Posted on 04/14/2005 2:46:44 PM PDT by metalmanx2j
PITTSBURGH -- An evangelical Christian talk show host who questioned the beliefs of the Catholic church and entertained a caller's question about whether the late Pope John Paul II would go to heaven has been fired.
Marty Minto, 39, a senior pastor at a New Castle church, was fired Friday after three years as a host on WORD-FM in Pittsburgh. He said he was told that he was alienating listeners.
"As far as I'm concerned, I was doing what I've always done on the radio -- look at events around the world from a biblical perspective. I've always been willing to talk about controversial subjects," said Minto, who has had shows in Albany, N.Y., Denver and Phoenix.
Last week, Minto questioned some of the Catholic church's beliefs, such as purgatory, and fielded a question from a caller who asked whether the pope would go to heaven. Many evangelical Christians believe that someone must be a "born-again" believer to enter heaven.
Minto, who is also senior pastor of the 100-member Turning Point Community Church, said he told the caller that whether someone was born-again was personal and "between an individual and the Creator."
Chuck Gratner, general manager of WORD-FM, didn't dispute Minto's description and said he was let go because of differences in how he conducted his show.
"WORD-FM needs to function in this city in support of the entire church -- that means everybody -- and not focus on denominational issues," Gratner said.
yes.
But would a saved person have a lifestyle like thieves, the greedy,drunkards, slanderers, or swindlers?
Thanks for the straight answer.
I know any Christian here who wished that a Roman Catholic would go to Hell would be instantly banned or suspended.
But then no genuine Christian would so wish; if he did, the other Christians (I among them) would dogpile him.
Dan
I guess some religious branches are just more tolerant than others.
the other Christians (I among them) would dogpile him.
Hmmmm ... so freedom of speech gets you banned, but violence is encouraged. Interesting.
HUH? I'm a Roman Catholic and never knew that. I work with this 'born again' --- an ex-druggie who refuses to wash ---but I digress--- and he tells me that only 'born agains' will go to heaven. Guess I'm going to hell according to him because I've always been the same since birth...just a 'Roman Catholic'. Never had to be 'born again'.....
-OR- If'n that the Pope went to Purgatory..
If the Pope is in "Purgatory" he's then, not in "Heaven"..
But being a Pope maybe he's to elite for Purgatory..
Interesting question.. Roman Catholics would no doubt shy away for this discussion.. (if they were smart)..
Maybe it's time for those people of genuine faith in scripture and not the dogma of various religions to come together to prayerfully expect guideance to right the wrong thinking and to clarify the misunderstood.
I suggest to those of you whose faith doesn't "have" purgatory that you just kinda skip over that part of the discussion. Also, those of you who think Catholics are not saved (unless we get saved in your church) are going to hell...well, let's just put that part of the discussion off til the afterlife. Wherever we end up, by then we'll have figured it out!
OK, so that leaves us where we started...a DJ who got canned. More and more, I think it had very little to do with his remarks about the pope!
Its already figured out..
i.e. "the separation of the sheep from the goats..continues"
We are All exactly where we are supposed to be..
Pure genius in my estimation.. sheep and goats do not make the verbal noises.. and they shouldn't.. Sheep noises draw sheep and goat noises draw goats..
God is a genius.. Is GOD cool or WHAT?
You are not your own; {20} you were bought at a price.
---
Reading this just touched my heart again. I had forgotten that part.. It reminded me that He sought me when I was not looking for him. By a miracle (outside of the darkness of this world) he allowed me to see the REALITY of HIM.
Thanks for taking the time to write all that.
A thousand times NO! Now, some people misinterpret this as meaning that a saved person will not sin. That is wrong! "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We are human, we sin, but blessed be God that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Now, like someone else pointed out in this discussion, a saved person is a new creature. Yes, he or she may sin, but will not live a sinful lifestyle.
I am unaware of any church that believes in "salvation by works".
May the Holy Spirit lead us all.
Yes, we do. "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10)These are not my words, they are the Holy Spirit's through Paul. And, if God says that I'm saved, I don't question it.
What do you call it when a church tells you that, to go to heaven, you need to go to church every Sunday, go to confession at least once a year, receive comunion at Easter... I was brought up Roman Catholic, went to Catholic school from k-4 through 12th grade, and was a "national catechism champion". For almost 30 years I lived keeping a spiritual tally of good and wrong doings, trying to stay in the "safe" side. Then I had the Word of God explained to me, I understood that I'm free from the law, that my sin-debt has already been paid and there's absolutely nothing that I can add to that. My life has undergone a drastic change. What I do, I do it out of love for my Savior, not to "earn heaven points". I'm not trying to evangelize anybody, but I wish I had the words to describe the joy and peace that Jesus has brought into my life. I wish I could explain it, so that other people would also claim the victory that was won at Calvary!
Don't think that just cos we're Catholic (hey, are we endangered yet? Can't we get on a list of protected species?:) ) we don't also know that peace and joy.
The faith isn't real? "even as the body without the spirit is dead: so also faith without works is dead" (Jas 2:26). Now, is a body without a spirit not real? "by works faith was made perfect" (Jas 2:22) - now, does this not say that works made perfect Abraham's faith? Is that consistent with the statement that works only manifest faith?
Catholics believe, following Scripture, that only a informed faith, faith with charity and hope, can justify: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much" (Lk. 7:47) "For we are saved by hope." (Rom. 8:24).
It is harder to just trust Jesus to keep me in the palm of His hand, to trust like a child, without trying to take matters into my hand.
You are are considering works as if they must be apart from Christ: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10) "it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish" (Phil. 2:13) "present yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead; and your members as instruments of justice unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace." (Rom. 6:13b-14)
I can only speak from my experience. As a Catholic, I lived constantly measuring up how bad it was to do whatever I wanted to do. For example, there was no ac in the churches in Spain, so how soon could I "legally" leave the church and still obey the command to attend mass? It wasn't just me. The churches were half empty until the sermon was over, and they would begin to empty again ASA the priest received communion. If someone had asked me about joy, I would have probably said that yes, I knew about the joy of being a Christian. Looking back, I know I didn't! I'm talking about the joy that allows you to bless the Lord after miscarriaging a child. The joy that gets on top of any financial problems. The peace that defies all understanding. I'm not saying Catholics do not know that joy, or that Catholics are not saved. What I'm saying is that the Catholic church is too centered in "legalism" to teach people how to claim that joy!
There are good teachers out there and I do listen to them, but unfortunately they are in a silent majority. Silent not because they are not ministering, but quiet because they are not given equal air time.
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