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Are Catholics Christians?

Neb

Active Member
False, as I took if from the Jerusalem Text, which is in Hebrew.
JPS and Masoretic text are the same.

BTW, I noticed that you didn't answer my question as far as your church affiliation is concerned. That surprises me not as I have asked many others who troll through here with their "my way or the highway" approach, and when I ask their affiliation I almost never get an answer.


So, are you going to answer my question or not, and if not, why not?
Body of Christ.
 

Neb

Active Member
I've explained the theology on this, but all you do is to resort to the same ole same ole tactics of your know-it-all approach, and that anyone who dares to disagree with you is ignorant. Here at RF, we've see many who come through here using the same condescending and arrogant tactics. It gets really old after a while.
Arrogant tactics? Not really! You used worldly arguments and I used the Bible, that’s not arrogance, that’s the truth and if you can’t accept the truth then you are the arrogant here and not me. Ignorance is just lack of knowledge and not an insult.
 

Neb

Active Member
Not if you actually studied theology, including early church history, to see where these "fables" actually come from.
What, do you think you need a Bachelor Degree in Philosophy and Theology just to understand what the Bible is saying, that only God is omniscient and omnipotent, that only God can hear those who worship Him in spirit and in truth, that dead can not in any way hear your petition because they are not God?
 

Neb

Active Member
I took courses in theology in college during my undergrad years, covered various aspects of theology in both my anthropology and comparative religious courses, and have literally read maybe 200+ theology books over the last 50 years, plus more magazine articles than I could even estimate. I've done more than my share of homework on this.
And that gives you the qualification or the authority but look who’s getting schooled here.
 

Neb

Active Member
I have no idea whether you understand it literally or acknowledge the high Christology in John's gospel. Either way the Word took on flesh and was born of a woman whose name was Mary.
God/Word became flesh, right? Mary, became the mother of Jesus in the flesh, right? Therefore, Mary is NOT the mother of God but the Mother of Jesus in the flesh, right? So, calling Mary the mother of God is a blasphemy, right?
 

Neb

Active Member
There is not one without the other.


There is always the shadow of the cross, without which there is no Resurrection. Its a given, the Crucified lives.
If you are a Christian already you should have passed the stage of crucifixion already and hoping or waiting for the redemption or the resurrection of your body just like Christ.

“If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” –Romans 6:5

As one believed that Christ was crucified, one was “united with him like this in his death”. Therefore, one became a new man or a “born again” and “we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.”

Every Sunday Christians celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus and NOT the crucifixion. The reason why one became a Christian is that one believes in the death on the cross of the Lord Jesus, the crucifixion, and from here on every Christian celebrated the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord. Once you've passed the crucifixion it does NOT mean you are disregarding the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross. Now, if Christians were to commemorate the crucifixion of the Lord every year then Christians are still in a state of the crucifixion, or in their unforgiven sin, and have not yet moved to the state of resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus. Then you would have to read Romans 6:5 over and over again or sacrifice the Lord Jesus every year.

Heb 9:24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.
Heb 9:25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
Heb 9:26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Heb 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

The crucifix that you have with the false image of Jesus is a form of idolatry. You guys celebrate the ascension of Mary, NOT in the Bible, but NOT the ascension of the Lord Jesus that’s in the Bible.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Body of Christ.
That doesn't answer my question and you know it. This is the bigotry you constantly delve into as you can criticize another denomination and yet you won't even admit where you attend services.

You used worldly arguments and I used the Bible
Oh, so my statements that come from the study of theology are "worldly".

What, do you think you need a Bachelor Degree in Philosophy and Theology just to understand what the Bible is saying,
It helps if one studies, which is what theologians actually do. Now, I don't profess to being theologian because my credentials are no where near what a serious theologian does to get informed.

And that gives you the qualification or the authority but look who’s getting schooled here.
Keep telling yourself that as you have literally presented nothing that you can verify as you continue to confuse your "opinions" with "facts", which no serious student of the Bible would ever do.

Anyhow, since you really have nothing to offer, I guess it's time for me to move on to have discussions with those who actually do study and who don't confuse "opinion" with "fact".
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
If one argues like a Catholic, talks like a Catholic, thinks like a Catholic, then it must a Catholic.
Now that is truly an off-the-wall statement, especially in light of what I have already posted about myself and where I'm coming from. By making such statements, you demean yourself in the process because it indicates that you would rather fabricate and perpetuate lies than tell the truth.

But what I think is more important is that your posts simply do not reflect Jesus' teachings of "love one another" and "do no harm". One is not really a believer in Jesus and the Bible if they're not willing to follow the Golden Rule and Jesus' teachings on love, compassion for all, and justice (fairness) towards all. Christianity is not something one just believes some things about-- it's something one must believe believe in.

IOW, it's really a lifestyle that doesn't include arrogance, bigotry, and a willingness to demean anyone who dares disagree with you as you have repeated done here.

Goodbye, and maybe actually get the excellent book "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas Kemphis. Sorry that he was a Catholic-- you know-- the Church that selected the canon of the Bible.
 
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pearl

Well-Known Member
You guys celebrate the ascension of Mary, NOT in the Bible, but NOT the ascension of the Lord Jesus that’s in the Bible.

There is no such thing as the 'ascension' of Mary.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

1st Acts 1:1-11.

