http://www.catholicsentinel.org/Main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=61&ArticleID=19456
If you go to a holy site, pray to a dead person, and then to Mary, take a cracker that is actually, physically claimed to be the body of Jesus, confess your sins, then you can have your sins removed.
This makes me so mad I don't even know what to say. You might as well say "Spin in a circle three times and put on multi-color socks." Admitting you are guilty takes away sins how? Magic? Asking some dead human is going to get you what? Who says they hear anything? Where is it written that they can hear you, and will care to respond? Pray to Mary? Jesus never called her 'mom' He called her 'woman.' What good is a holy site? The person is holy, the believer is the temple of the Living God. And what good is a "plenary" indulgence that only takes away purgatory for the sins you have already committed?
Escape hatch for all of this: sacred tradition. Because we say so that's why its good enough. Please.
It's a sham and a mockery. There is only one thing that can take away sins and it's the shed blood of Christ. He is the perfect sacrifice and it's by faith in Him that we are saved to the utmost. Lining up a checklist of things to do to be saved is just sick. It's the other gospel that Paul pronounced an anathema on in Galatians. "If it be of works then it's not of Grace."
I suppose I should look on the bright side. At least they are not selling them for money.
3 comments:
My boss is a [non-practicing] Catholic, but that is all he has known about when it comes to the "religious" aspect of life. We have some crazy conversations about all of that stuff. Especially communion. But it's incredible to be in his life, because I can really see that my light is needed here. You're right, though. It is a complete sham.
How do you handle conversations with Catholics, Phil? I've been trying to just make everything about Jesus when we have our talks. We get to a certain point when we agree, but when I begin to insert Jesus as perfect, sinless, and human, the conversation halts. He has a hard time believing all of that, but he believes that Jesus died and resurrected. It feels like we're on the brink of something and then he totally misses the point. But I'm trying! Do you have any advice?
Well, prayer aside, when I consider what got me out of my cult like past, it was really enough doctrine. I was exposed to the ideas over the course of about five years, and that's what made the difference. When I was trying to show my wife the doctrines too it took about three or four years of continual pressure before she stopped fighting just for the sake of fighting. So I would say you are doing fine, continue to show Christ and Him crucified, and continue to be faithful and patient. I suspect what you need is not advice as much as encouragement, so sometimes it takes awhile, don't give up!
Thanks, Phil. I won't give up!
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