Salvadoran Catholic Church asks President Funes to veto Bible reading in schools (Translated)

La Prensa Grafica (El Salvador) ^ | July 11, 2010 | Stefany Jovel with reporting from Loida Martínez

[ConservativeMind]

"On behalf of the Catholic Church in El Salvador and society in general, we ask Mr. President to use his executive power to veto the decree referred to upholding the rule of law and democracy of our Salvadoran society"

The Episcopal Conference of El Salvador (CEDES) demanded on Sunday the president Mauricio Funes veto a legislative decree that compels us to read the Bible in schools, believing that "violates" the "religious freedom" enshrined in the Constitution.

The CEDES Funes makes the call under in the coming days must be punished, veto or observe the legislative decree 411 which provides read the Bible in classrooms to combat violence.

The education of children in the faith, according to the bishops, "is a right and duty" of parents, aided by ministers of religion.

"We are interested in reading the Bible, but not as imposing liability in the schools, hopefully becoming more read the Bible is more understood, more practiced," says the shepherd.

[caww]

When we as Christians sin and act against Christ, we need to confess our since and be reconciled with Him. This is done through the sacrament of confession, where the Priest absolves you in the name of Christ.

...the first part I do agree with...We confess our sin to Christ because He is the one we have sinned against. But I wouldn't go to my neighbor to confess a sin against a family member...I'd go to the family member directly because they alone are in the position to forgive me, the neighbor has no power to forgive...but the offended party does.

You say the Priest is the one doing the forgiving? But that cannot be possible....otherwise Christ's sacrifice is made null and void...useless....as Christ is our Priest, and coming King...not any man no matter what authority he may imagine he has. It's just not possible for a man to absolve us of guilt. None have been given that authority after Christ....and even before Christ an animal sacrifice of blood was required.... as is said."there can be no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood" The catholic Priest doesn't shed His blood...not a drop.

So you see the confusion when the catholics think a priest is required....Since Jesus Christ shed His blood...and said.."come unto me"...for forgiveness...then the way is open for us to go directly. At the crucifixion the huge curtain dividing the holy of holies from the people, and where only the Priesthood could enter (and that by sacrifice of blood even for themselves), was torn from top to bottom so all people could enter without the Priesthood. Jesus said.."It is finished" and the curtain was torn. We are now free to enter the throneroom of God thru Christ...not a Priesthood...No man could rent that curtain from the top. Christ's crucifixion opened the way right then and there at Calvary. So why do you look to a Priest? It makes no sense given the huge sacrifice of Christ.

[bronx2]

You need to read American History to appreciate the hesitancy relating to colonial state religions since in most colonies only protestant ones were tolerated and certainly not the Catholics. The historical American protestant bigotry gives cause for concern for all Catholics. The No Nothing/ Naivest movement of the 19th century, the presidential election of 1928 are but a few examples of empirical evidence of the Christ like love your protestant forefathers and your fellow protestants on this thread exhibit towards Catholics.
Reading my bible my Holy Spirit fill being tells me you and your ilk are merely following the Father of all Lies and Blasphemers destined to be cast down like lightning from the sky. But Jesus loves all repentant sinners and so the road to salvation is open even for you.

[caww]

"This is why priests can hold confessions, and can absolve, by the Power of Christ in them."

Well I have Christ in me as do all believers but we do not claim that...only Christ does. I have been sent out by the authority of Christ as have all believers willing to do so...but we do not have the power to forgive sins against Christ nor to grant salvation...that is done thru Christ and by the power of His spirit...we simply give the message....as Paul stated...Christ crucified, dead and buried..rose from the dead...ascended where he sits at the right hand of God the Father.. We are witness to that.. not the one giving the forgiveness nor do we dare to think we have saved anyone...that is the work of Christ. I do not believe the catholic Priests hold any power whatsoever to forgive or absolve anyone. The priesthood was done away with at Calvary....completely and wholly fulfilled in Christ.

[BenKenobi]

“I do not believe the catholic Priests hold any power whatsoever to forgive or absolve anyone. The priesthood was done away with at Calvary.’

Then how do you interpret the citation from John? It’s pretty clear from me that Christ created his new priesthood.

[caww]

You stated.... “Christ created a NEW priesthood”

Let me show you what Priesthood is NEW:

Since we have ‘confidence’ to enter the most Holy Place by the Blood of Jesus,...by a NEW and living way....opened for us through the curtain, that is His body, and since we have a Great High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God.......(near to Him not thru another priest, thru Christ our High Priest)... Heb.10:19-22

(The curtain was torn in two...top to bottom....which symbolizes the body of Christ....like the curtain His body was torn to open the way into the Divine Presence...the Priesthood was done and over...kaput!)

Holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess....Heb.3:1...

