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Last Temptation of Castro: Get Religion [To be Received Back into Church During Papal Visit]
Cranmer ^ | 2/4/12

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 ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Politics; Skeptics/Seekers
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To: Bellflower; CynicalBear

“I know that it has become quite popular for purist to renounce Christmas and Easter but I do not nor do I think does our LORD.”

And who is right?

Then there are more questions (that the fakirs here refuse to answer), like:

Unitarian or Trinitarian?

Baptism as a Sacrament or just symbolism?

Communion as a symbol or the Body and Blood of Christ?

What day is “the Sabbath”?

Women as authority figures in a congregation?

What Creeds or Confessions do we believe in?

Where is the Christian imperative to:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,. “

And how to reconcile that COMMAND with the obfuscations, disagreements and odd evasions here?


501 posted on 02/09/2012 9:43:04 PM PST by narses
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To: CynicalBear; narses
Why would there be that?

Because it actually existed? Here on earth, in reality, the same one Paul wrote to, the Apostles established?

Or are you resting on the position that the Church in the NT disappeared after Acts? Or that history ceased? Please explain...

502 posted on 02/09/2012 9:50:25 PM PST by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: metmom

That photo could be captioned in sooo many ways....


503 posted on 02/09/2012 9:56:41 PM PST by caww
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To: D-fendr

{{{CRICKETS}}}


504 posted on 02/09/2012 10:00:53 PM PST by narses
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To: stfassisi
Where we differ is how we apply this to our faith and the interpretations of Holy Scripture.

Well there is more to it then that...for Catholicism has many add-ons and twists which oppose the clear teachings of Christ....and for that deny His finished work...which then is denying Him.

505 posted on 02/09/2012 10:04:38 PM PST by caww
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To: caww
Well there is more to it then that...for Catholicism has many add-ons and twists which oppose the clear teachings of Christ....and for that deny His finished work...which then is denying Him.

506 posted on 02/09/2012 10:08:13 PM PST by narses
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To: narses
Whatever you do believe you should endeavor to receive from Scripture and from The Holy Spirit. When you agree with others it should be with your mind, fully, as an individual rather it be with what your Church teaches you or with another individual. People and institutions including Church institutions have varying and changing opinions including The Catholic Church. The Scripture does not change and is inspired by God.

The Scripture I gave showed that The LORD is not that interested in such things as which day you choose to keep Holy as they are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. Loving one another means that sometimes even if you are right you let the other person have their way, especially if they are a weaker brother. Things like whether someone with a weaker conscience is afraid to eat meat etc. you do not bother to correct because it's really not important in the greater scope of things.

But on the other hand there are things that are very important and if you read The Bible with the help of The Holy Spirit He will guide you into all truth. A major problem though is that so many have been indoctrinated with fallacies that they have a hard time reading The Bible fully relying on The Holy Spirit's assistance but rather see it through their own preconceived fallacies. That is why it is so important to read The Bible seriously praying for The LORD's guidance and laying down prejudices. One doesn't have to be afraid to do this because one will find that The LORD is there and does guide.

__________________________________

2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

_____________________________________

Act 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Act 17:12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. _____________________________________

1Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1Pe 1:24 For all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. _____________________________________

Jesus speaking:

Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God

507 posted on 02/09/2012 10:27:19 PM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: Bellflower
When you agree with others it should be with your mind, fully, as an individual rather it be with what your Church teaches you or with another individual.
So you do not believe that Christ set up a Church? To teach?
508 posted on 02/09/2012 10:29:57 PM PST by narses
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To: caww

The poor priest doesn’t look exactly happy. Can’t say I blame him.


509 posted on 02/09/2012 10:36:18 PM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: narses
So you do not believe that Christ set up a Church? To teach?

Yes, but in the context that they are people and fallible. Therefore it is up to we, ourselves, to make sure by searching and being well acquitted with Scripture that what they are teaching us is true.

510 posted on 02/09/2012 10:42:27 PM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: narses

Narses and others, Gotta go for now and take care of some things. Praise The LORD!!!


511 posted on 02/09/2012 10:48:30 PM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: Bellflower

“Yes, but in the context that they are people and fallible.”

Odd - Holy Scripture disagrees.


512 posted on 02/09/2012 11:03:23 PM PST by narses
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To: Bellflower
I know what's in those and know there are a variety of opinions about the Catholic Church among the various authors.
The thing they have in common is that they all show what Hislop fabricated from lies and fantasies and the Hunt / He Who Cannot Be Named crowd repeat and put in comics is a just set of lies. A fantasy Hislop concocted to sell books and nothing more.

A lot of atheists make the same claim, that all Christian symbols and theology are warmed over pagan religions and rituals. You're free to join the atheists or anyone else you agree with and for whatever reason you like. Just don't pretend to have historical fact rather than opinions on your side when you base claims on what has been totally debunked many times over. Likewise, the opinions of a couple of anthropologists or even your own personal opinions of the Catholic Church don't constitute the sort of factual information those who blabber the Hislop lies claim to be relying on. Opinion is opinion, and fact is fact, when you have an opinion that's fine, but pretending that your opinion or a set of lies and fantasies is fact isn't fine.

