Baptist church 'fake pope' sign attracting attention, criticism (Pope Bound for Hell).

Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. ^ | April 13, 2005 | JEANNINE F. HUNTER

[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.

[TASMANIANRED]

Have you ever heard of Catholics in name only.

Same as a Rino only different.

[TASMANIANRED]

Do you hate Jews as well.

[TASMANIANRED]

The Church Hierachy. The problems with any human hierarchy is that there are no checks and balances. A lack of checks an balances caused problems in the Jewish priesthood and it's caused problems in the Catholic church as well.

I have seen this argument advance for what is wrong with Islam. With no central authority each imam is can declare a fatwa on any one they wish.

[Elsie]

The clear thrust of your post 615 is that the Pope is in Hell. I do not see what good posthumous attacks such as these do. But knowing that you are eager to make them shows me all I need to know about your brand of Christianity.

Maybe he feels this urgency:

James 5

19. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20. remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

[Elsie]

I know that in their own unique way, many Prostestant churches have their own traditions, even if they aren't woven into worship, that help their communities.

Oh yes!!

[safisoft]

I have never seen such lies about Grace in the Catholic church. You are truly ignorant.

Please answer with facts, not personal attacks.

[Elsie]

Cerinthus taught that "Christ will have an earthly kingdom."

" That Christ would hereafter return, and would reign with his followers a thousand years in Palestine."

 

Dang!

 

I wonder where he got THAT crazy idea!!

 

 

 

Revelation 20

 

 1.  And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.
 2.  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
 3.  He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
 4.  I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
 5.  (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.
 6.  Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
 7.  When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison
 8.  and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

 

[brytlea]

Gosh, your post was refreshing! I spend alot of time on an Evangelical Christian Bulletin Board, and I cannot tell you how often I hear Cathlics are not even Christian!
susie

[Thorin]

The Pope is already dead. BibChr's ranting won't change his eternal destiny, and it merely offends the rest of us. The way to convert someone is to first establish credibility by one's way of life.

[safisoft]

Every time some arrogant pinhead insults Catholics and asks them to leave the Church established by Christ

What an interesting mix of insult and "dogma". When facts fail you, resort to name-calling.

Ever hear of ad hominum? So far, I have read a lot of name calling on this thread, and oddly not from the ones who claim to be members of the "real church".

[safisoft]

Your arrogance in your own self-assuredness is saddening. Seriously, you condescend to anyone who thinks differently from you to the point of absurdity. I will pray for you; pray as a Christian, since being a Catholic makes me one (though you disagree). The fact that you cannot see that beyond your own bigotry is such a tragedy. May Christ open your eyes, your mind, and your heart that you may see past your own inflated ego.

Wow. Well said. Turn it around.

[safisoft]

The way to convert someone is to first establish credibility by one's way of life

How very well said. See ya.

[Elsie]

But purity cannot come from impurity. Sinlessness cannot come from sinfulness. Mary was purified (by the grace of God) in order to be the Christo-tokos (i.e. Christ-bearer), and even the theo-tokos (God-bearer). Otherwise, Christ would have received from Mary the sinful nature that has been received by us all through Adam.

 

(didja ever boil water??)

 

Seems like there's a lot of ASSUMIN' goin' on here!!!!

[Elsie]

...and the ones I mentioned in my first paragraph above.

I thought these were sleeping in the ground; waiting Christ's return.

[BibChr]

Did you ever get an answer as to why that "reasoning" does not necessarily a regression of sinless mothers, grandmothers, and great-greats going back to Eve -- who (oops!) wasn't sinless?

Rough, isn't it, what follows when Scripture isn't enough?

Dan
Biblical Christianity BLOG

[Elsie]

I can't imagine God letting him into heaven.

Good thing neither you nor I make that decision.

 

 

Make up your mind....

[Elsie]

OOOoooh....

Watch out!!!!!

[Elsie]

Big business!

HA! What a laugh!


Show up a one of our budget meetings and just SEE if BB is going on!

[Elsie]

... She was redeemed at conception...

How?

By following the LAW

or by trusting in Christ?