IT'S
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
HUMOROUS
when folks brazenly display
their outrageous reality mangling & distortions!
Posted on 07/12/2010 10:28:06 PM PDT by Quix
Quixicated emphases in color and/or bold appear below within some paragraphs. The headings in bold are in the original. Some extra paragraphing also injected.]
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Every time I hear someone claim to be an “ex-Catholic”, a sense of sadness comes over me. In just about every case, people leave the Catholic Faith due to a lack of understanding.
What unmitigated balderdash! What a cop-out! What a brazen distortion of reality! Far from "just about every case," probably a major chunk of such folks were heavily well trained in the hallowed halls of the Institution. Many were instructors--even Catechism instructors for many years in the Institution. That brazen falsehood just does not hold water.
After all, if Catholics truly believed that they were members of the one, true Church founded by Christ (and necessary for their salvation), nobody would ever leave!
THANKFULLY, many former RC's have learned that the above assertion is simply NOT TRUE! PRAISE GOD FOR THE TRUTH!
In an effort to help clarify what the Catholic Church teaches, I have compiled a list of 10 important facts that every Catholic should know.
NONSENSE. I'm not sure some of the assertions got within a galactic cluster's closeness to "facts."
More than simply Catholic trivia, these are important concepts that can help us to better understand and defend our beliefs. In no particular order, these items have been compiled based upon my work at Following The Truth and my own study of the Catholic Faith.
1. Women Will Never Be Priests – Often incorrectly lumped in with the subject of married priests, this is a doctrine that has been infallibly decided and will not change. In 1994, Pope John Paul II issued an Apostolic Letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, in which he declared once and for all that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.” Unlike the issue of married priests (which could possibly change), women’s ordination is an impossibility that will not happen. It is not a “glass ceiling” or the Church’s attempt to hold back women. Instead, it is an infallible recognition that men and women have different roles and that Christ instituted a male priesthood.
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I'll wait to comment on some of the following. I hope other Proddys will comment before I can get to them.
2. Fridays Are Still Days Of Penance – Ask almost anyone and they will tell you that Catholics are no longer required to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the year. However, the current Code of Canon Law (CIC) states that, with the exception of solemnities, “All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the entire Church.” (CIC 1250) Furthermore, “Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities.” (CIC 1251) In the United States, the bishops have declared that it is permissible to substitute some other form of penance, but we are still urged to fast from “something” in remembrance of the Lord’s death on the cross.
3. The Bible Is A Catholic Book – Did you ever wonder how the Bible came into being? A little known, but easily documented fact is that the books of the Bible were compiled by the Catholic Church. For many years after Christ ascended into Heaven, there was debate about which scriptural writings were inspired by God. The canon of Scripture (the books of the Bible) was first formally decided at the Synod of Rome in 382. This decision was upheld at the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397). At these Catholic Church councils, the same 46 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books that appear in today’s Catholic Bibles were declared to be inspired by God. As a side note, approximately 1200 years after this decision was made, Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers removed 7 books from the Old Testament. As a result, most Protestant Bibles are still missing these 7 books.
4. The Mass Is The Same Sacrifice As Calvary – The biggest mistake that many Catholics make is treating the Holy Mass as “just another church service”, similar to those held by other religions. In the Mass, Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross is made present, its memory is celebrated and its saving power is applied. The Council of Trent teaches that Christ left a visible sacrifice to His Church “in which that bloody sacrifice which was once offered on the Cross should be made present, its memory preserved to the end of the world, and its salvation-bringing power applied to the forgiveness of the sins which are daily committed by us.” When we attend Mass, we are mystically transported to Calvary, where we can unite ourselves with the Lord’s Sacrifice to the Father!
5. Annulments Are Not Catholic Divorces – Unlike the legal process known as “divorce” (in which a marriage is terminated), a declaration of nullity (annulment) states that a valid marriage never existed. This decision is based upon the finding that on the day that marriage vows were exchanged, some essential elements were lacking. This process is completely in conformity with the Catholic teaching regarding the indissolubility of marriage. Incidentally, the granting of an annulment does not render children illegitimate.
6. In Vitro Fertilization Is Morally Unacceptable – Many Catholics suffering from infertility utilize this process in the hopes of conceiving children, while remaining unaware that the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) declares it “morally unacceptable”(CCC 2377). In the Vatican Instruction, Donum Vitae, the Church states “…in conformity with the traditional doctrine relating to the goods of marriage and the dignity of the person, the Church remains opposed from the moral point of view to homologous ‘in vitro’ fertilization. Such fertilization is in itself illicit and in opposition to the dignity of procreation and of the conjugal union, even when everything is done to avoid the death of the human embryo.”
