Stop listening to the media on the pope!?

Question

Stop listening to everything Protestants and the news say. The news wants to make money off of a story. The pope is simply restating church doctrine that has existed for hundreds of years. He is not saying Protestants go to hell. Read what he actually said here:

http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio.jsp?id=154889&eng=y

John W, that is the sign of the cross. And the words are in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is the baptism formula commanded in Matt. 28:19. And you say Catholic know nothing of the Bible... And Catholics do not worship the pope or the saints.

Hilarious, you are all the same people who say Catholics are going to hell, yet you are criticizing Catholics.

Answer 1

I'm getting a little tired of things being twisted to fit someone else's agenda...Thanks for the link!

Answer 2

It's not easy to understand. The Catholic church did not change the doctrine on the church. They "deepened this doctrine & articulated it in a more organic way." ( raise your hand if you understand what they just said )

As I understand this doctrine of labored language only Catholics are the "Church" the rest of us are " Ecclesical Communities".

Which Ecclesical Community do you belong to? (Protestant)
The word "Church" is now reserved for the Catholics : (
I don't think so!!!!

Answer 3

I agree.

Here is the full text of the new document that states nothing new: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html

Most Christian denominations believe that each of them is the fullest version of the Church of Christ.

While the Catholic Church also believes that she is "the highest exemplar" of the mystery that is the Church of Christ, she does not claim that non-Catholic Churches are not truly Christian. The Catholic Church teaches:

Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.

Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.

All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 819: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#819

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

yeah - the Pope is just doing his job. Dang, people, pay attention. *giggle*

you are right - no disrespect intended.

I just find it hilarious that all of these non Catholic Christians are all honked off about what the Pope said.

It is the same Christians who say Catholics are going to hell.

Talk about double speak.

Answer 5

Thanks for the link to what was actually said, instead of news reports of it. It was appreciated very much.

I don't understand all the hoopla, I hear on a daily basis on R&S how specific christian sects are not real "christians" and that they are not abiding by god's law, and will most likely not make it into heaven.

But for some reason, when the Pope simply re-asserts the Catholic position, everyone is in an uproar.

I don't get it.

Answer 6

Well said !


There is no salvation outside of Christ, and the Church is the Bride of Christ -- become His Body, one Flesh in marriage. Therefore, there is no salvation outside of the Church and not belonging formally to the Catholic Church is objectively sinful:

Matthew 18:17
"If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican"

Luke 10:16
"He that heareth you heareth Me, and he that despiseth you despiseth Me, and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent Me"

Mark 16:16
"He that believeth not will be condemned"

John 3:18
"He that believeth not is already judged"

Luke 11:23
"He that is not with Me is against Me and he that gathereth not with Me, scattereth"

This does not mean, however, that if one is necessarily damned if one is not a formal member of the visible society of God's Kingdom on earth -- the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. What it means is that: Christ founded one Church with Peter as His Vicar; that this Church was given the powers of binding and loosing, that this Church exists today; that it is the source of the Gospel and the earthly source of the Sacraments without which, normatively, one cannot be saved. Those who are not formal members might be saved and become associated with the soul of the Church if they:


are validly baptized by water and spirit, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (all who are baptized are subject to the Church even if they are not formal members because Baptism belongs to the Church), and

have not committed a mortal sin (or who, if they have committed a mortal sin, have made a perfect act of contrition), which means a sin concerning a grave matter committed with full knowledge and consent of the will, and

are animated by charity and a supernatural Faith in God's existence, and

seek Him, and
firmly believe that their religion is the true religion such that there is no conflict or doubt about such in their ill-formed conscience, and

are not formally outside of the Church in spite of doubts about the possibility that the Catholic Church is the true Church of Christ (if one believes it is possible that the Catholic Church is the true Church of Christ, one is duty-bound to investigate)

In addition, those individuals who, through no fault of their own, have no means to hear of Christ-given Baptism and are invincibly ignorant -- who've never heard the Name Jesus, know nothing of the Church, or misunderstand Church teachings -- but who obey the Natural Law written in all men's hearts and who truly seek God are left to the mercy of Christ Who may save them as He desires. Christ will judge our wills, hearts, intellects, and deeds, and shall have mercy and compassion on whom He will have mercy and compassion (Romans 9:15); those whom He deigns to save He can well give the grace of the Sacraments to in a manner beyond our ken -- perhaps even in their final breath, by illuminating their souls in a supernatural way such that they desire Baptism, even if implicitly, and therefore become associated with the Soul of the Catholic Church, outside of which there is no salvation. This is something we can never presume -- but we can pray for.

Answer 7

Jesus Christ is the only Head of the Church!

Under what authority does the Pope make this endorsement?

His Own!

The Church is comprised of Jesus Christ, the Light, and all who believe in him.

Will the Pope loosen and discard a brick of the Church tower that God Almighty has seen fit to place there?

Do we all need 20 years education to be saved?
Or do we just need the Faith of a 3 year old?

We need to accept Jesus as Savior, and REPENT of our sins. Faith without works is dead.

As far as worshipping the infallable Pope, praying to men or the dead, and needing a "special" person to create a "special" communion? (Whats a eucharist?)

No. Shame on you.

No different than the Pharisees in Judea. Rome has not changed a wink.

Like dogs you lie down in the trough of eternal life, and not only do you not drink yourselves, you prevent others from drinking.

My personal feeling is that the path to Hell is indeed Wide. And many will travel down it.

It would not surprise me in the least if Satan himself uses the Catholic Church to raise up the Beast of Armageddon.

Anyhow.. does anyone truly know where the thing they do every 5 seconds...when they say "In the name of the...." with their forehead and shoulders? Where did that come from? Does it say to baptize yourself every 5 seconds?

In my opinion it is a sect blinded by Tradition, Traditions kept alive so that man can feel needed. Power.

Answer 8

Don't stop there, don't listen to any media. Not much anyone can do but get upset. Go build a birdhouse or make your own cloths or argue with people on the Internet.

Answer 9

Thanks. You just stated that the Pope did NOT say that Protestants and Orthodox are going to hell, then directed me to a site that states that Catholicism is the only "TRUE" religion, and therefore the only one not going to hell.

Try again big boy, you proved their point, not your own.

edit: Sapere, the reason everyone is in such an uproar would be because, unlike Y!A, the Pope has some amount of political clout. For him to say that makes a whole LOT of people nervous.

Answer 10

Does it matter what the Pope says or what he does. He is a man,plain and simple, a man. He has the same desires and passions as any man or woman. Get real!