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.
Besides, this guy calls himself a "Pastor"...cognate with "shepherd", a self-proclaimed feeder of the sheep. I think I like the term Pope better afterall.
As a Baptist I can say that none of that attitude has been seen by me, and we have done mission work and socializing with many Catholics and Jews, and we're neither 'fundies' nor loonies. May Father John Paul II enjoy his well-deserved Heavenly rewards.
The nicest thing here is reading 25 posts, all of which are critical of this ignorant hypocite.
When this 'pastor' helps to end Communism for half a billion people, perhaps then he can put up another dumba$$ sign.
Good job, Freepers!
In answer to your question, it's VERY common. Indeed, if you listen to some people on my father's side, you might get the impression that if you weren't born and raised in central Kansas -- or maybe even into our family -- you're going straight to hell, lol. Growing up I hated that crap.
I believe that the sign is extremely obnoxious.
So many exhibitionists, so little time.
Practicing Catholics live by the motto, "to whom much is given, much is expected." Since I don't know how much has been given to you, how can I know how much God expects from you?
It's too bad. The Catholic Church has never declared a single soul to be in hell. Not even Judas. Not even Hitler. The Church will proclaim saints, but not devils.
I don't see this as "bigoted". It may be in poor taste, but it does reflect the belief of the Baptist church. They do have freedom to worship, and they also enjoy freedom of speech. We may not agree with them, but I will fight to the death their right to speak their belief. The same thing goes for putting anti-homosexual signs up in front of a church. When the government starts requiring churches to stop saying that homosexuality is a sin, they will be in for a very big revolution.
I think it's probably about as widespread as the small percentage of Catholics who think Protestants are "bound for hell" because they're not Catholic.
It's sad, but I think every religion has a few who think it's their place to determine who gets to go to heaven and who doesn't.
I agree with some of what the Baptist in the article said. I believe it's wrong to call a man Holy Father when God is the Holy Father, but to proclaim that someone will burn in Hell over a difference like that is wrong, in my opinion.
For myself, I'll leave that to the ultimate judge, God.
There is a small and extreme faction of Baptists who believe that Catholicism is from the Devil. As far as I know, the vast majority of Protestants, including most Baptists, do not ascribe to that view. We may have our doctrinal disagreements, but we're all Christians. This kind of thing is just silly.
Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.
I wonder if he baptized himself.
-A8
I'm sorry, but this is the silliest objection to Catholicism. It amazes me that it's so often repeated. If Jesus meant this literally, then we couldn't call anyone "teacher" either, or call our fathers "father."
Matthew 23:8-12What did Jesus mean?“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Jesus criticized Jewish leaders who love "the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called ‘rabbi’ by men" (Matt. 23:6–7). His admonition here is a response to the Pharisees’ proud hearts and their grasping after marks of status and prestige.He was using hyperbole (exaggeration to make a point) to show the scribes and Pharisees how sinful and proud they were for not looking humbly to God as the source of all authority and fatherhood and teaching, and instead setting themselves up as the ultimate authorities, father figures, and teachers...
Perhaps the most pointed New Testament reference to the theology of the spiritual fatherhood of priests is Paul’s statement, "I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:14–15).
Yeah, we (Catholics) used to do the stations of the cross and stuff, when I was a kid. And part of that was "He was crucified, died, and rose for our sins". Or something along those lines.
But now that I look back at my 6 years of Catholic school, I do find it odd that we never "Studied the Bible". And if I'm not mistaken, some Protistants have a real problem with that...? (Which makes sense...But then again, I don't know WHY Catholics don't study the bible like other religions do).
Further, one wonders why this Godly fellow feels the need to place that "Rev." in front of his name -- almost as if he's sumpin' special.
Dr. Hawkins ought to visit FR sometime....
Dean,
Don't take this in the wrong way, but Jesus was bold, meek and loving. He called the deceivers (Pharisees) for what they were, a brood of vipers. That name would perfectly fit the leadership of the Catholic Church.
Follow the link for more details. But yes Catholicism is a cult, and those in it's grip should be warned.
http://www.thebereancall.org/Newsletters/1991+Newsletters/7574.aspx
...taken from the above link.....
Those who believe Rome's lies and follow her gospel of works for salvation are lost. Failing to recognize this fact, many evangelical leaders and cult experts have themselves been deceived by Rome and need to be confronted and informed. How tragic to assume that Catholics are Christians who merely have some peripheral beliefs and practices which seem peculiar to Protestants but which will not prevent them from being saved. A false gospel is a false gospel, and it damns those who believe it, whether preached by Mormonism or Catholicism. A cult is a cult. Roman Catholics, like the members of other cults, need to be treated with compassion, warned of cultic lies, and presented with the true gospel which alone can save them.
See more from...
http://www.thebereancall.org/Search_Search.aspx?SectionID=1359&search=catholicism
Your posting does a great job of explaining the differences in theology between Protestants and Catholics. I know MANY Catholics who are basing their salvation on their works alone, and have never even heard of John 3:16 and it's incredible significance to the Christian faith.
I think that's what the Baptist preacher was trying to communicate with the sign in front of his church. But his tactics were certainly inflammatory.
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