where a big chunk of granite has been inscribed with the words of an old Scots curse [uttered by a Bishop, according to the TV news] on the criminals of the Carlisle area. Apparently there were calls for it to be removed since many felt that ever since it had been put inplace there had benn a lot of ill luck for the region. The council saw the motion defeated. I couldn't work out who had been agitating against it; I suspected Pentecostal Christians and the like but perhaps not for: "The city council also say local Christian groups, including the Bishop of Carlisle, were consulted and were in agreement with the "Cursing Stone" and a blessing was included within the artwork taken from The Bible, Philippians 4 Verse 6." So it may turn out to be superstitious locals rather than Christians after all.
But I'm interested in feedback if I can get it. What do we think about such issues relating to territorial spirits and curses etc.? I'm skeptical but many are not ....
BBC - Cumbria - Features - Curse of the Cursing Stone
2 comments:
I find myself somewhere stuck in the middle when it comes to the whole "spiritual warfare" issue. Having spent my formative Christian years in a very fundamental Pentecostal church, with undeniable charismatic activity, I can't easily leave behind what I was taught. Then again, with the benefit of handsight, and the (largely positive) experience of theological training, I can recognise how dubious some of that was.
I don't deny the infleunce of the spiritual, for good or ill, but I'm inclined to be rather more cautious than I used to be. I'm currently trying to start "church" from scratch in an affluent "new village". I know that some would put the many problems and obstacles to faith here in terms of "territorial spirits" and the like, but I can't help thinking that it simply represents where people are at, and that we don't necessarily need a "spiritual" answer. Sometimes I suspect that "territorial warfare" is at best a means to pysch ourselves up to be involved and at worst a(n unconcious) cover for our lack of visible, relevant and/or radical faith.
(And, yes, I stand open to that accusation of lack of relevancy and radicalism too).
I'll watch this thread with interest.
I've seen this story in several places over the last few weeks, and I can't really make my mind up exactly what I think. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want anything simelar in Bradford though.
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