Posted on 05/07/2012 2:39:34 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Although the sinless life of Jesus Christ is a foundational tenet of the Christian faith, a study recently released by the Diocese of Camden found that 60 percent of practicing Catholics in southern New Jersey believe Jesus sinned during his time on Earth.
"The number of Catholics who have a very flawed, a seriously flawed, understanding of who Jesus is, that's troublesome," Bishop Joseph Galante of the Diocese of Camden said during a press conference, USA Today reports. "We've got to re-focus on how we teach and inform people. Jesus is the foundation of who we are as Catholics."
The study was commissioned by the diocese with the hope that the results would help it to better evangelize the communities it serves. The study was conducted by the Barna Group, a Ventura, Calif.-based research organization, which surveyed 612 adults living in the six New Jersey counties within the diocese.
Of those surveyed, 34 percent identified themselves as Catholic, but there are some discrepancies between what the church teaches and what some of them believe.
For example, the study showed that four out of ten of these Catholics disagree with the idea that sex should be reserved solely for marriage. While 38 percent of the total residents living within the Camden Diocese agree strongly with the idea that the Bible is "totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches," only 28 percent of Catholics in the diocese believe the same.
Another major issue Galante discussed during the press conference was the high number of Catholics in his diocese who simply don't attend Mass. One-third of lapsed Catholics said they have other priorities or are too busy to attend, while others said they just aren't interested in church (27 percent).
"What intrigued me in particular was the high number of people who don't attend Mass simply because they have other priorities," said Galante.
"One of the things we need to do is emphasize that worship time can also be part of family time as well. These findings are both troubling and a challenge as we begin to deepen our evangelization efforts."
Peter Feuerherd, director of communications for the Diocese of Camden, told The Christian Post on Monday that another thing that struck him from the study was the low percentage of Catholics who invite others to church. The study found that Catholics (33 percent) were half as likely as Protestants (66 percent) to invite someone to visit their church.
"I find that the 'ask' is so important, and Catholics are not in the habit of the 'ask.' Even our parishes are not in the habit of the ask," said Feuerherd.
He also indicated that a major issue all churches have to deal with is the tendency for people to want to always be productive in the American culture. Those who don't take time off from work on the weekends are honored in our society, he says, and other "distractions" like youth sporting events and various forms of entertainment can sometimes take away from church attendance.
"I think we have lost ... the idea that whatever that Sabbath day is, it is valuable. It's important that people have it," he said.
Other interesting findings from the study:
-Of the Catholics surveyed, 38 percent favor attending church only on holidays.
-Among all of the adults surveyed, 51 percent said churches are "too involved" in opposing abortion or same-sex marriage.
-Nine out of ten (89 percent) adults said they know about the clergy abuse scandals that have occurred within the Catholic Church. Among those who are aware of the scandals, 89 percent consider it a "major issue."
-Only 18 percent of Catholics strongly agree that it is their personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others, as compared to 40 percent of Protestants and 36 percent of people who believe in non-Christian faiths.
"Thomas Aquinas."
Does this god know he was defined by this man, Aquinas?
No, prayer and housework aren’t mutually exclusive.
But can you imagine doing housework while the Messiah was actually in your house, teaching your sister?
No, of course not.
I believe our Lord appreciated Martha’s efforts, but wanted her to get her priorities straight.
It’s not a debate. Jesus said one was better than the other.
Jesus loved Martha.
Another journalist picking on Catholics.
How many Methodists, Episcopalians, etc. think Christ sinned.
Catholics know that Christ did NOT sin.
“Ignorance of Scripture is an Ignorance of Christ.” St. Jerome
He did indeed!
Jesus sinned when he drove a herd of someone else’s swine off a cliff without recompense, and when he encouraged eating without hand-washing.
he’s God. He can pretty much do what he wants.
Only man can sin.
Like substantive discussions involving law and science, theology requires a knowledge and understanding of some basic Latin terms in order to precisely express ideas and concepts. It saves the embarrassment of trying to argue vagaries and error.
