FOR THOSE WHO HATE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (and especially for Catholics who need some inspiration)

http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/challenge.html ^

[BlessedBeGod]

LOL!

[nika]

Saying Hail Mary's isn't necessarily all that is required. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Paragraphs 1459 and 1460

[american colleen]

Thank you for post #151!

[restornu]

The CATHOLIC CHURCH was PREDESTINE
(which some refer to as the Whore of Babylon)
for without it there would be
no birth of the Calvinsit!:)

[history_matters]

Bless you for your post!

[nika]

How are you, my friend?

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

The italicized remarks were those of LtKerst, not me. Your response needs to be directed to he/she/it.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

I'll take Sola Fide and you can have Purgatory.

Sola Fide is contradicted by both Scripture and tradition, purgatory is not.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

If you do indeed have questions about the Catholic Church I suggest you attend one of the many classes that are welcoming Catholics back home to the church.

Comprehension seems to be your Achilles' heel. Suggest you reread all the posts in this thread and figure out who are Catholics and who aren't. It's not that hard.

[Matchett-PI]

"Ahem. Why do you purposefully lie? When we pray the Our Father during Mass, it sure as hell isn't to the Pope." [Re#138]

Lying???? Are you saying you believe there are two "Holy Fathers", then?

If so, which one teaches these things:

[1] All Christians (the regenerate in whom is the Holy Spirit), are saints and as such are members of the universal (catholic) church.

[2] There is only one mediator between man and God, and that is Jesus Christ.

[3] Except for Jesus Christ, ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

[4] "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, he who is in heaven."

[drstevej]

Pretty much my point. Concisely stated.

[drstevej]

I didn't say (mean) that saying Hail Mary's is the sum of pennance in the RC church. I do wonder how this pennance fits the scripture cited as opposed to the suggestion I made.

[redhead]

"Bump - Scott Hahn is amazing!" When we saw him speak at a Marian Congress a couple of years ago, we got a good laugh when they introduced him. They said that listening to him teach was like trying to get a sip of water from a fire hydrant! If you've never had the pleasure of hearing this Godly man teach, at least buy a set of his tapes. He is AWESOME.

[the_doc]

Watch out, Matchett-PI! They will eat you up! [grin]

[drstevej]

"Sola Fide is contradicted by both Scripture ..."

Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Works are the consequence to salvation (justification) not the basis of the same. Works are rewarded, salvation is a gift. I think this debate has been fairly well exhausted on other threads. Perhaps at another time email me and we can swap our favorite passages, and you and I both know there are many to discuss. Not sure either of us would convince the other.

So... you can hold Purgatory, etc. and I will rejoice in sola scriptura, sola gratia, and sola fide. The finished work on the Cross is my hope and joy. When I partake of the bread and the cup I rember the great price he paid for my pardon and rejoice in a risen Savior.

You might say a Pietist in devotion, a 4 point Calvinist in soteriology, a Dispensationalist in eschatology, an Anabaptist on baptism, a Zwinglian on the Lord's Table, and sometimes a gentleman in theological debate -- all because I am convinced by the Word of God that this is a biblical balance. I respect church tradition but do not elevate it to the level of Scripture.

[drstevej]

What do you think of the thesis of Father Malachi Martin that the RC church made a wrong turn following Constatine's conversion by pursuing economic and political power rather than the spiritual mission of Peter?

[reference: Malachi Martin, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church or The Final Conclave.]

[drstevej]

Oops, I should have said, "in addition to the spiritual mission of Peter."

[katnip]

I would wager that by now most Roman Catholics alive have never attended a Latin Mass.

Oh Gosh, that makes me feel so old!
I attended Latin Mass up until I was around 13 years old.
I think every Catholic should attend at least one Latin mass in their life. It's ancient and beautiful.

[Born in a Rage]

Are you as equally concerned with the Child Sexual Molestation by Protestant Clergy? I certainly hope so.

What the heck kind of sarcastic response is that? Of course I'm concerned about child molestation by anybody and you should be too, instead of worrying about some sort of imaginary Catholic vs. Protestant tone in my former comment. I'm Catholic, btw.

[RnMomof7]