Posted on 04/14/2005 12:00:51 PM PDT by Dean Baker
Baptist church 'fake pope' sign attracting attention, criticism By JEANNINE F. HUNTER, hunter@knews.com April 13, 2005
NEWPORT, Tenn. - Two days after being posted, a church marquee message that questions the purpose of the papacy is still attracting attention in this small community.
"What I am trying to do is to let people know there's only one way to heaven through Jesus Christ," said the Rev. Cline Franklin, pastor of Hilltop Baptist Church. "There's no need for help. God sent his son, Jesus Christ. We're all priests if we're saved. I don't need to go to anybody else to pray."
The sign's side facing Broadway, the main thoroughfare in Newport, reads, "No truth, No hope Following a hell-bound pope!" On the other side, facing the church parking lot, it reads: "False hope in a fake pope."
The message appeared days after Pope John Paul II's funeral last week.
"It is unfortunate when it comes from within the Christian church. It's really sad," said the Rev. Dan Whitman, 54, pastor of Newport's Good Shepherd Catholic parish and Holy Trinity parish in Jefferson City. "You learn how to deal with it and pray not to be that way yourself."
It does not reflect mainstream Baptist thought, said Dr. Merrill "Mel" Hawkins, associate professor of religion and director of the Center for Baptist Studies at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City.
"When you see signs like that, they are almost like relics or artifacts of a bygone era," Hawkins said.
He spoke about animus between Protestants and Catholics persisting after the Protestant Reformation and for centuries, during which "harsh things were said, couched within misperceptions, misunderstandings."
Among the major misperceptions is that Catholics "venerate the pope on the same level as Jesus," Hawkins said, and that "the pope is connected to their salvation in place of Jesus Christ."
Catholics make up about 12 percent of the population in the South.
"Catholics are a minority faith in the South, and there's often bias toward minority religious communities because people don't understand," he said.
James Gaddis, a lay speaker who also chairs the board at First United Methodist Church, said he had not seen the sign but had heard about it.
"I understand that it's very degrading," he said. "I think it's tragic that any church group would stoop to this posture."
Following Tuesday night's council meeting, Newport Mayor Roland Dykes Jr. said he was a little saddened by the message.
"It doesn't behoove any of us to determine who is going to heaven or hell. I think the pope is a highly, highly respected person," he said.
Franklin's church is a five-year-old independent Baptist church. When asked what the message meant, he said: "What does 'pope' mean? It means father. We have a heavenly father, and the Bible says we shall call no man a father. "
He said people have been driving by or taking pictures or calling to share their views. He said the intent was not to offend Catholics and people are misunderstanding the sign.
Copyright 2005, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
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"As far as I'm concerned, I was doing what I've always done on the radio -- look at events around the world from a biblical perspective. I've always been willing to talk about controversial subjects," said Minto, who has had shows in Albany, N.Y., Denver and Phoenix.
Last week, Minto questioned some of the Catholic church's beliefs, such as purgatory, and fielded a question from a caller who asked whether the pope would go to heaven. Many evangelical Christians believe that someone must be a "born-again" believer to enter heaven.
Minto, who is also senior pastor of the 100-member Turning Point Community Church, said he told the caller that whether someone was born-again was personal and "between an individual and the Creator."
Chuck Gratner, general manager of WORD-FM, didn't dispute Minto's description and said he was let go because of differences in how he conducted his show.
"WORD-FM needs to function in this city in support of the entire church -- that means everybody -- and not focus on denominational issues," Gratner said.
Leviticus says we are NOT to touch the skin of a dead pig. I wonder if I can play football if I wear gloves.
Those "extremes" are both orthodox Catholic.
Didja ever pick up a catechism to read all the beliefs and where they come from?
closest analogy i've seen yet with a couple but's... we DO pray to God after confession as our penance.
and as far as getting into Heaven, well belief in God/Christ is a given but we still hope we are worthy in Gods sight and not just sliding in with a minimum passing grade... not lookin for a gimmie, you try to earn it
Agreed! This is so sad. Also, this is one of the reasons I left the Baptists a long time ago.
OBTW, love your blog!!!
I believe God will sort that out, according to His will. I think of the Jews as our brethern. Without the Old Testament, there never would have been a reason for the New Testament, there never would have been Christianity.
I would never judge a Jew or any man of any faith. That is up to God alone. Who knows what mysteries God has in store for us in the future? All is in accordance to His plan.
So that 50% of the world that isn't Christian is doomed?
I agree. Dean Baker is actually asking questions that I have had. My husband and his family are all Catholic - I was raised Baptist and I have all sorts of questions about Catholicism. I admit to believing Catholics "Mary worship" but am at a point where I'd really like to learn more. A thread like this gives me a chance to ask questions.
I really doubt a compassionate and supremely enlightened being is going to care about what formula you use to reach him.
Word Up -- Cameo
It doesn't matter, really. Christ led us out of the age of law and into the age of grace.
The call-no-man-father guy is wrong, but the Leviticus point is moot for Christians -- having been released from the dietary and cleanliness restrictions of the law by the blood of Christ. (Hence, the "new" covenent; that contract has been supersceded.)
I will confirm. I have been to the mid-east. Allah is Arabic for God and middle-eastern Christians use the same word.
I had a college minister who used to talk about the "irreducable minimum of the Gospel". That is: Christ was born to a virgin. He was fully God, and fully Man. He died on the cross to atone for our sins. He was resurrected and conquered death. Believe in him in your heart and speak it with your mouth and you will be saved.
I understand that Catholics believe these things, therefore, IMO, they are not hell-bound.
It doesn't mean they're ignorant. It means they have their own faith. Only God can read a mans heart. Are you one of those Catholics that condemn all those who don't covert to Catholicism?
"While...
...Mary's SinFULness has to do with the Bible verse:
Romans 3:23
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,..."
True, I've heard that argument before, but if one took that verse to be all inclusive of all humans it would also include Christ, children who died before having the necessary faculty to sin, as well as Mary. One could argue that Jesus was exempt because He was God, and that young children still have original sin. I myself follow the Church's teaching that a special exception was made for Mary the mother of Jesus. And that the Grace of his sacrifice was applied to her in order that she might be free from sin.
It ultimately comes down to interpretation either way. I'm a Catholic. I believe the Catholic Church through it's Magisterium (The pope and the bishops in communion with the pope) have that authority when it comes to matters of Faith and Morals. Others do not.
Some of the Church's teachings seem hard, but what I've found is that they actually make more sense than what I personally thought. I just wanted to A) be able to judge for myself, and B) have it fit into my modern 21st century way of thinking. With age and experience I've found out how wrong that way of thinking can be.
Exactly - and all opinions don't carry equal weight.
Here's a weighty one, WELL argued:
Well, it's certainly a possibility, if San Fran were sucked down into Hell all at once to save on time and trouble. Are there at least 10 faithful left in the city? ;)
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