I do hope you'll throw out anything you have with a cross on it, particularly any copy of the Bible you may have with a cross on the cover. Quite a few of the Hislop fans and those who claim everything in the Catholic Church is pagan to some degree also claim the cross is an ancient pagan symbol. Of course, Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, and Sunday worship have to go as well, right along with the Christian canon of the Scripture.

513 posted on 02/10/2012 12:07:20 AM PST by Rashputin (Obama stark, raving, mad, and even his security people know it.)
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To: Rashputin
Hey, just a minute Rashputin, I did not say that I agreed with them. I said that I haven't read their books. I would not agree with them since I haven't read their books. I could not agree with them unless I was to do it out of hearsay which I hope I would not do.

I wasn't sure if you realized that one of the references you gave was not complimentary to the Catholic Church so I thought you might like to know this. Since I was making an endeavor to look into the references you gave I noticed this.

514 posted on 02/10/2012 12:38:56 AM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: Bellflower
I think you took “you” in that the wrong way. I wasn't saying you personally agreed, just that if “you” (as in anyone) does agree then other things logically follow. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
515 posted on 02/10/2012 12:45:19 AM PST by Rashputin (Obama stark, raving, mad, and even his security people know it.)
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To: Bellflower
Revised for clarity and after my first cup of coffee of the day

I know what's in those and know there are a variety of opinions about the Catholic Church among the various authors.
The thing they have in common is that they all show what Hislop fabricated from lies and fantasies and the Hunt / He Who Cannot Be Named crowd repeat and put in comics is a just set of lies. A fantasy Hislop concocted to sell books and nothing more.

A lot of atheists make the same claim, that all Christian symbols and theology are warmed over pagan religions and rituals. Someone is free to join the atheists or anyone else they agree with and for whatever reason they like. They just shouldn’t pretend to have historical fact rather than opinions on their side when they base claims on what has been totally debunked many times over. Likewise, the opinions of a couple of anthropologists or even someone’s own personal opinions of the Catholic Church don't constitute the sort of factual information those who blabber the Hislop lies claim to be relying on. Opinion is opinion, and fact is fact, when someone has an opinion that's fine, but pretending that their opinion or a set of lies and fantasies is fact isn't fine.

I do hope such folks throw out anything they have with a cross on it, particularly any copy of the Bible they may have with a cross on the cover. Quite a few of the Hislop fans and those who claim everything in the Catholic Church is pagan to some degree also claim the cross is an ancient pagan symbol. Of course, Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, and Sunday worship have to go as well, right along with the Christian canon of the Scripture.

Regards

516 posted on 02/10/2012 12:52:31 AM PST by Rashputin (Obama stark, raving, mad, and even his security people know it.)
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To: D-fendr
No more than sitting by a stereo playing a recording of the Holy Scriptures being read brings the faith that comes by hearing.

Well, not believing that it's magic is a start, but still didn't answer the question.

You stated ....."No more than sitting by a stereo playing a recording of the Holy Scriptures being read brings the faith that comes by hearing. "

And I asked you how you knew that hearing the word from a stereo (recording) is ineffective in leading one to faith?

Try again.

So, you disagree then, with Scripture when it says....Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.?

There is power in the word because its truth. And hearing is hearing.

So, try again and tell me on what basis listening to the word of God on a recording doesn't lead to faith.

517 posted on 02/10/2012 5:16:32 AM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: D-fendr
I keep asking you for yours. The people, places, dates, etc. Do you have a piece of history of your church?

And I keep telling you. I've already answered the question.

Go back and read the responses I've given you already because if you didn't get it the first two or three times I told you, telling you again is likely to also be an exercise in futility.

518 posted on 02/10/2012 5:30:07 AM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: narses; Bellflower; CynicalBear
Bf: “I know that it has become quite popular for purist to renounce Christmas and Easter but I do not nor do I think does our LORD.”

narses:And who is right?

Buy a clue. It doesn't matter.

That is a matter of personal conviction and the people themselves have to answer to God for themselves and themselves alone.

It's not a matter which pertains to salvation and is not addressed in Scripture so it is not critical to have conformity to a certain position.

Catholics need to get a grip on what freedom in Christ is all about. And it isn't about lockstep conformity to the dictates of of their self-appointed leadership.

519 posted on 02/10/2012 5:37:33 AM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: D-fendr
That’s the NT Church, my Church. It continues afterward.

It can't be...No one set on a throne in anyone's house...No one wore fancy robes...No one bowed to anyone else...The Apostles would have flipped out had someone bowed to them...

That's not your religion at all...

520 posted on 02/10/2012 5:44:32 AM PST by Iscool (You mess with me, you mess with the WHOLE trailerpark...)
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