roman law. It explains why ‘Latin’ was the official language of the educated in ancient Europe.

Law as obtained in common law jurisdictions (England, Nigeria, Scotland, some parts of Canada, Australia, Ghana, America etc), have their roots in ancient religions, particularly of Ancient Rome.

It is a principle of Roman law that ‘an act’ (actus reus) is not sufficient to establish guilt. The ‘mental element’ (mens rea) is important for someone to be guilty.

The same is obtainable in moral questions. So the fact that a catholic stands before a statue may constitute the ‘act’, we must consider the ‘mental’ element. Is that person intending to worship that statue as a god?

If you want my sincere opinion, NO CATHOLIC INTENDS TO DEIFY STATUES. I know some have extreme ways of expressing their catholic faith, but I have been a catholic all my life and trust me when I say: I HAVE NEVER EVER CONSIDERED A STATUE OR MARY AS MY gOD. I BELIEVE IN THE TRUDINE GOD like most Christians and nothing more.

In fact, two years into his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVIII excommunicated a group of nuns in Latin America. They claimed Mary was equal to the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. After asking them to recant their heretical position, they refused. THE POPE EXCOMMUNICATED THEM. And to date, they’ve not been accepted back to the Catholic Church. But anti-catholic Protestant theologians will never ever report this sort of news, because it doesn’t fuel/feed their anti-Catholicism.

3. The cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris was built in the 12-13th century.

In those centuries and the centuries preceding them, most of Europe’s population was illiterate. So the church devised a means of teaching the illiterate population: it used pictures and sculptures. ART SPEAKS TO EVERYONE, even to illiterates.

So it became very usual for ancient Catholic Churches to be filled with paintings, images and sculptures. The church uses them for teaching, expression of theological questions. Modern Protestants do the same. They act movies and cartoons of Jesus. Those are also images. Let’s not forget.

It is an extreme reading of the prohibition of images, sculptures and statues that has led Muslims to attack anyone who attempts to represent Allah or Mohammed in movies and cartoons. Christian biblical fundamentalists want to take us down the same cursed path.

4. About the presence gargoyles on church buildings ....... they are used as a depiction of the ugliness of sin, evil and Satan.

Strictly speaking, gargoyles weren’t even intended to depict demons. They were intended to depict how sin disfigures God’s creation.

The idea that they are demonic figures are funny. Non of us have seen demons, so where did we get the idea that gargoyles look like demos when non of us knows what a demon looks like

(All through this post I purposely referred to them as ‘demons’ because that is the popular opinion held......... I decided to flow with the ignorant.).

The ancients used it to show what evil does to the soul. That is why they are so ugly. To make that point they place the sculptures of gulgogs in obscure and disadvantaged positions, when compared to the apostles and the saints.

Notre Dame cathedral had the statues of the apostles elevated above the entire church on the spire. But the gargoyles beneath them. A copper rooster � is also placed atop the spire. In catholic iconography roosters � represent “announcing the gospel,” just as roosters do in real life every morning-announcing a new day.

That was a way of teaching the population that a life in Christ is an elevated way of living, while a life in the devil makes the soul ugly and unpresentable and is beneath those of the children of God.

Most importantly, they are placed outside the church. That was made intentionally. It was a way the artisans thought people that ‘outside the church/fold of Christ, all you have is darkness and Satan.

I am going through the pain of writing this long post so that Catholics can be understood from where we stand. We are not stupid to put images of Satan on our buildings without a reason. We hate him just as much as you do..... CUT US SOME SLACK.

We have reasons. They may not satisfy you but they satisfy us. And it is offensive to think that my faith must make sense to you. No! I am under no obligation to see things the way you do.

Protestants must stop this sheer nonsense of ‘arrogance of knowledge.” A subtle claim of possessing an accuracy of answers to all christological and Christian doctrinal Questions.

Keep your anti-catholic rhetoric to yourself.

Idirabata:
MLB is back
8QQGA

AskProf:
How about the SMALL FEE of 5000 per participant? I guess, that goes to my pocket.

xpresseeve:
Getting that kind of returns from the first month is possible but quite rare. It is mostly possible if the funds are sunk into an already existing business that is already yielding some consists profit.

On the whole it is better for you to expect the profits to grow to that level .........and beyond if you are running the business personally.

