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Your “quotation statement” is again built upon a canard. In this one’s case, it is predicated upon your view, mistakenly, that only the Bible is necessary for Catholics to hear and read, when in truth it is that they must read and hear ALL of His Word: the Bible and Sacred Tradition (yes, capital “T”). As in Church teachings, especially from the Church Fathers. Any Catholic benefits from hearing these more.

To all, to regain what is perceived here as lost ground, one need only return to proper Catechism and formation, not insipid songs, but teaching that which the Church espouses. The evangelical preachers mentioned here have one thing going for them: emotional roller-coasters in the form of sermons. The Catholic Priests have another: THE TRUTH! More importantly, they have something the protestants, in all forms do not, and I say this not in desire for harshness but charity: The Catholic Church has the Truth, as in Our Lord, Jesus Christ, it’s founder. That utterly trumps emotion: Truth.

Both you and your brother are in my prayers.

It seems that using any source material to support your argument is too much for you, eh? You would prefer mere invective? Too bad. A fool brings in the “Jews in Spain” the way you did, since the Spanish Inquisition was run by the government of Spain, not the Church. And likewise, there were no “knights” of the Spanish Inquisition. Next time, instead of relying on spittle and sneering, try some facts.

Here’s one for you: If Luther had stuck to his original pronouncements, of attempting reforms of genuine issues, instead of what he eventually did, he might have ended up a saint. A few of his 95 theses were valid, and did indeed address things which were issues. Some were being addressed, but not forcefully enough, others needed address. But his flaws, like those of me, or you, were self-inflicted. He had free will, and he employed it, to whatever end he met. As I said before, one hopes he made a deathbed conversion, because it is to be hoped that all men are saved. That includes him.

From there, you conflated about the mafia and the Borgias. The mafia began in Sicily in the nineteenth century, four hundred years AFTER the Borgias. Don’t let history get in your way? That’s a democrat tactic.

There is NO buying salvation. What can you give God that He doesn’t already have? The Church has NEVER and will NEVER teach that. Buying salvation is the viewpoint of a person in the system of law, not grace. The Church teaches that good works in the system of grace are required for salvation, but that “works of law” (Rom. 3:28, Gal. 2:16) do not. When Adam disobeyed God’s law, God used the law to condemn us (Rom. 7:10). “Works of law” refer to the Mosaic law, or any system where we approach God as a debtor who owes us for our works (we call that “works righteousness”). We cannot approach God this way. Instead, we have to approach God in the system of grace, with faith in Christ, acknowledging that God owes us nothing, but, because He is a faithful Father, will reward us for our works. This is why James teaches that a man is justified by works and not faith alone, and why Paul says the doers of the law will be justified. These works refer to works in the system of grace, when we approach God with faith in Christ, and not works of law where we approach God as a debtor who owes us.

As to indulgences, your statement is incorrect. I could easily go over the passages in the Bible about confessing your sins, but since might involve copying and pasting, you might not enjoy it. Suffice it to say that when we confess our sins, and receive forgiveness for them we still owe temporal punishment for them. If you steal something from a store near your house, and you feel badly, you might be inclined to go to that store, and say you’re sorry. Then, you’d need to make amends. That’s the temporal punishment I mentioned. If I do something, and I go to the sacrament of Confession, and receive forgiveness, I still need to make amends. Indulgences are fairly uncommon these days, and only remit temporal punishment for sins already forgiven through the sacrament of Confession. Put another way, even if a person pursues receiving an indulgence of some sort, if they haven’t already been to Confession, confessed that particular sin and received absolution, then whatever indulgence would be involved has no effect.

You cannot buy salvation. You cannot buy forgiveness. Indulgences do not grant forgiveness of sins. But thank you for your straw man argument.

Child molestings? Spare me your drivel. I have five kids. You? I work with children literally every day. Shall we talk about the prevalence of molestations in protestant ecclesial communities or public schools? Nah? Your thinly-veiled canard is just that.

I can back up what I’ve said here. I copied and pasted in my earlier comment to support what I was saying. You replied with nothing but conflation and invective and ad hominem attacks. As I said, those are democrat tactics. What that says about you is not my problem, but yours.

I will say this once, before I bring the admins in. You are free to denigrate the Catholic Church. I am free to disagree with you. We are both free to think various thoughts one about the other. The second you brought in child molestation with me as the subject that changed. Retract that now. You have one chance. And I absolutely am not kidding.

All flippancy aside, your general statement is patently false, since it implicitly assumes that the majority of, as you out it, “middle age pope(s)” would have all of the aforementioned ‘qualities’ about them. Not even the worst of those who held the Holy See would have all of those. For that matter, not one has, in two thousand years, taught heresy.

