This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
Locked on 07/14/2007 1:07:11 PM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
flamewar |
Posted on 07/12/2007 6:25:21 PM PDT by xzins
In an act of jaw-dropping hubris, Pope Benedict Joseph Ratzinger recently declared Protestantism's churches "not true churches." In an effort to underscore the wisdom of such a position at this time, he then had his "document" signed by none other than Cardinal William Levada, a pro-gay, pro-pedophile, pro-molestation cleric hailing recently from San Francisco and Portland. Apparently hypocrisy is in abundant supply in the Vatican larder.
Levada is one of the papal appointments that causes either great puzzlement about (or gives great insight into) this Pope's orientation. Fresh off of scandals in his previous appointments, Levada received one of the Vatican's highest appointments to the post previously held by Benedict himself before his own ascension to the papacy. One of the most powerful positions in all of Catholicism, the Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is Levada's launching pad to spread his peculiar influence to the remainder of the church. He seems just the guy a conservative church leader like Ratzinger would think of when puzzling the question, Who should I have teach the people about Jesus?
In having Levada sign this negative document rejecting Protestant churches and ministers, the Pope has displayed either blind incompetence or unbelievable hypocrisy. Others think he simply might not have been sleeping well ..for a long, long, long time.
William Donohue, head of the conservative Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is on record castigating Cardinal Levada for blaming the female victim who was impregnated by one of Levada's randy underlings. At the time, Levadas position was that the lady should have used protection. (Could Nancy Pelosi have said it better?)
Donohue's take was that the statement was no different than saying 'What's wrong with you, honey, aren't you smart enough to make sure condoms were used?' "
The Los Angeles Times, no conservative paper, had listed Levada among the area's most powerful gay-friendly Catholic leaders.
See links below
Yes! Well, used to be Protestant.
Kind of a Protestant in Name Only. He grew up Presbyterian but fell away while serving in the Marines. When we were first married, I was kind of floating and didn’t really care what religion we were.
I started attending a Presbyterian church and asked him many questions about it that he could not answer. We were going for about six months when I requested that my daughter be baptised. They told me that I had to be accepted into their community. It would take a year. I showed where I had been coming (and donating) every Sunday. They wouldn’t budge on the year.
I appealed to the Female Assistant Pastor, stating that all I wanted was for my daughter to be baptized in my Christening gown. In a year, It would be too small. Still they wouldn’t budge.
At the end of my street was a Catholic church. I was walking my daughter to the Post Office and stopped to see if they would do it. The lady told me that I would have to wait two weeks. TWO WEEKS! Now this may sound shallow to you, but it was very important to me. I felt it was a sign from God.
When we moved north, I found a very traditional parish. The Pastor asked what my husband thought of attending there. I said, “Oh he’s Presbyterian. He doesn’t care.”
Without a single bit of judgement, Father said, “Please tell him that he is welcome here anytime and if he feels out of place when we all go up to communion, he can come and receive a blessing.”
Well, my husband said that he had never been told this by anyone. He attended a few masses and began to pick up his Bible again. Last year he attended RCIA and was welcomed into the church. Now he is an Usher.
You may look at us as being immature in our faith. I’ve been told this before, but I feel that God has led us here. Spending time in different Protestant churches (before and after marriage) has made me cautious about the way some Catholics handle devotions. Pitifully, some Catholics do give the whole Mary thing a bad name, going way farther than even the church says. I don’t kiss statues and when I say my Rosary, I stick with the Sorrowful Mysteries (the Passion) That’s just me.
But we’re happy and content walking in the Steps of Christ. He is invited to our dinner table every night. He knows what is right for us. If His message comes through a Priest or any other Holy Person, I know He loves me.
So you got no Scripture.
You need significant help AND a willingness to set aside falsehoods and learn what is actually taught.
Thus, we see those beliefs in the assumption, immaculate conception and co-redeeming of Mary are not found in Scripture, but are instead fables, lies and folly according to Dr. Eckleburg's interpretation of scripture.
Your good-faith effort to learn about Catholicism can begin here. Ill be happy to help you along.
Any bad-faith effort at polemics designed to denigrate or insult my faith will end here, as I will not engage in debate with anyone who hates my faith.
We shall know them by their fruits, donchaknow.
As God wills.
It would not prove your wild claim, which I have come to believe you made up out of whole cloth.
It's a very specific claim, requiring very specific proof. You don't seem to have it.
You provided no proof.
If you appeared on tv with Teddy Kennedy and John Kerry, unless you were strangling them, wouldn’t it send a message to those who saw you?
That’s the kind of message, like it or not.
So you got no Scripture.
Your good-faith effort to learn about Catholicism can begin here. Ill be happy to help you along.
Any bad-faith effort at polemics designed to denigrate or insult my faith will end here, as I will not engage in debate with anyone who hates my faith.
We shall know them by their fruits, donchaknow.
(I suppose we could do this all day, but it would be a lot easier if you just managed to round up even a smidgeon of Scripture to support your contra-Biblical beliefs regarding Mary.)
I have no contra-Biblical beliefs regarding Mary.
I think you are reading things into the event for convenience sake. If that was the purpose than why not have them appear with Jesus in the Temple? Also, if you want to establish that God is now going to use dead humans to bring us his message why didn't they speak to us.
Gradually, by the grace of God, he was led from darkness to light. And in doing so, he guided me and our children back to God and His word and the sure knowledge of our salvation by the faith of Jesus Christ alone.
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." -- Galatians 5:1
Then please post the Scripture in support of them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.