Posted on 09/16/2004 7:06:32 PM PDT by NZerFromHK
I can see that most here would be the traditional types (half between ultra traditionalist and "non ultra" traditionalist), with a couple of "moderate" and Charismatic Catholic FRers.
Some of the most insightful observations about the state of the Church come from well-informed outside observers, because they do not have a particular position to defend inside it which might colour and distort their views.
Perhaps it is time to simply accept that the Church is going through another major schism, as with the secession of the Eastern Churches and the Protestant schism. Though its outlines are visible and traceable, the substance of the new branch(es) of Christianity is not yet entirely settled.
You don't set the rules around here, pal.
Ankerberg and Weldon are not Catholic!
Naturally, the only "good" Catholics are those who wave the Bible around. Nothing, at all, about Catholic tradition and its importance.
Ankerberg is a salesman, more than anything else.
"2 Thus, to obey the Church is equivalent to submitting to what God has revealed as His will for a person’s life. As a result, the traditional Catholic feels no need to examine the Bible for himself to determine whether or not what the Church teaches is actually biblical. Why? He has been taught that the Church has been granted divine power to interpret the Bible infallibly. As a result, he completely trusts whatever the Church tells him that the Bible teaches."
Boy is that wrong!!!
The Traditional/orthodox Catholics are the only Christians who have examined the Bible properly and actually understood it!
The Bible is our family's book - if you're not in the family you will only ever get a half-assed understanding of it.
Well said.
"Traditional or orthodox Catholicism"
There is only one orthodox catholicism, and that is what is union with the Pope and the bishops. "Traditional" may or may not be that. Many self-proclaimed traditionalists are just schismatics and heretics, comparable to Protestants and liberal Catholics. They just pick and choose.
Going to be interesting reading the reactions to it - maybe it'll help me figure out who's who (and why) among the FR Catholics.
Don't get your hopes up. Ankerberg fashions himself a purveyor of Catholicism, but he'll have his hand in your pocket before you know it.
How can you be a purveyor of something without being a part of it?
You can't, which is why Ankerberg is pulling a fast one on anybody who buys this article.
Ankerberg is an evangelical.
You say that like it's a bad thing :)
I won't sttack the author's character in an attempt to discredit his message. I'll just say that he seems to have observed/described us 'papists' fairly accurately. "Oh, to see yourselves as others see you".
ping for later
For one of the first times in the history of Freerepublic, I agree with you. For the most part, I thought he had the individual "factions" with Catholicism well hashed out. Now, I don't know if I would call a number of the "factions" Catholic (maybe CINO) but not Catholic. Granted, I obviously disagree with his judgement that "traditional" Catholics ignore the unbiblical problems of Catholicism. I suggest Mr. Ankerberg read his Bible, and he would quickly see that those unbiblical beliefs like the Real Presence are actually quite biblical.
Ping!
Huge gaping holes in his thesis; however, I would like to point out that, regardless of which 'category', a catholic is always CATHOLIC. They follow the doctrines established by a direct line of descendents from St. Peter. They all profess the same faith. The difference is in how they observe and practice their faith.
In similar manner, Jews, regardless of their affiliation - Sephardic, Ashkenazic, Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionis, Zionist - are all JEWISH.
Not necessarily. The Social Catholics tend to be more secular and doubt most of the religious tenents of the Catholic faith.
A little limerick:
I was raised as a "3",
while most of the Catholics I knew were "4"s.
Then God changed me to a "10",
and shortly after,
I never went back again!
P.S. I did NOT plan the limerick, it started out like it was of my own free will, but as I was writing line 3 and 4, I realized it was predestined!
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