As to the “middle age” part of your statement, well, the youngest Pope ever elected was Leo X, at 37, and the second youngest ClementVII, at 45. So what really constitutes “middle age” here?

Unless you actually meant “Middle Ages,” in which case your spell checker might be reprimanded, in which case your bald statement is still inaccurate, as none of the Popes in that range fit your criteria fully.

As to Luther, well, one hopes that he made a deathbed conversion, since we truly want all to be saved, and that by definition, includes him, too.

In refutation, and to bring some clarity, I had planned to present some information from (http://www.catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/matluther.htm). It seems to be having trouble at the moment, and thus I will instead present a page from it’s past, courtesy of archive.org - wonderful place, found here: http://web.archive.org/web/20101207045447/http://www.catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/matluther.htm)

LUTHER – AS HE WAS

(Death Mask by Lucas Fortnagel – Leipzig, University Library)*

“Among you there will be lying teachers who will bring in destructive sects . . . And many will follow their wanton conduct, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned.” - II Peter 2:1-2

By Raymond Taouk

Luther speaks for himself;

With the New Movie on Luther having recently come out I think it would be good to get a real insight to the true Character of Luther and expose “legend” of “Luther Reformer”. Luther is undoubtedly the father of the Protestant rebellion and spiritual father of the Modern Apostasy from God. The object of this article on Martin Luther is not to give his history, which is easily researched, but rather to give direct quotes from a man called a “great religious reformer” and to whom many non-Catholics trace back real origin of their respective churches.

Who will doubt that the best judge of Luther’s true character is Luther himself? And so from Luther’s own words we shall see him for what he really was, that is a rebellious apostate, who abandoned the faith and led many into apostasy from God under the guise of “reformation” in order to follow his perverse inclinations.[1] Keeping in mind that none of the following statements of Luther, which I will quote, were ever retracted by him, and so they may still be considered as part of his “religious thought”. This should show the aspect of Martin Luther which Protestants and all alike so conveniently overlooked in these days of false ecumenism and intellectual dishonesty.

The Commandments

Christ taught: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”[2]

Luther in speaking of the commandments teaches: “Their only purpose is to show man his impotence to do good and to teach him to despair of himself”[3]

“Thou shalt not covet,’ is a commandment which proves us all to be sinners; since it is not in man’s power not to covet, and the same is the drift of all the commandments, for they are all equally impossible to us.” -

“Moses is an executioner, a cruel lictor, a torturer a torturer who tears our flesh out with pincers and makes us suffer martyrdom . . . Whoever, in the name of Christ, terrifies and troubles consciences, is not the messenger of Christ, but of the devil . . . Let us therefore send Moses packing and for ever.” [4]

“We must remove the Decalogue out of sight and heart” (De Wette 4, 188).

“It does not matter what people do; it only matters what they believe.” [5]

“If we allow them - the Commandments - any influence in our conscience, they become the cloak of all evil, heresies and blasphemies” (Comm. ad Galat, p.310).

What is more is that scripture constantly declares the greatness of the commandments and the importance of keeping them:

Ps. 19 :7 : “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.”

FREE WILL

Christ taught: “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” [6]

Luther teaches: “...with regard to God, and in all that bears on salvation or damnation, (man) has no ‘free-will’, but is a captive, prisoner and bond slave, either to the will of God, or to the will of Satan.”[7]

“...we do everything of necessity and nothing by ‘free-will’; for the power of ‘free-will’ is nil...”[8]

“Man is like a horse. Does God leap into the saddle? The horse is obedient and accommodates itself to every movement of the rider and goes whither he wills it. Does God throw down the reins? Then Satan leaps upon the back of the animal, which bends, goes and submits to the spurs and caprices of its new rider... Therefore, necessity, not free will, is the controlling principle of our conduct. God is the author of what is evil as well as of what is good, and, as He bestows happiness on those who merit it not, so also does He damn others who deserve not their fate.” [9]

“His (Judas) will was the work of God; God by His almighty power moved his will as He does all that is in this world.”[10]

On Reason

Christ taught: “ Be therefore, wise as serpents and simple as doves”[11]

“You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times?”[12]

Luther teaches: “No good work happens as the result of one’s own wisdom; but everything must happen in a stupor . . . Reason must be left behind for it is the enemy of faith.” [13]

“Reason is the devils handmaid and does nothing but blaspheme and dishonor all that God says or does.” [14]

“Reason is directly opposed to faith, and one ought to let it be; in believers it should be killed and buried.”[15]

“One should learn Philosophy only as one learns witchcraft, that is to destroy it; as one finds out about errors, in order to refute them”[16]

