Is the Pope Catholic? - The Greatest Schism in Catholic Church History!

Spiritual Food Blogspot ^ | May 10, 2016 | Rev. Joseph Dwight

[Mrs. Don-o]

"God's Word" has His protection whether it is written oir spoken.

It is precious and wonderful that you have "part" of God's word, the written Scriptures (although not even all of that, since as I am pretty sure that the Bible you use had seven books cut out of it: so you're not even in possession of "*ALL* of Scripture...")

But even if you did have the complete 46 books of the OT, you still wouldn't have the whole Word, which was entrusted to the Church in the preaching and in the practice as well as in the books of Scripture. Scripture itself had its origin from God in the preaching and the practice of the Church.

Tell me: how do you know that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the four Gospels? The manuscripts of the Gospels are anonymous: they are neither signed nor labeled with their names. So how do you know who the authors were?

[BipolarBob]

If ONLY Scripture was given by inspiration, there would have been NO CHURCH between AD 33 and AD 90 or 100, when the last book of the NT was written.

I really don't know how to respond to that. There were church's in the time of Jesus because it is recorded He went to them. No closures are mentioned anywhere so I'm not seeing your point. In fact I'm not seeing the point in most of your posting. It doesn't make sense to me. Maybe Elsie can add something to this but I cannot. Sorry.

[BipolarBob]

how do you know that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the four Gospels?

(1)God saw to it that the information was preserved and (2) it really is inconsequential to me who the scribes were. That's all I got for you.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Your answer is, I think, satisfactory in one sense, but in another, not so much..

1. God certainly DID see to it that the information was preserved, because God protects the authority of the Apostolic testimony, whether it was in writing, in speech, or in deed. He does not allow Church as a whole (cata holos) to be led astray--- ever.
2. It certain does matter who wrote them. What authority would they have --- over all the dozens of other devotional, pious spiritual writings also being circulated in those early years --- if it were not certain that these four Gospels, and only these four Gospels, were written by Apostles (Matthew, John) and by the 1st generation disciples or successors of the apostles (Mark, Luke) who wrote during the Apostolic age?

Were it not for this protection which the Church received, we could well; be reading all those Gnostic pseudo-gospels, and would be led very much astray.

God did not drop these books down, leather-bound, in gothic lettering and gold leaf, from Heaven. He saw to it that every part of it was written, preserved, copied, translated, recognized as authoritative for Liturgy in the earliest churches, finally canonized on the basis of this consensus in practice. By God's Providence, the Church in practice gave birth to the Scriptures.

[BipolarBob]

Your answer is, I think, satisfactory in one sense, but in another, not so much..
I am sorry I did not meet your expectations. But I am fallible.

He does not allow Church as a whole (cata holos) to be led astray--- ever.
Are you applying Church in this statement to be the RCC? If so, I would politely disagree.

It certain does matter who wrote them.
As I said, not to me. As long as the content is true and authentic that is all that matters. It is the message that is important not the messenger.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Nonsense. How could the message be reliable if the messenger is unreliable -— unknown, even? Heck, Mohammad could write a “gospel.” Any religious charlatan could.

[BipolarBob]

Re-read my posting again, please. The answer to your objection has already been addressed.

[BipolarBob]

How could the message be reliable if the messenger is unreliable -— unknown, even?
Let me give examples to prove my point. Balaam was a soothsayer and diviner and not a holy man. He is not a nice guy but the prophecies God put in his mouth were true prophecies. The messenger was a scoundrel but the words were true.
Balaams donkey gave his master a message about the abuse he was unfairly given. Do you know the donkeys name? I don't but I do know the message he spoke was true because it came from God and saved Balaams life.

[Mrs. Don-o]

But your example does not apply: you believe these accounts because they are in the Bible, and someone, sometime, has authenticated the authorship of these books.

If you found these in a random book of anonymous tales, you would not believe them, I suppose. Unless you are a very credulous person.

[Elsie]

Maybe Elsie can add something to this but I cannot.

In the abundance of words...

[Elsie]

God certainly DID see to it that the information was preserved, because God protects the authority of the Apostolic testimony, whether it was in writing, in speech, or in deed. He does not allow Church as a whole (cata holos) to be led astray--- ever.

Nice qualifier to exempt those 7 CATHOLIC churches in Asia that went belly up.

[Elsie]

Heck, Mohammad could write a “gospel.” Any religious charlatan could.

HMMMmmm...

---

"The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem,

no matter how difficult it is, wheter temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families...that cannot be solved by the Rosary.

There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary."

Sister Lucia dos Santos

---

The 15 promises

(Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche)

1	Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive powerful graces.
2.	I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3.	The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies
4.	It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5.	The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6.	Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying Himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise Him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
7.	Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8.	Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise.
9.	I  shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10.	The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11.	You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12.	All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13.	I  have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death
14.	All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15.	Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

[Elsie]

ELSIE?

[Elsie]

But your example does not apply: you believe these accounts because they are in the Bible, and someone, sometime, has authenticated the authorship of these books.

The church is true because the church says it's true.

Nice!

[BipolarBob]

The biggest difference between Prots and Catholics is that Catholics always want to elevate man above his standing and Prots acknowledge God as sovereign and supreme. In the Bible, it is not the messenger that is the focus, it is the message because that message is from God. In the birth of Jesus, Mary is not the focus, but our Redeemer is. You see, it is the Source of the message and not the tool used to deliver that message and that theme is consistent throughout the Bible. Romans 9:21 says we are the clay and God is the potter. We are the tools for Gods great purpose. Let the glory be to God. Amen.

[BipolarBob]

But your example does not apply:
Yes it does. My examples proves your assertion is wrong. And you don't like it. My source is impeccable.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You you would believe in the account of Balaam and his donkey even if it were in Grimm's Fairy Tales? Because it's "self-authenticating"?

Nah. I don't believe you would.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You have been misinformed.

Nobody said that "local churches" (like the seven churches of Asia) wouldn't go "belly up." Good Lord have mercy, think of all those used-to-be Catholic churches in Europe that went Protestant! And some are now being retrofitted as restaurants and condos! Think of a thousand churches in the Middle East that were smashed to bits by the Islamic invasions 1300 years ago a and are no more; think of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople/Istanbul, all of whose used-to-be Christian congegrants are scatterd now for centuries, or absorbed by force into Islam, and their magnificent cathedral was turned into a mosque (and now a museum). Belly up!

The promise from Christ is that the Church as-a-whole (the Church cata holos) will not be led astray.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Amen to all that.

As Mary says to all who come to her, "Do whatever HE tells you."

[Mrs. Don-o]

Yes, exactly, Elsie. Exactly! Because Christ is the founder and Bridegroom of His Church, and abides with Her always.