I'm just gonna read for a while...Momma says I'm banned from posting on the Catholics.

 

Dr.Albert Mohler.com

The only thing I want to point out is that you can trace back through history the origins of most Protestent religions to a defection with the Catholic Church.

So when an ecumenical council (and there have been 21 in the church's history) decides that the Catholic Church is wrong about a doctrinal point, its no big deal, even if it is a huge change in the church. But if a part of the body of the church disagrees, and there have been several huge schisms in doctrinal points in the church's history, where they feel that the church is critically wrong and must part ways to worship the same God and learn from the same Bible, then those persons who depart the Catholic Church are heathens bound for hell.

 

I've deleted the rest of my post because Benedict's position has made me so angry that I'm sure that I will regret what I write. Specifically, this is what ticks me off:

 

The new document – formulated as five questions and answers – restates key sections of a 2000 text the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation, “Dominus Iesus,” which riled Protestant and other Christian denominations because it said they were not true churches but merely ecclesial communities and therefore did not have the “means of salvation.”

I don't think the Pope or any other Catholic could make statements as vile and degrading as what I have heard (and continue to hear) said about Catholics through the years by various Protestants- mainly Southern Baptists. Almost all of these remarks are generated by ignorance.

 

I would suggest that it would be better for all of us to spend a little more effort righting the wrongs in our own "faith of choice" rather than contrnually finding fault with those with whom we choose not to agree.

 

As we often tell our children, you don't advance your point of view by nitpicking at the other person's point of view. You need to accentuate what is good about your understanding of the truth.

 

I would think it is safe to say that no group in today's world - Protestant, Catholic, or Jew- has an exclusive corner on "The Truth". All have been influenced, some more than others, by human beings with ulterior motives (Stark Example: Henry VIII).

 

And, if we are honest, we must admit that the Holy Bible is not an easy read. Thus, as with the U.S. Constitution, many seek the imnterpretation that suits them.

Three men were visiting the United States from the inner regions of Africa. While here they really wanted to visit different churches to see how religion was practiced here. The first stop was at a Baptist church, the men went in and sat in the back. After the service was over the Pastor came back and talked to the gentlemen for a while. He asked how they like the service and they said they enjoyed it but that they did have a question. They were wondering what the people that went to the front of the church and got down on there knees were doing? The Pastor explained that they were speaking to God, giving thanks and asking for forgiveness. One of the men asked again, "They were speaking to God?" Yes as a Baptist we can speak directly to God.

 

Later the three men went to a Catholic church to attend a service. Afterwards they had a question for the Priest. "Why did the church members not go down front to speak to God?" "In the Catholic church the members talk to their Priest" was the reply. "Whom do you speak to?", they asked. "I speak to the Bishop." "Who does he speak to?" "He speaks to the Cardinal", was the reply. "And the Cardinal, he speaks to God?", they asked. "No he talks directly with the Pope and the Pope speaks directly to God". The men looked at each other and nodded their heads in a knowing way. "Do you understand now?" asked the Priest.

 

"Yes....your Pope is a Baptist"

Three men were visiting the United States from the inner regions of Africa. While here they really wanted to visit different churches to see how religion was practiced here. The first stop was at a Baptist church, the men went in and sat in the back. After the service was over the Pastor came back and talked to the gentlemen for a while. He asked how they like the service and they said they enjoyed it but that they did have a question. They were wondering what the people that went to the front of the church and got down on there knees were doing? The Pastor explained that they were speaking to God, giving thanks and asking for forgiveness. One of the men asked again, "They were speaking to God?" Yes as a Baptist we can speak directly to God.

 

Later the three men went to a Catholic church to attend a service. Afterwards they had a question for the Priest. "Why did the church members not go down front to speak to God?" "In the Catholic church the members talk to their Priest" was the reply. "Whom do you speak to?", they asked. "I speak to the Bishop." "Who does he speak to?" "He speaks to the Cardinal", was the reply. "And the Cardinal, he speaks to God?", they asked. "No he talks directly with the Pope and the Pope speaks directly to God". The men looked at each other and nodded their heads in a knowing way. "Do you understand now?" asked the Priest.

 

"Yes....your Pope is a Baptist"

 

 

Indicative of the misunderstandings of the Catholic faith.

RM you do realize it was a joke....right

While I understand that the head of a church should speak his views, could you imagine the head of the Southern Baptists saying that all other churches did not have the "means of salvation"?

