Comments on: RC archbishop to Anglicans: we don’t want cafeteria Catholics

By: Benny Acosta

Benny Acosta — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:51:05 +0000

The first real Christian churches formed in Egypt. They were well established before the Romans accepted the faith. The Coptic churches did suffer at the hands of Roman pagans. The churches in Egypt formed the first monasteries.The CATHOLIC church is a Roman construct. The Coptic churches grew organically from the teachings of Christ and from his disciples who went and taught in Egypt and were accepted there.The Romans were behind the curve in the establishment of the Church. So again. Jesus started THE first church. Which was charged with spreading the good news and teaching how people should behave towards each other.Over time that message was covered in gold and jewels and various luxurious buildings. The message was smothered. And the atrocities of the church ensued.The Catholic church is A church. Not THE church. THE church is the teaching of Christ. And who would be his disciple is a member of his church.

By: David Perkins

David Perkins — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:05:11 +0000

It is common in our time to assert that Jesus did not even know He was the Messiah — teacher, priest and ruler, much less that He meant to establish a church.Consider, if He did not mean to establish a church, that means that He either meant (1) to do nothing but leave behind a tradition of teaching, or that He meant (2) to perfect the existing assembly by means of the teaching, or that He meant (3) to abolish all structure in the existing assembly and let each man fend for himself without teachers, priests, or rulers.He can’t have meant to abolish priests, because the prophecies said that He would provide and pure and eternal sacrifice. He can’t have meant to abolish rulership, because He appointed Peter to have the keys to the kingdom, to bind and to loose, to confirm his brethren. He can’t have meant to abolish teaching, because he appointed men to go and teach in His Name–”he who hears you, hears Me.” Hence options (1) and (3) are ruled out.As for option (2), He could not have meant to perfect the existing assembly, because He knew that they would reject Him, AND that all the old forms could not hold the new teaching–one puts new wine in new wineskins, as He put it.It is in this New Assembly, which is the Church, that the Messianic offices–teaching, sacrificing, and ruling–will be extended in time so as to be accessibly by all men in all places (“to the ends of the earth”). The CCC explains that these offices are found both in the hierarchy and in the laity, each according to its sphere.In the New Testament, in Acts, and in the letters of Paul, we find this hierarchy already in existence 200 years before Constantine.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:10:19 +0000

John: A most excellent job of defending the Church that Our Lord Jesus Christ started.

By: Benny Acosta

Benny Acosta — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:59:57 +0000

http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2009 /11/25/guestviewwhen-it-comes-to-clergy -misconduct-take-off-those-stained-glass -specs/This is the church. Made up of fallible people. To show such blind loyalty to an organization merely because it makes a claim of being rooted in Christ while continuously failing to live up to the example is bad enough. That the church as an organization has done little if anything to remove the log from its own eye while attempting to remove the specs from the eyes of others is even worse.Do not allow yourself to trust blindly in the church. If you would trust blindly, trust God only.

By: John

John — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:02:20 +0000

Benny,I’m quite saddened by your last posting or two, but also puzzled. You seem to think that the Catholic Church places it’s dogma over the teaching of Christ and/or that there is some difference between dogma and Christ’s teaching.Again, it’s difficult to respond to your postings without knowing what dogmas/teachings you’re referring to and discerning whether those things you find objectionable are even dogmatic. As far as that goes, I can’t say with any certainty whether the concerns you might have come from actual Catholic teachings or from purported Catholic teachings, or from some other faith tradition entirely. Without knowing that, it’s very difficult to even begin to address your struggles.All I can say with any certainty is this: You’re very uncomfortable with the Catholic faith in particular, and most likely with many other churches as well, but you’re not willing to investigate any of your concerns adequately. Like I mentioned before, I can’t help you with that.I can address these though: A careful examination of the Bible will demonstrate–if you’re willing to see–that Christ intended for his apostles and disciples to act according to the covenant that Christ himself established and that he did not intend to limit this covenant or the human structures surrounding it to Jewish culture.If you have doubts about that, don’t forget that the man who wrote the Gospel of Luke was himself originally a Gentile doctor. Not Jewish.Saul, who became Paul, was Jewish originally, but didn’t limit himself to the Jews after his conversion.So, either Christ intended that his followers would “violate” Jewish law…or else nearly half the New Testament is invalid!As far as other human failings with Copernicus, Galileo, and a host of other events through history, I would warn you against following modern myth and misinformation. Be certain that you know what the Church actually did, said, and taught about each case, and what each of these thinkers or doers actually did and said.You might be surprised by how much the people of the modern world have completely out to lunch.

