Catholics?

Question

I was wondering what you personally thought of what the pope did in 1986, when he invited all the world religions to come and pray with him. He said they where all praying to the same God, he allowed the Dali lama to place a buddah on the alter while they chanted and prayed.
Do you think Jesus Christ would have done this today, or even agreed with it? please note.
I am not attacking Catholics I believe you are great Christians, I just do not agree with what the leaders of the church do. I do not think they are the only true church, that title only belongs to individual true Christians as a group all over the world, and not a organization or building. Catholic, Prodesents, Reformed, Jesuit, non of them are the true church. you are yourself along with others from other secs.

Answer 1

I'm Orthodox Christian, so what the Pope does doesn't really affect me, but I think it was borderline blasphemy for him to do such a thing. Placing a buddha on the altar of God? I would be terrified to do such a thing. If we are all praying to the same god, does that mean there is no true religion? Is Christianity just a preference? We can dialogue with others without embracing something totally opposite of what we believe.

Answer 2

I agree with the Pope. John Paul II was an amazing, spiritual man and a diligent shepherd of the Christian people throughout the world. Dialogue, tolerance, and looking at similarities instead of differences is exactly what Christianity is all about. The protestant preachers slamming their hands on the pulpit screaming about who's going to hell and waving a bible in the air are NOT what Christianity is about.

By the way, do a little bit of historical research and see what Christianity was in 200AD, 500AD, 1000AD, etc, and then compare that to every "sect" of Christianity currently in existence. The only thing two churches that seem to be in line with the original teachings and traditions of Christianity are the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Which of those is "right" is up for grabs (personally, as a Catholic, I consider the Orthodox fully within the Church), but protestants are "protesting" what the Catholic Church teaches by splitting off into thousands of "denominations"... which didn't exist prior to the 15th century. For over 1,500 years there was ONE Church, not "sects" of Christianity....

That ONE Church still exists.

God bless,

Michael

Answer 3

I think that if more church leaders took example of what the pope did back in 1986 there would be much less hate between people of all religions. I was born and raised a catholic, I do not agree with 90% of what the catholic church does today. I just believe in God and to me that's the only truth

Answer 4

The poop was trying to curry favor with people the church had offended in the past. Lets not forget the catholic church stood by during the Nazi eradication of the Jews, or my favorite, the Inquisition. Can't saw how JC would have done this today as I don't even know if he existed or was fabricated based on someone else then had his reputation polished a bit. I just try to be fair to everyone rather then follow any organized religion.

Answer 5

This is an article from the Catholic Exchange website:


July 30, 2007
"I guess Catholics just think they're better than anybody else." The Catholic woman was quoting a non-Catholic friend's reaction to the new Vatican document affirming the uniqueness of the Catholic Church. Clearly, she sympathized with her friend's sarcastic comment.
Many Catholics — to say nothing of non-Catholics — were rattled by "Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church" (or, more likely, by secular media coverage of it). Yet nobody should really be surprised by this document, which was issued in early July by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
To begin with, "Responses" covers the same ground, in much the same way, as Dominus Iesus (The Lord Jesus), a widely discussed document published in 2000 by the same Vatican agency, which then was headed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Cardinal Ratzinger is now Pope Benedict XVI. You were expecting him to change his mind?
Dominus Iesus was said to have been prompted by speculations of some Asian theologians that seemed to place Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism on a par with Christianity. But the issues treated there and in the new CDF document undoubtedly exist in Europe and North America as well.
Practically speaking, the root of the problem is that too many Catholics naively take for granted the truth of the misinformation about the Catholic Church and ecumenism that they've been fed for many years. The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) embraced ecumenism, didn't it? So how can we claim Catholics have a lock on truth?
The confusion here is profound. In trying to untangle it, let's begin with a statement by Vatican II in its dogmatic constitution on the Church, no. 8: "This Church [i.e., the Church of Christ], constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church."
People have been arguing for four decades about those words "subsists in." Years ago, chatting with a prominent theologian, I hazarded the opinion that subsists in means to be fully present in. The theologian hemmed and hawed, then gave me to understand I was missing the point. Now it seems I was right.
Here's what the doctrinal congregation says: "'Subsistence' means...perduring, historical continuity and the permanence of all the elements instituted by Christ in the Catholic Church, in which the Church of Christ is concretely found on this earth."
This doesn't say Catholics are better than other Christians. That is a claim we simply can't make if "better" means more pleasing to God. And about that, who knows? God reads hearts, we don't.
Nor is it a putdown of other religious bodies. The CDF document, repeating Vatican II, readily acknowledges that "numerous elements of sanctification and of truth" exist in these.
No, the point of it is this: Jesus bestowed many gifts — theological and moral truths, sacraments, graces, charisms, offices — on the community he established. He willed that these gifts remain intact until he comes again. If Jesus' intention has come to naught — if what he gave his followers has been dissipated and lost — his great enterprise has turned out a failure. But faith rejects that possibility. Rather, the Catholic Church, by no merit of its members, remains the repository of Jesus' gifts in their fullness because it is the community in which, as we now say, Christ's Church subsists.
The starting-point of useful ecumenical dialogue is for dialogue partners to say honestly and accurately what they believe. The Vatican's new document performs an important service to ecumenism by reaffirming what the Catholic Church believes about itself.

Answer 6

I think the actions of John Paul the Great in this case were meant to demonstrate his great love and concern for all people, despite their religious affiliation, and also his hope that all religious people would at some point be unified in worship to God.

In the book of Acts, Paul speaks to people who have a temple to "the Unknown God" and he instructs the people that the God they want to and are trying to worship is the Living God who sent Christ to die for our sins. I believe that in this same way, JPII welcomed the dhali lama in the hopes that he could bring Buddhists into a greater understanding of the Living God.

And by the way, the document you refer to, if you would please take the time to read it for yourself, actually acknowledges that other churches do indeed have truth in them.

Answer 7

I condone what the Pope did. I think we should focus on our similarities instead of our differences. We should strive for unity through love, faith, and hope in the one true God. I think that bigotry will only causes further hatred, therefore, one should welcome our fellow brethrenn in fellowship and allow God to unite the world. Above all, the Pope witnessed to all the great religious teachers the love of Christ, which is most important.

Answer 8

Jesus Christ Himself sat with the sinners, how else can we all find the same Truth in Christ if we do not open the door to conversation?

Answer 9

Honour all men -1 Peter 2:17.
The Pope was right in doing so, it does not diminish our belief and Faith, and promotes dialogue and cooperation.

Answer 10

Jesus was the epitome of tolerance. Of course he would have agreed.