[aspiring.hillbilly]

The purpose of any church is to teach members to live by Biblical truths, any straying from this by the inclusion of liberalism, political correctness, accepting homosexuality, in other words, embracing the evil trends of the day results in a shrinking congregation. The people cant be fooled by watered down religion.

[Pyro7480]

The people cant be fooled by watered down religion.

That's right! That's a large part of the problem in many parts of the world with the Catholic Church, particularly in Latin America and the Western world. The leaders there are too busy with liberation theology, experimenting with the liturgy, and thwarting dogma to notice why their congregations are leaving for the Penecostal and evangelical churches.

[Onelifetogive]

The purpose of any church is to teach members to live by Biblical truths, any straying from this by the inclusion of liberalism, political correctness, accepting homosexuality, in other words, embracing the evil trends of the day results in a shrinking congregation. The people cant be fooled by watered down religion.

I agree with this. Pentecostals and Evangelicals (the fastest growing Christian groups in the world) have essentially NO problems with liberalism or political correctness.

[jwalsh07]

The people cant be fooled by watered down religion.

There are "watered down" Catholics but the Catholic Church is not watered down. Salvation is though God's grace. Abortion is murder. The act of homosexuality is a grave sin. Socialism is an evil that subordinates the individual, is freedom and his property to the state.

You see any water here?

[mercy]

****The purpose of any church is to teach members to live by Biblical truths***

Hardly.

The ONLY job of the church is to teach Jesus Christ and encourage faith in Him. Often when Jesus would perform a healing miracle he would first ask the afflicted, "Do you believe that the Son of Man has power to heal you?". Or words to that affect. Christ was emphasizing that faith in Himself was the single needed ingredient. The Christian life flows from that faith.

First things first.

[johnb838]

Benedict is willing to accept a shrinking congregation, though, if that's what it takes to purify the faith. What you, and I, and he know, however, is that purity will grow the church, not shrink it, in spite of what the liberals shreik.