Jesus...destined BY GOD to be High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.....Heb.5:10..(not man appointed God appointed.)
For it is declared: You are a Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek...... THE FORMER REGULATION IS SET ASIDE because it was WEAK AND USELESS,....and a better hope is introduced by which we draw near to God... Heb7:17-18....(Priesthood of men is done.)

Following very important:

...It was not without an oath!.... Others became priests WITHOUT an oath, but He became a priest WITH AN OATH when God said to Him:.....The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind “You are a Priest forever”
.......because of this OATH, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests,... since death prevented them from continuing in office...(they died)....but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent Priesthood, therefore...He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because ....He lives to intercede for them....Heb7:20-25 (Jesus directly intercedes for us)

THE LAW appoints as high priests MEN WHO ARE WEAK.
THE OATH, CAME AFTER THE LAW..appointed THE SON
who has been made perfect forever. Heb7:28

(We are no longer under the LAW of the priesthood of men but a NEW covenant)

By calling this covenant New, He has made
the first one OBSOLETE and AGING
and will soon disappear.....Heb8:13...(and it did).

[BenKenobi]

And a New covenenant preached by new men, the Apostles, of whom the priests of the Catholic church are the descendents.

Christ granted them an office and an authority which stems from his sacrifice on the cross which continues on through this day.

[caww]

Nope...You might want to go here to link below...new thread....challeges both catholics and protestants...but no the catholic church does not have the Apostolic sucession nor the authority it claims and it cannot be proven as everybody knows...but surely the catholic leadership will claim otherwise as they have thru the centuries.

I am sorry you didn’t give more thought to my post...some real Gems there if you are sensitive to God’s spirit. Let Gods word be true and every man a lier.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2551074/posts?page=4

[caww]

One other thing...you know you catholics and the mormons and the muslums will be duking it out one day for all three claim the same thing. So somebody has got to be wrong!...
Thee church, thee leadership, thee keys to the kingdom, thee scriptures. You all say the same thing.

I wonder if all three will ‘fall’ under the one world religion as catholics have already acknowleged the Muslum God...and Mormons have acknowledged the Christian God......not to many steps left to merge as one...not to mention Hinduism which will accept any faith to begin with...and this along with the world council of churches will make it complete.

[BenKenobi]

You’re right. I believe the Catholic church is right. I have no problem saying that I believe mormons and Muslims are wrong and we have it right.

[BenKenobi]

‘You might want to go here to link below...new thread....challeges both catholics and protestants...but no the catholic church does not have the Apostolic sucession nor the authority it claims and it cannot be proven as everybody knows”

It can and has been proven. There are actually not one but two churches that have valid claims. The Catholic church and the Orthodox church.

“I am sorry you didn’t give more thought to my post...some real Gems there if you are sensitive to God’s spirit. Let Gods word be true and every man a lier.”

I have no beef with you and the workings of the spirit, just a point that I thought it necessary to add.

[caww]

You say you are right of course..lol... you wouldn’t be a catholic then if you didn’t.....and no the catholic church does not have it right ...they did once for a short while and then blew it. Until they can get over their church alone being the source of salvation instead of Christ alone... not much further along than the LDS. Like them you have your fist tightly gripped around your church denomination, rituals, idols and works of which none of these can grant salvation or a Home in Heaven with Christ.

[caww]

BTW Ben this post you responded with is typical tactic well known...it’s called catholic spin.

[Campion]

Apparently the Catholic church is afraid people will hear the true Word without their baggage added onto it.

I think it's extremely odd that you trust the El Salvadorean government to give people the "true Word".

Why would you ever want to give the government the authority to teach religion? Oh, sure, they're just going to read passages from the Bible. Which passages? From which translation? Who is going to answer any questions about the passages that students pose, and how is he/she going to answer them?

"State churches" generally have not worked out very well, at least not for the church.

[allmendream]

The specifics do not interest me, it is the principle.

Apparently you think government promulgation of a particular religious viewpoint is, so long as it is the majority religion, a good and acceptable practice.

I disagree.

I do not think the Book of Mormon should be taught in Utah, nor that Mormonism should be the official state religion of Utah; despite it being the majority faith. The same PRINCIPLE applies to Catholicism, Protestant faiths, Eastern Orthodox, Christian Scientist, Scientologists, Armenian Christian, Islam, Rastafarianism, Hinduism, Quakers, Shakers or Moneymakers. ;)

The original faith structure of our nation was not and is not in any way based upon government structured promotion of a particular religious viewpoint; but upon the faith freely exercised in homes and churches throughout our blessed land of religious and secular liberty.

“Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty” Samuel Adams

[BenKenobi]

“they did once for a short while and then blew it.’

When did this occur?

“Until they can get over their church alone being the source of salvation instead of Christ’

You are wrong. We do not teach, extra ecclesium nulla salus. God will save those whom he will save. We do believe that we are the Church Christ founded.