Posted on 04/17/2014 5:43:38 PM PDT by Faith Presses On
Thank you! A very good word for today and the challenges we face as believers. I am doing a Kay Arthur study at my church on the first 10 chapters of Genesis, the creation, the fall and the flood. WOW! If people were only willing to see and hear with their spiritual eyes and ears, they’d be flabbergasted to see where we are, what the “time” is and how we need to prepare, but I agree with you that few there be who are really interested or care. Some talk a good talk, but it’s only talk. Judgment is coming to the just and the unjust. We MUST prepare and get ready!
Who do you think promoted the "original shift in European culture" toward the Judaeo-Christian God in the first place? Hint: it wasn't any of the Protestant churches, because they didn't exist yet, and wouldn't exist for a thousand years after Christianity was made legal in AD 313.
The Catholic Church has been in existence for nearly 2000 years, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
In Defense of the Papacy: 9 Reasons True Christians Follow the Pope
The Four Pillars of the Christian Life
Fragments of Catholic Truth: Yes to Christ, No to the Church?
The Uniqueness of Christianity: 12 Objections Answered
The Church – The Bride of Christ
Catholic Identity Once Again
Essays for Lent: The Church
Woe to the Solitary Man – A Brief Meditation on our Need for the Church
Jesus and His Church Are One
How Old Is Your Church?
Wise words. Thank you.
So, what, you tightly cling to that often misinterpreted passage and ignore the very REAL prevalence of immorality, licentiousness, greed, love of wealth rather than love of God that exists in your church as well as many others? Nothing can ever be fixed if we pretend there is no problem.
These things are present in all peoples, in all countries, in all religions.
Perhaps you can tell me why the Catholic Church is singled out repeatedly?
Did you read the OP or just reflexively react to the mention of the Catholic Church and moral failings?
It's kinda funny, though, most of the threads on the RF are singing the praises of the Roman Catholic Church - quite a few by you - yet it seems anytime someone NOT RC posts a thread, FRoman Catholics are on hair trigger alert to tamp down even the possibility of negative press. Why is that? Pro-Catholic threads often disparage non-Catholic denominations and presume a superior spiritual and theological attitude rather than rejoicing in our common tenets of the Christian faith. Had you read the OP, you would have seen a remorse over ALL churches in America sliding down a perilous slope and NOT just picking on the Catholics.
Why is the Catholic Church "singled" out repeatedly, you ask? How about, one, it's really not, and, two, you guys DO claim to be THE church Jesus established, so that HAS to come with some responsibility, doesn't it? How about you address the content of the OP and leave off the defensive posture for when it really needs to happen?
I share your concerns. What you’ve pointed out is the defect within human reason (due to our fallen and sinful nature) that leads to gross moral evil in our world. However, it is important to remember that it is our human reason in conjunction with our Faith that leads us to God. Furthermore we have to be mindful of tipping the scale too far in regard to favoring God’s Divinity or His Humanity. The extremes lead to heresy.
I remember Peter Kreeft (Boston U. prof) giving a talk wherein he told a story about taking a Muslim student to Mass with him. After the Mass the Muslim asked him, “Do you really believe that the bread and wine becomes God?” Professor Kreeft said, “Yes.” The Muslim responded, “If I believed that I would fall to floor and prostrate myself before God and would remain there for all eternity.”
The point of the story is to emphasize the nature of man. If we did as the Muslim did and attempt to worship God in such a manner it would be a denial of our humanity for we are incapable in our human form of such worship. It is the same with our reason which is extended into the arts and other forms of expression. We can’t deny it and we should embrace it, particularly when it does glorify God as you stated.
Man as the measure of all things goes all the way backs to the Greeks and throughout the centuries in rationalistic enlightenment thought. But up until that point I don’t believe it was the dominant form of thought. People didn’t say, “That’s your truth, I have my own thank you very much.” People who knew the truth oriented their lives to it. Today in our post-enlightenment modern world it is seen as optional. A sad state of affairs. But it was not always this way. I figure we’ll go back someday, if we make it to that point.
Anyway enough babbling. Peace be with you.
I can speak to this a little bit. While I am fairly new to posting on FR I’m not new to lurking and have been here on a daily basis for many years now lurking through the RF and reading the threads.
To be honest the reason I began posting was in response to the “negative press” being posted by others. So in that sense I should say thank you to you and other non-Catholic Christians for awakening within me the the desire to defend my Catholic faith.
While we are not to read the minds of other posters in the RF I don’t think it can be denied that the spirit in which that “negative press” is posted is less than charitable in most cases. There exists an air of triumphal derision in some of those postings that is quite unseemly.
I sympathize with Salvation and other long term “FRoman Catholics” who’ve beeen defending the Faith day-in and day-out for years, trying to do so in the most charitable manner possible. Sometimes that hasn’t always been possible and for me personally I couldn’t allow them to carry the burden by themselves any longer.
You are absolutely correct about the Catholic Church, however. Because we have been given the fullness of Truth and Faith (I know you will disagree) we have an obligation to defend the Faith. As it has been said the more that has been given the more that will be required. And each one of us responds according to our individual charism.
Having said all that, I recognize the spirit in which the OP was offered and I did respond in kind even though I didn’t agree with all of the conclusions that were proffered.
Peace be with you.
ping
Dr. Kreeft is at Boston College.
Revelation 3:14-22 14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Bookmarked.
Thank you
A cursory look at the condition of the most highly Catholic countries in this world now and in the past will show the fruits of Catholicism.
Those countries are and have been steeped in superstition and voo doo and syncretism. Catholicism has done precious little to pull those people out of spiritual darkness or improve their standard of living or moral situations. It has not cleared out corruption in their governments and life is not valued there.
Of those countries claiming a strong *Christian* influence, those whose *Christian* influence is primarily Catholicism are the most likely to resemble or be third world hell holes.
In this country, the Catholic voting patterns tend towards liberalism and socialism and were it not for the non-Catholic voting block, we would be in worse shape now than we are. I have personally only met one Catholic couple who votes conservative. The rest of the practicing Catholics (faithfully attend mass weekly and often on church holy days of obligation) I know for democratic in spite of the abortion issue because *yeah but.....the dems are “for the poor”*.
Sure. Supporting abortion sure helps the poor out, doesn’t it?
Ah BC! Thank you!
No problem.
It should but ironically and hypocritically, they disavow themselves of the responsibility part of it and only want the applause and honor and ability to control.
What we here constantly in response to pointing out the Catholic church's moral failings is that, well people sin, nobody is perfect, they are just human like the rest of us.
The very Scripture they claim to have written, holds church leadership to a much higher standard of behavior than the *laity* and addresses church discipline. Neither of which the RCC hypocritically seems to be inclined to follow.
Standards for thee but not for me is their byword.
Catholic church, lead by example. If you want your congregants to lead holy and righteous lives, clean your own house first before sitting in judgment on others while giving your own corrupt immoral leaders, who don't even follow church teaching themselves, a pass.
This article isn't about favoring His Divinity over His Humanity at all.
It's not addressing misconceptions about the nature of God.
Sheesh, Catholics have such a knee jerk reaction to what they perceive as the slightest whiff of *heresy* that the minute they think they see it, their mind shuts down and that's all they can focus on.
However, in our culture, there needs to be a greater focus on His Divine nature. People have indeed lost sight of just who God is, His holiness and righteousness and all the other attributes of God.
God is God and we need to stop thinking or Him and treating Him as s sugar daddy.
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