Posted on 03/22/2015 5:06:16 PM PDT by ebb tide
The US state of Idaho's Catholic leadership has declared that a state senator's anti-Hindu views run counter to the teachings of the Church and Pope Francis's support for inter-religious dialogue.
When Universal Society of Hinduism President Rajan Zed recited prayers for the state senate's March 3 session in Boise, Senator Sheryl Nuxoll boycotted the invocation and said that she believed the US is a Christian nation and "Hindu is a false faith with false gods". Her opinions "do not represent the opinions or teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, (Boise) Bishop Peter Christensen or even our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who has been an outspoken supporter of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue," a statement from the Boise Diocese said on Friday.
"Nuxoll's comments reflect her own personal opinions," the statement said.
Nuxoll, who is a Catholic, was one of three Republican senators to boycott Zed's prayer, although Republican Senate President Pro-Tem, Brent Hill, had invited Zed to be the guest chaplain. Zed's prayer was non-denominational and Hill said, "it refers to deity supreme".
After the senate prayer, Zed met the Boise Catholic Diocese's Vicar General for Clergy, Monsignor Joseph A. da Silva, and Chancellor Marcella Wilske. Zed said they had "a dialogue on various interfaith issues".
Jewish and other religious leaders have demanded an apology from Nuxoll.
"Being a public official who is expected to represent all citizens, it is highly inappropriate and insensitive for Nuxoll to unnecessarily label a major religion as 'false,' as there are about three million Hindus in US, including some in Idaho," said a letter signed by 28 clergy members and others last week.
According to 'The Jewish Daily Forward', Rabbi Daniel Fink of Boise's Jewish Congregation Ahavatah Beth Israel organised the letter campaign through the Idaho Interfaith Equality Coalition.
Even before the letter was sent, Nuxoll had ruled out any apology and invoked Mother Teresa.
"I said it was a religion with false gods. I'm not going to give an apology," the 'Spokesman-Review' newspaper quoted her as saying earlier this month.
"I felt I had to abstain, because I'm not going to be praying to false gods. I'm a believer like Mother Teresa that everybody should be the best they can," she added.
She also reiterated her belief that the US Constitution is "based on Judeo-Christian principles".
"I'm in a floor session bound to follow the Constitution," the Spokesman-Review quoted her as saying. "It is a Christian nation based on Christian principles."
The US constitution is secular and prohibits the establishment of official religion.
According to the newspaper, Nuxoll said she received many emails "running me down", but also some supporting her. She singled out one email backing her "from a lady who said she had lived with the Hindus".
Nuxoll said that the woman wrote "there was a great amount of infanticide and abortion."
They had real witches that turned the cows’ milk sour? I have to read up on that.
We can’t know; that is His call. What do you think happens?
I’ll be the first to admit that Catholics can’t assimilate in America; we pay taxes and serve in the armed forces, but we can never be part of the larger secular culture (unless we basically renounce our Catholicism). Much of the turmoil in the American Church today is caused by the hierarchy attempting to assimilate Catholics into the post-Christian mainstream.
That is an extremely insightful comment.
I’m Catholic. I’m not worried about the Hindus.
Hindus don’t behead unbelievers or fly planes into buildings or demand as immigrants that we must submit to their religion & laws.
In fact, I’m kind of partial to tandoori chicken. And the Indian government gave a state funeral for Mother Teresa. India is allied with Israel, too.
The year 1800 because there were less than 1% Catholics in America, by some estimates about .4% at the creation of our nation, and by 1800 it was probably already the law that you had to be Catholic in Mexico.
Catholics didn’t really start arriving in America until the 1840s and reached 5% of our population by the 1850s.
So according to you, we Americans were all hell bound for generations, for centuries even, counting colonial days, unlike our Mexican and Latin American neighbors who were saved by the government law requiring them to be Catholic.
What you miss is we do exactly that when they make bone-headed pronouncements like this. As St Athanasius said, "the floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops." These guys are notorious for saying and doing stupid things... like St Peter with the gentiles in Galatians. Yes, they must still be followed on matters of faith and morals. When it comes to their personal opinions and practices, that can be another matter entirely, unfortunately.
If that is truly so, then Catholicism is not only weak but invalid, and can only stand when it has no competition.
Which makes it just like every other religion that claims a similar requirement, and therefore, inevitably, has historically tried to slaughter non-believers and/or damn them to hell.
