“This Bible-believing Christian is laughing at efforts to create some false dichotomy between “Bible-believing Christian” and “Catholic.” “
No effort was made at such. I never used the phrase “Bible-believing Christian” - you did.
The dichotomy referred to was between “Bible-believing Protestant” and non-Bible believing Protestant (ie, liberal) churches.
While there are certainly genuinely saved, Bible-believing Catholics, many strike me as members of a social club.
To me, objectively, the purer choice would be to desire to join a conservative, Bible-believing Protestant church, rather than join a hit-or-miss mixed bag.
**To me, objectively, the purer choice would be to desire to join a conservative, **
What church is more conservative than any other church?
Why does the media always slam the Catholic Church? Because it had stood steadfastly through the ages with Christ against abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, embryonic stem cell research, etc. etc. etc.
Please re-think your stance. You will NOT find a more conservative church.
YES! That's what we're saying! It's all about different ecclesiologies (and about not being willing to write people off). We're all about wheat and tares - the Church on earth (the "on earth" part is important to us) being a mixed bag, in our view.
We imagine people to whom salvation with all the richness of the graces and helps and all that that the body of Christ on earth can offer was presented, and who rejected it.
But we also imagine people whose entire lives until the last minute were spent rejecting it and then, like water eroding a damn, finally there's a breakthrough and the cumulative effect of all the God gives and has given to them through the Church collapses all their barriers, and at the last instant they turn to Christ.
So, yes, a lot of us look like members of a very peculiar and unsatisfactory social club. But it ain't over 'til it's over. Besides, who knows what the seemingly superficial person thinks about in the dreadful waking hours between 2 and 4 AM when the minutes crawl slowly over the ceiling and the mind goes back to all our sins and unhappinesses?
We cannot conclude, just because someone assumes a brittle disguise with which to face the world, that nothing is going on in their lives, that the Lord is not slowly beating down their defenses and pride. Those of us who think there are greater and lesser saints consider that little Miss Pointy-Pradas Lacquered-Hair may turn out at the last to be a far brighter beacon of Divine light that we will ever be.
I bet Paul looked like a jerk the day before he set out for Damascus.
I'm stymied because I can only go halfway to 'god' through Mary and not all the way to God--you know, since I'm Catholic--and worse yet, I'd ask the Pope but since he can only get six of the seven sacraments I'm just thinking serious about becoming a Calvinist or a Baptist...that's the real real deal...
I made no claim to be discussing what you said or did not say.
The dichotomy referred to was between “Bible-believing Protestant” and non-Bible believing Protestant (ie, liberal) churches.
My fascinat-o-meter is pegged . . . at zero.
While there are certainly genuinely saved, Bible-believing Catholics, many strike me as members of a social club.
While there are certainly genuinely Christian "Bible-believing Protestants," none of them have ever struck me and I avoid making sweeping statements about all members of any class.
To me, objectively, the purer choice would be to desire to join a conservative, Bible-believing Protestant church, rather than join a hit-or-miss mixed bag.
The Catholic Church is a Bible-believing Church. "Hit-or-miss mixed bags" are the result of sola scriptura.