What does everyone feel about the Popes recent comments about Catholicism being the only true church?

Question

He went on to say that you can't have salvation without being Catholic. This really rubbed me the wrong way. I had this flash back memory about Hitler, Stalin and all the previous people in history that want world domination and now we have this religious figure that tells those of us who aren't Catholic that we are doomed to hell if we don't convert. If I recall, didn't Pope John Paul II apologize and ask for forgivness for the Inquisition which tried to accomplish the same thing except through violence?

Answer 1

A similar has already been asked.. Here is my response..

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjmXZaFyP87oHw8tJVxMQRvty6IX?qid=20070712072826AAadmrv&show=7#profile-info-Kqdre9mxaa

Answer 2

I miss JPII very much but I am faithful to Benedict now. This is not a change in doctrine as far as other Christian Beliefs. It has been around for 2000 years and periodically people get upset over it. During the Reformation the Apostolic Succession was disrupted. The protestant churches cannot claim apostolic successioin as many did not start until 100-700 or so years ago. The Apostolic Succession has remained intact in the Catholic Church from Jesus to Peter right on through to Benedict the XVI. As for "it's not in the Bible!" at the end of the Gospel of St. John 21:25 He states, "there are many other things that Jesus said and did which have not been written down...." These things were taught word of mouth by the apostles to the Church which has now become tradition within the church. Look up that verse.

The change in Church doctrine recently was concerning the return of the Latin Mass to the people. No longer does a Bishop have to approve the Mass, a priest can say it if his parish wishes it to be said.

As far as telling other people what Catholics do and don't believe, I would suggest that you educate yourselves and not listen to only one or two sources. Don't be led around by the nose. Form your own opinions, right, wrong or indifferent. But be ready to defend them as I must now defend mine.

These are our beliefs. (This is the second time today I've written this.)

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and life everlasting.
Amen.

This is the last I will speak of this topic.

Answer 3

First, it was not the Pope's comments. He merely approved the document before it was released. Secondly, it said absolutely nothing new. It was just a reiteration of the Church's long-standing teaching, which is true and correct. Third, I suggest you read it before commenting on it. The document did NOT suggest that you can't have salvation without being Catholic. In fact, it clearly stated exactly the opposite.

It should be obvious to any honest person that there can be no comparison between full Christianity in the Church Jesus Christ founded for all mankind and 2,000 years of pure, unchanging doctrinal truth, vs. 500 years of doctrinal chaos in a manmade system that has been fragmenting into more and more conflicting denominations since its inception. It isn't the Catholic Church's fault that a few proud men founded this ungodly system that has led so many away from the practice of full and genuine Christianity.

Answer 4

You have been misled about what is happening. The Pope has made no remarks on this subject. He simply approved a document.

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 5

Here is the document. . . . . .nothing new.


http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congre...


From Scripture, we can see that the Church:


is one, unified
Matthew 12:25, 16:18, John 10:16, John 17:20-23, Acts 4:32, Romans 12:5, Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, Corinthians 3:3-4, Corinthians 10:17, Corinthians 11:18-19, Corinthians 12:12-27, Corinthians 14:33, 2 Corinthians 12:20, Ephesians 4:3-6, Philippians 1:27, 2:2-3, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, Titus 3:9-10, James 3:16, 2 Peter 2:1

is holy, but not all who belong to it will be saved
Matthew 7:21–23, Ephesians 5:25–27, Revelation 19:7–8

is universal (ie, "katholikos" in Greek, or "Catholic")
Matthew 28:19–20, Revelation 5:9–10

is Apostolic
Matthew 16:18-19, Matthew 9:6-8, John 20:21-23, Acts 5:5, Ephesians 2:19–20

is hierarchical and has bishops (episkopos), priests (presbyteros or "elders"), and deacons (diakonos)
Acts 1:20, Acts 15:2-6, Acts 20:28, Acts 21:18, Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:1-2, 1 Timothy 5:17, Titus 1:7, Hebrews 11:2, 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 2:25,

is the Pillar and Ground of Truth
1 Timothy 3:15

is the "light of the world", visible, cannot be hid
Matthew 5:14

was founded by Christ through Peter, whom He made the Church's earthly father, and the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it
Matthew 16:18-19 (see also page on Peter as "The Rock" for evidence of Peter's authority among the Apostles)

