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Posted on 05/31/2013 2:23:21 PM PDT by NYer
Ping!!
vox veritatis
I would say that at least our Latin grammar is better but nowadays I'm not so sure.
My little Catholic nieces came back from their classes at their church and told me, “you wanna hear me recite John 3:16?” ....It blew me away.
Cool! They finally get it!!!
check out http://northpoint.org/ it is not all about rock bands and it is not just Catholics who make up the congregation. having said that, Catholics are committed Christians. maybe those who are not are better off in another church than in a strip bar?
Contemporary music is a powerful draw. Not the only reason, to be sure.
In the Baptist church, our unborn hear John 3:16 from conception. By the time that they were 2 or 2 1/2 my grandchildren could quote long passages from Psalms talking about how wonderfully that God had made them.
Every priest in the country should read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Rebuilt-Awakening-Faithful-Reaching-Making/dp/1594713863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370037780&sr=8-1&keywords=rebuilt (and I am not saying I agree with everything in the book either)
And every Catholic should read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Forming-Intentional-Disciples-Knowing-Following/dp/1612785905/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1370037780&sr=8-6&keywords=rebuilt
“Contemporary music is a powerful draw.”
I prefer the old hymns. I find contemporary Christian music to mostly be a droning monotone that inspires me to dwell on Rev. 3:16...
“But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
Some observations from the trenches.
It does not matter whether you are talking Protestant or Catholic, both have their problems, and they ALL stem from Religion, rather than following God, via the Scriptures, the Prophets, and his Holy Spirit.
Both the MegaChurch and the Lapsed Catholics are a “mile wide and and inch deep”. If they want to know God, they need to go to God rather than than rely on somebody in vestments or a cool pair of sneakers.
As to “Hymns” vs “Contemporary” music. When the Hymns were written, the WERE Contemporary. We should judge rightly, not just lumping into groups.
When feeding the sheep, the shepard lets them range out over the pasture. they don’t all eat in the same corner, thus types of music is feeding the sheep. We use a variety of music, mostly standards from the hymnal, but the choir brings in new hymns and also on the several youth led services during the year, they introduce us older folks to their new hymn favorites. Of course, I remember when the now ‘old standard’ “the little drummer boy” was new and shocking to the congregation I grew up in.
Its the preaching. When catholics join it isn’t about doctrinal disagreements, they are drawn by the preaching which tends to be detailed, tied back to scripture, and practical to every day living.
You can take what I say with a grain of salt; I’m not catholic, I don’t claim any denomination label. I’m just a Christian. Living overseas I attended many catholic services over the years. For me a believing catholic is not a rival, he’s a brother. Same with a believing baptist or pentacostal. I don’t see a rival. They might, I don’t.
I’m personally in one of these dreaded mega-churches in which a high percentage of the membership is no doubt of catholic background, and thats my observation. They aren’t there because they don’t want to be catholics, they are there for the preaching. The song service is pretty good, but I don’t think thats it. These folks are pretty sincere and pretty devout. God didn’t lose anything in the transaction and if some of them eventually move back across the street and return to the catholic church He still loses nothing. If you have an active walk with the Lord you take that with you where ever you worship. If someday the Holy Spirit moves you to church with us a while, you’ll see what I mean. And if he later moves you to return to your home parish again, you’ll see what I mean.
How you ask? Two words: pomp and circumstance
“For me a believing catholic is not a rival, he’s a brother. “
You are rare! But thank you!
And many more were written than are currently used ... that which was dreck when, for example, "Amazing Grace" was written has vanished into deserved oblivion.
Sturgeon's law ("90% of everything is crud") applies even to sacred music.
And that is where you are so wrong.
If God speaks to you through the Catholic Church, then Amen brother pray on. He speaks to me at the Baptist Church; just remember that one day we'll be roommates.
'Who am I to judge the servant of another?' Romans 14:4
Mark 9:38-40 KLV And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
40 For he that is not against us is on our part.
Dang it.....KLV = KJV
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