2nd Psalms 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

Eph1:17-23

Luke 24:46-53

The crucifix that you have with the false image of Jesus is a form of idolatry.

The divine plan of salvation was reached in the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. In Paul's view the unity of these phases must be retained in the plan. It differs from John who tends to make the raising of Jesus on the cross a magestic elevation to glory (Jn 3:14, 8:28, 12:34) so that the Father seems to glorify the Son on Good Friday itself (12:23, 17:1-5,). While Paul sees the passion and death as a prelude to the resurrection. All three make up "the story of the cross", (1Cor 1:18), it was the "Lord of glory" who was crucified (1Cor 2:8).
 

Neb

Active Member
That doesn't answer my question and you know it. This is the bigotry you constantly delve into as you can criticize another denomination and yet you won't even admit where you attend services.
Seriously, I belonged to the Body of Christ. Criticize has a negative connotation while telling the truth sometimes has the same connotation but there is a big difference between the two and you will know or understand this if you start to read the Bible.
 

Neb

Active Member
Now, I don't profess to being theologian because my credentials are no where near what a serious theologian does to get informed.
Giving too much credits to theologians is what makes people think that the Bible is not for them to read so they just follow along whatever these theologians were saying or teaching to them, but they were wrong because God did not intend to select only a few who could read the Bible.

As the Lord Jesus said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:26. No theologians could this to you but only the Holy Spirit.

The role of the Holy Spirit is to teach. That’s why it says: “He will teach you all things”. Now, if you don’t read the Bible then what things can the Holy Spirit teach you? Nothing!

How could the Holy Spirit instructs from within you and recalls to the memory or “bring to your remembrance” all that the Lord Jesus said to you if you don't read the Bible?

Who placed you into the Body of Christ? The Holy Spirit, that’s who. If the Holy Spirit puts you there then why can’t you understand what the Bible is saying?
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
God did not intend to select only a few who could read the Bible.

Do you believe that God selected the 'few' who penned the Bible and interpreted his word for all? The sacred writers of the Gospels were theologians.
 

Neb

Active Member
Keep telling yourself that as you have literally presented nothing that you can verify as you continue to confuse your "opinions" with "facts", which no serious student of the Bible would ever do.

Anyhow, since you really have nothing to offer, I guess it's time for me to move on to have discussions with those who actually do study and who don't confuse "opinion" with "fact".
I think you are confused with what the word confuse really mean. I presented nothing from my opinion only but from the Bible while you, et al. presented cut and paste on which you guys did not really understand at all what you were cutting and pasting like 2nd Timothy 1:18
However, here from 2 Timothy “may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day -- and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus...”

Notice that Paul is appealing to God for the mercy of someone who has died.
You read the word “WAS” and presumed Onesiphorus was dead so you could pray for the dead, right? NO, not at all, and what was your response to this?
How many times do I have to tell you that I am not Catholic, nor do I pray to or for the dead?
Defending rcc’s doctrines with cut and paste theology and when confronted with the REAL FACTS, and NOT opinion, you cried out “I am not Catholic”!!! Who is confused now?
 

Neb

Active Member
I've explained the theology on this, but all you do is to resort to the same ole same ole tactics of your know-it-all approach, and that anyone who dares to disagree with you is ignorant. Here at RF, we've see many who come through here using the same condescending and arrogant tactics. It gets really old after a while.
Instead of arguing with more cut and paste theology who “took courses in theology in college” you resorted or took refuge again to your habitual quick escape and hoping no one will notice that you are attacking a strawman again.
 

4consideration

*
Premium Member
God/Word became flesh, right? Mary, became the mother of Jesus in the flesh, right? Therefore, Mary is NOT the mother of God but the Mother of Jesus in the flesh, right? So, calling Mary the mother of God is a blasphemy, right?
Blasphemy? No, not even by the logic you are using.

If you believe God became flesh as Jesus, and Mary was his mother, it follows that Mary was the Mother of God in the flesh, Jesus.

But, even if a person doesn't believe that -- but believes Jesus was the Son of God -- there is still the meaning of "of" that is an expression of cause, and somewhat interchangeable with "from" where to say Mary is the Mother of God is also saying Mary is the Mother from God.

So, if you are saying it is blasphemy to refer to Mary as either the Mother of God, or Mother from God -- you are, in effect saying that Jesus came from some other source than God. Do you think Jesus was sourced from somewhere other than God?
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
How do you define theologians?[/QUOTE]

The theologian is to pursue an ever deeper understanding of the Word of God found in the inspired Scriptures. This is what the Evangelists did in seeking a deeper truth concerning the person of Jesus. It is what the theologian today continues, enabling us in fulfilling the Apostle's command (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) to give an accounting for their hope to those who ask it.
 

4consideration

*
Premium Member
It's true that all prayers were directed to Mary and the saints knowing or hoping that they will pass it on to God. "Directly to God" via Mary and the saints
Sorry. I find it hard to believe you were ever really Catholic if you say all prayers at mass were directed to Mary and the saints.

If you attended Catholic mass you would know that's not true. It's certainly not true about The Lord's Prayer, which is said at mass, and also used by most, if not all other Christian denominations.

I've found a link to the entire Catholic mass text. You can read it, and so can everyone else reading this thread.

It hasn't changed that much since I was a kid, or even in the last few decades, since I stopped attending mass. The changes between then and now, and variations between parishes, are minimal.

Text of the New English Roman Catholic Mass
 
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