Posted on 01/05/2015 3:27:43 AM PST by NYer
Freedom of speech is a great thing. Unfortunately, it comes at an unavoidable price: When citizens are free to say what they want, theyll sometimes use that freedom to say some pretty silly things. And thats the case with the 12 claims were about to cover.
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Some of them are made over and over, others are rare. Either way, while the proponents of these errors are free to promote them, we as Catholics have a duty to respond.
2. "Christianity is no better than any other faith. All religions lead to God."
If you haven't heard this one a dozen times, you don't get out much. Sadly enough, the person making this claim is often himself a Christian (at least, in name).
The problems with this view are pretty straightforward. Christianity makes a series of claims about God and man: That Jesus of Nazareth was God Himself, and that he died and was resurrected — all so that we might be free from our sins. Every other religion in the world denies each of these points. So, if Christianity is correct, then it speaks a vital truth to the world — a truth that all other religions reject.
This alone makes Christianity unique.
But it doesn't end there. Recall Jesus' statement in John's Gospel:
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." In Christianity, we have God's full revelation to humanity. It's true that all religions contain some measure of truth — the amount varying with the religion. Nevertheless, if we earnestly want to follow and worship God, shouldn't we do it in the way He prescribed?
If Jesus is indeed God, then only Christianity contains the fullness of this truth.
Can you even read? I mean seriously! You have no ability to understand what I wrote. I said EXACTLY the opposite. Did you even go to school?
Now I know this requires a little thinking that is not simply black and white and written in the Bible.
Reason, logic, rational thought. Conservatives all claim to think like this, but they get on religion threads and it all goes out the window. Really very aggravating. Please someone come fourth and debate the issue. Illuminate it better then I can Please!
There is only One God, One Truth, but many follow their own truth and it may not be the path of God has directed.
Hey, it’s what your group believes. I’m simply using the standard of those who demand adherence to a group. Your words were because it’s “helpful to know where you are coming from”. I’m beginning to think you don’t like that same idea when it is applied to you.
So do you believe you serve the same god as the Muslims or not?
BTW: Muslims embrace the teachings of Mohammed. Jews and Christians do not.
There's a big difference IMO between "only my religion is the true religion" and "convert to my religion or die".
Here’s the deal. If we say that no religion but “ours” contains truth, then we are not very much different then the idiots running around calling people infidels.
You still haven’t answered the question about whether you belong to a faith, or just interpret the Bible on your own.
Logically there is no difference. Take the emotion out of it, it’s the same thing.
The writer uses the word “Christianity” in his premise suggesting that all Christians are of the same belief. That is a false premise. Only one religion leads to God and that is the Catholic religion; all others are absolutely false––including every other “Christian” religion.
While the writer is probably sincere enough in his “Catholic” beliefs, he seems confused by implying that one “Christian” religion is a good as another. That’s Protestantism––at least in the minds of many Protestants. Of course, if he actually believes that one Christian religion is as good as any other Christian religion, then he is far more than confused. Before Vatican II it would be called heretical.
But it’s sadly understandable that this totally mendacious teaching is accepted by otherwise faithful Catholics, since that is what their bishops and priests, educated under the Vatican II doctrines, have now come to believe themselves. Unfortunately, many faithful Catholics have been led astray by this teaching––including, it seems, this sincere though erring writer, Deal Hudson.
One last point about what he says that may be a little off-topic, but worth pointing out to expose this writer’s modernism. He states that “Jesus of Nazareth was God Himself, and that he died and was resurrected — all so that we might be free from our sins.”
Yes, Jesus Christ did die for our sins, but notice his inclusion of the phrase “and was resurrected”. That was never part of Catholic belief before Vatican II. That is the so-called “Pascal Mystery” language that was added with the Novus Ordo Mass. Before the N.O., Catholics were taught that the “Holy Sacrifice of the Mass” (now the “Eucharistic Celebration”) was a re-creation of Calvary, and that His death on the Cross alone sufficed as expiation for our sins. But with the Protestanized version we are now taught to believe that the Crucifixion and death of Our Dear Lord Jesus Christ was not enough––but that it was necessary for Jesus to be resurrected as well.
Well, truth is truth, no matter how it makes us "seem" in comparison to other people. As the article states, Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. There is no getting around that. I guess that makes me intolerant. So what? If Jesus truly is God we have to take Him at His word, and not worry if we seem like "other religions".
By way of example, Joe Biden and I are both Baptized persons. We have both been Baptized in the Trinitarian formula, we have both had our First Communion, we both have been Confirmed. We both profess the belief in the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We both profess the same creed etc. Now Did Joe stop learning his faith at the age of 14-17, whatever age his Confirmation occurred? So many do. They say OK, I got it! I believe it and that's that. They have the 8th, 9th, 10th grade understanding of their faith and they are content with it.
Then there are others such as myself, who have driven certain religious and priests crazy with questions, questions, questions. Simple faith v. seeking faith. Neither is considered in the Catholic sense to be superior to the other. A person of simple faith can have a heart that is so in tune with God, that is would blow your sox's off, were they to share. They don't share because they simply live what they know and it's perfectly fine. Then there are the learned, they are so knowledgeable that it may take all their time and they don't have the inner spiritual life they might like to have because they spend all their time reading and thinking.
Then there is within all that, various levels. We are all on a journey, a pilgrimage here on this earth and we are awaiting the day when after our physical death we go to meet the Lord.
So yes busybodies. Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi are my brother and sister in Christ. If I actually knew them I would try to help them understand the disorder in their thinking. But I do not.
BTW, Catholic Democrats often think that we should be more concerned with the living as opposed to the unborn and they think we are disordered when we don't. That's just the way it is.
If you can’t recognize the difference between the god the Muslims serve and the God of scripture I pity you. If on the other hand you are somehow attempting to comply with Catholic teaching without thought I would suggest some serious reflection.
Sure I have. Many times.
Time was when my Irish ancestors were worshiping trees. I do wonder about them. Maybe you don't. That's OK, but I do think that we sit on our pedestals with the advantage of having Bibles, and the ability to read them and we sit in judgment of those who have not had the advantages we have had and we tell God what to do.
If we applied a certain standard and you know which one I mean, only Catholics will be in heaven with God. I am not sure they want to go down that road.
“But with the Protestanized version we are now taught to believe that the Crucifixion and death of Our Dear Lord Jesus Christ was not enough––but that it was necessary for Jesus to be resurrected as well.”
“Protestantized” does not work here as Scripture makes it clear Resurrection was essential, so Jesus would “ever live” to make intercession for us. He is a “priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek”. He went into the Most Holy Place and into Heaven itself. Only a resurrected Jesus could do that.
Of course, this destroys any idea of continuing a sacrifice such as the Mass represents (assuming I understand it correctly) since Jesus died ONCE FOR ALL. It is finished. Levitical priesthood over. No other priesthood needed now as we have been personally granted boldness and access.
Many do not want it.
You need to tell the RM the identity of the person that is forcing you to red and respond. Last Time I checked this was still a free country.
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