[Manfred the Wonder Dawg]

Opening statement: “In their lust for unity the Emergent Church and post-evangelical “Protestants” are right now embracing the Roman Catholic Church as another Christian denomination. But the issue is simple: If, as taught the Church of Rome, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without “the new birth in baptism” then we are now in hopeless contradiction with the Gospel contained in Holy Scripture.

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8) “

Truth.

[narses]

So the lies spewed by Shea you accept as truth? Amazing. Is it your opinion that Catholics are NOT Christian then?

[Mad Dawg]

If, as taught the Church of Rome, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without “the new birth in baptism”

Error growing into a lie.

It was an error a few days ago, but now that the author has been shown how the Catechism disagrees with his characterization of Catholic teaching, the absence of a retraction makes it a lie -- a culpable and intended untruth.

The first sentence may well be true. Who can argue with the last sentence? Not me. The apodosis of the second sentence, may be true with respect to some other aspect of our teaching, including our teaching on Baptism. In fact I bet it is.

But the protasis is not true. It says that we teach something we do not teach. It is easy to find out that we do not teach that. It took me less than 5 minutes.

When someone errs, that's no big deal. When someone errs and denies it in the face of incontrovertible evidence, that's serious. It breaks a commandment.

If somebody says, "I am here in the name of the Truth," and then not only says but persists in saying something manifestly untrue the kindest thing you can say is that his behavior is ludicrous.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Strange how some are so upset over the article that began this thread, yet they don't offer any rebuttal.

IIRC, the RCC catechism teaches that the rite of baptism takes away original sin until the first (or next) sin is committed.

Then begins the endless rounds of confession, forgiveness, sin; confession, forgiveness, sin, etc. until death.

Which is actually saying Christ on the cross didn't save anyone; only the act of baptism saves someone, and even then only temporally and conditionally.

All of which is unScriptural foolishness.

The act of baptism does not take away sin. Instead, sin is not imputed to the believer by the act of Christ on the cross. This gracious fact is promised at baptism, and made known to the believer by the indwelling Holy Spirit at a time of God's regeneration by the renewing of our mind and the rebirth of our heart.