We have all lived in harmony in spite of these differences and we need to consider the motive of this author and not react in a way that causes division. We all disagree on these points but are still allies.
Where did you get that from?
“anyone not a Catholic will also be going to h#ll”
Oh geez... the sheer ignorance...
The Catholic Church teaches that all, repeat ALL who accept the divinity of Christ and His message of salvation through grace can be saved.
The Catholic Church has excommunicated Catholics who preach otherwise.
And when this `mackerel snapper’ hears the Pope referred to as Antichrist or the devil, I just laugh and think of those making that assertion as nothing more than snake handling goobers.
In his way, Martin Luther was trying to reform the Church of Rome, not overthrow it. I give him that much.
“It may also be pointed out that the Catholic church’s official teaching is that anyone not a Catholic will also be going to hell.”
False. Fr. Sweeney taught something close to that in the 1940s and was told to stop teaching it. It is not and has not been the position of the Catholic Church. Ever.
Do you have a reference?
Those who know and believe that the fullness of the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church yet fail to join the Catholic Church, yes, they are in trouble. That’s the Catholic teaching. But by definition, anti-Catholics refuse to “know” that—invincible ignorance. If they’ve been told falsehoods by someone who knows better and those falsehoods prevents them from making an informed decision and they had no reason to suspect they were being fed falsehoods, then they are not culpable. The falsehood-teller is culpable if he knows what he’s telling are falsehoods or suspected they were but was too lazy to find out for sure.
Most non-Catholcs fall into that “invincible ignorance” category. One can tell them what the Church actually teaches but they refuse to hear it. If the voice of conscience within them is saying, hey, you should take another look at this, reconsider,
and they reject that voice of conscience, yes,then they are in trouble. But so is everyone else, Catholics included, who hear that voice but don’t listen.
In today’s lying and misinforming world, many people’s knowledge is screwed up. They are responsible to inform and educate themselves and have to answer for how well they did that. But a lot of people are non-culpable victims of snake-oil salesmen.
I’ve now at least informed you that some assert that what you wrote was false. You now have the responsibility to find out the truth.
The truth is that everyone is responsible to listen to the voice of reason imprinted within him by God and honestly find out the truth. Who does that and who does not, who goes to hell and who does not, none of us can say, only God knows what a person did in his heart.
Many Catholics will end up in hell because they didn’t obey the Church’s teachings and knew they were not obeying.
Catholics falsely taught by heretic “Catholics” can be saved if they didn’t realize they were being bamboozled, but the bamboozlers go to hell. Non-Catholics who didn’t realize they were being told falsehoods about Catholicism can be saved. Those who knowingly tell falsehoods about Protestants or Catholics or Muslims or Republicans or Democrats or polar bears and refuse to repent of their knowing-falsehood-telling go to hell.
“.. It may also be pointed out that the Catholic church’s official teaching is that anyone not a Catholic will also be going to hell...”
Bullshit, Granny....
I’ve said before I will support and vote for Bachmann if she is our nominee. But the comments above, show why this IS a legitimate concern, when the Catholic church is already the prime target for persecution by liberals.
(especially gays, from NY to CA)
1) “... Mary worship, “celebate” priests, etc., then I’m anti-catholic as well.”
Dr. Thorne should look up Minister Warren, and “Chrislam” here.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;q=quick;s=chrislam
2) “It may also be pointed out that the Catholic church’s official teaching is that anyone not a Catholic will also be going to hell”
///
that is absolutely categorically a lie.
one of many, that hardcore anti-catholic christians repeat.
the Pope has affirmed that we will see Protestant brothers in Heaven.
any Protestant who calls me brother, i join in saying “Jesus is Lord”.
but, MANY protestants have attacked me and my child, and told us we are going to Hell.
a Baptist school, is the only non-public school i can afford.
my child has come home in tears more than once, because of the hatred of Catholics expressed there.
(they don’t know my child is Catholic.)
i asked my child, and was told that they NEVER condemn or criticise Islam, which IS the religion of Satan himself.
i don’t personally know ANY Catholic who hates Baptists.
NOT ONE !
...my child took first communion at the Papal Mass. it was a perfect day.
my happy child told me they “felt different”. i knew then, my child was safe with Jesus, forever.
...until we left the stadium. and “christians” with BULLHORNS and large signs were saying all Catholics go to Hell, and the Pope is the anti-Christ.
HOW would you like to explain that, to YOUR child ?!?
...and i am honored to know many Protestants and Baptists, who are BETTER Christians than me.
but, i do not include Luther in that.
(and remember, Luther WAS a Catholic Priest! He accepted ALL the teachings, and promised that to God.
And when he wrote his 95 complaints, he did NOT leave the Church. He only did that later, out of pride.
and he also REMOVED entire books from the Bible.
...doesn’t the Bible condemn any who removed a single line?)
if you read Luther’s OWN words, he is a hater of Jews beyond compare. a hater of science. and quotes from him about women, are beyond insulting, compared to what the Bible teachings about wives and women in Ephesians, Corinthians, and Proverbs 31.
http://articles.exchristian.net/2002/04/martin-luther-quotes.php
http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/luther.htm
Most Baptists I know, respect Jews and Israel.
but if one like Luther, says their houses should be burned, etc., then yes, i DO call them an enemy of the Church of Jesus.
and we DO need more Christian unity. which is why i respect ANY Christian, from any church, who doesn’t tell my child they are going to Hell, for being Catholic.
Great Grandma:
The official teaching of the Catholic Church has changed. I was taught in grade school during the 50’s that it was okay to attend a service at a church of a different Christian religion that was not Catholic, but that it would be a sin to participate in the service.
The Cathecism of the Catholic Church now teaches:
818
“. . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church.”
819
“Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.” Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him . . .”
Regardless of what the Church taught in the past, I could never believe that my Methodist Mother was going to hell, although I did fervently pray that she would one day become a good Catholic like my Dad and siblings. That prayer changed over the years to a wish that I would become as good a Christian as she is.
Respectfully, it is NOT the “the Catholic church’s official teaching is that anyone not a Catholic will also be going to hell.” God alone determines who goes to Heaven or Hell, and it is only by His mercy that anybody gets into Heaven.