I love how all the protestant bible scholars always quote scripture to prove their points and admonish others on forums. The devil was a theologian too and quoted scripture while tempting Christ while he was undergoing a desolate time. How about we as so called Christians prove we are who we say we are instead of pushing people away and scaring the crap out of them. You're not winning converts with that approach. Where's the love? All it does is strengthen my faith and relationship with God when I hear the same drum beat. It's easy to find faults in anything. Maybe one day we will focus on what we agree on instead of what we disagree on.
Thanks.

James,

To your post:
>>>I DARE ANYONE TO NAME ONE SINGLE RELIGION OR SECT BE IT ATHIETS, HUMANISTS, CATHOLICS, PROTESTANTS,HINDUS,MUSLEMS WHATEVER WHO HAS NOT PERFORMED SOME SOUGHT OF OTRAGE AGINST HUMANITY. Posted July 31, 2007 11:00 PM <<<

I'll take your dare...

Jesus.

The fact that we cannot name a single government, religion, or person who has not failed the perfect standard of righteousness and love highlights the truth of the Bible. We are fallen, and we need a savior. And so long as we are stuck in this fallen world, we will never find a soul pure or perfect enough to get us to enlightment, certainly not ourselves. We can count on the fact that Christians will fail, and regrettably fail big. But do not mistake Christians for Christ Himself. We cannot use the failings of the faithful as an excuse for why we denied the person of Jesus Christ. Christian religion is not bad. The failings of humanity are bad. But thank God that He judges us with greater mercy and compassion than we judge our brothers. In the end, it's about you and Him. When you get to heaven and Jesus asks you why you denied Him, the excuse that "some church" made a mistake once upon a time will not hold up. Speaking against His church and the thousands of faithful who lived even just one minute for God's glory is irresponsible, arrogant, and will lead you far from this enlightment you seek.

Dear Miss Tenety,

I am aware that your piece above was meant as a droll commentary on the recent document issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). The fact that you felt the need to comment on it in that way is troublesome. What is more troublesome, though, is the fact that the document had to be issued.

Not so long ago, such a document would not have been needed, either for the Faithful, or for anyone else. It's issuance, and your wry commentary on it, indicate the remarkable ignorance that has come to pass among us about wherein the fullness of Truth resides, and has resided since Christ's words to Peter.

Regards,
Peter

Dear Miss Tenety,

May I suggest that the answer to your question might be found in any number of statements recorded in the Gospels. One of them comes to mind . In Luke's Gospel Christ say that he came to bring fire to the earth and how he wishes that it were already here.

If it makes no difference (can you say "indifferentism"?) to a person which church they enter, or belong to, then there isn't any need whatsoever for an "ecumenical process". The very concept of church is emptied of significance and meaning and what results is a bunch of folks like, umm, the National Council of Churches who agree on it being nice to get along and hold days of prayer and "be" for things.

If it does, and from the very beginning...try reading Paul's letters to the Corinthians, the second one...it seems to have done so, then ecumenism is not some kind of Rodney King plea to "just get along", and our Holy Mother Church must, in all openness and honesty deal truthfully and bluntly with the Truth, regardless of how some of her children in the house or outside of it may react.

It is obvious that some, a lot, of people do not like to hear the Holy Father tell them what is true, and say what needs to be said. Children are like that, but fathers have obligations and responsibilities to point out certain things. I do hope you grow up enough to learn this, and are wise enough to understand its necessity.

In the case of Christianity the result of not paying attention to the truth about the church results in things like snake handlers in West Virginia, Jonestown and the now more than 27,000 different Protestant denominations. Such a number might have made Howard Johnson proud, but it is nothing to crow about.

You are gravely mistaken about Christ's "tendency towards anti-establishment bahavior", you and so many others. "Not one jot or tittle of the law will pass away..." That is not by any means anti-establishment. His crucifixion, death and resurrection were acts of obedience to The Establisher, his Father.

You, Miss, may wish to try some of the same with reference to the words and teachings of His established vicar.

Regards,

Peter

WHO ARE WE TO CONDEMN AR JUDGE THE ACTIONS OF THE PAST. no ONE IS WITHOUT BLAME. SURE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS INVOLVED IN PAST ATROCITIES IN THE PAST. BUT SO WAS THE PROTESTANTS9 how about the three million irish catholics left to stare during the potatoe famine, how about the great slughter of millions of innocents in europe by the mighty athiest nazi's and communists, or the thousands slain by the islamist jihads. I DARE ANYONE TO NAME ONE SINGLE RELIGION OR SECT BE IT ATHIETS, HUMANISTS, CATHOLICS, PROTESTANTS,HINDUS,MUSLEMS WHATEVER WHO HAS NOT PERFORMED SOME SOUGHT OF OTRAGE AGINST HUMANITY. THE TRU ESSENCE OF ENLIGHTENMENT IS FINDING THE GOD OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING. THE INDIVIDUAL IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS WORKS ONLY. NOT THE ESTABLISHED ORDER OF THINGS.

Thomas, It's hard to know what you meant in such a short space, but here we go.. Your point on 'to God' as opposed to 'to the Father' is well taken. Thanks for clarifying my post. However, to your post: "God has all of the bases so to speak covered and it is His Plan, just as it says it is God's Will that all be SAVED and we all shall be SAVED." Who is we? God is both just and loving. Without being covered in the blood of Jesus (having been forgiven of sins by accepting the gift of salvation that Jesus offers through his death and ressurection) we are subjected to God's judgment for our great sins, and nothing we do can make up for them. Meaning, we who believe in Christ can claim salvation in Christ, but those who reject Christ cannot. They do not claim nor experience the saving grace of Christ. The fact that unbelievers go to he*l does not mean God is not love. The Father demonstrated that He is love by sending Christ died to die in our place for all who profess His name. What it means is that He is just. In fact, we all fall far short of heaven but those of us who confess and follow Christ are able to rest in salvation we do not deserve. Let us just be careful -- and remember that the Bible is clear that those who reject Christ will not see heaven.

