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To: Grateful2God
So Luther fought by posting his gripes

Gripes, really?

Luther stated "That heretics be burned is against the will of the Spirit."

Pope Leo X disagreed in a Papal Bull and thought burning heretics was a great idea.

So do you support burning heretics, do you think burning heretics is something trivial, or do you agree with Luther.

I thought we could all agree that burning heretics is a bad idea, but you can still find Catholics today that share Pope Leo X's opinion.

20 posted on 05/18/2015 5:47:15 PM PDT by Tao Yin
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To: Tao Yin
First of all, the article was part of a discussion. The discussion was reportedly removed from the EWTN website.

It is quoted at the site, **http://biblelight.net/burn-heretics.htm**, (a blatantly anti-Catholic website, with fancy red flashing "number of the beast" gifs next to the Catholic links) standing alone, thus taken out of its original context.

The article in and of itself, takes into consideration burning as a method of execution whereby the person was introduced to earthly flames as a precursor to the fires of hell, thus frightening them into recanting. Pope Leo X apparently considered this method more efficacious to the soul than the method employed by the hanging (not to the point of death), drawing and quartering, then beheading, also common in that era. The latter procedure in its entirety, was practiced by Henry Tudor, in its entirety, after torture on the rack. The person's head was them placed on public display to inspire terror amongst potential traitors. The severed body parts were scattered about, as were the entrails.

The document you mentioned stated a list of the doctrine Luther proclaimed at the time, one of which did in one sentence, involve the burning of heretics.

Here is a quote from Pope Leo X, more reflective of the bull in toto:
Exsurge Domine Bull of Pope Leo X issued June 15, 1520

Yet, with the advice of our brothers, imitating the mercy of almighty God who does not wish the death of a sinner but rather that he be converted and live, and forgetting all the injuries inflicted on us and the Apostolic See, we have decided to use all the compassion we are capable of. It is our hope, so far as in us lies, that he will experience a change of heart by taking the road of mildness we have proposed, return, and turn away from his errors. We will receive him kindly as the prodigal son returning to the embrace of the Church.

The first, in the medieval mind, was more humane and have a chance for repentance: the second to terrorize. The author does not state that what was done is right, but attempts to review the facts of a situation through the eyes of the medieval world.

The author goes on to say that while there was a zero tolerance in medieval society, our present day society has turned the opposite way and tolerates evil such as abortion. At no time does he advocate murder, not even today's capital punishment. Rather, he is comparing one method to another; one era to another.

As for Luther:
From Christianity Today dot com

"Measures of “Sharp Mercy”

"By 1543, Luther was ready lo go one step further. He had become utterly frustrated by the Jews’ refusal to convert to Christianity: “A Jewish heart is as hard as a stick, a stone, as iron, as a devil.”

Luther did not, however, hold Jews responsible for the death of Christ. As he wrote in a hymn, “We dare not blame … the band of Jews; ours is the shame.” And he felt that at least a few Jews might be won for Christ.

Yet rabbinic teaching was madness and blindness that blasphemed Christ, Mary, and the Holy Trinity. Luther could not “have any fellowship or patience with obstinate [Jewish] blasphemers and those who defame this dear Savior.” Blasphemy was a civil crime. To allow it to continue, Luther feared, meant Christians would share in the guilt for it.

Thus, Luther now proposed seven measures of “sharp mercy” that German princes could take against Jews: (1) burn their schools and synagogues; (does he specify that the occupants are too be removed during the burning? No.) (2) transfer Jews to community settlements; (3) confiscate all Jewish literature, which was blasphemous; (4) prohibit rabbis to teach, on pain of death; (5) deny Jews safe-conduct, so as to prevent the spread of Judaism; (6) appropriate their wealth and use it to support converts and to prevent the lewd practice of usury; (7) assign Jews to manual labor as a form of penance." (Excerpt)

Interesting, that Luther had such influence over the German princes: the Popes were often criticized for such political manipulation.

As to your last line, my friend, perhaps it ought to read: An anti Catholic website takes an article out of context, and its contents are misconstrued and erroneously imputed to modern day Catholic teaching.

21 posted on 05/19/2015 12:00:00 AM PDT by Grateful2God (Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord...)
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To: Tao Yin
**and thought burning heretics was a great idea.**

Read the entire Papal Bull. While the Holy Father disagreed with Luther's objections to the burning of heretics, he simply mentioned it as part of what Luther promulgated. It was part of a long list of Luther's teachings to which he objected.

**do you think burning heretics is something trivial?**

Of course not! I do, however live in a different century, not the 1500's. The article compared opinions from one era to another, and one method of execution being considered more humane at that time than others.

**Do I agree with Luther?**

Neither in his doctrine; his anti-Semitism, nor his hypocrisy. Do you agree with the 5 points? I sincerely hope not.

23 posted on 05/19/2015 12:37:50 AM PDT by Grateful2God (Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord...)
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