On Sin

Christ taught: “He that commits sin is of the devil: for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God appeared that He might destroy the works of the devil.” - 1 John 3:8

Luther teaches: “A person that is baptized cannot, thou he would, lose his salvation by any sins however grievous, unless he refuses to believe. For no sins can damn him but unbelief alone.”[17]

“Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides... No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day.”[18]

“Do not ask anything of your conscience; and if it speaks, do not listen to it; if it insists, stifle it, amuse yourself; if necessary, commit some good big sin, in order to drive it away. Conscience is the voice of Satan, and it is necessary always to do just the contrary of what Satan wishes.” [19]

Faith and Good works

Christ taught, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.”[20]

Christ taught (in the words of St. James) “What shall it profit, my brethren, if a he has faith, but has not works? Shall faith be able to save him? So faith also, if it have not works is dead in itself.”[21]

Luther teaches: “For we account a man to be justified by faith alone, without the works of the law.” – On Translation and on the Intercession of the Saints

“It is more important to guard against good works than against sin.”[22]

“Good works are bad and are sin like the rest.” -[23]

“There is no scandal greater, more dangerous, more venomous, than a good outward life, manifested by good works and a pious mode of life. That is the grand portal, the highway that leads to damnation.” [24]

“He that says the Gospel requires works for salvation, I say, flat and plain, is a liar.”[25]
Social Justice

Christ taught: “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.”[26]

Luther teaches[27]: “Peasants are no better than straw. They will not hear the word and they are without sense; therefore they must be compelled to hear the crack of the whip and the whiz of bullets and it is only what they deserve.” [28]

“To kill a peasant is not murder; it is helping to extinguish the conflagration. Let there be no half measures! Crush them! Cut their throats! Transfix them. Leave no stone unturned! To kill a peasant is to destroy a mad dog!” – “If they say that I am very hard and merciless, mercy be damned. Let whoever can stab, strangle, and kill them like mad dogs”[29]

“I, Martin Luther, have during the rebellion slain al the peasants, for it was I who ordered them to be struck dead. All their blood is upon my head. But I put it all on our Lord God: for he commanded me to speak thus.”[30]

“God has given the law, and nobody observes it. He has in addition instituted rod masters, drivers and urgers; so then are rulers to drive, beat, choke, hang, burn, behead, and break upon the well of the vulgar masses.”[31]

“Like the drivers of donkeys, who have to belabor the donkeys incessantly with rods and whips, or they will not obey, so must the ruler do with the people; they must drive, beat throttle, hang, burn, behead and torture, so as to make themselves feared and to keep the people in check”[32]

“Wherever the princes take their power from, it does not regard us. It is the will of God, irrespective whether they have stolen their power or assumed it by robbery”[33]

The Jews

Christ taught: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”-Matt 22:39

Luther teaches: “My advice, as I said earlier, is: First, that their synagogues be burned down, and that all who are able toss sulphur and pitch; it would be good if someone could also throw in some hellfire... Second, that all their books— their prayer books, their Talmudic writings, also the entire Bible— be taken from them, not leaving them one leaf, and that these be preserved for those who may be converted...Third, that they be forbidden on pain of death to praise God, to give thanks, to pray, and to teach publicly among us and in our country...Fourth, that they be forbidden to utter the name of God within our hearing. For we cannot with a good conscience listen to this or tolerate it...

He who hears this name [God] from a Jew must inform the authorities, or else throw sow dung at him when he sees him and chase him away”.[34]

“Burn their synagogues. Forbid them all that I have mentioned above. Force them to work and treat them with every kind of severity, as Moses did in the desert and slew three thousand... If that is no use, we must drive them away like mad dogs, in order that we may not be partakers of their abominable blasphemy and of all their vices, and in order that we may not deserve the anger of God and be damned with them. I have done my duty. Let everyone see how he does his. I am excused.”[35]

“ If I had to baptize a Jew, I would take him to the bridge of the Elbe, hang a stone round his neck and push him over with the words I baptize thee in the name of Abraham”[36]

“The Jews deserve to be hanged on gallows seven times higher than ordinary thieves.”[37]

Marriage and Women

Christ taught: “For this reason shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder. . . Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, commits adultery.”[38]

Luther teaches: “If the husband is unwilling, there is another who is; if the wife is unwilling, then let the maid come.”[39]

“Suppose I should counsel the wife of an impotent man, with his consent, to giver herself to another, say her husband’s brother, but to keep this marriage secret and to ascribe the children to the so-called putative father. The question is: Is such a women in a saved state? I answer, certainly.”[40]