Ipsissima verba Scriptura literally means the exact words of Scripture. Ipsissima vox Deus literally means the exact voice or meaning of God. I used these two terms because there is clearly a difference between them absent a teaching authority to infallibly interpret Scripture.
Anyone frequenting these threads can clearly see that many who as you contend read Scripture have no clue as to what it means and rely on self interpretation to try to arrive at God's meaning. There is ample evidence that those whose religious training is limited to reading Scripture (as opposed to studying Scripture) are nowhere near as familiar as those religiously educated in the traditional Catechism and methodology established before widespread literacy or availability of vernacular bibles. There is certainly ample evidence that, if we use the new Decalogue (the Two Greatest Commandments and the eight Beatitudes) as a standard it more often than not produces less joyful, loving and forgiving Christians.
If you have access to a dictionary look up "omniscient". If you are serious read the Summa Theologica in which St. Thomas Aquinas stated; "That is perfect, which lacks nothing of the perfection proper to it.". If you are simply a knee-jerk anti-Catholic prefer a less Catholic source I would direct you to John Wesley, founder of Methodism, whose doctrines are largely founded on this definition.
"If you have access to a dictionary look up "omniscient".
Is this man Aquinas omniscient, or is the god he defined omniscient?
"If you are serious read the Summa Theologica in which St. Thomas Aquinas stated; "That is perfect, which lacks nothing of the perfection proper to it."."
Is that circular and arbitrary declaration typical of what's contained in that book?
"If you are simply a knee-jerk anti-Catholic prefer a less Catholic source I would direct you to John Wesley, founder of Methodism, whose doctrines are largely founded on this definition."
What definition, the god? Why do you think I would care for, or about any doctrine, which is based on a defined god.
Not according to the Diocese of Camden. According to the study they commissioned and released, 60% believe Christ sinned. These are folks the Diocese counts as Catholic. From the article:
" a study recently released by the Diocese of Camden found that 60 percent of practicing Catholics in southern New Jersey believe Jesus sinned during his time on Earth."
Shameful. I suppose this is all part of the Diocesan anti-Catholic program run by Bishop Galante.
"Another journalist picking on Catholics.
The journalist is recounting a Diocesan operation, it's results and the Bishop's comments on it.
"How many Methodists, Episcopalians, etc. think Christ sinned."
Irrelevant. The Bishop's interest is in what the members of his flock think and do. That's why he commisioned the study with the given limit.
“An acquaintance once told me that he lost his faith after watching the first Dan brown movie.”
It is more likely that he needed to rationalize abandoning his faith years before; that is what I find when dealing with people like that. When the homosexual scandal was in the news every day ten years ago, I had people who hadn’t been to Mass in 20 years tell me this was why; it was a convenient excuse for people looking to explain their lack of any faith at all.
No, mine was in fact the original dictation, interpreted for and explained to me personally by His Holy Spirit, so that I may better know Him... just inasmuch as He promised it would be in His perfect, unerring Word.
Now, care to address the plank in your own eye? Jesus actually suggested that you should do that first. Try to remember, He died for you, too, and He loves both of us more than He loved even His own Life.
<*))))>{
Ummm, I'm pretty sure that was Satan's demons (running scared) who ran them off the cliff...
"...without recompense..."
Seriously? And just how much more do you think Jesus should have paid? Interesting take you have there. For what shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, but forfeit his soul?
You got some 'splainin to do, Lucy...
;^\
Ummm, I'm pretty sure that was Satan's demons (running scared) who ran them off the cliff...
"...without recompense..."
Seriously? And just how much more do you think Jesus should have paid? Interesting take you have there. For what shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, but forfeit his soul?
You got some 'splainin to do, Lucy...
;^\
Maybe a little less “Social Justice” preaching from the altar and a little more Hell, Sin and Damnation might help. I was born and raised in south jersey and most of the sermons were bland talking points from the democrat party. Sad but true.
For a minute I forgot I was on FR and thought I had taken a wrong turn into the "other denominations" forum at catholic answers dot com
RE: There is a reason she was conceived without original sin.
Can you cite scripture for that please?
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