Posted on 02/05/2012 2:58:27 PM PST by marshmallow
Fidel Castro will be received back into the communion of the Roman Catholic Church during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the island in March, the Italian press is reporting. If true, this is a remarkable story — and one that has yet to catch the attention of editors this side of the Atlantic.
On 1 Feb 2012, La Republicca — [Italy’s second largest circulation daily newspaper, La Republicca follows a center-left political line and is strongly anti-clerical; not anti-Catholic per se but a critic of the institutional church] — reported that as death approaches, the octogenarian communist has turned to God for solace.
ABC’s Global Note news blog is the only U.S. general interest publication I have found that has reported this story. It referenced the La Republicca story and said that Castro’s
daughter Alina is quoted as saying “During this last period, Fidel has come closer to religion: he has rediscovered Jesus at the end of his life. It doesn’t surprise me because dad was raised by Jesuits.” The article quotes an unidentified high prelate in the Vatican who is working on the Pope’s Cuba trip: “Fidel is at the end of his strength. Nearly at the end of his life. His exhortations in the party paper Granma, are increasingly less frequent. We know that in this last period he has come closer to religion and God.”
Some Italian websites have even speculated as to when Fidel will make his confession and credo — setting the date as 27 March 2012 at 17:30 when the two ottantacinquenni, Pope Benedict XVI and Castro, will meet at the Palacio de la Revolución when the pope makes his official visit to the head of state, Raul Castro.
During Pope John Paul II’s 1998 visit to Cuba, Castro attended mass, but did...........
(Excerpt) Read more at geoconger.wordpress.com ...
Worth repeating.......
Interesting, isn't it.
Non-Catholics are regularly castigated for easy believerism, and that we can live as we want and repent at the end and we're in.
And yet here we see a situation, just like with Teddy Kennedy, where this man lived in blatant sin without any regrad for human life, opposing God, and suddenly he's *repentant* and the Catholic church does the very thing Protestants are castigated for.
The hypocrisy abounds.....
As usual.....
It’s a dangerous precipice one balances on when adding the wisdom of man to the gospel of Christ. Double speak will ultimately force those who add to scripture into that position of hypocrisy.
While you're at it, say a prayer for the souls of the thousands that Castro and his gangster communist stooges have imprisoned, raped, tortured and murdered over the last 50 years.
I always have.
I’m afraid we already disagree. :(
Salvation by election is quite different than salvation by grace through faith. In double predestination all is conditional, dependent upon election. You’ve lost what you said was key: salvation by faith.
In addition you have a different God and a different man and a different relationship between God and man. It’s a result of a complete lack of balance that I mention previously.
thanks for your reply...
Didn't do that. What I did do was assist in the suicide of someone's credibility.
Quite a few of those apply to The Church of CB...
Oh really? Which ones? This should be good.
BTW I was watching a video of Muslim woman in the Middle East....I was astounded how the burqas of many have that white band across the forehead piece catholic nuns have on their habits.....and both are long and black costumes. The similarities were striking for those who leave their faces exposed....really amazing.
It’s a cult of one, a church of one, these apply:
4, 5, 6 and 8, likely 7 and 9, 10 unknowingly, 11 based on your claimed ability to distinguish saved and doomed.
I’d also apply 1, based on your “mind of Christ” type posts; 12 maybe, depending on what you’re wearing now. :)
I say cult of one, that’s all we see on here. I believe you described your church as kind of a neighborhood. I don’t know how many members or what sway you have over them or whether it’s just you and a keyboard.
Oh this is too rich!
>>4. Has a leader that is revered by cult members.<<
I lead absolutely no group. It’s ludicrous and completely presumptuous to insinuate any leadership when you have no idea what group I meet with.
>>5. The leader claims special authority<<
Not once have I claimed authority over anything. I consider scripture and the Holy Spirit as the authority in my life.
>>6. Divine Revelation claimed by the leader which is non-verifiable.<<
I have never claimed divine revelation. In fact I have consistently said the only the apostles and writers of scripture were divinely inspired. Post after post I have spoken out against the claimed revelation of anyone including the guys in the pointy hats of the RCC.
>>7. Usually changes and/or evolves over time. On the other hand the RCC has added many doctrines since the apostels.<<
How preposterous. Scripture does not change and that is what I have consistently posted as evidence of what I believe.
>>9. Overrriding authority (i.e. correcting, amending or even replacing the Bible) attributed to the special divine revelation.<<
Show one post of mine where I claimed divine revelation or once again be considered dishonest.
>>10. Denial of the authority and completeness of Scripture<<
Now that is beyond incredulous. I and we consistently claim scripture is complete and are excoriated by Catholics for doing so. I certainly hope you don’t expect people to take you seriously or give any credence to anything you say when you make claims with evidence.
>>11. Signs, signals or other means of identification and/or recognition<<
ROFL You didn’t even understand that sign of a cult. The Catholic sign of the cross would be one. And the accusation you repeat hasn’t been proven by you so still is considered an scurrilous untruth.
Gee, this is easy:
You’re revered by your members - you. You claim sole authority for your doctrine, dogma, interpretation, etc. If that ain’t divine revelation, it’s close enough. I doubt you have not changed your views “over time” and likely will again. Your interpretation of scripture, sola scriptura for example, is beyond scripture. Holy Spirit inspire this for you? You claim to be able to identify the saved by a set of words they say.
Odd that you skipped rebutting #8:
8. Intolerant – members cannot challenge or even question cult doctrine or decisions made by cult leadership.
:)
I would add a sure sign of a cult-like religion:
Began with, is determined and controlled by, and will end, with a single individual.
Totally untrue and you can not back up that statement. If you continue to tell untruths without proof we can only consider that your only intent is deception.
>>Your interpretation of scripture, sola scriptura for example, is beyond scripture.<<
First of all, you haven’t shown that you understand what Sola Scriptura even means.
>>You claim to be able to identify the saved by a set of words they say.<<
Once again without any proof you purport to claim to know what I believe.
What members? What leadership? You can’t even show where any of the non Catholics on this site have differed with what I believe. Every belief I have spoken of here has been backed up by scripture. What am I intolerant of? If you can back up what you believe with scripture that is sound have at it.
We already discussed what happens in your world if someone disagrees with you - you discuss, and in the end, your vote rules your church. Sole authority.
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