Pope Francis rejects false religiosity

cna ^ | September 7, 2013 | Kerri Lenartowick

[NYer]

Pope Francis greets the faithful at the May 8 General Audience (Credit: CNA / Stephen Driscoll)

Vatican City, Sep 7, 2013 / 10:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his daily homily on Saturday, Pope Francis reflected on the question of authentic Christianity and rejected the practice of focusing more on devotions than on Christ himself.

Jesus is “the center” of faith, said the Pope. “A commandment is valid if it comes from Jesus: I do this because the Lord wants me to do this. But if I am a Christian without Christ, I do this and I don’t know why I have to do it,” he said to the congregation at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on September 7.

Like the Pharisees, he said, there are some people who “make so many commandments the center of their religiosity.” 

Others who have a false sense of religiosity “only seek devotions” or “things that are a little uncommon, a little special, that go back to private revelations,” noted Pope Francis.

“If your devotions bring you to Christ, that works. But if you remain there, something’s wrong,” he explained.

“If Jesus is not at the center, there will be many other things,” so that people become “Christians without Christ.”

Remembering that Jesus is the center of faith “regenerates us, grounds us.”

Pope Francis further explained the mark of a true “Christian with Christ.”

“The rule is simple: only that which brings you to Jesus is valid, and only that is valid that comes from Jesus. Jesus is the center, the Lord, as He Himself says.”

Christians can avoid false religiosity by adoring Jesus as “the Lord, the only Lord.”

“If you aren’t able to adore Jesus, you’re missing something,” warned Pope Francis.

The sign of a true “Christian with Christ” is one who does “that which comes from Jesus” and that which leads to Jesus.

Such adoration bears true fruit in the life of a Christian, encouraged the Pope.

He said that Jesus also gives “the grace of loving Him so much, of following Him, of going along the path that He has shown us.”

A “Christian with Christ” has the courage to proclaim Jesus as Lord.

Pope Francis exhorted Catholics not to focus on false piety, but rather evangelize and “take the Gospel!”

[caww]

...”Should the Pope as the leader of approximately 12. billion Catholics be afforded the same protection as other World leaders?”.....

Well obviously he doesn’t think so or he wouldn’t change his route and means of transportation as often as he does.....and no I don’t think it’s necessary...he’s not a world leader...he’s a CEO of a religious organization so the question should be should pastors and popes etc. have the same protection as world leaders......no.

What they have should be determined by the religious organization and his choice...if any.

[caww]

Well that evidences clearly you can’t take it with you!

[verga]

Don’t you have anything better to do with your life than sit in front of a computer screen all day and bash Catholics? What is your problem? I mean, it’s all day every day! Don’t you have some laundry to do or *something*?

I don't care who you are that is just plain hilarious.

[Elsie]

Do you feel he should be afforded the same protection?

Yes.

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We seem to be arguing over whether a person with a 'vow of poverty' should live in such sumptious surroundings.

(Remember; Tammy Faye and her ilk are continually raked over the coals for this...)

[Elsie]

Now, can you honestly say that the Church has never taken advantage of the scriptures for their own gain?

One would be hard pressed to find some that DIDN'T on both sides of the theological fence.

[Elsie]

It’s not like they can’t get a NEW pope real quickly.

And pressing matters of the world REALLY aren’t in his job description.

Come on...

Just what would the RCC lose by NOT having a pope?

The theological questions are handled by a majority vote of the Magisterium anyhow, and SURELY the mundane things of the church could be handled quite easily by those who do them now!

History has shown that a BAD pope could come along - giving the church a new black eye; so why take THAT chance?

[Elsie]

I probably have dozens!

[Elsie]

There were no Protestant blends.

Well; that kept Scripture from being discussed... lol

[Elsie]

Heck; even Jesus said that 2 swords were enough!

[Elsie]

Your response:

[Elsie]

I’m going to prove my interpretation of scripture is the only interpretation by posting scripture in pretty colors anonymously on an article chat site!

It just jumps out at ya - don't it!!!

[Elsie]

Your continued avoidance of responding to my logical arguments are telling.

[goodwithagun]

As with others, your comprehension can’t grasp using the absurd to demonstrate the absurd? Peace be with you.

[Elsie]

In a religious debate,t eh first one to compare the other side to islam forfeits the debate.

It must SUCK to be a MORMON!

“I Will Be a Second Mohammed”

In the heat of the Missouri “Mormon War” of 1838, Joseph Smith made the following claim, “I will be to this generation a second Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran [Koran] or the Sword.’ So shall it eventually be with us—‘Joseph Smith or the Sword!’ ”[1]

It is most interesting that a self-proclaimed Christian prophet would liken himself to Mohammed, the founder of Islam. His own comparison invites us to take a closer look as well. And when we do, we find some striking—and troubling—parallels. Consider the following.

• Mohammed and Joseph Smith both had humble beginnings. Neither had formal religious connections or upbringing, and both were relatively uneducated. Both founded new religions by creating their own scriptures. In fact, followers of both prophets claim these scriptures are miracles since their authors were the most simple and uneducated of men.[2]

• Both prophets claim of having angel visitations, and of receiving divine revelation to restore pure religion to the earth again. Mohammed was told that both Jews and Christians had long since corrupted their scriptures and religion. In like manner, Joseph Smith was told that all of Christianity had become corrupt, and that consequently the Bible itself was no longer reliable. In both cases, this corruption required a complete restoration of both scripture and religion. Nothing which preceded either prophet could be relied upon any longer. Both prophets claim they were used of God to restore eternal truths which once existed on earth, but had been lost due to human corruption.