“It is not in opposition to the Holy Scriptures for a man to have several wives.”[41]

“Know that Marriage is an outward material thing like any other secular business. The body has nothing to do with God. In this respect one can never sin against God, but only against one’s neighbour.”[42]

“As to divorce, it is still a debatable question whether it is allowable. For my part I prefer bigamy to it.”[43]

“The word and work of God is quite clear, viz., that women are made to be either wives or prostitutes.”[44]

“In spite of all the good I say of married life, I will not grant so much to nature as to admit that there is no sin in it. .. no conjugal due is ever rendered without sin. The matrimonial duty is never performed without sin.”[45]

Virtue and Vice

On Lying:

Christ taught: “You are of your father the devil: and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning: and he stood not in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.”[46]

Luther teaches: “What harm could it do if a man told a good lusty lie in a worthy cause and for the sake of the Christian Churches?”[47]

“To lie in a case of necessity or for convenience or in excuse – such lying would not be against God; He was ready to take such lies on Himself”[48]

On God

Christ taught: “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.”[49]

Luther teaches: “I look upon God no better than a scoundrel”[50]

On Drunkenness

Christ Taught (in the words of St. Paul): “Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers: Nor the effeminate nor liars with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards”[51]

Luther teaches: “We eat and drink to kill ourselves, we eat and rink up to our last farthing.”[52]

On Pride

Christ taught: “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled” [53]

Luther teaches: “St. Augustine or St. Ambrosius cannot be compared with me.”[54]

“What I teach and write remains true even though the whole world should fall to pieces over it”[55]

On the Person of Christ

Christ taught, “Which of you shall convince Me of sin? If I say the truth to you, why do not believe Me? He that is of God, hears the words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God.”[56]

Luther teaches: “Christ committed adultery first of all with the women at the well about whom St. John tell’s us. Was not everybody about Him saying: ‘Whatever has He been doing with her?’ Secondly, with Mary Magdalen, and thirdly with the women taken in adultery whom He dismissed so lightly. Thus even, Christ who was so righteous, must have been guilty of fornication before He died.”[57]

“I have greater confidence in my wife and my pupils than I have in Christ”[58]

“It does not matter how Christ behaved – what He taught is all that matters”[59]

Sacred Scripture

Christ taught: “ For I testify to every one that hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add to these things, God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from these things that are written in this book.”[60]

Luther teaches: “to my mind it (the book of the Apocalypse) bears upon it no marks of an apostolic or prophetic character... Everyone may form his own judgment of this book; as for myself, I feel an aversion to it, and to me this is sufficient reason for rejecting it.”[61]

“If your Papist annoys you with the word (’alone’ - Rom. 3:28), tell him straightway, Dr. Martin Luther will have it so: Papist and ass are one and the same thing. Whoever will not have my translation, let him give it the go-by: the devil’s thanks to him who censures it without my will and knowledge. Luther will have it so, and he is a doctor above all the doctors in Popedom.”[62]

Luther had a perverse habit of freely falsifying scripture to justify his purposes.

“The history of Jonah is so monstrous that it is absolutely incredible.”[63]

“The book of Esther I toss into the Elbe. I am such an enemy to the book of Esther that I wish it did not exist, for it Judaizes too much and has in it a great deal of heathenish foolishness.”[64]

“Of very little worth is the Book of Baruch, whoever the worthy Baruch might be.”[65]

“...the epistle of St. James is an epistle full of straw, because it contains nothing evangelical.”[66]

It is worth noting that while Luther claimed for himself the right to interpret scripture according to his own view, and claimed that he was intelligent enough to judge anyone and everything by scripture alone yet he openly affirms that “We cannot claim to fathom completely the meaning of a single verse of Scripture; we succeed in apprehending only the A B C of it, and even that imperfectly.” - Luther, Table-talk, trans. Gustave Brunet, Paris, Garnier, 1844, pg. 288.

And again he states: “Let no one believe himself competent to understand Holy Scripture, unless he has, for a hundred years, governed the Church with the Prophets, with Elijiah and Elisha, St. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and the Apostles.” -Luther, Table-talk, trans. Gustave Brunet, Paris, Garnier, 1844, pg. 290.

