Posted on 05/10/2008 9:14:50 AM PDT by Ottofire
How many kids of any denomination need to be reminded Christmas isn't about presents?
This is an indictment of materialism and consumerism, not Catholicism.
The problem is that the church, in its desire to gain/keep adherents, long ago said that you were a Catholic so long as you were confirmed, etc. So you have all these people who were born catholic, went through the routines, but never really studied or were indoctrinated into the faith. The Church would be better off if it was smaller but all of its members were believers.
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
So, you can see why most of us aren't Democrats! ;-)
FACT: Each year, the Mormon church baptizes 300,000 converts. (Thats 800 a dayor another million every three years.) Half are former Catholics.
Is that in the US or worldwide?
And are we talking about actually living, breathing people?
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Baptism for the Dead is a vicarious gift and we in the Temporal world have no say over those on the other side of the vail if they accept the gift or not!
So the conversion would be those living and breathing here on earth!
I wish not to contend with our follow Catholic only to clarify some points of misconception.
The numbers are suspect.
But whatever the true numbers are, it is worldwide. Mostly in poor countries where the majority of converts fall away within 2 years.
Sounds like the kid has a family problem, not a religion one. I have had two go through first communion and neither got any money. They got communion. It was important to them and they behaved like it was important to them. I went through first communion and I remember how big of a deal it was. Never got a penny for it though. Sounds like the neighborhood kid needs to wake up.
I have no problem with people or me saying I am not a traditional Christian, or unorthodox Christian. My problem is when people say I'm not a Christian at all because I am LDS.
Ping!
Jesus suffered and died for me to save me from my sins. I am a Mormon and I am not ashamed.
Because you're LDS, you're going to Hell.
Repent! Awake! Reject Satan's lies before it's too late!
Better?
Oh and I suppose no child related to you has ever gotten so excited about Christmas presents that they forgot the reason for Christmas?
Ping
“Note the hypocrisy of Catholic Answers when comparing the two P.S.s of the two campaigns. In the first campaign Protestants are brethren whose opinion is consulted, in the second they are anti-Catholics with slick propaganda that must be thwarted. I have seen this conflicting attitude many times so it is worth pointing out.”
There is nothing hypocritical about that, those are two different subjects, one is a common cause that they both share and the other is largely the reason that they are two separate groups.
Since they are two sides of the same coin there is much they will share together and still not become one perfect, single, organization of Christians.
They're not just targeted by Mormons. If you look at any JW arguments re the Trinity, you'll see that JW apologetics are also targeted towards Catholics.
Thats because many Catholics dont know their own faith.
Many? I daresay a majority don't know their own faith, or don't take it seriously. How many Catholics practice birth control, or vote Democrat? Or don't attend mass regularly? These would be the likely converts that Mormonism is picking up. Our FRCatholic friends will respond by telling us those people "aren't really Catholic" or have "excommunicated themselves." Since they're not "really Catholic" anyway, you'd think there would be no reason to persuade them to stay.
But Catholic Answers disagrees - the uninformed, uninvolved, and easily swayed are "really Catholic", and CA wants them back...
"...With our new special report on Mormonism, we can inoculate Catholics from the half-truths and skewed history presented by Mormon missionaries.
By getting this report into the hands of Catholics all across America, we can bolster the faith of Catholics and keep them from leaving the Church."
Personally, I’m with President Hinckley’s feelings on the matter. Better an active Baptist than an inactive Mormon. People should worship in the way that they think will bring them closest to God, and ultimately salvation. For me, that is the LDS church, for others, it is the Catholic church, the Lutheran church, the Baptist church, etc. We are all responsible for our own decisions in this life. I think the honest seeker will not be disappointed in the day of judgement.
“I have no problem with people or me saying I am not a traditional Christian, or unorthodox Christian. My problem is when people say I’m not a Christian at all because I am LDS. “
All Christendom says that Mormonism is not Christian, it is a question that knows no diversity among Christian churches.
Since most Mormons are from the US, I assume that most of that is here.
The majority of Mormons are now outside of the US. I'd guess most of the sheep stealing is in south and central America. Certainly not in Europe!
The Second Vatican Council (1963-5) was not intended to be an infallible doctrinal council but was conceived as a pastoral renewal of the Church
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Because pastoral pronouncements are neither "true" nor "false", and because they must be expressed in language that is vague and ambiguous, they cannot be the subject of infallibility. Thus it follows that the Holy Ghost simply cannot be solemnly invoked at a strictly pastoral Council, because the pastoral pronouncements could not be infallible anyway. All pastoral pronouncements, even those of Ecumenical Councils which are partly doctrinal and partly pastoral, form part of the Church's day to day Ordinary Magisterium. Thus, what is taught in a pastoral pronouncement is not assured to be infallible.
One of your most famous apologists was. As his obituary read in the Salt Lake Tribune,
"A die-hard Democrat in conservative Utah County, he spoke out on controversial and unpopular topics like the futility of loyalty oaths in the midst of the McCarthy hearings and the Vietnam War."
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