Posted on 03/25/2014 7:32:08 PM PDT by Faith Presses On
That's how the faithful survive in a place like Rochester. Or anyplace else.
A lot of the criticism about Scritpure alone that I hear from Catholics involves the question of *How do you know you’re right and not going into error?*
However, following a man is no guarantee of anything either.
If I don’t have the discernment being led by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ through Scripture, I can not possibly have the discernment to follow a man without knowing if I’m being led astray.
But our faith is not in these men. Our faith is in Christ, who works through --- yes --- even these men. He does not permit His Church to teach error as doctrine, and He said to them, "Behold, I am with you always, even until the end of the age."
“A lot of the criticism about Scritpure alone that I hear from Catholics involves the question of *How do you know you’re right and not going into error?”
All a Catholic needs to know about the Bible is contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Simply layed out.
Protestants have a thousand and one different study bibles with a thousand and one different “experts” telling you what it really means (a thousand and one different interpretations).
NKP_vet, did you see my link to CC of Buffalo? Their counseling is strictly, 100% secular, based only on psychology and psychiatry. They hire anyone regardless of race, creed, religion, marital staus or “sexual orientation” as long as they’re state-licensed. Secular counseling is not neutral on homosexuality, but pro-homosexual. Anyone struggling with questions about homosexuality is told to “embrace who they are.” I later went for secular counseling at an openly secular place, and there the counselor accepted that I wasn’t going back to homsexuality, but that only comes from showing a deep conviction, particularly from faith, over time; otherwise it’s assumed you just “fear what you are,” and that’s said to be an “illness.” But counselors don’t like any rejection of homsexuality, because for the most part they are reassuring many other people in homosexuality that there’s nothing wrong with them.
That isn’t the case at all. First, you know the Scripture yourself very, very well, and you’re depending on the Lord to help you understand it. And second, there are reasonable differences in interpretation and out-and-out heresy. Differences on baptism are one thing, but saying Jesus really didn’t perform a miracle where the Bible said he did is another. And what any difference means in a certain, situation, the Lord will reveal it to you at the time. If you’re talking at different times to two mainline Protestants who doubt Jesus was ever really resurrected, and one is a confused, drug-addicted teenager and the other a pastor of a church, what you focus on won’t be the same.
I appreciate your posting that link, metmom, but someone posted the same to me before. It’s not just a matter of the Catholic Church in Buffalo or NYS. All the Northeast is highly Catholic and it’s also highly liberal and has just about completely adopted gay marriage. It’s “paved the way” for the rest of the nation.
The Catholic Church has also embraced being in the world and OF the wolrd, which the Bible says is double-mindedness. It’s embraced psychology, for one thing. I’ve found Catholic Charities hiring licensed social workers all over the country.
And you may not accept this, coming from the Barna group, but they showed that certain American cities were the most “post-Christian” and “the least Bible-minded,” and while they didn’t look closely at denomination, I did, and the worst of both were almost entirely highly Catholic. Buffalo came in the top ten worst on both studies. But the problem isn’t just in Buffalo, but with the Church itself.
Men like that should not even be holding positions of authority within the church.
Paul is very clear on that in his epistles, especially Timothy.
Thank you for saying so...I was pondering this just last night. Yes, we know from Scripture that as the end-times get nearer, Paul said in II Timothy 3:13, "But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." and also in I Timothy 4:1-2, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron."
It doesn't bother me at all when hypocritical preachers and organizations are exposed - no matter what denomination they are - because my faith is not based around that but in Jesus Christ, and the truth He taught in word and deed and continued through the Holy Spirit, inspiring the writings of additional truths as the faith grew throughout the world in that first century. I think it is a GOOD thing for Christians to stand up against the growing evil influencers that hide out among the flock of God. They SHOULD be exposed and, if that means leaving the church that refuses to get rid of false teachers, God blesses and even commands us to do so.
What? Do you wear blinders when you read Free Republic??? Here are some just in the last few WEEKS:
Exposing the Blind Side: A Reverted Catholic Looks Back (posted by YOU)
The Story of Alex Jones (Pastor and 50 former parishioners accepted into Catholic Church) (posted by YOU)
THE PROTESTANT’S DILEMMA BY DEVIN ROSE: A REVIEW (not posted by you but you sure had plenty of vinegar against Protestants)
The #1 Fallacy of Protestantism
Swedish Megachurch pastor stuns congregation by announcing he’s converting to Catholicism (Three or four of the SAME thread posted)
The Misunderstood Council: Six Myths about Vatican II (Catholic Caucus) (this is the one YOU caused to be locked because you had to bash Protestants against the rules of Caucus threads)
Papacy / Hierarchy in the Bible (ANOTHER thread posted by YOU)
These are but a few examples, though it is a regular thing to see on the Religion Forum. Many are posted by the same Freepers KNOWING that they are going to provoke a backlash and seeming to delight when it happens. The intention IS to initiate arguments. When it is actually just benign Catholic Caucus threads that inform other Catholics, you DON'T see interruptions by non-caucus Freepers. It only happens if someone tries to sneak something in that doesn't respect the rules to not be saying things against another faith - and I'm sure not policing all y'alls' threads to check on you - it should be self policing. What you should also notice is that very few threads are ever Protestant Caucus. We have no problem hearing others views and are open to discussing differences. It begs the question why Catholics are afraid to do the same and have to hide behind a Caucus designation.
So, please, spare us the innocent face and then the persecution complex that accompanies it when - as expected - the rebuttals come flying back. There ARE many threads posted by non-Catholic Christians in the RF that are meant to be edifying and encouraging to ALL Christians. Want to know why there are seldom any comparable provocative "Protestant v. Catholic" threads like this? Easy, we don't need to drum up conflict in order to confirm our faith - our assurance is in Christ, not our church and those who participate in the discussions are amply prepared to give an answer to everyone that asks us of the reason for the hope that is within us - usually with gentleness and respect, though when that doesn't work, it can get stern. We're grown-ups, we can manage.
Well; I guess one COULD say so.
I’m a child of a King, and have inherited a kingdom.
I carry myself regally and folks are in awe of my knowledge; to say NOTHING of my Beauty!
Many wait outside my door; for food from my table.
I could go on (and on and on and...) but my vast royal humility limits me: severely.
We still have a LOT of dirt roads in Indiana!
Those are conversion stories; not hit pieces on protestantism. If that’s the way you see them, that’s the glass you’re looking through. So I will say it again, the Religion forum is basically for Catholics. Protestants for some strange reason don’t like to share stories concerning their faith, but they do like to offer their advice on what they perceive as being wrong with those heathen Catholics.
“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5
Jim; is this true?
Golly; I wonder WHY??!!??
I believe no one’s personal story to try and get someone else stirred up. No link, no nothing. End of subject.
Yes they should. And God told us that we need to “come out of her my people” or we would be “partakers in her plagues”.
But my reference to the apostasy of the Apostles themselves --- for awhile there --- is meant to illustrate the fact that they, like their successor bishops, like all of us, need continual conversion.
Ecclesia semper reformanda.
For this, pray.
Well I ain’t gonna say nothing about you beauty either! I know what you mean about those waiting “outside your door” too! We have a bunch of them critters here! LOL
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