Religion is a method of worship. It is limited because we are limited. Anyone who extends that limitation to the actual reality of the infinitude of God is being foolish.
If you've found a way to worship God that satisfies you, be grateful, instead of using it to attack other people. I've tried to point out that Jesus taught something similar, but I keep getting damned for it.
Oh well, all that means is I'll end up in the same hell as the Protestants. Or is it the Catholics? Which group of millions of Christians do you think are going to hell?
——Are you saying they were justified in killing the accused? If not, what exactly are you saying?-——
I’m not saying they were justified in killing the witches, just that there is well documented evidence witches were not a figment of their religious imagination...
Arthur Miller “The Scarlet letter” is literature not history ....
Make that Arthur Miller “ The crucible”
Thank you; it is sad (and demoralizing) to witness.
I think individuals go to Hell based on their actions; Jesus Himself indicated that only those that believed in Him would be with His Father. Protestants officially meet that standard, so I can’t judge how that will work out.
Luk 9:49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
Luk 9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
I don’t get the Roman Catholic hegemony when their house is dirty too?
According to me? What has led you to such a false accusation?
Lots of signs here of the Last Days apostate church. If you can’t see it, you have no discernment and will be completely taken in by what is coming later.
The true church honors the holy scriptures and bring their lives into subjection to it because the true church/true bride loves and honors her Bridegroom. He invites his bride to come “die with him” in this life. “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live…”
The true church rightly divides the Word - exegesis - taking out that which it actually states vs eisegesis - reading into the scripture that which we want, elevating our own ideas above scripture or “proof texting” - beginning with what we want and trying to find a verse to support it or one we can take out of context to do the same.
The true church will have a balance between the Spirit and the truth vs an emphasis of one over the other. Those seeking the Spirit to the exclusion of truth to support it will get a counterfeit spirit. Those that emphasize truth to the neglect of the Spirit will move into cessationism -i.e., “the gifts died out, that was for another day.” Also, “You can take the mark of the beast and still go to heaven, brother!”
The true church will understand the prophetic purposes for Israel and the Jews. The false church will move towards supersessionism and replacement theology and will oppose Israel - just like the lost world does.
The true church will have/demonstrate the unity of the Spirit. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. When spiritually and doctrinally united they will organize on the basis of practicality NOT denominationalism, hierarchical structures or ecumenicalism (which is what this post is all about). What relationship does light have with darkness? This isn now a huge issue and growing. Beware of this false christ!
The true church will have a concept of church as relational vs the institutionalism of the false compromising church. Body life in the true church is Spirit led vs programatic approach of the compromising church (40 days of purpose, we’ve scheduled our revivals for Oct. and then in April, we’re using the new program of such and such - our people love it, etc., etc.)
The true church is historically aware. Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it - which the false church does, repeating the errors of past compromisers and claiming it’s the latest move of the Spirit. You might fit into this category of you think name it and claim it was a new “move of the Spirit where God wants his children to be rich!” Can you say Amen and praise God! Just keep those checks coming!
The growing remnant of true believers will have a Christ-centric view of life and this present world. They realize Christ has called them to not hold tightly to the things of this life and to die to self and be surrendered to Him for His purposes (and their eternal good) because He is a loving Savior who laid down His life for us. They go with Him prepared to lay down their lives physically (as those in the middle east have just done) in order not to deny Him or dishonor His sacrifice. They are prepared to be “hated by all men” for His name sake. The false church will have an eccleso-centric view where we all “join the club” Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim because truth no longer matters. They will listen to the soothsayers to build a false unity and in the process will build monuments to men that will not stand the test of time or eternity. It’s a beautiful thing don’t-cha-know?
The true church knows that tearing down the false before trying to build the new comes first in real revival. It also knows that prayer, repentance and Godly brokenness and sorry are precursors. Where we recognize not just our own sin but the sin of our nation and our leaders - not in a blaming way but in a way that deals with sin and desires to agree with God’s righteous standard and in a way that desires to root it out - in our own lives first.
I’m sure there are other characteristics that could be included (feel free to post) but we are living in an age of great deception, great compromise, little true discernment and increasing lawlessness and abject evil. God is about to judge our nation. He’s already begun. That is why we have such a man in the Oval office. However, our problem is not Barrack Obama, Harry Reid, John Boehner or pick your favorite “evil person”. Our problem is that we have forgotten our God and as a result we have forgotten His Word - but He hasn’t! That is why our nation is in trouble. 50 million babies killed for convenience, the Roman church covering for priests that prey on little children, preachers that drive around in big expensive cars and sleep around with members’s wives and build monuments to themselves while the flock struggles to get by. Ted Cruz or the Republican party is not going to save us. There is NO political solution! Judgement must begin at the house of the Lord. If you are not ready there is little time left. God is still merciful but his anger will not sleep forever and America is past due on her account.
