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what are idulgences

kepha31

kepha31

Active Member
Suppose I throw a rock through your window. I've committed a sin. I come to my senses, and repent, and go to confession. Jesus doesn't pay for the window, that's my responsibility. But the sin of breaking your window has more dimensions to it. The emotional damage my sin has inflicted on you is an injustice that may not be satisfied with money. I have to man-up and apologize as well. The consequences of my sin could be obliterated with your acceptance of my apology and your healing, but then again it may not.

God demands justice for all the broken windows of our lives that we didn't make up for. (that's why most of us will require purification after death) But he is also a God of mercy, and loves us so much, He will accept our prayers for a "reduced sentence" when restitution is not practical. That's penance.

Suppose I am caught speeding at 150 miles an hour in a school zone. The fine is astronomical and I can't possibly pay it. But I have a smart Lawyer. He proposes to the judge several hours of community service, which I accept, who indulges me with a reduced or eliminated fine. The judge has been given authority to bind and loose.

The Lawyer is Christ, the judge is the Church who has been given the authority to bind and loose, and the indulgence is the reduced fine. It may not be the best analogy, but it's off the top of my head.

Binding and loosing is a rabbinical term, and would be interesting to see what our Jewish family has to say about it.
 
Shiranui117

Shiranui117

Pronounced Shee-ra-noo-ee
Premium Member
Another way to think about indulgences is in therapeutic terms--when we sin, it's like fracturing a bone or suffering a heart attack. We go to the hospital (the Church), and the doctor (Christ) heals us of our sins like how one might set a bone or perform a bypass surgery. The operation is done and we have been set aright, but we can't just get back up and go back to our normal days. If you are poisoned and you receive the antidote, you still need to give your body time to purge itself completely of the poison. An indulgence is something like antibiotics or physical therapy that speeds up the healing and cleansing process; Purgatory is about cleansing us of any remaining impurities, so we can be with God and not have His radiance and love be painful to us due to our own infirmities, like a person with a migraine walking out into the bright sunlight. If we don't follow the doctor's advice, we will need more time to heal.
 
T

TheInfiniteLight

Member
Carlita said:
I tried to understand it online and wasnt taught it in RCIA so what is an indulgence?
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An indulgence is Not a right to sin. But is a way for a sin to be forgiven, apart from going to Confession. Indulgences aren't a blanketing forgiveness, rather, they are a way of penance for sin. Indulgences are just another way the Church uses to strengthen Faith within the individual.
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
TheInfiniteLight said:
An indulgence is Not a right to sin. But is a way for a sin to be forgiven, apart from going to Confession. Indulgences aren't a blanketing forgiveness, rather, they are a way of penance for sin. Indulgences are just another way the Church uses to strengthen Faith within the individual.
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Kind of like confession for mortal sins and indulgecenses for venial sins? Also, in confession, the priest gives peneance. Who and what type of indulgences are asked of anCatholic for vienal sins?
 
T

TheInfiniteLight

Member
Carlita said:
Kind of like confession for mortal sins and indulgecenses for venial sins? Also, in confession, the priest gives peneance. Who and what type of indulgences are asked of anCatholic for vienal sins?
Click to expand...

Nothing about the Church is compartmentalized. It is all one flowing Spirit. An indulgence is just another way to bring goodness out of a person. The Spirit of Truth is not divided. The Holy Spirit sanctifies the Church in it's continuity of truth. Where one "part" is the same as another. Confession is related to Mass and Communion, etc. The Church is one unified whole--where one rite supports another rite, in Unity of the Holy Spirit.
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
TheInfiniteLight said:
Nothing about the Church is compartmentalized. It is all one flowing Spirit. An indulgence is just another way to bring goodness out of a person. The Spirit of Truth is not divided. The Holy Spirit sanctifies the Church in it's continuity of truth. Where one "part" is the same as another. Confession is related to Mass and Communion, etc. The Church is one unified whole--where one rite supports another rite, in Unity of the Holy Spirit.
Click to expand...
That doesnt relate to my question, though. In confession, the priest gives peneance for mortal sins. Do indulgences help forgive people of venial sins?

If so, what type of indulgences are given? Are they similar to penence? Who gives them if not the priest?
 
T

TheInfiniteLight

Member
Carlita said:
That doesnt relate to my question, though. In confession, the priest gives peneance for mortal sins. Do indulgences help forgive people of venial sins?

If so, what type of indulgences are given? Are they similar to penence? Who gives them if not the priest?
Click to expand...

I would refer you to an expert such as a priest if you want detail on this matter. I'm not a man of the cloth so I can't explain what I don't know. I do know that indulgences forgive small sins. It my belief that a mere act of indulgence is similar to a penance. They're is always some sort of "prayer' (for the lack of a term I can't remember). In penance there is also prayer. An indulgence may include an act of kindness one may have to do in order for the indulgence to remain. I believe for the most part you can receive an indulgence on certain holy days (I may be mistaken). And it is my belief that you can go through an indulgence at anytime, however, for it to be valid you should really go through the church (priest) to receive them. It all depends on whether you're following the rules or not. It is my understanding that if the Holy Spirit moves you somewhere then you should probably listen (with the Church's guidance).
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Understand. I actually forgot I did a thread here in the christian DIR. I havent heard of indulgences until I read these catholic-hate books. Its not a big issue. I rarely go to Mass. If I do, its to pay my respects for my vows. Nothing more.

Thank you.

TheInfiniteLight said:
I would refer you to an expert such as a priest if you want detail on this matter. I'm not a man of the cloth so I can't explain what I don't know. I do know that indulgences forgive small sins. It my belief that a mere act of indulgence is similar to a penance. They're is always some sort of "prayer' (for the lack of a term I can't remember). In penance there is also prayer. An indulgence may include an act of kindness one may have to do in order for the indulgence to remain. I believe for the most part you can receive an indulgence on certain holy days (I may be mistaken). And it is my belief that you can go through an indulgence at anytime, however, for it to be valid you should really go through the church (priest) to receive them. It all depends on whether you're following the rules or not. It is my understanding that if the Holy Spirit moves you somewhere then you should probably listen (with the Church's guidance).
Click to expand...
 
T

TheInfiniteLight

Member
Carlita said:
Understand. I actually forgot I did a thread here in the christian DIR. I havent heard of indulgences until I read these catholic-hate books. Its not a big issue. I rarely go to Mass. If I do, its to pay my respects for my vows. Nothing more.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

I don't mind that you are a pagan. May I ask what kind of vows you take?
 
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