God clearly desires the salvation of all. Paul says that so simply in 1 Timothy 2:3-4. "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

However, we know that all will not be saved in Matthew 25:46 and many other places. After picturing what Jesus will say to the believers on his right on Judgment Day, and to the unbelievers on his left, this is the concluding sentence: "Then they [the unbelievers] will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Blessings to you.

does anyone understand sarcasm..
most of you are blundering idiots
re-read and then post idiots

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WHAT A TWIT!

Yes, young lady with ALL that education and life experience, I'm sure you are quite capable of deciding which religion is the very bestest of them all.

You wrote:
"But today, my disloyal, wandering mind has been placated: we Catholics have been right all along."

Yes, you Catholics sure were right about the inquisitions. Oh, and the way your PRIESTS go ga ga over little boys is nothing short of heartwarming. Yeah, ya gotta love that Catholic Church. When it can't change a reality like heliocentrism, they try to kill the messenger as in the case of Galileo.

And, now you have your NAZI POPE RULING OVER HIS ARMY OF PEDOPHILES. Your church is more messed up that the Bush Administration.

So, what a thoroughly messed up church do to change the subject away from it own lawbreaking and irrelevance? It declares all other churches and it parishioners to be not worthy of God's love. REAL CLASSY!

Liz honey, try growing up a bit before declaring yourself to be a religious expert.

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To NICKINARLINGTON: You wrote that Jesus said He was the only way to God and then the quote you use said " I am the Way, the Truth and the Life no one comes to the Father except thru Me." Look at it, He did not say to God but He said to the Father, big difference there considering the fact that Jesus is God, the Second Person of the Trinity. God has all of the bases so to speak covered and it is His Plan, just as it says it is God's Will that all be SAVED and we all shall be SAVED. I have met the Father, Dad as Jesus told us to think of Him as and He is Pure Love. I have also met the Holy Spirit who revealed to me that the catholic Eucharist really is Jesus. Take care. Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

At the next Papal Conclave I'm voting for Dan Brown.

"Pope is Catholic shock!

Pope Benedict in a written communication has said he is a Catholic and prefers the teaching of the Catholic church to protestantism.

This shocking announcement has been condemned by all and sundry as further proof that the Catholc church is an inter-galactic power mad conspiracy determined to do as much evil as possible and gain control of everything, everywhere.

As no Catholic anywhere at any time has ever suffered for his faith or led a christian life this pronouncement is evidence, if any were needed, that adherents of that church are either self-serving jesuitical schemers or illiterate peasants in want of protestant truth as invented circa 1530.

How dare this man have a point of view which differs from that of the Archbisop of Canterbury, Richard Dawkins, the National Secular Society and John Knox and Fr. Reese of Georgetown?

I mean who do these Catholics think they are?"

Posted above as an antidote to the good and great at Georgetown whose pronouncements unites Catholics as nothing else does.

Elizabeth dear, love without truth is still a lie. We are living in a generation that believes the way to love and accept people is through tolerance and the only way to tolerance is by compromising the idea that truth exists. To answer your question: That Jesus of ours was quite willing to rebuff the arrogance of the religious zealots of His time. What would He say today?

The answer is quite clear. Jesus encourages followers to be zealous for him and says in Revelation that he spits out luke warm followers. Believe what you will, but do not infer that Jesus embraced or tolerated as truth any other religion or sugested a road of compromise and pluralism. He was clear that we are to love all, and He was equally clear that he believed he was the only way to God.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." -- John 14:6 (NKJV)

"For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him." -- John 5:22,23 (NKJV)

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." -- John 17:3 (NKJV)

The greatest threat to the truth is not zealotry or bigotry of those who mis-use it. The greatest threat is the idea that there can be no truth. Truth, by its very nature, is absolute. The real love and tolerances comes when you can look your unbelieving loved ones in the eye and still stand by your God without compromising the narrow way He offers so that you can feel more comfortable and politically correct.

Elizabeth,

Nice!

No,she is not kidding.
Pope,infallible man,ex-nazi declared 'Christian denomination outside the Roman Catholic Church were NOT full churches of Jesus Christ',and Roman Christian churches are 'true churches',others 'wound'.
If Catholic church is only 'true'so her one 'true faith'.
Welcome Medievalism.

She was being sarcastic James.

James - I think she was kidding.

I hope so

How shallow can one person be to claim that they have truly looked at and studied multiple religions and, whew "Mine was the true one". I find that so self centric it is embarrassing for me to read that you have studied theology. I am an Atheist, yes one of the horrible non believers, but I can say that I have been to mass in a catholic school, I was confirmed in the UCC faith, and i have spoke with many religious individuals about their belief, and I make my own decision as the best ideas for me. I don't doubt that you believe that you are righteous and that you have the correct religion for you. But be aware that there are other true religions, and belief structures out there that are right for everyone, and please don’t judge others by the pendant or oath that they live by. Just as a few Christians on a crusade centuries ago doesn’t mean that you are all bad, the few Agnostics, Atheists, and Pagan religions are not out to offend as the few that have.