Lots of signs here of the Last Days apostate church.
The true church honors the holy scriptures and bring their lives into subjection to it because the true church/true bride loves and honors her Bridegroom. He invites his bride to come “die with him” in this life. “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live…”
The true church rightly divides the Word - exegesis - taking out that which it actually states vs eisegesis - reading into the scripture that which we want, elevating our own ideas above scripture or “proof texting” - beginning with what we want and trying to find a verse to support it or one we can take out of context to do the same.
The true church will have a balance between the Spirit and the truth vs an emphasis of one over the other. Those seeking the Spirit to the exclusion of truth to support it will get a counterfeit spirit. Those that emphasize truth to the neglect of the Spirit will move into cessationism -i.e., “the gifts died out, that was for another day.” Also, “You can take the mark of the beast and still go to heaven, brother!”
The true church will understand the prophetic purposes for Israel and the Jews. The false church will move towards supersessionism and replacement theology and will oppose Israel - just like the lost world does.
The true church will have/demonstrate the unity of the Spirit. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. When spiritually and doctrinally united they will organize on the basis of practicality NOT denominationalism, hierarchical structures or ecumenicalism (which is what this post is all about). What relationship does light have with darkness? This isn now a huge issue and growing. Beware of this false christ!
The true church will have a concept of church as relational vs the institutionalism of the false compromising church. Body life in the true church is Spirit led vs programatic approach of the compromising church (40 days of purpose, we’ve scheduled our revivals for Oct. and then in April, we’re using the new program of such and such - our people love it, etc., etc.)
The true church is historically aware. Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it - which the false church does, repeating the errors of past compromisers and claiming it’s the latest move of the Spirit. You might fit into this category of you think name it and claim it was a new “move of the Spirit where God wants his children to be rich!” Can you say Amen and praise God! Just keep those checks coming!
The growing remnant of true believers will have a Christ-centric view of life and this present world. They realize Christ has called them to not hold tightly to the things of this life and to die to self and be surrendered to Him for His purposes (and their eternal good) because He is a loving Savior who laid down His life for us. They go with Him prepared to lay down their lives physically (as those in the middle east have just done) in order not to deny Him or dishonor His sacrifice. They are prepared to be “hated by all men” for His name sake. The false church will have an eccleso-centric view where we all “join the club” Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim because truth no longer matters. They will listen to the soothsayers to build a false unity and in the process will build monuments to men that will not stand the test of time or eternity. It’s a beautiful thing don’t-cha-know?
The true church knows that tearing down the false before trying to build the new comes first in real revival. It also knows that prayer, repentance and Godly brokenness and sorry are precursors. Where we recognize not just our own sin but the sin of our nation and our leaders - not in a blaming way but in a way that deals with sin and desires to agree with God’s righteous standard and in a way that desires to root it out - in our own lives first.
I’m sure there are other characteristics that could be included (feel free to post) but we are living in an age of great deception, great compromise, little true discernment and increasing lawlessness and abject evil. God is about to judge our nation. He’s already begun. That is why we have such a man in the Oval office. However, our problem is not Barrack Obama, Harry Reid, John Boehner or pick your favorite “evil person”. Our problem is that we have forgotten our God and as a result we have forgotten His Word - but He hasn’t! That is why our nation is in trouble. 50 million babies killed for convenience, the Roman church covering for priests that prey on little children, preachers that drive around in big expensive cars and sleep around with members’s wives and build monuments to themselves while the flock struggles to get by. Ted Cruz or the Republican party is not going to save us. There is NO political solution! Judgement must begin at the house of the Lord. If you are not ready there is little time left. God is still merciful but his anger will not sleep forever. America is past due.
I misunderstood you then, I thought you were saying that Christians that don’t attend at your denomination, were going to hell.
So did I misunderstand you then? I thought you were saying that Christians who aren't members of your denomination, were going to hell.
If you truly are a Catholic, you should be worried.
India Catholic church attacks prompt fears of rising Hindu nationalism under PM Narendra Modi
Rape of Catholic nun, church attacks unnerve Indian Christians
I don't know either
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