Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: allmendream; YHAOS; betty boop; metmom; Mad Dawg
“Nothing may be asserted as true that is opposed to the truth of faith, to revealed dogma. But it is neither permissible to take whatever we hold to be true, and present it as an article of faith. For the truth of our faith becomes a matter of ridicule among the infidel, if any Catholic, not gifted with the necessary scientific learning, presents as a dogma what scientific scrutiny shows to be false”

In Aquinas' appeal not to subject Scripture to secular ridicule, or as you have said "intellectual suicide" - he runs a much greater risk of proliferating disbelief, what might be called "spiritual suicide."

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? – Matt 14:28-31

A Christian's physical senses and reasoning may be screaming to him to "run" - but if God is telling him to stay, he must stay.

The prayers of the one who does not believe in miracles will not be answered by reason of his own disbelief.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. – Mark 11:24-26

Truly, anyone who understands that physical reality had a beginning ex nihilo must also come to terms with the fact that physical reality, or nature, is a supernatural event.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: - Romans 1:20

To God be the glory, not man, never man!

756 posted on 05/19/2010 7:39:01 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 749 | View Replies ]


To: Alamo-Girl
The intellectual suicide is not secular ridicule, it is, as Aquinas said, to “take whatever we hold to be true, and present it as an article of faith.” despite it being shown to be wrong by “scientific scrutiny”.

That is intellectual suicide. Once you decide that something you believe about Scripture is “God's teachings”, your ‘knowledge’ becomes a dead thing, unable to respond to any reason or contrary data.

I do not pray for miraculous intervention by God. I pray only for the self wisdom to accept what God has in store for me and to accept it with humility and reverence.

If nature is a supernatural event, then the definition of both words become nullified as having no distinction between the two.

I do not presume that God had to create the world via supernatural means. I believe that God is perfectly capable of creating a self sufficient and self contained and self consistent universe - one that can and does unfold according to the physical laws that God created; and all scientific evidence supports this presupposition.

I do not think that stars forming right now off in the universe via the natural processes of gravity and nuclear fusion are any less created by God than our own Sun.

Do you think that if a star forms via nuclear fusion and gravity that it is less created by God than our own Sun? Do you insist that God used supernatural means to create our Sun, rather than relying upon the unfolding of natural laws?

758 posted on 05/19/2010 7:57:06 AM PDT by allmendream (Income is EARNED not distributed. So how could it be re-distributed?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 756 | View Replies ]

To: Alamo-Girl
Truly, anyone who understands that physical reality had a beginning ex nihilo must also come to terms with the fact that physical reality, or nature, is a supernatural event.

Kin ah git a AAA-MEN here?

I don't think St Thomas is saying, "Don't believe God can do miracles." I think he is saying, "Don't read things like 'the four corners of the earth' and then argue that the earth is a quadrangle."

761 posted on 05/19/2010 8:09:19 AM PDT by Mad Dawg ("Be kind to everyone you meet, for every person is fighting a great battle" -- St. Ephraim)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 756 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson