Posted on 09/10/2014 7:41:42 AM PDT by cleghornboy
Back in 2011, before giving the traditional Christmas blessing to the City of Rome and the world ("urbi et orbi"), Pope Benedict XVI reflected on the Child of Bethlehem as Savior. His Holiness said (in part): "He was sent by God the Father to save us above all from the evil deeply rooted in man and in history: the evil of separation from God, the prideful presumption of being self-sufficient, of trying to compete with God and to take his place, to decide what is good and evil, to be the master of life and death.."
The Holy Father said that human beings cannot save themselves from this sin, "unless we rely on God's help, unless we cry out to him: 'Veni ad salvandum nos! -- Come to save us!'"
He affirmed, though, that "the very fact that we cry to heaven in this way already sets us aright; it makes us true to ourselves: We are in fact those who cried out to God and were saved."
The Bishop of Rome spoke of God as the physician, while we are the infirm. And to realize this, he said, "is the first step towards salvation, towards emerging from the maze in which we have been locked by our pride. To lift our eyes to heaven, to stretch out our hands and call for help is our means of escape, provided that there is Someone who hears us and can come to our assistance."
(Excerpt) Read more at lasalettejourney.blogspot.com ...
First of all, I appreciate the Martin Luther quote :-)
Perhaps I am oversimplifying this, but my impression, based on the above blog (and I tried to read the whole item), is that Benedict XVI’s perspective is more like Augustine, grounded in the difficulties that come from original sin, while Francis’ perspective is more like Aquinas, grounded in the sense of conscience leading to God’s will via natural law. Since Luther was much more Augustinian than Aquina-n, that might explain why, as a Lutheran, I sense myself having more in common doctrinally with Ratzinger than with Bergoglio—though to be sure, this is a debate within Christianity, between two groups of thinkers who are experiencing their relationship with Christ in different ways.
Interesting observation. I will have to mull this over!
Let me start out by saying admitting that I did not see the title “Atheists should follow their conscience” in the excerpt and did not read the article. My question would be as to whether Atheists have conscience?
Is there some sort of test you have in mind, that could determine that?
that could determine that?
I am having a hard time imagining how someone without a belief system can have a conscious.
Perhaps they just believe in themselves? I’m sure even to atheists there are things that bother them and that they would not do.
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