[RnMomof7]

I thought this was an interesting post..

[RnMomof7]

Ping

[BipolarBob]

Yeah, it is. I look forward to hearing from our catholic friends.

ps: I'm partial to the Humpty-Dumpty one myself.

[smvoice]

LOL! It should be so easy to pick ONE of the four possible explanations. It's a combination of all four. It's like putting on a pair of secret decoder glasses and staring into the Magic Eye picture until you begin to see Humpty Dumpty sitting there, holding a Rubik's cube and explaining in his own "words" how to solve it...

Yes, I truly think it's THAT BAD.

[NakedRampage]

This is a very warped view of the Catholic position, so much so that it parts brass rags with reality on just about every level.

I'd also like to mention, the Bible was not assembled into a complete volume until the 400's. Sola Scriptura rolled around much later. What were people supposed to do until then?

Whats more, sola scriptura is not in the bible. Its taking a doctrine that is not in the bible that states everything not in the bible is invalid. Wouldn't that make sola scriptura invalid?

[taxcontrol]

The truth of the modern world:

Catholics throw out Sola Scriptura in an accusation against Protestants. Protestants throw out Sola Ecclisa against the Catholics.

A much more accurate view would be Prima (Primarily ...) Scriptura and Prima Ecclisa.

[RegulatorCountry]

I liken it to any in-group seeking to protect its turf via jargon and complexity. Any IT department in a large corporation, defense contractors, lawyers, Congressmen. They all seek to baffle the people they ostensibly serve to some degree, in order to maintain control and to benefit themselves.

Does the network still work? Yes, but it’s needlessly complex and difficult to use. Do the jets and tanks still defend us? Yes, but they’re hideously complex and expensive, to the detriment of the people. Does the law still function? Yes, but it becomes more and more opaque, to the point that bad law is difficult to distinguish from good law, and lawyers themselves become ever more arrogant.

And then, we get to Congressmen, which is really the most apt comparison to the priesthood under this example. Corruption seeps in, self-serving vainglory comes to the fore, and it becomes increasingly difficult to ever root it out. At least Congressmen are putatively subject to losing an election, but in practice an incumbent is difficult to unseat.

That’s what I see, an intentionally elaborate set of interpretations that invariably benefit and empower the hierarchy, whenever such interpretations depart from Scripture. Are individual Catholics good Christians despite all this? No doubt many are, I know several personally. I just do not care for their priesthood, at all.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"Nevertheless, core doctrines (like the contents of the Apostles' creed, for example) are plainly and unmistakeably set forth in the Scriptures, without the need for any special glasses, tricky eye techniques, or authoritative lexicography."

He gave the Hebrew's 10 simple commandments, and look what they turned that into!

Worthy IS the Lamb!

[hosepipe]

Both (a)”Sola Scriptura” and (b)”Sola Esslesia”... try to make the Holy Spirit a DOOFUS..

---

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. -John 14;26

[pgyanke]

This thread is ridiculous. If you want to have a theological discussion with a Catholic, have one... we're right here. The nonsense put in conversation form in this thread is absurd.

As to the discussion made in the posts regarding Catholic reverence for Scripture, I simply offer the following excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

86 "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith.

[rwilson99]

I’ve seen the light... Jesus did inspire Obama’s policies.

Because if any one can interpret the bible... ANYONE can interpret the bible.

[dinoparty]

I am not a Catholic. However, I must say that compared to the literalist claptrap of most modern protestant “interpretations” the Catholic interpretation is great nourishment.

[fishtank]

One of the reasons I left Rome is their catechism had no glossary entry for “salvation”.

But the gospel of John had many references to salvation:

John 3:16

John 5:24

So I left Rome about 2 years AFTER God saved me by “grace through faith”. I was baptized by the RCC as a newborn, but I know I wasn’t born again until I was out of college,

[A.A. Cunningham]

Christian: That's not true, the Bible was written to be understood. Anyone can authentically interpret the Bible, and many do - some more, and others less, well than others.

Scripture disagrees but folks like you never let that fact get in your way.

"Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation. For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:20-21

[JustMeMcGee]

This thread has helped me make a decision. I was considering whether to donate to FR. After reading the bigotry here and on other threads, I’ve decided not to. I’m all for good-willed discussion. But threads like this are intended to promote bigotry. It isn’t just hatred toward Catholics. The same sentiments are expressed toward LDS and muslims on other threads. A site that condones bigotry isn’t one I’m comfortable donating to. Or wasting more time reading. Oh well ... back to your regularly scheduled Catholic bashing.

[RobbyS]

Was the Bible meant to be read? yes, to the Jewish people and to the members of the Church. But the men who actually wrote the Scriptures were people of their times and they wrote with the people they knew in mind, people who had heard the “”Story” before, And Sometimes knew Those Who to us are no more than names. We really get a sense of this in the letters of Paul. Like many a letter we write, he does not tell all he knows. He is only having a conversation with friends of his. He alludes to people and places and events who to us are strangers, far more so than any people now living. No matter how much we read, no matter how many language we learn, we will never bring them to life again.

The pope is not a prophet like the Mormon President. Biblical interpretation is not his job. His job is to pass on what the Church has taught since the time of the Apostles. If you had bothered to read the works of by Karol Woijtila or Joseph Ratzinger, you would see that neither pretended to be an authority on the Bible. The former was a philosopher, the latter a theologican. As people, they read the Bible pretty much as you read the Bible, with the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, that the Bible is God’s Word. If they interpret the Bible, it as a men of faith, but also as a Catholics. So they hear what the Church teaches . will ponder this, and see how those teachings are confirmed by Scripture. You may disagree. So be it. But, then, who are you to say they were wrong?