::sigh::
I am trying my best, however futilely, to try to get you tu understand the difficulty Fundamentalist Protestants have with Catholicism/Orthodoxy. All you hear from them are proof texts, so you've come to believe that there can't possibly be any intellectual difficulties with Catholicism's position vis a vis Fundamentalist Protestantism. I'm trying to show you these difficulties. But all you can do is respond with anger, as you almost always do.
I am beginning to suspect you of dishonesty. Is it "false witness" to point out that Biblial inerrancy isn't as important to Catholics as it is conservative Protestants? Is it? That is nothing but plain, obvious truth and everyone knows it. It's no secret that Catholic FReepers do "yeoman service" in de-literalizing and allegorizing the Bible. You could not possibly deny this. Why, if I were to ask you if you believe in Adam and Eve the chances are 90% likely that you'd say "no." And all you can do is hurl a bitter charge against me without even commenting on it?
You could not possibly be unaware of all the anti-literalist Catholic posts on this forum. What is the point with trying to discuss something with a dishonest person?
I'm sure you'd like to believe that the only possible reason to prefer the Protestant to the Catholic position is an extremely low IQ, but this is not the truth however much you'd like to think so.
Why don't you respond to me for a change? How in the world is name-calling alone proving that my points are not valid?
Where did I ever say or think such a thing? There are plenty of intelligent "Reformist" Christians. I happen to admire the great intellect of Dr. Ted Baehr, for example. You are the one is brings that up from time-to-time, not me.
You could not possibly be unaware of all the anti-literalist Catholic posts on this forum. What is the point with trying to discuss something with a dishonest person?
Where have I been dishonest?
How in the world is name-calling alone proving that my points are not valid?
I wasn't name-calling. I was accusing you of bearing false witness, by misrepresenting the Catholic/Orthodox positions. For example:
You said: With Catholics and Orthodox J*sus is like the corner of the paper towel placed in a spill of water . . . contact begins there and then spreads from the corner throughout the towel
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
This sacrifice of Christ is unique; it completes and surpasses all other sacrifices (Paragraph 614).
Also, there's this one: By his loving obedience to the Father, "unto death, even death on a cross" (Phil 2:8), Jesus fulfills the atoning mission (cf. Is 53:10) of the suffering Servant, who will "make many righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities" (Is 53:11; cf. Rom 5:19) (paragraph 623).
Also, from your perspective (I'm sorry for calling it a rant):
It is very hard for me not to notice that just as Catholicism prefers post-Biblical rituals to Biblical ones, so it also seems to prefer post-Biblical stories to Biblical ones. Have you not the slightest sympathy with someone who is being told that Adam and Noah are "unimportant" or "symbols whose actual existence has been disproved by science) when your own religion is full of illiterate bumpkins (not in America, but elsewhere) who may believe that St. George slew a dragon, St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland, Mary appeared to an Aztec peasant, and made the sun dance in Portugal? Can't you see the utter and flaming hypocrisy of such a stand, real or perceived?
I don't think Adam and Noah are "unimportant," nor is it fair for your to use a blanket statement, just as you're accusing Catholics of thinking all Protestants as "bumpkins."
If you want me to go on, I will.
You are one interesting individual.
As for me, I agree with you that it is of the utmost importance to try to be intellectually consistent.
For me , that is the fact of the matter with God.
I am not sure that I understand what you believe from having followed your posts. Care to give me some idea?