Posted on 01/08/2011 4:15:03 PM PST by Natural Law
What are we to make of the anti-Catholics?
What are we to make of the anti-Catholics? How can we explain the assault on the Church by those who profess in their words the same mission of the Church, the Salvation of mankind, but through their deeds deny it? Are the fabrications, falsehoods, and lies about the supporting beliefs of the Church, about the lives of its saints and clergy, about the verifiable facts of history justified because of doctrinal disagreements? Does any of this matter in the face of the greater assault on Christ and his flock? It defies rational thinking.
In the face of a Muslim onslaught that is bombing Christmas Masses, executing Christians for a nonexistent heresy and apostasy, and a jihad against Christians of all stripes on a massive scale we get shrill unwarranted criticism of how Catholics peaceably worship the One true God. Is smells and bells really a greater sin than sawing off heads in the name of the prophet?
In the face of a secular socialist assault that is killing babies at a pace that outpaces the crimes of Hitler, Stalin and Mao combined there are degrading insults and accusations over the difference between worship and veneration. Corrections and explanations are ignored and the apologists are pilloried. For what purpose?
In the face of the threat of Communist China that suppresses worship of all kinds and enforces forced abortions we get feeble ad naseum criticism of the Real Presence in spite of the acceptance by Catholics, both Eastern and Latin Rite, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Methodists. All the while the anti-Catholics continue the charade of Christian unity, minus those damned Catholics of course.
So in the face of the advance of worldwide evil some would have us believe that it is the Catholic Church should be destroyed when the destruction of the Church would serve to provide aid and comfort to that evil. Why? Qui Bono, for whom the benefit?
That the Church is and has always been a target of evil cannot be denied. Neither can it be denied that the Church has never been harmed or compromised by that evil. Satan can only work in this world through the actions of his willing accomplices. Those accomplices have long ago recognized that the greatest harm can be done from within the Church and history has produced numerous examples of sinners wearing the collars of priests. Regardless of the contentions of the anti-Catholics that does not negate the good that the Church has done not diminish the saints who have served God through her. Nor does it excuse those who blame one of the victims of the evil doers, the Church itself.
Perhaps those who irrationally assault the Church daily, those who spend inordinate hours researching the internet looking for dirt, those who accept any lie or indiscretion on nothing more than its bias against the Church are consciously or unconsciously in league with evil. Lex Parsimoniae, the principle which generally recommends accepting the answer that requires the fewest assumptions, when the potential answers are equal in all other respects. Is there a simpler answer?
The same protections are not in place for Catholics, though. Feel free to use the terms Papist, Romanist, RC (sounds like a British slang term), mick, dogan, fish-eater, mackerel snapper, and any number of other derogatory terms for Catholics, priests, bishops, nuns, sisters, cardinals, popes, and saints. All have been given active or tacit approval on many occasions.
The only thing I dislike about Catholics is that I will probably have to associate with them in heaven.
I’m hoping they have their own “Hood”.
But we will have the best block parties; ethnic foods, great adult beverages, live music, dancing, fist fights, bingo, the works.........
“you and most Catholics hold the same view” —> making it personal and also purporting to read someone’s mind.
I DO NOT need your or any other person’s interpretation of the Bible. I can read. Go pound sand.
Do you want a fifth Inquisition? You are either joking or very sick.
Do you lump yourself in with men thinking they can fool God?
Good speech.
FWIW I have no difficulty believing (as best I can) the first eleven chapters of Genesis.As for how He may have done it...."For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast" seems pretty plain.As far as I'm concerned He could have done it all in 5 minutes.
I've met many christians who have used the word "fundy" as a type of slur.Some of them were shocked when I pointed out that it is they themselves who are actually the very fundies the world is talking about.
This is my speach FWIW...fundies appear to be seen as radical nutjobs who actually believe the Genesis creation account as it is written and because of that rampant anti-intellectualism are prone to also believing all sorts of apocalyptical non-sense and may even be deluded enough to try and hasten along some of their fantasies and are therefore prone to harbor similar feelings toward their fellows as some terrorists do.They are at best stupid and ignorant and at worst to be feared.Just like 'fundy' moslems.
Luke 6:
20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
...
27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
30Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent. Justice demands that the guilty be punished.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!Only God can rescue us from our predicament.
Romans 5:8 declares: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus Christ died for us!Jesus' death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus' resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus' death as the payment for our sins.Romans 6:23, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
What must we do to be saved? What does God require of me to recieve this Gift?
"What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe on Him, trusting His death and resurrection as the payment for our sins - and we will be saved!Rome 10;8 "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:13 says it again:"for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."God forgives us of all our sin, past, present and future. Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation.
Romans 5:1 has this wonderful message:
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God.
Romans 8:1 teaches us:"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins.
Finally, we have this precious promise of God from
Romans 8:38-39:"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I believe the actual Biblical reference is to pound swords (in to plowshares) not sand.
I didn’t mean pound swords and you should know that. Unlike a lot people, I try to mean what I say. Maybe I should have said, take a long walk off a short pier.
FWIW I have no difficulty believing (as best I can) the first eleven chapters of Genesis.As for how He may have done it...."For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast" seems pretty plain.As far as I'm concerned He could have done it all in 5 minutes.
sounds real good. Then you come along and write:
This is my speach FWIW...fundies appear to be seen as radical nutjobs who actually believe the Genesis creation account as it is written and because of that rampant anti-intellectualism are prone to also believing all sorts of apocalyptical non-sense and may even be deluded enough to try and hasten along some of their fantasies and are therefore prone to harbor similar feelings toward their fellows as some terrorists do.They are at best stupid and ignorant and at worst to be feared.Just like 'fundy' moslems.
which completely contradicts what you just said.
If you indeed believe the first eleven chapters of Genesis and that G-d could have created the world in five minutes then what right do you have of calling anyone else who shares those same beliefs a "nutjob?" Is it because they are Protestant rather than Catholic and live in rural America rather than in Australia?
And referring to people as "backwoods, snake-handling goobers" isn't racism? Somehow I get the idea that if some liberal politician said this FR would be all over him.
But apparently the rules are different when conservative Catholics spew the same hateful vitriol.
Matthew 14 makes no mention of a pier and I have been to the Galilee and piers are not the custom. Jesus presumably walked from the shore.
That being said if we have sufficient faith walking off that pier would not be a problem.
I am not talking about Matthew 14. I don’t care in the least where you say you have been.
I believe in Genesis, I believe that God breathed and the world came into existence. The Catholic Church has made no pronouncement, no declaration as binding on Catholics that they reject the literal words of Genesis. That some are hostile to it, I don’t or can’t deny or confirm, since I haven’t any knowledge of them.
If this is so, then why do the vast majority of Catholics do this very thing (reject the literal words of Genesis)? The Church has made its displeasure at young earth creationism well known, so much so that young earth creationists are almost non-existent in the Catholic Church. Too bad they can't do the same with pro-abortionists. I guess the Church is just more serious about destroying young earth creationism than abortionism.
You confuse me. You say that the Church has never condemned the literal truth of Genesis, yet you refuse to commit to it. Moreover, when I show you an article by an admittedly rare Catholic young earth creationist, you imply that he is on the "fringe" and his words carry no weight. If the Catholic Church truly still permits young earth creationism, then Mr. Owen's opinions are just as Catholic as those of any Theistic evolutionist. If they are "fringe," on the other hand, then obviously the Catholic Church must officially reject young earth creationism.
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