The Other Michael

It would seem sensible then to starve (self-denial of food) yourself near unto death. You'd be soooooo close to God, as well as constantly reminded of the potential brevity of life.

Not only do you save on the grocery bill, but you don't have to burn up any palm trees to get ashes. And God wouldn't have to exert much effort if He decided to call you home.

Sorry, I forgot for a moment that we were discussing religious practices, and sensible is not often a term associated with them.

cheers,
Michael

Amos

Hello Spaz, Catholics did not make anything up but their entire belief system is based on the bible and revelation from God as it came about through time. There are people here who can present this much better than I can but it leads me to say that your question should really be: why is God communicating with Catholics and not with protestants?

oriecat

Sorry, I misunderstood.

Could some of the stuff be in those extra books that the Catholics use, but aren't in normal bibles? *shrug*

Amos

Hold it, slow down oriecat, "the pros" never took anything with them or they'd have something now!

Amos

Hi WWSD, I don't really know but it did get kind of cold here lately. We had a really nice winter until the last week or so.

No, I don't know much about fasting. Whe I was a kid we were happy that Lente arrived after a whole week of carnival.

oriecat

You're right, Amos, what WAS I thinking?

8of9

Revelation to the popes and a few others, blesserized as divine inspiration by the popes, and written into the Canon by the popes. Some (all?) of whom are saints.

So, God's only communicating with the popes and a couple other big-name theologians. Why them and not the protestants? Maybe it's those funny hats ...

Seriously, anyone interested in Catholic History, with time for serious reading, should try Thomas Bokenkotter's A Concise History of the Catholic Church. I do think he sugar-coats the bloody parts a little, but there's lots of good data in there.

Amos

I don't think the popes got these inspirations but they just verified and incorporated them as they came about. It kind of let's God (tm) lead the Church and we just affirm the will of God as a living church under God. I may be wrong here but that is how I see it.

WWSD

Yeah, same here, it was balmy for a week, then it turned to shit, now its getting back to balmy.


Anyway, how do you know that god is only communitcating with catholics and not protestants?


P.S. I'll be in Banff in May/June for a conferance. What's Alberta weather like that time of year?

Talulah

May 20, 325:

Catholics decreed that Christ was God. Although I believe considered divine, he wasn't considered equal to god before that time. Obviously that theology has taken hold.


Catholics also teach that Mary remained a virgin until her death, which can't possibly be true. Jesus had brothers that are mentioned in the NT.

Purgatory has no scriptural basis.

The sale of indulgences, what Martin Luther protested in the 95 Thesies, was a Catholic invention to make money.

"Here, buy this piece of paper to save yourself or a loved one."

BUT, Catholics believe in the validity of church tradition and the writings of the church fathers. You won't get far with them telling them what they practice isn't scriptural. They know. Well, if they know anything about the bible. A lot don't.