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The coming war in this world will be between the God-fearing and the godless.
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Vatican II explained the doctrine of infallibility as follows: "Although the individual bishops do not enjoy the prerogative of infallibility, they can nevertheless proclaim Christs doctrine infallibly. This is so, even when they are dispersed around the world, provided that while maintaining the bond of unity among themselves and with Peters successor, and while teaching authentically on a matter of faith or morals, they concur in a single viewpoint as the one which must be held conclusively. This authority is even more clearly verified when, gathered together in an ecumenical council, they are teachers and judges of faith and morals for the universal Church. Their definitions must then be adhered to with the submission of faith" (Lumen Gentium 25).
Infallibility belongs in a special way to the pope as head of the bishops (Matt. 16:1719; John 21:1517). As Vatican II remarked, it is a charism the pope "enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith (Luke 22:32), he proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine of faith or morals. Therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly held irreformable, for they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, an assistance promised to him in blessed Peter."
The infallibility of the pope is not a doctrine that suddenly appeared in Church teaching; rather, it is a doctrine which was implicit in the early Church. It is only our understanding of infallibility which has developed and been more clearly understood over time. In fact, the doctrine of infallibility is implicit in these Petrine texts: John 21:1517 ("Feed my sheep . . . "), Luke 22:32 ("I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail"), and Matthew 16:18 ("You are Peter . . . ").
Please, please, please tell me why Dawkins and Hitchens have not asked for the arrest of the mullahs who have inspired mass murder of innocents, beheading, etc.?
These deeds are actually performed in the NAME of religion and God.
The pedophiles may be wearing a cassock and a collar but they are acting on their own, not in God’s name.
I think Dawkins just isn’t very bright. Hitchens is amusingly bright, but not quite in touch with reality.
There’s an amusing essay in the latest issue of First Things on the idiocies of the New Atheists, by David Hart, I presume derived from his recent book, Atheist Delusions.
As he points out, these folks—even the academic philosophers among them—wouldn’t know how to reason their way out of a paper bag.
Hitchens’ mother committed suicide when he was a boy...his rage reminds me of the rage of my oldest adopted son, who needed to project his anger at his mom’s death (from pneumonia) onto someone else. My son chose me as the victim, Hitchens projects his hate on religion and God’s saints...
Dawkins was abused as a child in boarding school (Not a Catholic one)...which should explain his rage.
They both need our prayers.