Posted on 10/09/2001 12:20:12 PM PDT by malakhi
Your real problem with it is that it doesn't mention your church in the sentence, hence it is dangerous to the RC church. Jesus didn't say "You must be born again, then join the one true church, the Roman Catholic church and partake in the Eucharist and etc. etc. He just said "You must be born again".
While I agree with much of what you have written I have a hard time reconciling some of the thoughts you expressed in this particular post and the content of some of your previous posts.
Why if there are many paths do you seem to take particular acceptation to the Catholic Church?
You are correct in assuming that I and most other Catholics don't believe that only Catholics will be received by our heavenly Father, heck, I’m pretty sure it would take a miracle to get this Catholic in. The Catechism of the Catholic Church even discusses this subject. I think the reason some of us Catholics are so, forceful? sure? adamant? whatever, about the primacy or importance of the Catholic Church is that we believe it offers the safest path to serving Christ. We want, and I used to think every Christian desired the same, that EVERY man woman and child on earth be saved by the grace of God. We see much that leads to error in non-Catholic dogma and doctrine. We see this multiplicity of Christian denominations as a path to destruction paved by “Churches” that accepts homosexuality, abortion, etc.
I don't know any Catholic that would state that the Church has always been under the administration of perfect saints, it hasn’t. Yet the core, the essence of Christ’s message remains as clear and strong today as it did two thousand years ago.
I think if one truly looks at the heart of the Catholic Church with out a jaundiced eye and begins at the beginning, the Bible and the Catechism, it all makes sense. If one looks at the Catholic Church and sees only Rosaries and patron Saints, one might be lead to believe that Catholics are idol worshiping mumblers.
Like you I'm posting this late and with some reservations;-)
Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.".
Sounds like he wants us to celebrate the Eucharist to me.
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