Conclusion:

While I leave to the reader to draw his own conclusions, it suffices to say that what Luther really was; and the picture that is presented of him today by modern scholars, Lutherans and Protestants alike is far from the truth. Given this fact, it’s not difficult to see how a nation like Germany was able to blindly follow a person like Hitler if it had previously so readily embrace a person like Luther.[67] Adolf Hitler himself was indeed no doubt a true (spiritual) son of Luther and in many ways was only being logical to the principles set forth by Luther in his approach to things[68]. Hitler himself declared the reality of this point in one of his speeches saying: “I do insist on the certainty that sooner or later – once we hold power – Christianity will be overcome and the German Church established. Yes, the German church, without a Pope and without the bible, and Luther, if he could be with us, would give us his blessing.”[69]

What is more is that from Luther’s own words (which I have stated above) we are able to grasp the origin of the inversion of orders in modern society, which we see has prevailed in the modern world. Luther ushered in this new era of apostasy from God in his attempt to rationalize his own perversity and make of it the foundations for civil society. The erroneous principles upon which the modern world is based undeniably come from Luther himself and can never be reconciled to the teachings of the Gospel no matter what Luther might have thought.

* The death mask as depicted above is the same as found in the book by the well known philosopher Jacques Maritain in his book “Three Reformers: Luther, Descartes, Rousseau” London: Sheed and Ward, 1950.

- N.B. Erlangen and Weimar refer to the different editions of Luther’s works. Luther’s literary work is very voluminous (the critical edition of Weimar, commenced in 1883, comprises many volumes), and is not easily found in libraries but when not having quoted from the original sources I have quoted from those authors who have draw from the original sources.

[1] As Luther himself stated “I am but a man prone to let himself be swept off his feet by Society, Drunkenness, the torments of the flesh.” – Weimar, Vol. 9, Pg. 215, Pg. 13. On another occasion, he states: “I burn with all the desires of my unconquered flesh” – Enders Vol. 3, Pg. 189.

[2] Matt 19:17, Cf. Matt 5:17, 1 John5:2

[3] Denifle’s Luther et Lutheranisme, Etude Faite d’apres les sources. Translation by J. Paquier (Paris, A. Picard, 1912-13), Volume III, p. 364.

[4] D. Martini Lutheri Exegetica Opera Latina, published by Elsperger (Erlangen, Heyder, 1829-84), Vol. 18 pg. 146

[5] Erlangen Vol. 29, Pg. 126

[6] “Matthew 7:21, Cf. Matt 7:24, Matt 26:24,

[7] From the essay, ‘Bondage of the Will,’ ‘Martin Luther: Selections From His Writings, ed. by Dillenberger, Anchor Books, 1962 p. 190.

[8] Ibid., p. 188.

[9] ‘De Servo Arbitrio’, 7, 113 seq., quoted by O’Hare, in ‘The Facts About Luther, TAN Books, 1987, pp. 266-267.

[10] De servo Arbitrio, against man’s free will.

[11] Matt 10:16

[12] Matt 16:3

[13] Trischreden, Weimer VI, 143, 25-35.

[14] Against the Heavenly Prophets, On Images and the Sacraments.

[15] Erlangen, Vol. 44, Pg. 156-157. For more quotes in this regard see: “Three Reformers”, By Jacques Maritan, Pg. 34 ; Cf. also Jean Janssen, L’Allemagne et la Reforme. (Trans. E. Paris, Plon, 1887-1911), Vol VII, pg 427.

[16] Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Fol. (1516). Ficker, II, 198. Cf. Three Reformers, By Jacques Maritan, Pg. 31

[17] The Babylonian Captivity. It’s worth mentioning on this point that Luther himself had early written “Pray for me I am falling into the abyss of Sin” – Enders, Vol. 3, Pg. 193.

[18] ‘Let Your Sins Be Strong, from ‘The Wittenberg Project;’ ‘The Wartburg Segment’, translated by Erika Flores, from Dr. Martin Luther’s Saemmtliche Schriften, Letter No. 99, 1 Aug. 1521. - Cf. Also Denifle’s Luther et Lutheranisme, Etude Faite d’apres les sources. Translation by J. Paquier (Paris, A. Picard, 1912-13), VOl. II, pg. 404).

[19] J. Dollinger, La Reforme et les resultants qu’elle a produits. (Trans. E. Perrot, Paris, Gaume, 1848-49), Vol III, pg. 248

[20] Matt 5:16, Cf. Apoc 20:12, Gal 6:2, 1 Jn 3:18, Jas 4:17, I Cor 13:2, II Peter 1:10, Gal 6:9. There are also many warnings in scripture that warn against falling away from salvation (Gal 4:9, Col 1:23, 1 Tim 1:19, 4:1, Heb 3:12-14, 12:14-15, 2 Pet 2:20-21, Apoc 2:4-5).

[21] James 2:14-17

[22] Trischreden, Wittenberg Edition, Vol. VI., p. 160

[23] Denifle’s Luther et Lutheranisme, Etude Faite d’apres les sources. Translation by J. Paquier (Paris, A. Picard, 1912-13), VOl. III, pg. 47.

