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Pope's letter to non-believers in Italian paper La Repubblica
Vatican Radio ^ | September 11, 2013

Posted on 09/11/2013 4:52:10 PM PDT by NYer

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To: daniel1212

I noticed that after I clicked to post. But it also provides an opportunity for others to investigate the why’s and how’s. I believe that is our purpose on these threads.

We get this incessant drumbeat of cultic propaganda from the Roman Catholics that does little to bring us closer to Christ. it is their constant repetitious, redundant promotion of the organization and its hierarchy, without giving much thought to preaching the gospel of Christ crucified and raised up from the grave. The good news that His death on the cross was a full and complete payment to God for our sinfulness, if we would just believe on him.

We are promised the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. He promises a comforter and mediator, and denies that we need do anything, nay, cannot do anything to save ourselves. It is entirely his work, as Paul says “not of (our own) works, lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:9.)

There is no woman pulling on Jesus’s ear so that we can get a leg up and gain some advantage with God. There are no dead “ Saints” who take us by the hand and keep us safe from different challenges in our lives. There is no man-made institution governed by fallible men who can decide on our future habitat in the afterlife.There is only the Holy Spirit, who quickens our heart and leads us by still waters.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The Old Testament and the New Testament begin with those words. God knew us from before the foundations of the earth. He created us in his image, as spirits, but He gave us mortal bodies. He gave us a choice, and the first man made a wrong one. God made NO mistakes when he made man, and his plan of salvation and expiation began long before this orb came into being. He did not want a being to act robotic, nor did he want anything in his creation to bow to him by command.

We have a choice. We can follow man, or we can follow God. He wants us to have a desire to follow him and to serve him. But, that burden is light. It doesn’t require us to jump through hoops, bow down to some craven image on a cross in a gilt Temple of oppression, nor are confess our sentence to a guy in a closet. Instead he tells us to confess our sons one to another, and the purpose of the closet is for prayer. We are not to look for approval by man.

We have only to look toward God. We only need a simple faith as declared by Jesus, but foretold for all of history. We only need to believe that Christ Jesus died, and lives again, so we can live forever and ever, amen.

Believe it or not!


101 posted on 09/12/2013 6:35:41 PM PDT by WVKayaker ("So we're bombing Syria because Syria is bombing Syria? And I'm the idiot?" - Sarah Palin)
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To: WVKayaker

AMEN!


102 posted on 09/12/2013 8:01:17 PM PDT 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: WVKayaker

I see that you still don’t have anything intelligent to add to the discussion.


103 posted on 09/13/2013 2:46:07 AM PDT by verga (Liberals, homeschoolers and protestants, not all that different if you look closely enough)
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To: verga
I see that you still don’t have anything intelligent to add to the discussion.

Much more than I've seen from any of the Catholic cult, and I have only seen rote from them! They apparently have a vision problem...


104 posted on 09/13/2013 2:52:54 AM PDT by WVKayaker ("So we're bombing Syria because Syria is bombing Syria? And I'm the idiot?" - Sarah Palin)
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To: WVKayaker

It is so cute when you spew venom. It really adds so much to your position.


105 posted on 09/13/2013 5:23:35 AM PDT by verga (Liberals, homeschoolers and protestants, not all that different if you look closely enough)
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To: verga
You are really funny. All I get from the Catholic cult is unadulterated venom!

Thanks, though. I am pretty cute (at least my doggie is...!)


106 posted on 09/13/2013 5:28:37 AM PDT by WVKayaker ("So we're bombing Syria because Syria is bombing Syria? And I'm the idiot?" - Sarah Palin)
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To: metmom

You missed the entire point.


107 posted on 09/13/2013 5:41:21 AM PDT by SumProVita (Cogito, ergo....Sum Pro Vita - Modified Descartes)
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To: WVKayaker
There is no woman pulling on Jesus’s ear so that we can get a leg up and gain some advantage with God.

Indeed.

There is only the Holy Spirit, who quickens our heart and leads us by still waters.

Though the Holy Spirit does work thru others as part of the interdependence of the body in despondence upon God, as seen in Scripture, and not PTDS , purgatory, etc.

108 posted on 09/13/2013 6:37:05 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: metmom

109 posted on 09/13/2013 6:48:08 AM PDT by Gamecock (Many Atheists take the stand: "There is no God AND I hate Him.")
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To: metmom
If *trinity* and *Catholic* are expected to be accepted based on proof texts, be consistent in applying critical analysis and do not disqualify *sola scriptura* because it's based on proof texts.

Catholics need to show some integrity in this area.

This from the group that can plainly see the word "is" in the Bible. "This is my body", but refuses to admit it.

110 posted on 09/13/2013 6:56:31 AM PDT by verga (Liberals, homeschoolers and protestants, not all that different if you look closely enough)
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To: WVKayaker
You are really funny. All I get from the Catholic cult is unadulterated venom!

The word connotes a universal statement. Point to any of my replies in this thread that have been venomous.

