Posted on 09/02/2014 12:11:48 AM PDT by matthewrobertolson
Why did God allow for the striking-down of people in the Old Testament? How is this reconciled with the dogma of a loving God?
Protestants and modern-day "Jews" don't have an answer for this -- one beyond dualism or "mystery", I mean. But the Church does.
There is mortal sin, and there is venial sin (1 John 5:17). Mortal sin -- willful and of grave nature -- separates one from God, practically killing the soul. Venial sin -- all other -- must simply be cleansed, and it does not eternally separate us from Him. And this distinction is shown in the Old Testament.
Among mortal sins punished: irreverence (2 Samuel 6:1-7), despair/disbelief (Numbers 11:1-3), and false claims of authority (Numbers 16). These crimes have always been condemned.
Why did punishment change from body-centric to soul-centric? First, it didn't, because unrighteous people were also kept from entering the Limbo of the Patriarchs, which, after Christ's Sacrifice, later led to Heaven. Second, temporal punishment was the only way to get at the Jews' consciences: As liberal scholars love to point out, the majority of Jews did not believe in an afterlife!
God does not desire death, though it can be used to give us the best chance at salvation (2 Peter 3). (I think here of St. Rita and her sons.) Even in the old days, He merely wanted a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17), and He wanted devotion.
There is no change in principle: God is immutable.
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I am a grieving individual right now. I do NOT need a heretical book, my comfort lies in the Word. I can’t tell you how much it continues to minister to me.
More escape artistry by an RC. So do you deny this book teaches basic heresy? Yes or no. I actually had the book at one time but threw it away due to its heresy, but the reviews suffice to tell you that.
On you other questions, please talk to the people who posted those items. I am not the referee here.
Questions? The questions i asked you are those that you refused to answer in response to your retort, "According to whose authority and judgment?"
Beginning Experience, a peer facilitated weekend for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one
If the truth were known; I'd bet not many Catholics do, either!
What's fun to watch on FR is when...
...one Catholic has a differing OPINION from another Catholic OPINION.
And; if a Prot DARE point it out; they'll jump on the ol' UNITY bandwagon in a heartbeat and tell the 'separated' brethren to return to the TRUE church!
Nor touch His anointed.
By extension; we're not supposed to question God's spokesperson on Earth: Francis; or the infallible church that he leads.
I've no clue as to why there as SO many Catholic 'opinions' out there.
One would think that after the Prophet speaks; the thinking has been done.
Wow!
What a day for quote mining!
There is one God, for everyone else they have FREE WILL!
Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. I don't care one way or the other. It is not something that I would ever attend. Especially since it is Roman Catholic based. What does someone who has never married know what it is like to lose a beloved spouse? nothing. While I appreciate your offer to help, My Savior is my comfort, my hope, my stay and my peace. I have already had my fill of man-centered doctrine of "how to grieve". I don't need to go looking for more.
for later
This is done by peers who have lost a spouse or gone through a divorce.
It is Catholic in origin, but doesn’t cater to Catholic. It’s about the grief you are going through.
It ends with a Mass, but you don’t have to participate if you don’t want to. However, I have seen many of other faiths stay for the Mass just to bring an end to the weekend experience.
God bless you.
Amen Lupie.
You remain in my prayers.
I’ve been meaning to comment on this but see someone else did already. I have to agree that it’s not a Christian book and is heretical is some ways. I did read it, but almost 30 years ago when I was teenager and only knew the Gospel and some Bible stories. Still, from knowing the Gospel, some things struck me as not agreeing with what I’d been taught about the Christian faith. Since then I’ve learned a lot more and just in the glances I’ve had at this book felt assured that what I thought about it back then was right, and what I’ve read from Christians writing about it also confirms that. It doesn’t matter if people recommend it. Are those people committed to following God in every way? Unless they are, they are also not to be trusted as “experts.”
Something else about the mortal-venial distinction or how it’s made is Catholicism is that it seems very Old Testament and Law-like. In other words, it’s performance-minded, which is what happens when man creates religion. Do this, which is right, and you’ll go to Heaven, and don’t do that, which is wrong, or you’ll go to Hell, although also to be considered is the factor of whether a sin was knowing and deliberate. That makes for a very heavy burden to carry around, and is like the Old Testament law, which was “a school master to bring us to Christ.” Through it we were shown our sin and the hopelessness of trying to beat it ourselves. For those who come to hate sin, including their own, the Gospel is “good news”!
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
Heresy indeed. There is actually a defining movement for this new and pitiful view of God. It’s called Open Theism (closely related to Process Theology). Salvation, my FRiend, don’t take my word for it. Google Open Theism and you’ll see for yourself. It is antithetical to the Christian view of God. Something neither a good Catholic nor a good Protestant should have anything to do with.
Were you programmed to post this?
There is great truth in the saying: Time heals all wounds.
Oh that the converse were true; too...
Time wounds all heels.
Indeed!
Didn't Mom always say...
"IF your friends jump off the bridge...
You remain in my prayers.
Thank you GC. The prayers of the (living) saints sustain me and keep me focused on Him.
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