Stephen Hawking is getting braver in his old age.

[Towlie]

Stephen Hawking used to be very reluctant to answer the question, "Do you believe in God?" Perhaps it was because of his vivid awareness of the fate of Galileo, or perhaps it was because of his physical helplessness and knowledge of what Christians are capable of, but when asked the big question in interviews it seemed that he would always evade the question.

Now it looks like he's getting braver, and he's finally coming out with what we knew he believed all along: "The mind of God" is nothing more than a metaphor.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/02/stephen-hawking-big-bang-creator

Stephen Hawking says universe not created by God

• Physics, not creator, made Big Bang, new book claims
• Professor had previously referred to 'mind of God'

God did not create the universe, the man who is arguably Britain's most famous living scientist says in a forthcoming book.

In the new work, The Grand Design, Professor Stephen Hawking argues that the Big Bang, rather than occurring following the intervention of a divine being, was inevitable due to the law of gravity.

more

 

[lionking]

Good for him. I'll have to get the book, although I've no doubt read the same stuff before.

 

[fossilhound]

I can't forget the image a saw a few years back of Hawking accepting communion from the pope. An image is worth a thousand words.

 

[lionking]

I can't forget the image a saw a few years back of Hawking accepting communion from the pope. An image is worth a thousand words.

Huh? Accepting communion means nothing. I took communion at the funeral of a friend as a sign of respect, and knelt for prayer. I am an atheist.

Or am I misunderstanding you?

 

[Towlie]

Could Richard Dawkins have had some influence on Stephen Hawking?

 

[Schrodinger's Cat]

Huh? Accepting communion means nothing. I took communion at the funeral of a friend as a sign of respect, and knelt for prayer. I am an atheist.

Or am I misunderstanding you?

I know you didn't mean it this way, so please don't take this as an admonishment, but actually what you did is a sign of blasphemy, not respect, and is a is a violation of one of Catholicism's most sacred rituals.

Communion is a sacrament. Even other CHRISTIANS are not supposed to receive communion in a Catholic Church. There are exceptions to where other Christians can receive communion, but only in very specific circumstances. Communion is a very holy thing. You can't even receive it as a Catholic until a certain age (when you have then received your first Holy Communion). You are NOT supposed to receive the sacrament unless you believe in transubstantiation. This means that you do not think the bread and wine are symbolic. You honestly believe that the bread becomes the body of Jesus, and the wine his blood, before you take it. This is why other Christians cannot accept communiton.

Even Catholics are not supposed to receive communion if they have any unconfessed mortal sins.

I had not heard that Stephen Hawkings accepted communion. IF that is true, then he himself violated the "rules" of communion. Though the Pope could have granted him a dispensation. A dispensation is when an authority of the church essentially states that in this particular instance, not following Church laws is okay.

But in the future, lionking, you should not receive communion (at least in a Catholic Church). It is not disrespectful NOT to receive communion. Though it should be noted that your actions would probably not be viewed as disrespectful by others. First off, many may not even be aware of the Church laws on the subject. Secondly, I'm sure they would recognize that your intent was to be respectful, not to blaspheme.

 

[Beth]

But in the future, lionking, you should not receive communion (at least in a Catholic Church). It is not disrespectful NOT to receive communion. Though it should be noted that your actions would probably not be viewed as disrespectful by others. First off, many may not even be aware of the Church laws on the subject. Secondly, I'm sure they would recognize that your intent was to be respectful, not to blaspheme.

While this may be the case in a Catholic church, it is not universal to all Christian churches. Some have open communion where visitors are invited to participate. At a cousin's wedding(she's a Methodist minister), an invitation to take communion was given to all guests. It was not disrespectful to participate regardless of religious belief, although my dh was quite upset about it because he did not want to do so and felt quite conspicuous about stepping out of line although no one made any comment and it didn't seem to bother anyone that he chose not to participate.

 

[Towlie]

Good information. It could be helpful to know that if it's suggested by others that I take communion at a Catholic wedding or funeral, I can avoid it without causing an unpleasant scene. I wouldn't go as far as lionking did for anyone.