111 posted on 09/13/2013 6:58:13 AM PDT by verga (Liberals, homeschoolers and protestants, not all that different if you look closely enough)
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To: Gamecock; metmom

Look at all those people clapping. If they just looked to the left or right, they would discover they had been separated at birth. Eeerrie..;)


112 posted on 09/13/2013 6:59:39 AM PDT by smvoice (The 2 greatest days of your life: the day you're born. And the day you discover why.)
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To: smvoice

It is a twins convention.


113 posted on 09/13/2013 7:04:01 AM PDT by Gamecock (Many Atheists take the stand: "There is no God AND I hate Him.")
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To: Gamecock

LOL! They’ve come to a twins convention because they’ve always felt they had a twin somewhere. “HEY LOOK to the left lady, stop looking forward and clapping...HEY LADY...”


114 posted on 09/13/2013 7:05:57 AM PDT by smvoice (The 2 greatest days of your life: the day you're born. And the day you discover why.)
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To: verga; metmom
The word connotes a universal statement. Point to any of my replies in this thread that have been venomous.

It isn't really necessary. Venom is poison. Whereas your posts are typically more caustic than venomous, the poison comes from the the content. As a Christian, I get my inspiration from the Scriptures as illuminated by His Holy Spirit. The Catholic cult teaches that tradition is on a par, and sometimes superior to God's written Word. I rely on Scripture, whereas Catholics rely on Rome. Paul was the apostle sent to us gentiles...

I hold no personal animus toward any individual Roman Catholics, but I do resent the incessant promotion of the cult. Your replies typically defend the Roman Catholic culture, not Biblical Christianity. There are too many additions and subtractions from the Scriptures God has provided for us to learn and grow. The very subject matter of this thread amplifies that exponentially. There is no salvation outside faith in Jesus Christ. The council at Nicea gave us a creed, with which I agree. Our biggest disagreement probably comes about with the word catholic. It means Universal, not Roman and salvation comes only from faith in Jesus Christ, not in some earthly organization!

***

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

115 posted on 09/13/2013 7:25:16 AM PDT by WVKayaker ("So we're bombing Syria because Syria is bombing Syria? And I'm the idiot?" - Sarah Palin)
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To: WVKayaker; metmom

I have a real problem with that creed. Nowhere does it give the gospel of the grace of God. It says Christ died, was buried, and rose again the third day. But it does not say He died for our sins. And we are saved by believing His FINISHED WORK was for our justification. Without that, the heart of God’s entire Word for mankind, what good is that creed?


116 posted on 09/13/2013 7:33:02 AM PDT by smvoice (The 2 greatest days of your life: the day you're born. And the day you discover why.)
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To: WVKayaker; metmom
Another problem I have with it is "We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins."

It is Christ's blood that affords us forgiveness of sins. Not baptism.

117 posted on 09/13/2013 7:48:01 AM PDT by smvoice (The 2 greatest days of your life: the day you're born. And the day you discover why.)
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To: WVKayaker
You so admit that your statement was in error.
Thank you, I realize that it is very difficult for protestants to do that and it is sincerely appreciated.
118 posted on 09/13/2013 10:54:12 AM PDT by verga (Liberals, homeschoolers and protestants, not all that different if you look closely enough)
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To: SumProVita

I don’t think I’m the one missing the point........

I see the double standard.


119 posted on 09/13/2013 12:06:01 PM PDT 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: smvoice
It is Christ's blood that affords us forgiveness of sins. Not baptism.

Your admonitions hit straight into my heart.

I was raised as an Episcopalian, which theology is akin to the Roman cult without the pope. I learned the Nicene Creed as a child and it became but truth in my mind. When I posted that earlier, I had just cut and pasted it.

But, we are certainly not saved by baptism. We get baptized as adults as a sign to nonbelievers. I was sprinkled by the Bishop has a baby, and my parents made promises in the church. But, though my father is now retired as an Episcopal priest (his third career), discounts much of the Scripture as merely being 'nice stories'.I was baptized in the ocean when I was 23 years old after it became clear to me that I was a sinner, and that Jesus died to pay the price for my sins.

Jesus Christ's life on earth is the centerpiece of history. Before he came on to the Earth, he always existed. When he was born of a woman in Bethlehem, and walked those few years about the land, he was visible. He could be touched, and knew even when someone touched the hem of his garment, just as he knows every heart. His death on the cross was not the end, nor the beginning for Jesus. But the resurrection from that death demonstrated God's love and promise to us. Before he died, he promised that whoever would believe in him would have eternal life.Following his ascension into heaven, he sent us his Holy Spirit promised as a sign to our soul.

So, thank you for your correction and admonition. I honestly had not thought completely about what I had posted without reading. I posted the Nicene Creed from my childhood. But today, I want to make it clear to everybody reading that my faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Jesus is not the reason for the season. Jesus is the reason for life eternal, by faith That his work is complete and that our work is to believe. Nothing more. Amen!

120 posted on 09/13/2013 6:02:26 PM PDT by WVKayaker ("So we're bombing Syria because Syria is bombing Syria? And I'm the idiot?" - Sarah Palin)
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