Finally, if you have not done business before please invest that money in a fast moving consumer product and be happy with at least 15-20% monthly returns.

Good luck.

haykay2005:
Sold LongislandWeed.com for $999. Undeveloped make offer. Held for 6 weeks. Purchased 0$ ( namepros free domain name )

We negotiated back and forth before arriving at $999. Initial offer was $500

Razak5:
Hello.

Let me guess, thus is HP 2133...right?

Ok.
1. If there's any blinking capslock key, then trying another RAM isn't a bad idea.

Removing RAM and putting it back isn't enough to rule out RAM issue. You should test with another known working RAM.

2. If the above isn't the case, then there is likely an issue with the VGA.
Sadly, whatever fix that will be rendered is highly temporary.

The mother board goes for 15,000 to 20,000.

Do remember also that 30,000 can still get you a decent mini laptop.

Or, you might want to upgrade and ditch this mini talk altogether.

*Cheers*

Modified:
Is there a blinking cursor on the screen? If no, then I'll also rule out booting process.

Another thing you should do is pointing a torch to the screen, do you see anything?

If yes, there's a high chance that the LEDs are gone and your screen will need changing...

This is an after -thought though. But hey, they are thoughts afterall.

udemzyudex:
First of all you need to confirm if the motherboard is working fine or not.
In a case like this, you have to check if fault is from LVDS section (screen) or motherboard section. To confirm you need to press the caplock, connect your external keyboard and press the caplock or numlock button, if it off and on at interval then it shows your motherboard is working fine and display is coming which means u have to focus on the LVDS section but if not you have to check your motherboard.

The first thing do if you find out that it's from motherboard is to change your RAM,if you change RAM and still no display then you check if your CPU is heating up after power on, if not you change ur CPU and check (some of this mini laptop uses on board CPU) and there is nothing u can do unless u have a bga infrared rework Station.

If you change CPU and RAM but still no display, then it's chip level fault. Only a chip level engineer can fix it for you.

U1:
Please I need help with an HP mini laptop whose screen isn't coming on.

As can be seen in the screenshot, the Wi-Fi light (blue) remains on. It usually went off after a while during boot, but it now remains on. I think there's a problem with the booting process.

I have performed different troubleshoot steps, including removing RAM, HDD and battery. I also held the power button for 60 seconds, with the battery removed.

Could someone guide me on what else to do? Thanks.

U1:
Please I need help with an HP mini laptop whose screen isn't coming on.

As can be seen in the screenshot, the Wi-Fi light (blue) remains on. It usually went off after a while during boot, but it now remains on. I think there's a problem with the booting process.

I have performed different troubleshoot steps, including removing RAM, HDD and battery. I also held the power button for 60 seconds, with the battery removed.

Could someone guide me on what else to do? Thanks.

TissuePaper:
he can ask his friend Gody05 what i did to him for attempting defamation on my thread, he has been banned for a long time..i think i would have to use someone else as a scapegoat.

Onnasucs1:
Every single day I visit the business section here on nairaland, It's either I find the crew who have money but don't have a business idea or I find those with business idea but lack money.

Whatever crew you are, please never start up a business if you're not dogged. That business idea might appear rossy in your brain until you start it up in the real world.

I started up a business barely a month ago and I'm almost loosing my mind. Is it the sleepless nights(sometimes working from 1am-7am) I'm going to talk about or the failed projects or the rude customers or the unnecessary but compulsory expensis or the pressure to give out the best at all times or the uncertainties.?

Hehehe...Because of business, I am now a professional Liar. Lord have mercy!

Now I know why most businesses don't last long. Not everyone is willing to go through the stress.

I now respect Dangote, Otedola, Adenuga, Jim ovia, Tony Elemelu...they are many

Your business will break your heart so many times. (I'm heartbroken at the moment)

Please if you're not dogged, don't think of starting up a business.


If you have started one, never back down. If it gets tough, you too get tough. In the end, you'll succeed.


I have made up my mind to continue to press on. No going back



My respect goes out to all business people.

Afospecialk:


Especially that forest trade

Cumtroller:
That is Olufemi Bamiro’s mother. She always says she’s an Eko woman and owns the Lagoon. Just see how her life has ended!!!