While Scripture is evidence enough for the marks of Christ's Church, we can see in the writings of Ignatius -- written in the first century, within 67 years of Christ's resurrection, by a close friend and appointee of the Apostle Peter and friend of Polycarp -- that the early Church had a very Catholic interpretation of Scripture:


the Church was Divinely established as a visible society, the salvation of souls is its end, and those who separate themselves from it cut themselves off from God (Epistle to the Philadelphians)
the hierarchy of the Church was instituted by Christ (Epistles to the Philadelphians and the Ephesians)
the threefold character of the hierarchy (Epistle to the Magnesians)
the order of the episcopacy superior by Divine authority to that of the priesthood (Epistles to the Magnesians, Smyraenians, and the Trallians)
the importance of unity of the Church (Epistles to the Trallians, Philadelphians, and the Magnesians)
emphasis on the holiness of the Church (Epistles to the Smyraeans, Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, and Romans)

the catholicity of the Church (Letter to the Smyraeans)

the infallibility of the Church (Epistles to the Philadelphians and the Ephesians)
the doctrine of the Eucharist -- i.e., belief in Transsubstantiation or the Real Presence of Christ in Communion (Epistle to the Smyraeans)
the Incarnation (Epistle to the Ephesians)
the supernatural virtue of virgnity (Epistle to Polycarp)
the religious character of matrimony (Epistle to Polycarp)
the value of united prayer (Epistle to the Ephesians)
the primacy of the Chair of Peter (Epistle to the Romans, introduction)
a dencouncing of the (later Protestant) doctrine of private judgement in matters of religion (Epistle to the Philadelphians)1




Read the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Clement of Rome, Cyril of Jerusalem, Irenaeus, Polycarp, St. Augustine, etc... They are rich with Catholic doctrine -- and the earliest evidence we have for what the Church was like in its earliest days!



FYI:


In the 16th c., Luther, reacting to serious abuses and clerical corruption in the Latin Church, to his own heretical theological vision (see articles on sola scriptura and sola fide), and, frankly, to his own inner demons, removed those books from the canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine, relegating them to an appendix. Removed in this way were books that supported such things as prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45), Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7), intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14), and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15)


Luther wanted to remove the Epistle of James, Esther, Hebrews, Jude and Revelation. Calvin and Zwingli also both had problems with the Book of Revelation, the former calling it "unintelligible" and forbidding the pastors in Geneva to interpret it, the latter calling it "unbiblical". The Syrian (Nestorian) Church has only 22 books in the New Testament while the Ethiopian Church has 8 "extra." The first edition of the King James Version of the Bible included the "Apocryphal" (ie, Deuterocanonical) Books.

Answer 6

I study someplace that a pope an prolonged the way forbade clergymen to marry as this led to conflict between the priest's function in the church & his relatives. no longer marrying allowed the priest to dedicate his finished existence to the church with out any of the distractions of relatives existence. This became into assume to bring about clergymen who have been dedicated to serving the church with each and everything they have & finished heartedly & consistently preaching God's be conscious. I easily have puzzled this passage myself. i stumble on once you study the bible many of the flaws we do in man made church homes(because of the fact faith difference is man made) is often in conflict with what God had meant & put in the bible. The Catholic church isn't the only one yet it is yet another queston for yet over lower back.

Answer 7

I truly do not respect the Pope in the least. Also, my respect for the Catholic Church (which wasn't high because of everything they do that's not in the Bible and because of what my friend said about some of his Nuns) has just dropped. I feel Catholics will be saved if they go by the Bible (which will most likely lead them from allot of the Catholic ways such as having to see a priest for forgiveness, listening to a Pope, preying to Saints [remember what the angel in Revelations said when that guy bowed before him/her? S/he said that s/he was just a fellow servant of the Lord], and talking about those after-life places that aren't Heaven and Hell [aren't they called Purgatory and Limbo?). I really feel there are too many regulations in the Catholic Church, but I think a Catholic that loves God and doesn't judge can make it into heaven.

Answer 8

SHUT UP!!! This is SO ANNOYING!

We know what he said, we've answered...check in the "similar questions"

That has ALWAYS been what the Catholic church has said, he is just repeating it...not that big of a deal.

This isn't the inquisition by the way...I don't think they've started killing the non-believers just yet...so keep spreading your lies and maybe, just maybe, you'll be the first they'll kill.

By the way, I'm not Catholic...just a "free thinker"

Answer 9

Personally, I don’t feel one way or the other about it, since I’m not Catholic.

He’s the Pope. He speaks to Catholics. I don't know, perhaps there is a problem with Catholics choosing other denominations, and this is a tactic to persuade them to say. Protestants don’t acknowledge his authority so it can’t possibly be meant for us.

Answer 10

for the 1 millionth time,

HE DID NOT SAY THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE SALVATION WITHOUT BEING CATHOLIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE read what he ACTUALLY said instead of what others have said that he said.

What do Hitler and Stalin have to do with the Catholic Church? Have you EVER met or listened to ANY Catholic Priest claim that we are called to take over the earth or convert anyone by force?

Remember, it is a sin to bear false witness.

Peace!

Answer 11

see, here's the thing. The cardinals elected John Paul II to attract new believers or bring people back. The World Youth Days have been a huge succes, Catholicism has been revitalized. But now it's time to bring some order into the new flock, and that's what they picked Benedict for. Good cop, bad cop, nothing else.