To: MineralMan
Issues such as this are indicative of the necessity in forming scriptural interpretation in the context of the Holy Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition. When Christians began reading the words contained in the scriptures outside of the Apostolic Traditions taught in the Catholic Church, they began generating thousands of interpretations that resulted in absolute confusion.
Brother Consolmagno had one idea correct at least, when it comes to understanding the Bible, there needs to be one boss. Otherwise, there are no limits to the variety of interpretations that can be created. And, as the number of interpretations increases, the amount of confusion increases.
As a Convert to Catholicism, I remember my days growing up in a country Protestant Church. One time a preacher got up in front of the congregation and stated that a person who has an artificial heart could not go to Heaven because God dwells in the heart. And, if a person had their heart removed, then God no longer dwelt within them.
This is insanity. But, without some guidelines (as provided by Sacred Tradition), why not have this guy out spewing all kinds of insanity.
This article is a clear example of how Creationism has become a tool for fundamentalists to try to create their own version of Sacred Tradition. They often equate evolution with evil. But, the Church has never said this.
29 posted on
05/05/2006 9:08:20 AM PDT by
lnbchip
To: lnbchip
"Issues such as this are indicative of the necessity in forming scriptural interpretation in the context of the Holy Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition. When Christians began reading the words contained in the scriptures outside of the Apostolic Traditions taught in the Catholic Church, they began generating thousands of interpretations that resulted in absolute confusion."
Well, what you say makes sense, and certainly Martin Luther and the Reformation was the beginning of the denominalization of Christianity.
However, if one can recite the Apostle's or Nicene Creed and mean it, it's pretty certain that person can call himself a Christian, whatever his denomination.
The rest is open for discussion. Your example of the pastor and the "heart" questions, though, does show just how silly some of the doctrinal beliefs of some denominations really are.
Christianity is not based on whether you are a preterist or a dispensationalist, or whether you consider the Genesis 1 and 2 accounts to be literal or allegorical. It is only based upon the acceptance of the core beliefs of Christianity. Those two creeds are pretty clear tests, in my secular opinion.
34 posted on
05/05/2006 9:14:36 AM PDT by
MineralMan
(non-evangelical atheist)
To: lnbchip
"One time a preacher got up in front of the congregation and stated that a person who has an artificial heart could not go to Heaven because God dwells in the heart."
Well, he simply did not finish his postulation, or maybe it's you who truncated the quote: obviously, such a person could go to artificial Heaven, for an artificial God was dwelling in his artificial heart. See, how easy!
132 posted on
05/05/2006 1:32:54 PM PDT by
GSlob
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