[24] Denifle’s Luther et Lutheranisme, Etude Faite d’apres les sources. Translation by J. Paquier (Paris, A. Picard, 1912-13), VOl. II, pg. 128.

[25] Tischreden, P. 137

[26] Matt 5:6,Cf. Matt 19:18, I John 3:15, Matt 26:52, Romans 12:21

[27] It is important to keep in mind that these peasants were actually Protestants who favoured Luther and his views, yet in order to please the German princes Luther and gain influence Luther did not hesitate to have even his own followers put to death! As one writer put it “I know of no example in history ( with the exception of Hitler’s famous, or rather infamous, June 30, 1934) where a man turned in such an inhuman, brutal, low way against his own followers – merely in order to establish his own position, without any reason.” – Peter F. Winer, Martin Luther, Hitler’s Spiritual Ancestor, Pg. 57

[28] Erlangen Vol 24, Pg. 294

[29] Erlangen Vol 24, Pg. 294

[30] Tischreden; Erlanger Ed., Vol. 59. p. 284

[31] Sermon delivered by Luther in 1526. Ref. Erlanger, Vol. XV, 2p. 276

[32] Erlangen Vol 15, Pg. 276

[33] Weimar Vol. 30, Pg. 1

[34] Martin Luther; On the Jews and Their Lies, translated by Martin H. Bertram, Fortress Press, 1955

[35] About the Jews and Their Lies,’ quoted by O’Hare, in ‘The Facts About Luther, TAN Books, 1987, p. 290.

[36] Grisar, “Luther”, Vol. V. pg. 413.

[37] Weimar, Vol. 53, Pg. 502.

[38] Matt 19:4,Cf. Heb 13:4

[39] Of Married Life

[40] On Marriage

[41] De Wette, Vol. 2, p. 459

[42] Weimar, Vol. 12, Pg. 131.

[43] On Marriage

[44] On Married Life

[45] Weimar, Vol 8. Pg. 654. In other words for Luther the matrimonial act is “a sin differing in nothing from adultery and fornication.” ibid. What then is the purpose of marriage for Luther you may ask? Luther affirms that it’s simply to satisfy one’s sexual cravings “The body asks for a women and must have it” or again “To marry is a remedy for fornication” – Grisar, “Luther”, vol. iv, pg. 145.

[46] John 8:44

[47] Lenz: Briefwechsel, Vol. 1. Pg. 373.

[48] Lenz: Briefwechsel, Vol. 1. Pg. 375.

[49] Matt 22:37

[50] Weimar, Vol. 1, Pg. 487. Cf. Table Talk, No. 963

[51] 1 Cor 6:9

[52] Weimar, Vo. 9. pg. 215. We can also note on this point that the opinion of Luther’s contemporaries on the subject is unmistakable. They all agree that Luther “was addicted to over-drinking.” - Th. Brieger: “Aleander and Luther”, pg. 170, 307.

[53] Matt 23:12

[54] Erlangen, Vol. 61, pg. 422.

[55] Weimar, Vol. 18, Pg. 401.

[56] John 8:86 Cf. I Peter 2:22, Heb 7:26

[57] Trishreden, Weimer Edition, Vol. 2, Pg. 107. - What a great blasphemy from a man who is regarded as “great reformer”!

[58] Table Talk, 2397b

[59] Erlangen Vol. 29, Pg. 126

[60] Apoc. 22: 18-19

[61] Sammtliche Werke, 63, pp. 169-170, ‘The Facts About Luther,’ O’Hare, TAN Books, 1987, p. 203.

[62] Amic. Discussion, 1, 127,’The Facts About Luther,’ O’Hare, TAN Books, 1987, p. 201. Cf. Also J. Dollinger, La Reforme et les resultants qu’elle a produits. (Trans. E. Perrot, Paris, Gaume, 1848-49), Vol III, pg. 138.

[63] ‘The Facts About Luther, O’Hare, TAN Books, 1987, p. 202.

[64] Ibid.

[65] Ibid.

[66] ‘Preface to the New Testament,’ ed. Dillenberger, p. 19. - Cf. Also Jean Janssen, L’Allemagne et la Reforme. (Trans. E. Paris, Plon, 1887-1911). Vol II, Pg. 218.

[67] Anyone who contends this point needs simply to read views of Luther concerning the state, civil authority and war. In his writings, we find that he openly states for example “Even if the authorities are wicked and unjust, nobody is entitled to oppose them, or to riot against them.” Or again “The ass must have blows and the People must be ruled by force. God knew this well, for it was not a fox’s brush He gave to rulers, but a sword.” - Weimar, Vol 30, Pg. 1. This point is dealt with in more detail by Peter F. Wiener in his work “Martin Luther, Hitler’s Spiritual Ancestor”, Published by Marian House, Powers Lake, N.D. 58773.

