FK responded "I meant it as an innocent expression. How about like-dislike? :)
FK, I think you are confusing Catholics with Orthodox. Catholics don't have a "dislike-like" relationship with St. Augustine. Much of our theology and the explanation of it is to some degree influenced by him.
OK, I can see where that's coming from. You probably already know, but we apply that passage as to any unbelievers generally, not to believers who don't take the Supper as we do.
I am curious to know why you would apply 1 Cor 11:28-30 to unbelievers?! That is nonsense. Paul is writing to Christians who are abusing the Eucharist. Catholics STILL do not just invite anyone to the Eucharist. How could Paul be speaking of non-believers who are unworthily taking the Eucharist and dying as a result? I think you need to sit down with that passage, FK, and really try to look at it with a more open mind.
I agree with lots of authors and theologians who have gone before me. It just so happens that most of them were not Roman Catholics.
Basically, you are telling me that you have an idea of what God is and what He has revealed, and will tend to agree with ANYONE who agrees with your own preconcieved ideas. See, FK, in a revealed religion, it is supposed to be the other way around. God REVEALS HIMSELF to us - WE don't tell God what WE think about Him. Thus, when God reveals Himself through the Church, it is up to us to change our views when necessary. This is the difference between you and the Catholic.
Of course we receive the Word of God from outside ourselves.
You receive the letters from outside, but the meaning you derive from your own ideas, rather than the mind of the Church. Again, it comes down to the question posed at the very beginning of Scriptures... Do you want to obey God, or make yourself "gods".
Regards
I agree with lots of authors and theologians who have gone before me. It just so happens that most of them were not Roman Catholics.
Basically, you are telling me that you have an idea of what God is and what He has revealed, and will tend to agree with ANYONE who agrees with your own preconcieved ideas. See, FK, in a revealed religion, it is supposed to be the other way around. God REVEALS HIMSELF to us - WE don't tell God what WE think about Him. Thus, when God reveals Himself through the Church, it is up to us to change our views when necessary. This is the difference between you and the Catholic.
And where do these preconceived ideas come from ... ?
What is the difference between a Catholic and a Protestant other than that they appeal to different authorities ?
Catholics and Protestants heed the teaching they receive from their own respective clergy ...
And each group has had the opportunity to peruse and study the accepted scriptures for hundreds of years.
Protestant theologic conclusions are no more pre-conceived than are Catholic conclusions ... they're simply different in some areas.
Paul was writing to the Corinthians who, as a group, Paul knew to be less than model Christians. He knew full well that there were pretenders among them. Unlike Catholicism, claiming to be a believer does not make one a believer. Paul knew that and was warning those pretenders to examine themselves and not take the Supper. After an honest self-examination, Paul's hope was that the person would then turn to Christ for real. EVERY Christian church to this day has members/parishioners who are not right with Christ and are not true believers. The Eucharist/Lord's Supper is not for them.
Basically, you are telling me that you have an idea of what God is and what He has revealed, and will tend to agree with ANYONE who agrees with your own preconceived ideas.
I suppose you have fleshed me out. I must admit that I agree with those who agree with me. However, I fail to see the profundity in this.
See, FK, in a revealed religion, it is supposed to be the other way around. God REVEALS HIMSELF to us - WE don't tell God what WE think about Him. Thus, when God reveals Himself through the Church, it is up to us to change our views when necessary. This is the difference between you and the Catholic.
You have it backwards. Reformers say that God reveals Himself to all believers. He changes our hearts to agree with Him, thus it is God who changes our views. This is a truly revealed faith from God. Not so in Catholicism because, contrary to your statement, God does NOT in fact reveal Himself to YOU. Instead, He reveals Himself ONLY to your hierarchy. Then, your hierarchy reveals what it chooses to reveal to you. This is only a revealed faith from men.
You receive the letters from outside, but the meaning you derive from your own ideas, rather than the mind of the Church.
The "mind of the Church" is simply a winner-take-all vote among those men you have decided to follow. I also follow the ideas of certain men. The difference is that mine must pass the test of scripture, whereas yours can say absolutely anything and you are required to follow no matter what.