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To: Dean Baker

When I lived down in the Florida panhandle out in the woods, I routinely got anti-Catholic literature in my mailbox or under my door.

It's there, still, in spite of everything.

There are people who firmly believe precisely what the pastor put on that sign.

There are Catholics who will still tell you that only Catholics can ever go to heaven.

Now, in the case of those Catholics, they are ignorant of their Church's doctrine. But in the case of the fever swamps of the Protestant fringe where that pastor resides, there is not any overarching doctrine that one can point to and say "You're wrong". He will wield the Bible and prove that. I can wield the Bible and prove he's wrong.

In other words:

It was six men of Indoostan
to learning much inclined,
who went to see the Elephant
(though all of them were blind),
that each by observation
might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,
and happening to fall
against his broad and sturdy side,
at once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
cried, "Ho! what have we here
so very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
this wonder of an Elephant
is very like a spear!”

The Third approached the animal,
and happening to take
the squirming trunk within his hands,
thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
and felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
is very like a tree!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
said: “E’en the blindest man
can tell what this resembles most;
deny the fact who can:
this marvel of an Elephant
is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun
about the beast to grope,
than, seizing on the swinging tail
that fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indoostan
disputed loud and long,
each in his own opinion
exceeding stiff and strong,
though each was partly in the right,
and all were in the wrong!

So oft in theologic wars,
the disputants, I ween,
rail on in utter ignorance
of what each other mean,
and prate about an Elephant
not one of them has seen!


51 posted on 04/14/2005 12:15:30 PM PDT by Vicomte13 (Kawin waasikwa'anansin moowish.)
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To: Vicomte13

There have been many Catholics on this very forum that say anybody who dies outside of the Catholic church "knowing" it is the so-called "true Church" will go to hell.

Hmm.....parallel with Mormonism there.


532 posted on 04/14/2005 7:23:07 PM PDT by rwfromkansas (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=rwfromkansas)
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