[68] This was undeniably recognized by the Lutherans who welcomed and supported the regime of Hitler. A point worth mentioning in this regard is that this fact is so blatantly ignored by Protestants and the Liberal media who at the same time do not hesitate to unjustly put forward attacks against Pope Pius XII and his efforts against the Nazis.

[69] Adolf Hitler, Hitler’s speeches, edited by Prof. N.H. Baynes [oxford, 1942], pg. 369.

Hi count-your-change,
I could be mistaken, but as a guess, the idea, in part, is better formation of the seminarians. When the modernists, back in the latter nineteenth century, were starting to foment things, they realized that for their movement to “stick,” they needed to start by changing the education of would-be priests, to their liking, and for the worse, for the rest of us. If the seminarians are better-formed priests, with proper theological backgrounds, they will be better pastors, better theologians, et cetera, and they’ll be less likely to stray from Church teachings in ways that matter. I understand your unstated point, and I do agree that more outward looking is extremely important. But think of, for instance, the Dominicans or Jesuits of old. If the start of the New Evangelization is better formed priests, that, in conjunction with the biological limitations of ill-formed priests will also go a long way to helping us all. Anyway, sorry about running on like this, but couldn’t find a more succinct way to put it. Just my (feeble) thoughts.

By all means. That’s in what I replied with, as well as the portions wherein Our Lord gives the apostles the ability to forgive or hold sins.

jagusafr,
I was and am not trying to be argumentative, but informative. By way of giving some basis for you, for what I have said, I am sharing these words from scripturecatholic.com, in the hope that they help you to understand. These are about the Sacrament of Confession:

I. Jesus Christ Granted the Apostles His Authority to Forgive Sins

John 20:21 - before He grants them the authority to forgive sins, Jesus says to the apostles, “as the Father sent me, so I send you.” As Christ was sent by the Father to forgive sins, so Christ sends the apostles and their successors forgive sins.

John 20:22 - the Lord “breathes” on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins. The only other moment in Scripture where God breathes on man is in Gen. 2:7, when the Lord “breathes” divine life into man. When this happens, a significant transformation takes place.

John 20:23 - Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” In order for the apostles to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them because the apostles are not mind readers. The text makes this very clear.

Matt. 9:8 - this verse shows that God has given the authority to forgive sins to “men.” Hence, those Protestants who acknowledge that the apostles had the authority to forgive sins (which this verse demonstrates) must prove that this gift ended with the apostles. Otherwise, the apostles’ successors still possess this gift. Where in Scripture is the gift of authority to forgive sins taken away from the apostles or their successors?

Matt. 9:6; Mark 2:10 - Christ forgave sins as a man (not God) to convince us that the “Son of man” has authority to forgive sins on earth.

Luke 5:24 - Luke also points out that Jesus’ authority to forgive sins is as a man, not God. The Gospel writers record this to convince us that God has given this authority to men. This authority has been transferred from Christ to the apostles and their successors.

Matt. 18:18 - the apostles are given authority to bind and loose. The authority to bind and loose includes administering and removing the temporal penalties due to sin. The Jews understood this since the birth of the Church.

John 20:22-23; Matt. 18:18 - the power to remit/retain sin is also the power to remit/retain punishment due to sin. If Christ’s ministers can forgive the eternal penalty of sin, they can certainly remit the temporal penalty of sin (which is called an “indulgence”).

2 Cor. 2:10 - Paul forgives in the presence of Christ (some translations refer to the presences of Christ as “in persona Christi”). Some say that this may also be a reference to sins.

2 Cor. 5:18 - the ministry of reconciliation was given to the ambassadors of the Church. This ministry of reconciliation refers to the sacrament of reconciliation, also called the sacrament of confession or penance.

James 5:15-16 - in verse 15 we see that sins are forgiven by the priests in the sacrament of the sick. This is another example of man’s authority to forgive sins on earth. Then in verse 16, James says “Therefore, confess our sins to one another,” in reference to the men referred to in verse 15, the priests of the Church.

1 Tim. 2:5 - Christ is the only mediator, but He was free to decide how His mediation would be applied to us. The Lord chose to use priests of God to carry out His work of forgiveness.

Lev. 5:4-6; 19:21-22 - even under the Old Covenant, God used priests to forgive and atone for the sins of others.