By: Benny Acosta

Benny Acosta — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:00:57 +0000

We must accept being lit by the light of the creator. If God did the accepting we would all be saved and there would be no need for this discussion. God gave us free will for a reason. He gave it to us so that unlike the other creatures of this world, instead of following by instinct or by force of nature, human beings would be able to choose him freely, or reject him.Ultimately God is the only true freedom. But the choice is ours to make. Keeping dogma ahead of the Christ himself is to invite suffering and a wandering in the desert of this world.Church is good. It’s a place of fellowship. It’s a place of learning. But ultimately every student must apply what has been learned and discover the world for themselves.”However, while most text points to an ancient church in Egypt being Coptic, or for example, Greek Orthodox, the earliest churches were technically neither, because Christianity in Egypt predates these slightly more modern divisions.”Check out the link below. Found that on a quick google.http://www.touregypt.net/features tories/coptchurch.htmJesus started THE first church. He did not start the Catholic church.If you would pray. Pray for the awakening of your spirit. And pray for peace. The spark of life that is within you is a spark from the Holy Ancient One. That you have a desire to know God is proof that your spirit is rising. Be careful not to allow yourself to become distracted by the trappings of this place. That’s why they’re called trappings. My father will take me home. He will do it because I seek, ask, and knock at his door. He will fulfill his promise in me. Just as he will in you. And in every human being that walks the earth.Seek only what is important and appreciate the things of this world for what they are. Temporary.Peace.

By: jbloggs

jbloggs — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:35:15 +0000

How can adults spend so much time arguing over fairy stories?Do as you would be done by. What more do you need?

By: H.G.

H.G. — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:07:27 +0000

Benny, please do not forget that your stance on what’s crucial in being a Christian is only one of many. You may believe that theological details are unimportant, but this standpoint is by no means necessarily “better”, more true or closer to God than the ones of McCormick, Rowans or Ratzinger.

By: John

John — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:15:34 +0000

Benny,I could be angry at your comments; were I still 18 and lacking much knowledge about the church, I might be. As it is, I’m only disappointed. Your arguments present numerous failings in catechesis, a stubborn intellectual dishonesty, or maybe both.For one, stating that Christ didn’t start the Catholic Church. Well, he definitely started SOMETHING. And I have yet to hear of any other church that can trace it’s history back to Christ himself. Soooo….I don’t know what your grounds for dismissing the Catholic Church are, but…either he DID give us a group of Apostles, with Peter as their head, or he didn’t. Either he DID give us numerous teachings (dogmas) and sense to reason things out (with the guidance of the Holy Spirit), or he didn’t. If he DID, I don’t know how you can come up with anything different from what we now call the Roman Catholic Church. If he DIDN’T, I don’t know how you can create a cogent argument.Then again, when it comes to blind faith, I can’t address that thoroughly unless I know what you’re referring to. I remember hearing about this or that that the Church “didn’t get” or needed to change it’s mind about. Every single time, I’ve discerned that those who’re complaining or accusing the Catholic faith of blindness…are themselves blind to the Truths the Church actually teaches.Ultimately, I guess I’m stuck. I can’t force you to reconsider your view, but neither can I agree that your statements are accurate.Guess I’ll simply have to remember to pray for you and others at Mass!

By: brian lee

brian lee — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:16:08 +0000

to say that we define our own spiritual maturity is as false as the statement that we accept Christ, he does the excepting.We are” Being saved”and to look at ourselves as anything other than “filthy rags”is a misconception.The knowledge of Christ is revealed to us and i am thankful that my salvation in not in my hands.