7. There Is No Salvation Outside Of The Catholic Church – Originally stated by St. Cyprian, the Latin axiom “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus” reminds us that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church. This dogma was declared at the Fourth Lateran Council and is a source of confusion for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. According to the Catechism, all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is His Body. It does not mean that non-Catholics cannot achieve salvation. Individuals who are unaware that the Catholic Church is the one, true Church may still achieve salvation through the merits of the Church, despite their lack of knowledge.
8. In An Emergency, Anyone Can Baptize – Although the ordinary ministers of Baptism are bishops, priests and deacons, anyone can baptize in an emergency, even a non-baptized person. This extraordinary decision can be attributed to the necessity of Baptism for salvation and the Church’s desire to make it readily available to all.
9. Hell And Purgatory Still Exist – Contrary to the belief of many Catholics, the Church still teaches that “the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin, descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, eternal fire” (CCC 1035) Furthermore, “all who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” (CCC 1030) This purification process, formally declared by the Church at the Councils of Florence and Trent, is known as Purgatory.
10. Catholics Don’t Worship Mary And The Saints – Many Catholics are confused about the role of the Blessed Mother and the Saints. Should we pray to Mary and the Saints or should we go “right to the top” and pray to God? In a nutshell, the Catholic Faith teaches that we must worship God alone. Mary and the Saints are to be honored, not worshipped. However, their intercession can be extremely powerful and emulating their virtues can put us on the road to Heaven.
While the above list only scratches the surface of the robust Catholic Faith, it provides a glimpse into the depth of Catholic teaching. Further explanation on these and other topics can be found by examining the Code of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, both of which can be found online at the Vatican website (www.vatican.va). Not only will studying the teachings of the Catholic Church enable us to better defend her when challenged, it will help us to become closer to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who founded our Church 2,000 years ago.
Poverty is rife, class systems abound, and Catholicism is mixed with superstition, which is a bigger indicator of not being taught adequately in their faith than just elderly ladies are.
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RIGHT YOU ARE, AS USUAL.
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NOW to comment on the specific items . . .
2. Fridays Are Still Days Of Penance . . . In the United States, the bishops have declared that it is permissible to substitute some other form of penance, but we are still urged to fast from “something” in remembrance of the Lord’s death on the cross.
Personally, this is an individual-before-God personal issue. I do think it is admirable that any Christian organization would set such a standard. Playing mental and other rationalizing games with it would negate any benefit, it seems to me.
3. The Bible Is A Catholic Book –
NONSENSE.
1. The Vatican did not exist as any kind of formalized, structured, organized etc. existence until AFTER 350AD, IIRC.
2. Noise to the contrary is rubbery history, rubbery logic, rubbery dictionaries and rubbery 'Bible.'
3. God was NOT that incompetent at protecting HIS WORD. He used lots of groups here and there in protecting parts or all of HIS WORD--as the Ethiopian church has demonstrated--including yet again with a very recent finding of an early text of the Scriptures.
4. This notion is yet again another example of the elitist, bureaucratic political magicsterical power-mongering EXCLUSIVIST mentality that has horrifically polluted & infested the Vatican system from the beginning.
5. By the time one subtracts out for the Vatican's distortions and manglings of Scripture . . . I'm not sure how much positive is left on the side of their ledger for their part in 'helping protect' the texts from approx 350AD on.
6. By the time one subtracts out for the Vatican's trashing and burning all the evidence they could that failed to support their monopolistic constructions on RELIGIOUS 'reality,' they are likely quite horrifically in the red, before God.
4. The Mass Is The Same Sacrifice As Calvary –
This may not set well with some Proddys . . . however, I don't write for man's approval, per se.
1. I strongly adhere to the Proddy interpretation of The Lord's Supper as a memorial vs a re-enactment.
2. I ALSO believe God meant it when HE SAID--according to your faith, so be it unto you. Certainly we can take that and jump off the cliff irrationally with it and I don't support that.
3. However, it IS plausible to me, that folks who construe the bread and juice/wine as mystically becoming Christ's broken body and shed blood in their behalf--may receive some benefit from such a faith-filled construction on reality in those regards.
4. I do NOT believe there's any magicsterically orchestrated elitist magical managing of such a 'transformation' on behalf of any organization in the name of Christ--at the hands of an elite cadre of 'priests' or whatever.
5. Any such transformation would be a very personal intimate interaction between God and the individual--to the exclusion of ALL else, imho.
6. And even at that, I do not believe that the elements would be transsubstantiated into the mortal flesh & blood of Jesus The Christ as He walked this globe's Middle East 2000 years ago. I believe the transformation--to whatever degree the word would fit, at all--would be a mystical SPIRITUAL one.
