Why I love Catholicism

[Zeno]

The follow quotes are from Apologia pro Vita Sua (1864) by John Henry Newman (1801-1890) English Cardinal.



"By Liberalism I mean the false liberity of thought, or the exercise of thought upon matters, in which, from the constitution of the human mind, thought cannot be brought to any successful issue, and therefore is out of place. Among such matters are first principles of any kind: and of these the most scared and momentous are especially to be reckoned the truths of Revelation."


"There are but two ways, the way of Rome and the way of athesim."



"The Catholic Church claims, not only to judge infallibly on religious questions, but to animadvert on opinions in secular matters which bear upon religion, on matters of philosophy, of science, of literature, of history, and it demands our submission to her claim."


It is implied in the second quote that all Protestants and Eastern Orthodoxy believers are Atheists, or at least Damned. A rathering interesting premise. Of couse, the written context may change that interpretation but I somehow doubt it.

Soli Deo gloria!


-Zeno

[BluffTHIS!]

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It is implied in the second quote that all Protestants and Eastern Orthodoxy believers are Atheists, or at least Damned. A rathering interesting premise. Of couse, the written context may change that interpretation but I somehow doubt it.

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No it doesn't imply that, and you are merely using the fundamentalist method of making a literal interpretation out of context. The context in this case is the entire teaching of the church on this matter, which this statement by one bishop doesn't give.

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Soli Deo gloria!

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The only correct thing you said.

[Peter666]

Protestants and the Eastern Orthodox who are knowlegable about Catholicism are damned not because they are Atheist, but because they are heretics.

[MMMMMM]

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Protestants and the Eastern Orthodox who are knowlegable about Catholicism are damned not because they are Atheist, but because they are heretics.

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Lest my remarks be misunderstood, let me first assert that I am not a Christian (at least, not in the typical sense;-)).

That said, I now pose three questions:

1. If the above "heretics" follow the prescription for salvation as laid out by Jesus in the Gospels, why would they be damned?

2. Is not Jesus > the Pope ?

3. Are not the Words/Teachings of Jesus in the Gospels > Catholic Doctrine ?

[Peter666]

To answer your three questions:

1. If the "heretics" follow the prescription of salvation as laid out in the gospels, they would not be damned, as they would be Catholics. The problem is they DO NOT follow the prescription as laid out in the Gospel due to self interpretation of the Gospel text.

2. Yes, Jesus is greater than the Pope. And as such, we should obey Jesus when he made the Papacy the Church's highest authority on Earth.

3. The words and teachings in the Gospels are Catholic doctrine, not greater than.

[MMMMMM]

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1. If the "heretics" follow the prescription of salvation as laid out in the gospels, they would not be damned, as they would be Catholics. The problem is they DO NOT follow the prescription as laid out in the Gospel due to self interpretation of the Gospel text.

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How so, if you don't mind elaborating? (Also, I'm primarily talking about the four Gospels and especially the red letter text within them as it deals with the issues of salvation and instruction, not the rest of the New Testament).

[BluffTHIS!]

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Yes, Jesus is greater than the Pope. And as such, we should obey Jesus when he made the Papacy the Church's highest authority on Earth.

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Funny since you've said you belong to SSPX, a sect that has separated itself from *full* communion with Rome and thus obedience to the pope. Thus while SSPX is not yet heretical it is schismatic.

[Peter666]

If you can be more specific with certain examples I will be able to answer you better.

Perhaps when Jesus ordered his Apostles to go out and preach the gospels, making them what are today known as bishops. Catholic Bishops have a direct, unbroken link with this command.

[K C]

By opening their minds they would be allowing the possibility that their beliefs at least in part are mistaken, and no religion wants to do that less their pretentions get shaken [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

KC

[Peter666]

Not that anybody else in this thread knows what we are talking about, but the SSPX is not schismatic as the consecration of bishops can never be a schismatic act leading to automatic excommunication. It would have been schismatic if episcopal jurisdiction was given to them. But as it was not, no schism exists. This is a precept both of Canon law and moral theology.

Any Archbishop at any time can validly consecrate bishops just like a defrocked priest can validly administer the sacraments, and is obligated to do so in certain situations.