 

[Schrodinger's Cat]

While this may be the case in a Catholic church, it is not universal to all Christian churches. Some have open communion where visitors are invited to participate. At a cousin's wedding(she's a Methodist minister), an invitation to take communion was given to all guests. It was not disrespectful to participate regardless of religious belief, although my dh was quite upset about it because he did not want to do so and felt quite conspicuous about stepping out of line.

Yes, that's why I specified Catholic Church. I realize this is not true in all denominations.

As lionking was responding to a post regarding the pope giving communion, I assumed his own was speaking about a Catholic Church.

However, it is likely LK did not realize there was any distinction between the Catholic communion and Communion in other churches, so I may have beeen wrong in assuming their own experience was in a Catholic Church.

If that's the case, LK, then indeed my post does not apply. I was only specifically discussing Catholic communion. Other denominations have different guidelines, as Beth said.

 

[leon_heller]

Tony Blair, who's wife is RC, is supposed to have received communion whilst attending mass with her, which was rather naughty of him. He's now converted to catholicism; I wonder if he confessed to it when he was accepted into the church.

 

[wolfgirl]

At my niece's Catholic funeral, when communion was offered, a great number of us did not get in line for it, including some of those closest to her. It has nothing to do with respect, but with the fact that communion in the Catholic church is only for Catholics. Some of the family are Baptist, some of the friends are Jewish, some (myself and hubby included) are atheists.

Back to the OP, though, yay for Stephen Hawking. Enough with the appeasement, I say!

 

[Towlie]

I can't forget the image a saw a few years back of Hawking accepting communion from the pope. An image is worth a thousand words.

I don't see how this image is worth two cents. Did it even happen?

 

[Dave Rogers]

I can't forget the image a saw a few years back of Hawking accepting communion from the pope. An image is worth a thousand words.

I found a couple of images of the Pope looking at Hawking's speech synthesiser and one of him touching Hawking's head, but none of Hawking accepting communion. Are you sure you remembered it right?

And, of course, how would we know whether it was consensual?

Dave

 

[SOdhner]

You can't even receive it as a Catholic until a certain age (when you have then received your first Holy Communion).

I worked at a Catholic summer camp (though I've never been Catholic myself) and when they had mass the priest would be very clear that you should only come up for communion if... (etc. etc.) Even so, my wife and I would joke about the number of kids that we were sure received their first communion at that camp. Whoops. (Best line ever? One kids came back and sat down and turned to the kid next to him and said "They say it's the body of Christ, but it tastes like cardboard.")

 

[carlitos]

Yes, that's why I specified Catholic Church. I realize this is not true in all denominations.

When I was a non-Catholic Christian attending a lot of Catholic weddings and funerals, I respected this distinction about half the time, and intentionally disrespected this distinction the other half. This thought process eventually led me to leave the whole shebang behind.

 

[Denver]

IIRC, if you find yourself prompted to go with the crowd at a Catholic service up to communion, you can, and when you get there, instead of holding out your hands for the wafer, you cross your arms across your chest. The person giving out the wafers then just gives you a blessing or something like that.

 

[TimCallahan]

IIRC, if you find yourself prompted to go with the crowd at a Catholic service up to communion, you can, and when you get there, instead of holding out your hands for the wafer, you cross your arms across your chest. The person giving out the wafers then just gives you a blessing or something like that.

Yes, that's the way it was done at the funeral of a Catholic friend of mine.

 

[Walrus32]

Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of me."

Don't need no steenking pope or minister to tell me when I can or cannot celebrate this sacrament.

 

[fossilhound]

Huh? Accepting communion means nothing. I took communion at the funeral of a friend as a sign of respect, and knelt for prayer. I am an atheist.

Or am I misunderstanding you?

I just remember it. My wife's family is catholic, and they'd consider it an affront if I, a confirmed atheist since the age of 9, tried to take communion. But at a funeral for a friend I would probably reconsider my position. People deserve to be respected regardless what I think of their faith.

 

[bokonon]

Good for him. Getting beaver can't be a walk in the park for a guy in a wheelchair at any age.