Posted on 04/04/2014 1:58:22 PM PDT by ebb tide
I don’t know.
But Pope Francis knows, he stated Christ was pretending. Are you saying Pope Francis could be wrong?
Firebrand’s comments now make sense to me. He’s right. Francis is not concerned with bringing people into just the Catholic Church (despite the fact that that’s supposed to be his job).
But he’s wrong if he thinks he’s looking to bring others into even some false generic “Christian” church because Jews and Muslims don’t need to be converted. Haven’t you heard? False ecumenism has been the way for over 50years now and Francis has made it clear that proselytism is solemn NONSENSE.
Seriously, these post VII days are just pathetic.
Yes, agreed. But what’s disturbing is that there are Catholics who agree with firebrand.
He’s not really a man for all audiences, in my experience. Catholic friends of mine are peeved about what seems to them a brushing off of the most difficult doctrines for some: homosexuality, abortion, and other issues. To me, his remarks show that he understands love of God must come first. You can’t just stop doing something. He has to help you. “Without me you can do nothing.” So they have to have him first.
Some of those who start to recognize Christ will become Catholics. He’s not trying to bring people into some kind of generic church. It’s a work of the spirit, and the spirit will lead them to where they should go.
I missed his remarks about proselytizing, but I know that consciously directed evangelizing can be misguided. We are all better off just speaking from the heart when the time feels right. The message that we send subconsciously is more powerful than formulaic words.
Many evangelicals believe this now.
It’s also important to avoid what they call “the spirit of the Pharisee.” I just learned that phrase in the past year, and I like it. It refers to when someone starts being judgmental, instead of just loving the person.
Thank you and God bless.
I like that as well and agree with need to not be judgmental.
There are uncountable numbers who are new and have just recently embraced faith or or are struggling or perhaps recently returned to faith after having abandoned faith for apostasy and rebellion.
Those who believe their judgments and harsh criticisms are necessary and should be heard, whether about the Pope or some TV evangelist or whatever, more often kill that new faith and chase those in need away.
The Bible contains verse after verse telling us NOT to do that, yet they persist, defying Jesus' commandment to love our neighbors. The fact is, He loves each of us the same, even the ones we have personally judged as unworthy. The truth is we're all wretched and unworthy, sinners all.
Perhaps they feel their criticisms and judgments are doing His Will, but more likely they will receive full measure for the damage they do, extinguishing new faith by their example and chasing away those who seek God and His Forgiveness, Peace, Grace and Mercy only to find something else entirely.
I'm angry at God because when I came back from a weekend of serving on a religious retreat, I found the body of my son, who had committed suicide several days before.
My reaction to that event was to serve in church at the next service, quietly as my job as an usher. I have not shirked a moment of service to God since then, although I received little support from my immediate pastoral family, other than ignorant platitudes. Fortunately, I have a large network of Christian support that has literally saved my sanity, if not my life, through the ordeal by virtue of loving counselling and caring.
However, every day I continue to be wracked in uncontrollable grief, agony and regret combined with flashbacks and unexpected grief bursts that can bring me to paralysis.
God had the power to spare me from that.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply.
I know a young couple who were turned off on the idea of going to a nearby church because of the scathingly judgmental billboards the church had posted. Shameful.
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