Mother Theresa quotes the Christ. St. Francis of Assisi bore the stigmata of Christ. You don’t seem to understand the meaning of the term “believe in me” nor are you willing to accept what Christ Himself meant by “believe in me” as told in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
There are a number of atheists who for a variety of reasons are unschooled in the truth, are illiterate, are put off by 35,000 brands of Christian hypocrisy: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”
Belief is first and foremost a true belief in One truth, One Church and what it teaches in the name of the Christ a single truth. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
This was ONE teaching (even before the New Testament was written down some 60 years after the death of Christ) given to Peter and his successors right down to Pope Francis. The curse of the Reformation was the evil of the world that gave us every brand of Christianity from Joel Osteen’s “prosperity gospel” to Bishop TD Jakes; gospel twerking. And why not a quote from Mother Theresa who lived the life of the Good Samaritan. By their works you shall know them. No?
Quoting Scriptural passages superficially in contrast to what Pope Benedict XVI (called the theological Einstein of our times) has written is pure sophomoric Oprah-like nonsense. Put another way, this is the stuff of your corner street FourSquare Church Pastor who revels in Easter Sunrise services at your local beach. Feel-good Christian-lite. I’ll take the atheist who cradles the wounded child to safety or puts himself in front of incoming fire to save another’s life, rather than “believe in me” Joel Osteens!
“You don’t seem to understand the meaning of the term “believe in me””
I’m pretty sure it means “believe,” and not, say, “be a good Atheist.” There is no parable about getting into heaven by being the “good Samaritan,” nor is there any sense that “believe in me” means that we don’t have to believe in Him, but just have to be “like Him.” Which is ridiculous and blasphemous, because it makes the Christ who said this:
Joh_3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Into nothing better than a liar, since all He really did was put forward a moral system and did not require any faith in Himself or devotion to Him.
“This was ONE teaching (even before the New Testament was written down some 60 years after the death of Christ)”
To say it was written down “60 years later” is basically to confess the liberal Catholic position, which is that the New Testament wasn’t written by the Apostles like they claimed or by any eye witnesses, but by other people. Actually the New Testament was written mostly before 70AD, with most of the Apostles perishing in the 60s. It was only John, the oldest Apostle according to church history, who wrote any books after 70AD. Namely, his Gospel, being the last, and possibly Revelation.
Wow, that is a rant if ever I’ve heard one.
Too bad it is completely off base.