DBT

quote;
"by grace...through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).

But doesn't that passage clearly state that faith is the only requirement for salvation?

Ellis14

Albert could reply that that verse is saying that it doesn't matter what you do, you must believe in it, or if you don't do it with pure motive; pure beliefs, you won't be saved. Therefore, one must have faith in Jesus, but even if you do, unless you act on your faith, it is dead. (q.v. James)

Albert Cipriani

Biological salvation according Albert Cipriani, Chapter 1 verse 01:

My point is that you confuse the primary necessity with the ONLY necessity.

Yes, upon being born, unless the baby breatheth, it hath no life within it. But surely that baby’s life requires many other secondary necessities. Likewise, belief if primary, but that belief is stillborn unless it animates actions that sustain the birth of faith. – Sincerely, Albert the Traditional Catholic

Ellis14

Albert, so you reject fideism then? I mean, if the evidence could be shown to reject your beliefs, you would reject your beliefs in light of evidence? If so, would that all theists were like yourself.

Albert Cipriani

Nothing and no one is pure. “Purity�? demarks an arbitrary standard along an infinitely gradated continuum. Therefore, the concept of purity is arbitrary and cannot be used as a criterion for anything.

For example a bar of pure gold is only 99.99% pure. So you reduce your gold sample to a single atom of pure gold. Well, it still isn’t as pure as some other atom of gold that was forged in the furnace of some supernova more recently and, hence, has a greater probability of resisting nuclear decay for a longer period of time.

As with gold, so with the dross of our human condition. Our love of God and hatred of sin is not absolutely pure, is not without its admixture of selfishness and extraneous motives. If purity were a standard, no one and nothing would qualify. – Sincerely, Albert the Traditional Catholic

Albert Cipriani

Absolutely. The Catholic Church alone among religions has been dedicated from day one with reconciling faith and reason. That’s why (over some opposition among fidestic elements) St. Thomas Aquinas integrated Aristotle with sacramental theology in the 13th century. How absurd it would be to think God could want it any other way. Only a sadistic god would give us a four pound brain whose every insight must be denied in order to hang onto the dead branch of an irrational faith like a monkey.

Absolutely. I submit for proof the fact that I’ve already rejected the Modernist Catholic Church and cling to the life boat of Traditional Catholicism that is not in communion with the Pope and his bishops and am technically in a state of schism.

To quote Hamlet: “It’s a consummation devoutly to be wished.�?

I honestly believe, that if everyone were utterly honest and completely rational, they’d come to believe in Traditional Catholicism. Everyone stops far short of the mark because everyone have enough truth in their life to satisfy them. As if truth were bananas, as if we should ever be satisfied with any finite amount of that infinite treasure.

Ironically, it is love of the truth that keeps me forever dissatisfied with what truth I have and always on the prowl for more. It’s like being so in love with women that I keep turning out my woman for a better version! – Cheers, Albert the Traditional Catholic