Afonja’s and evil are 5 and 6 .

otoboson:
I use a Nigerian account dedicated to domaining, this means that the only post on the account is about my domains. The account is more than 8 years old, but without friends or normal post. The only pictures are my logo and logos of my brandable domains.
YOU CAN CALL IT A NIGERIAN DOMAIN BUSINESS ACCOUNT.

otoboson:
Lol... It is natural for people to offer a very low amount when asked to make an offer. But that really depends on who you're dealing with, last week a Realtor offered $300 for a domain I listed for $399 (she didn't even know the BIN). So if your buyer makes 'peanuts' from his/her business, they will offer you peanuts. I got an offer of $25 yesterday from a (STATE in the US)+drone/com, if na yeye name I for counter with $100 but I'm definitely keeping that domain for a long time. So if you get a $50 offer, weigh the domain and counter with $200 or $150, my counter for this kind offer usually go like MAKE IT $150 AND WE HAVE A DEAL, if the person is really interested, he will offer around $100.


In another news, I woke up to a $200 offer which I accepted. Bought with Network Solutions $1 promo 2days ago, I did Facebook outbound yesterday, no positive response but one of them went ahead to make the offer without contacting me.
Note to newbies, don't sit and wait for $500+ sales, don't be greedy and don't counter offers unnecessarily, if the offer is good enough, accept and move to the next domain. Sales (no matter the amount) will boost your morale and keep you going in this business, domains expire everyday, target at least 1 domain registration daily.

FruitCakes:
lol to sponsor

khatea:
@ishadfurnitures grow up boy! I politely chatted u as rgds this post of urs simply cos I don't want to forget to give u a call during d day but ur replies sucks. Damn it!

Francisayo:
Thank You,God bless

dynamic006:
Good day everyone , if you have invested in ILR, AND YOU are part of those having issues with them, let gather here .

maxymalik:
NIGERIAN BANKS AND HOW THEY FLEECE US.
I want to draw the attention of the general public to how our banks covertly and surreptitiously enrich themselves by pilfering and stealing from us without our knowledge.
ATM FRAUD
It is the duty of the bank to provide its customers with atm cards, yet we pay for it. The part the bemuses, befuddles and makes me livid is the expiry date attached to the cards. My question is this: Does my account have an expiry date? Does the money in my account expire? In saner climes your atm card is yours for life and no renewal charge.
Another aspect is when your ATM is swallowed up by an atm machine. Normally, if your card is swallowed up by the machine you walk up to the bank where it was seized to make a report and it's given back to you.
However in Nigeria every usual thing becomes unusual, every abnormal thing becomes normal,wrong becomes right, black becomes white and up becomes Dow. Here you are charged for the atm card again as though it was your fault that it was gulped by an atm machine; when it's issued after you being surcharged or debited, its expiry date is not extended.
On boxing date I had the harrowing and agonising experience of having to watch helplessly as an ATM � machine devoured my card. I walked up to the security to seek his help but he told me to go to my branch to get another one.
When I got to my bank the next day behold they were delighted to debit me for a new card.
UNNECESSARY DEBITS/DEDUCTIONS
It is not uncommon to observe incessant deductions on your account. This range from sms alerts, the use of other bank's Atm, money transfer using USSD CODE, internet money transfer just to mention but a few.
Remember this amount may seem Lilliputian to you but remember every sec people are being duped by these crooks.
How long shall we continue like this? Who will put an end to this rip off and fleece? When are we going to stand up to these capitalists and exploiters?
Ewedoma Isaac Maxwell

Kylekent59:
First bank is the worst.

They froze my account for nothing. Just because I hadn't been depositing money there,i just left like 10k there.


Went to withdraw the money but I didn't succeed. They started telling me trash.



That was how my account was wiped.



Give it to Access and Sterling.

treads:
akure is the best place for you bro,accommodation is not too cost..like sefcon 80-120k,room &, parlour 120-200k ,2&3 bedroom 200-350k depends on the location...

godwon01:
Try Igboora.Ifeloju local government. Oyo state.U can open shop like mini super market. Sell things that are not common in the rural areas. Go to Lagos Island to buy many stuff, put them inside the shop. Rent self contain flat and start new life. After few months U will be attracted to local girls. Get settle with one of them and she will deliver U twins baby. The land is fertile soil for twins kids. Best of luck.