Posted on 07/22/2013 2:45:09 PM PDT by NYer
Two days ago, we had a couple of converts to the Catholic Faith come by the office here at Catholic Answers to get a tour of our facility and to meet the apologists who had been instrumental in their conversions. One of the two gave me a letter she received from her Pentecostal pastor. He had written to her upon his discovery that she was on her way into full communion with the Catholic Church. She asked for advice concerning either how to respond or whether she should respond at all to the letter.
As I read through the multiple points her former pastor made, one brought back particular memories for me, because it was one of my favorites to use in evangelizing Catholics back in my Protestant days. The Catholic Church, he warned, teaches “doctrines of demons” according to the plain words of I Timothy 4:1-3:
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
What is consecrated celibacy if not “forbid[ding] marriage?” And what is mandatory abstinence from meat during the Fridays of Lent if not “enjoin[ing] abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving?” So says this Pentecostal pastor. How do we respond?
Innocent on Both Charges
Despite appearances, there are at least two central reasons these claims fail when held up to deeper scrutiny:
1. St. Paul was obviously not condemning consecrated celibacy in I Timothy 4, because in the very next chapter of this same letter, he instructed Timothy pastorally concerning the proper implementation of consecrated celibacy with regard to “enrolled” widows:
Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband . . . well attested for her good deeds. . . . But refuse to enroll younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ they desire to marry, and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge (I Tim. 5:9-11).
There is nothing ordinarily wrong with a widow remarrying. St. Paul himself made clear in Romans 7:2-3:
[A] married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. . . . But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and if she remarries another man she is not an adulterous.
Yet, the “widow” of I Timothy 5 is condemned if she remarries? In the words of Ricky Ricardo, St. Paul has some “splainin’ to do.”
The answer lies in the fact that the widow in question had been “enrolled,” which was a first-century equivalent to being “consecrated.” Thus, according to St. Paul, these “enrolled” widows were not only celibate but consecrated as such.
2. St. Paul was obviously not condemning the Church making abstinence from certain foods mandatory, because the Council of Jerusalem, of which St. Paul was a key participant in A.D. 49, did just that in declaring concerning Gentile converts:
For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity (Acts 15:28).
This sounds just like "enjoin[ing] abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving." So there is obviously something more to I Timothy 4 than what one gets at first glance.
What Was St. Paul Actually Calling “Doctrines of Demons?”
In A Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, the 1953 classic for Scripture study, Fr. R.J. Foster gives us crucial insight into what St. Paul was writing about in I Timothy 4:
[B]ehind these prohibitions there may lie the dualistic principles which were already apparent in Asia Minor when this epistle was written and which were part of the Gnostic heresy.
Evidently, St. Paul was writing against what might be termed the founding fathers of the Gnostic movement that split away from the Church in the first century and would last over 1,000 years, forming many different sects and taking many different forms.
Generally speaking, Gnostics taught that spirit was good and matter was pure evil. We know some of them even taught there were two gods, or two “eternal principles,” that are the sources of all that is. There was a good principle, or god, who created all spirit, while an evil principle created the material world.
Moreover, we humans had a pre-human existence, according to the Gnostics, and were in perfect bliss as pure spirits dwelling in light and in the fullness of the “gnosis” or “knowledge.” Perfect bliss, that is, until our parents did something evil: They got married. Through the conjugal act perfectly pure spirits are snatched out of that perfect bliss and trapped in evil bodies, causing the darkening of the intellect and the loss of the fullness of the "gnosis." Thus, salvation would only come through the gaining, or regaining, of the “gnosis” that the Gnostics alone possessed.
Eating meat was also forbidden because its consumption would bring more evil matter into the body, having the effect of both keeping a person bound to his evil body and further darkening the intellect.
Thus, these early Gnostics forbade “marriage and enjoin[ed] abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving.”
If there are any remaining doubts as to whom St. Paul was referring as teaching "doctrines of demons," he tips his hand in his final exhortation in I Timothy 6:20-21:
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have missed the mark as regards faith. Grace be with you.
The Greek word translated above as “knowledge” is gnoseos. Sound familiar? The bottom line is this: St. Paul was not condemning the Catholic Church in I Timothy 4; he was warning against early Gnostics who were leading Christians astray via their “gnosis,” which was no true gnosis at all.