Top

II. The Necessity and Practice of Orally Confessing Sins

James 5:16 - James clearly teaches us that we must “confess our sins to one another,” not just privately to God. James 5:16 must be read in the context of James 5:14-15, which is referring to the healing power (both physical and spiritual) of the priests of the Church. Hence, when James says “therefore” in verse 16, he must be referring to the men he was writing about in verses 14 and 15 – these men are the ordained priests of the Church, to whom we must confess our sins.

Acts 19:18 - many came to orally confess sins and divulge their sinful practices. Oral confession was the practice of the early Church just as it is today.

Matt. 3:6; Mark 1:5 - again, this shows people confessing their sins before others as an historical practice (here to John the Baptist).

1 Tim. 6:12 - this verse also refers to the historical practice of confessing both faith and sins in the presence of many witnesses.

1 John 1:9 - if we confess are sins, God is faithful to us and forgives us and cleanse us. But we must confess our sins to one another.

Num. 5:7 - this shows the historical practice of publicly confessing sins, and making public restitution.

2 Sam. 12:14 - even though the sin is forgiven, there is punishment due for the forgiven sin. David is forgiven but his child was still taken (the consequence of his sin).

Neh. 9:2-3 - the Israelites stood before the assembly and confessed sins publicly and interceded for each other.

Sir. 4:26 - God tells us not to be ashamed to confess our sins, and not to try to stop the current of a river. Anyone who has experienced the sacrament of reconciliation understands the import of this verse.

Baruch 1:14 - again, this shows that the people made confession in the house of the Lord, before the assembly.

1 John 5:16-17; Luke 12:47-48 - there is a distinction between mortal and venial sins. This has been the teaching of the Catholic Church for 2,000 years, but, today, most Protestants no longer agree that there is such a distinction. Mortal sins lead to death and must be absolved in the sacrament of reconciliation. Venial sins do not have to be confessed to a priest, but the pious Catholic practice is to do so in order to advance in our journey to holiness.

Matt. 5:19 - Jesus teaches that breaking the least of commandments is venial sin (the person is still saved but is least in the kingdom), versus mortal sin (the person is not saved).

Yes, but no. While the gates of Heaven are opened to Mankind, we still need to, as Saint Paul put it in one instance, “with fear and trembling work out your salvation.” Our free will and correspondent actions determine where we end up. But I do agree with you that His Holiness, as you out it, hit one out of the park.

Glad you agree with Cardinal Dolan. Difference is, when a Catholic makes a sincere, contrite confession, Our Lord can grant the penitent forgiveness. As a consequence, he or she is returned to the state of grace they received in Baptism.

Neat. If I’m not mistaken, that’s (the Orkney Islands) the path my dad’s ancestors (the Gunns) took, coming from Norway to Scotland. Thank you.

Just guessing here, but it seems certain that the bishops recognize that shutting down all of that is the desired effect. The “progressive” weasels want only public schools, government monopolies on health care in all forms. What the bishops should, but unfortunately probably wouldn’t do is to simply announce across the board noncompliance. Quote the more common translation of Saint Thomas Aquinas on unjust laws at the O crowd and defy the government to act. I don’t think it’ll happen, but it seems much more appropriate, in my feeble opinion.

Easy there, Tex. As you said, everybody can make mistakes. And he’s moved to, in some rather large ways, hostile territory. More was made out of it than there was. If anything, pray for him, and for his protection from the more radical homosexual folk out there.

To give an idea of the good archbishop, the following is a link to video of a solemn pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form, from Rorate, a few days ago. Absolutely awesome.

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/09/napa-institute-pontifical-mass-by.html

Conor,
all of them, and you, are in my prayers.

All of you are in my prayers.

Respectfully, no. Regarding such as the sanctity of Marriage, or the grave sin inherent in homosexual activity, these are truly universal. All must accept these teachings, or they are not Catholic. If you are perhaps making a reference to a difference in how faithfully these are followed by a particular diocese, that may be the case. But, to paraphrase your comment, no the rules do not vary for each individual diocese in these particular things. May I make a suggestion? If you visit the link to the original article, a pdf of the complete letter is there. It’s very well done, certainly worth your time.

She and her family are in my prayers.

Gliaden is one of the issues for we celiacs, and the initial bloodtest does measure this.

This is a cardiologist selling his book. While there may or may not be merit to what he is claiming, the involved motives are somewhat suspect.

My wife and I don’t necessarily mind the fad gluten free diet, since it makes it easier for us to find a greater amount of food that doesn’t make me or the twins sick. But I do sometimes worry about the after-effect when the fad disappears. While some people might see some benefit from adopting the diet, for myself and two of the fearsome fivesome, it’s an absolute necessity.

They live longer? Nope. Just ask their descendants.

He, and his family, are in my prayers.