judy@ut-ngp.UUCP (03/29/84)
Please do not think that I intended to imply that Catholics are not
Christians (ie. that they do not believe in Christ). What I said was that
they are not one and the same. There are Catholic doctrines that are not
based upon scripture but were invented by the Catholic Church.
You want to know which of these conflict directly with Christ's teachings?
How about MATTHEW 15.9:
" But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men."
Isn't this a general warning against teaching doctrines that are not based on
scripture? Doctrines such as praying to Mary or "certified" Saints. (I really
feel sorry for all those people who, for many years, prayed to St. Christopher
only to have the Church revoke his sainthood due to lack of evidence that such
a person ever existed!)
How about MATTHEW 6.7:
" But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do : for
they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."
But at Confession (another Catholic doctrine) the "Father" intructs "Say 5
Our Father's and 10 Hail Mary's for penance and you shall be forgiven. Huh?
Now keep in mind that I was RAISED Catholic (Italian style, my maiden name is
Orlando) but because I have this habit of questioning authority, I didn't get
along well with the Nuns...
I was probably excommunicated years ago.
How about MATTHEW 23.9:
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father,
which is in heaven.
and what do Catholics call their Priests?
There are, no doubt, others; but I feel I've made my point. Again, don't
think that I believe that just because Catholics believe and do these things,
that therefore no Catholic can be a Christian. I believe that because of the
specific beliefs of any organized church, they cannot say that they are one and
the same with Christ and are therefore the one and only right way to go. Not
when they have added so much to the basic teachings of Christ.
For clarification, I believe Pope John Paul, unlike many of his predecessors,
is a truly holy man. Anyone who can sit down with someone who tried to kill
him, just to FORGIVE that man in person, and in twenty minutes (or so)
have that man kiss his hand, MUST have something going for him!
I would like to thank those who supported my claim about Catholic
doctrines. I'm glad that there are others who realize that not all of what
the various churches teach is necessarily a part of Christianity. Like the
celebration of Christmas. As for Easter, it is so closely related to the
Passover that they should really be celebrated at the same time. But how
do we justify celebrating the Sabbath on Sunday? Do we have the right to
change when THAT is celebrated?
As far as omniscience goes, I'd like to know if anyone can find a Biblical
use of this word. See, I don't believe in paradoxes. It just doesn't make
sense that God would knowingly create Satan if he KNEW Satan would be evil,
just to make us suffer. One explanation might be that Satan was an instrument
to aid in testing our souls on earth. That is what a Catholic friend of mine
recently told me. However, since one THIRD of the angels turned out to be bad
(Satan being their leader because he had been one of the "higher" angels), it
is MY personal belief (remember I did say "suppose") that the quality of the
angels created was one of the things subject to the laws of the universe. I
believe that God works WITHIN these laws, even though it may not always seem
so to us.
For now we see through a glass, darkly .... - I CORINTHIANS 13.12
Judy