There is more to Church teachings than the rosary. Mustn't overlook the fact.
Wow! The attacks here seem to be coming from demons. Scary.
We do not idolize Mary...we do however, honor her for the role she played in our salvation...she simply said yes to God.....period....
The catholic church is dedicated to obliterating every word that Yeshua has ever spoken.
Role model, yes. Idol? Hardly
One example from the Catholic Mass please? Just one.
Mary is mentioned more times than Christ ... when? During Mass?
>> “We do not idolize Mary...we do however, honor her for the role she played in our salvation” <<
.
Neither Mary, nor any other sinner, played any role whatsoever in anyone’s salvation. She acknowledged that fact herself. Worship denegrates her memory.
Yeshua alone was sinless, and qualified to take the punishment and shed his blood for our sins.
>> “Role model, yes” <<
Role model no!
Mary gathered her children and went to call Yeshua away from his teaching several times. That is not behavior worthy of passing on.
Only one example needed: The claim of conjuring up Yeshua’s flesh.
Ignorance, and blasphemy.
I don’t think you totally understand the Rosary.
What are the mysteries? Only two of them are NOT about Christ.
Let’s take a look.
Joyful — first set is about Christ’s childhood
Annunciation — announcing the oncoming birth of Christ
Visitation — Mary shares the news with Elizabeth and St. John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth womb, because he recognizes Christ in Mary’s womb.
The Nativity — Birth of Christ
Presntation — according to Jewish custom, the baby is presented in the temple.
Finding the Child Jesus in the temple — where he was talking with and asking questions of the wise men of the church.
Luminous — this new second set of mysteries is about Christ’s life of ministry
The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan — St. John the Baptist recognizes the Lamb of God, the Holy Spirit descends upon Christ and the voice of God the Father is heard.
Jesus Manifests Himself at the Wedding of Cana — the working of Christ’s first miracle.
The Prclamation of the Kingdom of God and the Call to Conversion — Christ talks to the multitudes about the coming Kingdom of God and calls them to conversion — often forgiving their sins.
The Transfiguration — Christ appears in glory with Moses and Elijah and is witnessed by Peter, John and James.
The Institution of the Holy Eucharist — Christ institutes the Eucharist at the Last Supper.
OK — so far? All about Jesus, aren’t they?
Moving on to the Passion of Christ — the Sorrowful Mysteries
The Agony in the Garden — Christ prays in the Garden of Gethsemane
The Scourging at the Pillar — thousands and thousands of blows suffered for our sins
The Crowning of Thorns — done by the Roman soldiers as they mock Christ
Jesus Carries His Cross — all the way to Golgotha with the help of Simon the Cyrenian
The Crucifixion — Jesus dies on the Cross for our sins.
Now the Glorious mysteries
The Resurrection of the Lord — as witnessed by St. Mary Magdalene, as recognized by the two disciples on the way to Emmaus — all the Easter miracles. Appearing to the apostles even though the door is locked. Being on the shore cooking for the apostles after they have been out all night fishing and caught nothing, then experience a miracle draught of fish at the Lord’s command to cast the net on the other side of the boat.
The Ascension — apostles, disciples and other followers watch as Jesus ascends bodily into heaven
Descent of the Holy Spirit — The Apostles and Disciples convert 3000 people through the miracle of speaking in the onlookers’ native language.
Now — the two and only two about Mary —
The Assumption — Mary taken bodily to heaven by angels as related by apostles and Early Church Fathers.
The Cornonation of Mary as the Queen (mother) of Heaven
There you go — out of 20 mysteries — only two are about Mary.
Next questio~~ I suppose you want the Biblical connotations. LOL!
As we pray the Rosary of the Day, saying the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer, we concentrate and meditate on these individual mysteries. It (the Rosary) is a meditation on the entire Life of Christ.
Not true. Where did you get that nonsense?
Mary had only one Child, Jesus Christ.
The Catholic Church lets Indians keep their totem poles, but rednecks can't keep their belief in Genesis 1-11. Now ain't that sumpin'?
That’s what a good portion of his followers said...and he let them leave...same now...
Conjuring up Jesus’ flesh? You really don’t understand the Mass, do you?
Mary had at least six children, possibly nine, depending on interpretation of names.
You speak to yourself?
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.