• Both prophets created new scripture which borrowed heavily from the Bible, but with a substantially new “spin.” In his Koran, Mohammed appropriates a number of Biblical themes and characters—but he changes the complete sense of many passages, claiming to “correct” the Bible. In so doing he changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place. In like manner, Joseph Smith created the Book of Mormon, much of which is plagiarized directly from the King James Bible. Interestingly, the Book of Mormon claims that this same Bible has been substantially corrupted and is therefore unreliable. In addition, Joseph Smith went so far as to actually create his own version of the Bible itself, the “Inspired Version,” in which he both adds and deletes significant portions of text, claiming he is “correcting” it. In so doing he also changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place.

• As a part of their new scriptural “spin,” both prophets saw themselves as prophesied in scripture, and both saw themselves as a continuation of a long line of Biblical prophets. Mohammed saw himself as a continuation of the ministry of Moses and Jesus. Joseph Smith saw himself as a successor to Enoch, Melchizedek, Joseph and Moses. Joseph Smith actually wrote himself into his own version of the Bible—by name.

• Both prophets held up their own scripture as superior to the Bible. Mohammed claimed that the Koran was a perfect copy of the original which was in heaven. The Koran is therefore held to be absolutely perfect, far superior to the Bible and superceding it. In like manner, Joseph Smith also made the following claim. “I told the Brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book.”[3]

• Despite their claim that the Bible was corrupt, both prophets admonished their followers to adhere to its teachings. An obvious contradiction, this led to selective acceptance of some portions and wholesale rejection of others. As a result, the Bible is accepted by both groups of followers only to the extent that it agrees with their prophet’s own superior revelation.

• Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith taught that true salvation was to be found only in their respective religions. Those who would not accept their message were considered “infidels,” pagans or Gentiles. In so doing, both prophets became the enemy of genuine Christianity, and have led many people away from the Christ of the Bible.

• Both prophets encountered fierce opposition to their new religions and had to flee from town to town because of threats on their lives. Both retaliated to this opposition by forming their own militias. Both ultimately set up their own towns as model societies.

• Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith left unclear instructions about their successors. The majority of Mohammed’s followers, Sunni Muslims, believe they were to elect their new leader, whereas the minority, Shiite Muslims, look to Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, whom they consider Divinely appointed, as the rightful successor to Muhammad, and the first imam. (Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad). Similarly, the majority of Joseph Smith's followers, Mormons, believed their next prophet should have been the existing leader of their quorum of twelve apostles, whereas the minority, RLDS, believed Joseph Smith's own son should have been their next prophet. Differences on this issue, and many others, have created substantial tension between these rival groups of each prophet.

• Mohammed taught that Jesus was just another of a long line of human prophets, of which he was the last. He taught that he was superior to Christ and superceded Him. In comparison, Joseph Smith also made the following claim.

“I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.”[4] In light of these parallels, perhaps Joseph Smith's claim to be a second Mohammed unwittingly became his most genuine prophecy of all.

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[1] Joseph Smith made this statement at the conclusion of a speech in the public square at Far West, Missouri on October 14, 1838. This particular quote is documented in Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, second edition, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1971), p. 230–231. Fawn Brodie’s footnote regarding this speech contains valuable information, and follows. “Except where noted, all the details of this chapter [16] are taken from the History of the [Mormon] Church. This speech, however, was not recorded there, and the report given here is based upon the accounts of seven men. See the affidavits of T.B. Marsh, Orson Hyde, George M. Hinkle, John Corrill, W.W. Phelps, Samson Avard, and Reed Peck in Correspondence, Orders, etc., pp. 57–9, 97–129. The Marsh and Hyde account, which was made on October 24, is particularly important. Part of it was reproduced in History of the [Mormon] Church, Vol. III, p. 167. See also the Peck manuscript, p. 80. Joseph himself barely mentioned the speech in his history; see Vol. III, p. 162.”

[2] John Ankerberg & John Weldon, The Facts on Islam, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1998), pp.8–9. Eric Johnson, Joseph Smith & Muhammed, (El Cajon, CA: Mormonism Research Ministry, 1998), pp. 6–7.

[3] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.4, pp.461.

[4] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.6, pp.408–409.

[Elsie]

Glad to see you could squeeze in some time between loads to BASH a catholicBASHER.

[Elsie]

Quit throwing rocks into the dog pack.

Every now and then one of them yelps.

[Elsie]

Mark 4:39

[nanetteclaret]

I get sick of seeing it every time I click on Latest Posts. Alex Murphy seems to post at least one article a day guaranteed to get the Catholic bashers going. They act obssessed - it’s all day every day. It must be like a narcotic.

I come to FR to read news, not see Catholic bashing threads.

[Elsie]

...your comprehension can’t grasp...

It CAN'T?

You SURE?

Actually, some who CLAIMS that colored text highlighting something is absurd, is, well..

...absurd.

---

The above is a quote from the Department of Redundancy Department.

[Alex Murphy]

Alex Murphy seems to post at least one article a day guaranteed to get the Catholic bashers going. They act obssessed - it’s all day every day. It must be like a narcotic. I come to FR to read news, not see Catholic bashing threads.

You're welcome.