 

I have many Catholic friends that believe as I do, that there is only one way of salvation, through the blood of Christ. How we practice our faith is essentially the same, but how we worship is not.

 

I fear that by the Pope's comments he is causing a rift among people that are open to working with Catholic churches and charities and such. Now there are some people that won't work with Catholics no matter what, but there are some that I believe that will be turned off by the Pope's statements.

 

And our goal is to work together, whether Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, etc., to bring people to salvation. Anything that hinders that goal is not good.

Jumper Dad---It's all good!:thumb:

 

Question for everyone:

 

Which do you think should be the Pope's primary responsibility:

 

1) Appease all of other faiths?

2) Impart instruction to the Catholic membership?

Question for everyone:

 

Which do you think should be the Pope's primary responsibility:

 

1) Appease all of other faiths?

2) Impart instruction to the Catholic membership?

 

I think I've made it clear in my other posts his responsibility should be to his own denomination. In my opinion, if he condones another religion even though he believes it to be wrong, (hence the "do not have the means of salvation" statement) he is being hypocritical and displaying a lack of concern for those outside of his own faith. That, in my opinion, is the basis behind the actions of evangelical denominations that I have seen criticized so many times on this site.

 

Again, I am enjoying the irony of the whole thing and have been watching for someone to admit that just maybe those of the Catholic faith are not quite as tolerant as has been claimed, which is fine with me.

RM you do realize it was a joke....right

 

Nothing wrong with being able to laugh at ourselves. I'm Baptist and one of my favorites is:

 

A Baptist preacher and a friend from a small town went to a distant city for a conference. They stopped for dinner at a restaurant that served alcohol, something that was not available in the dry county where they lived. Before the meal was served, the friend asked if the preacher would be offended if he had a beer with his meal. "No, I don't have a problem with a man having a drink with his meal." stated the preacher "But I can't do it myself because some people back home would not approve."

 

"Look," his friend said, "no one knows you here and I certainly won't tell. If you would like a drink, go ahead."

 

The preacher thought for a minute and said "You know, there is something I've always wanted to try. I heard there is a very good drink called a martin-eye or something like that. I think I will try just one".

 

So they gave their order to the waitress who went to the bartender and said "There is a man over there who has ordered a "martin eye". I think maybe he means a martini?"

 

The bartender looked up and smiled. "Is that preacher back in here again?"

I think I've made it clear in my other posts his responsibility should be to his own denomination. In my opinion, if he condones another religion even though he believes it to be wrong, (hence the "do not have the means of salvation" statement) he is being hypocritical and displaying a lack of concern for those outside of his own faith. That, in my opinion, is the basis behind the actions of evangelical denominations that I have seen criticized so many times on this site.

 

Again, I am enjoying the irony of the whole thing and have been watching for someone to admit that just maybe those of the Catholic faith are not quite as tolerant as has been claimed, which is fine with me.

 

IMO, my belief that what the Catholic faith professes in no way is contradictory to my tolerence of others of other faiths. Just as others feel it is their faith that is the True Faith, yet exhibit tolerence toward those how practice Catholicism. How many have posted that because Catholics believe in baptism at birth, hence we must not be "saved"? Is that intolerance? Or is it a belief in their way of worshipping?

 

True faith is believing when you may not understand. It is believing when there is no tangible evidence. I trust not only the Papal powers of infallibility, but the teachings of Christ, and the explanations of those much more learned than I in my faith (see Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Merton).

Is that intolerance?

 

No, it's not, which is my point. All religions are intolerant to a degree. I guess it all depends on our definition of intolerance. The Pope's statement about lacking the means of salvation seems to me to be on the same level as your quote about baptism. Agree?

No, it's not, which is my point. All religions are intolerant to a degree. I guess it all depends on our definition of intolerance. The Pope's statement about lacking the means of salvation seems to me to be on the same level as your quote about baptism. Agree?

 

I'll agree to disagree.

 

I just felt that it was important to note that there's no irony in the perceived intolerance. The point is that while the Cathoic church has always believed exactly what Pope Benedict wrote, the Church too has made great efforts to work with other faiths and develop lines of communication and means of joint charity effort. To say that Pope Benedict is destroying such efforts is ludicrous, because the Catholic church has not changed their doctrine in this belief, even while reaching out.

RESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS

OF THE DOCTRINE ON THE CHURCH

Regarding the use of the Latin Mass