Posted on 04/05/2005 10:01:52 PM PDT by Coleus
For the last quarter of a century, this non-Catholic has had a pope. Now that John Paul II is gone, I am even more of an orphan than the Christians in the Roman church. For they will surely have another pope, but that one may not be mine, since I haven't converted.
I am sure I am reflecting the views of many Protestants. Who else but John Paul II gave voice to my faith and my values in 130 countries? Who else posited personal holiness and theological clarity against postmodern self-deception and egotism? Who else preached the gospel as tirelessly as this man?
What other clergyman played any comparable role in bringing down communism, a godless system? What other world leader—spiritual or secular—understood so profoundly how hollow and bankrupt the Soviet empire was, so much so that this tireless writer never bothered to pen an encyclical against Marxism-Leninism because he knew it was moribund?
Has there been a more powerful defender of the sanctity of life than this Pole, in whose pontificate nearly 40 million unborn babies wound up in trashcans and furnaces in the United States alone? What more fitting insight than John Paul II's definition of our culture as a culture of death—an insight that is now clearly sinking in, to wit the declining abortion rates in the United States?
In Europe some time ago, a debate occurred in Protestant churches: Should John Paul II be considered the world's spokesman for all of Christianity? This was an absurd question. Of course he spoke for all believers. Who else had such global appeal and credibility, even to non-Christians and non-believers?
Of course, there was the inveterate Billy Graham. There were many faithful Orthodox and Protestant bishops, pastors and evangelists.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
Interesting Freepname...Is it from "Totus Tuus Sum Maria"?
Tell me...when you pray WITH Mary...does she understand English...is she omnipotent, or omnipresent?
Mary had free will, like the rest of us. She could've said "no thanks, I'm washing my hair that day." Because she accepted God's will, we have Jesus Christ. Otherwise, God's plan could not have unfolded in the way you know.
No Mary = No Jesus. The Word became flesh. Jesus was God and man, not simply God dressed up as a man.
I heard someone interviewed this morning on CNN who was waiting in the viewing line in the Vatican.
He was asked about his admiration for the Pope. The man replied, "We love him so much. We don't just pray for him; we pray to him.
I was surprised by that admission.
That's what friends are for. :-)
bump to 383
I thought Peter built your church??
Wow!!!!
But I am not surprised by the millions lining up to worship him, for after all, I read and study the living word of God. Thank you Dr. Eckleburg
Is the meaning of Scripture simply whatever you feel "inspired" to believe it is? And if you feel led by the same words in a different way than your brother or your niece or your neighbor -- who also claim to be inspired -- who resolves who is right? Who is "the church" that you turn to for resolution of doubt, as the Bible tells you?
There is only one relevant belief in this entire debate and that is the central belief that Christ is the Son of God, our Lord and Savior. This commonality is the core belief that unites all Christians, of whatever color, shape, size, etc.
In terms of salvation, on this we are in complete agreement. As Jesus said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Our disagreement might be over semantics. I chose to say "belief system," which is actually a stripped-to-the-basics version of the word you used, "dogma."
Take for example the argument on this thread over the issue of praying to deceased people in order for them to pray for you. Catholics believe this practice is orthodox; Most Protestants believe it to be heretical. Does that not illustrate a definite difference in "belief systems"?
Nor are you a historian.
***Is the meaning of Scripture simply whatever you feel "inspired" to believe it is? ***
Of course not. However, given the myriad of conflicting Catholic accounts of doctrine where some pray to the Pope and some don't and I've seen multiple explainations of what is right and what is wrong, I'd say that every Catholic's doctrine is "simply whatever" they "feel inspired to believe."
Hiding behind the meaning of what is is for the definition of pray to and pray for and Co-Redimptrix just doesn't cut it. If the doctrine is that complicated, then it would seem to me that you would need the Magesterium to explain to you even what the mean of the doctrine is on top of the meaning of the Scriptures themselves and that would render every Catholic unable to even explain what the church teaches. And, given the confusion on this thread, that does seem likely.
IOW, your only comment would be: "We do not know what the Catholic Church's official doctrine is and the only thing I can do without injecting YOPIS & YOPID is direct you to an official teacher."
In the service of the Lord,
Christian.
Next, we adhere to 1 Corinthians 26 to 33.
When reading in Jeremiah one day, I saw a verse that I had never really noticed before and I was astounded by its implications. I mulled it over for months, while continuing my study. Then I took it to my pastor and asked him what he thought. Then we discussed it, comparing it to other scripture with our bible study group, and we prayed about it, then I kept studying, searching the scriptures at all times, like the Bereans, to see if the thing is true. After all that, I have complete peace in believing what I do about that verse.
Since the apostles have ceased, so have their words.
That seems logical; however, what of the traditions? What does holding on to the traditions they were taught mean? I thought it meant that traditions were to be kept intact and passed on from one to another? If traditions are to be held and taught -this alone would suggest those that have set aside the traditions are in error -shocking! Tell me more.
Is being at peace with your own belief proof of its rightness? What if your brother, your wife, and your father had all gone through the same process and each concluded something entirely different than you? If you all consulted "the church" and got different answers from different churches, how do you know who's right?
Truth is not subjective, it is objective, and the Word of God is Truth. If you have a mathematical equation to solve, are there many answers?
If you all consulted "the church" and got different answers from different churches, how do you know who's right?
When the scripture is confirmed by scripture, you can be certain that it's so
But your wife say this particular scripture doesn't back up that one. And your father says it backs it up, but it means the opposite of what you say it does. The new non-denominational minister down the street says something else.
If you are all relying on the same words (the Bible), but all interpret something different from those words, how do you know when you have it the way God meant it? Or doesn't it matter, as long as you feel at peace?
I know what I have seen is the kind of homage paid to a king.
My King Jesus was laid in a tomb without lines to look at his empty body
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