7. I have often prayed during Communion that The Lord would make His Broken Body as healing for my body, mind, spirit, soul, emotions . . . and the juice/wine as His cleansing, delivering, protecting, saving Blood to me and to my life. I believe He does so according to His will and priorities for my life on the basis of such a prayer of faith.
8. The whole exclusivist hierarchically managed schtick as some sort of mystical authoritarian tyrannical gate-keeping function to the Roman System's 'holy of holies' has to be a huge stench in the nostrals of God.
9. The 2' thick veil to the Holy of Holies was RENT ASUNDER during the Golgatha Supreme Drama. God is certainly likely to be VERY UNamused at the Vatican's systems of reinstating it in layer upon layer and burden upon burden on the backs of the sheeple.
Thus endeth this posting of the Quixicated pontifications on these issues.
It appears to me that Holy Spirit has left a LOT of the Vatican related buildings centuries ago and never returned.
Thanks for the clarifications about all Christians etc.
Thankfully, Biblically sound Pentecostals have been doing more than the Roman system in South American and Asia for decades at bringing folks to a saving knowledge of Christ and to authentic mature discipleship in His Word and Gospel.
Then anyone who dies before the age of reason is damned to hell?
Of course not. Salvation is a free gift, not one accomplished by our works (i.e., accepting, asking, etc.)
That's why Christianity from the times of the Apostles has had infant Baptism.
LOL!
There are tens of thousands of competing non-Catholic bodies, each claiming guidance from the Holy Spirit, each with conflicting interpretations of Scripture.
My God is an awesome God, He is not the schizophrenic author of numerous competing interpretations of scripture.
There can only be ONE proper interpretation of Scripture. Any "spirit" that inspires tens of thousands of competing interpretations is not the Holy Spirit.
Where in scripture does it say Christians no longer sin?
and stuff like the Inquisition?
I'd take my chances with an inquisition court any day over the self anointed inquisitors on the Religion Forum.
In your opinion.
Which might just be biased.
Sometimes observations are heavily colored by bias, and sometimes not.
Observations on the order of whether the light switch is on vs off are usually little influenced by unobjective bias.
No more than the thousands of competing
clusters of RC’s with their own notions of what
is authentically kosher Roman Catholic dogma and practice.
The main result of which is
a formerly mostly dry baby is now a little wetter.
Then anyone who dies before the age of reason is damned to hell?
Of course not. Salvation is a free gift, not one accomplished by our works (i.e., accepting, asking, etc.)
That's why Christianity from the times of the Apostles has had infant Baptism.
If you were familiar with the Holy Word of G-d you would know YHvH has told us in His Word. NAU Romans 10:13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF YHvH WILL BE SAVED." Who are you to tell the creator of the universe what His Rules for salvation are ?
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
that YHvH knows His Chosen from before the foundation of the Universe. NAU Joel 2:32 "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of YHvH
See John 3:3- 21 for a more detailed discussion.
Will be delivered;
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape,
As YHvH has said, Even among the survivors whom YHvH calls.
Yes, there are indeed orthodox and heterodox Catholics. Fortunately, we can discern which are which by comparing their beliefs with 2000 years of Catholic dogma.
But fortunately, NOT the early Christians. They weren't deceived by the new false gospel of the reformation.
Who are you to tell the Creator of the Church how to interpret His scripture, when that same Creator specifically granted the keys of the Kingdom and the authority to lose and bind to His Church?
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigghhhhhhhhhhhhht
The 1600 years of doctrine/dogma as well as outrageous practices
that were exceedingly FAR
from homogeneous—and instead were all over the waterfront . . . far too often from one outrageous example to another.
I’d have never guessed that someone with your kindly face would believe such utterly false assertions from such a horrendously complex and bizarre record.
And sometimes there are truly sincere folks whose lights are on, but nobody's home...
Put another way . . .
that’s a bit like calling a bowl full of tiny bits of assorted junks, screw, nails, and broken parts of plastic, wood, metal . . . from a junk yard
a bowl of green jello.
Y’all are welcome to think that record equals a bowl of seamless homogeneous jello, if you wish.
The rest of us have eyes to see—reality.
More Vatican fantasies.
Well, its either believe that, or believe nothing. Since I’ve got a lot invested in my Faith, I choose the former. Posts from folks on your side of the aisle are more than adequate to make an atheist out of me, if you ever succeed in convincing me your delusions are true.
My cohorts hereon have repeatedly demonstrated
that the early Fathers can be made to support almost anything.
The fact that RC’s pick and choose very arbitrarily to support their own
bureaucratic political magicsterical elite’s power-mongering
is far from surprising.
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