A note for those who question the appropriateness of accepting non-believers among us as good people. Note please that these words come from our Pope. Thus it would seem to me that those who castigate me and others on this blog for conversing and developing friendships with people of different convictions are in fact arguing with him, not just with me!!!
Pope Francis: God Redeems Atheists For 'Good Works,' Christians Must Accept Non-Believers:
In the homily to his morning Mass Wednesday, Pope Francis said that Christians must stop perpetuating narrow definitions of 'good' and embrace atheists as God does -- for the work they do to make the world a better place.Click on link to read entire article:
Pope Francis: God Redeems Atheists For 'Good Works,' Christians Must Accept Non-Believers:
Good for the Pope giving non believers a shout-out.
ReplyDeleteBesides if I didn't post here you wouldn't have heard about this story.
ReplyDeleteAn anteater gave birth to a baby 8 months after being around a male anteater and the gestation time is 6 months.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/05/23/the-birth-of-anteater-jesus/
Is this the birth of the "Ante-Christ"?
Here goes Mutt and Mutt again !
ReplyDeleteRationalist: GROAN!
ReplyDeleteAnon: ???
Fr. Tim
Fr Moyle: The Pope did not contradict anything that is in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
ReplyDeleteHe did not delete the reference about wiping the dust off your feet before you leave the town.
And he certainly did not say that Salvation, once given can not be taken away by unrepented, and unconfessed sin !
Just a small attempt to unmuddy the waters.Maureen
Maureen: Welcome to the blog! You are of course correct in each of your assertions, but I've got to ask: What's your point? I haven't claimed that the Pope said any of those things... nor have I. So I'm having trouble understanding what 'muddy waters' you believe needs to be clarified. Care to explain a little further?
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Fr. Tim
It appears the pope is serious about this comment and it is not a hoax perpetrated by someone taking things out of context.
ReplyDeleteIf that is the true intent of his message it sure fans the flames of the Reformation again. Martin Luther and other Reformers are branded heretics, while atheists get a free ride. This reeks not only of hypocrisy, but also revives the old debate about "Works righteousness and Faith"
IMHO, the Pope should be clarifying two antiquated statements within the Catholic Church, and that is
1)"the fullness of truth exists in the Catholic Church" and 2) there is no "salvation outside the Catholic Church"
Pope Francis has a lot of work to do to clarify and purify his Church. I think he has good intentions, but must be driven by the Holy Spirit and not try to appease secular society. As a Protestant, I do pray for him.
Cliff
Well, o'k- here it goes. When I was growing up on the farm in Mt. St. Patrick, either my father or his brother said the following, and it has always been a guide of sorts for me-- It went something like this- ( we had some pigs, some sheep, and some goats on the farm, each with their own pen and shed. Someone said if you sleep in with the pigs, you will smell like a pig. Same goes for the sheep and the goats.
ReplyDeleteIt was maybe hayseed wisdom, but, a good starter towards how one should try to be growing up, I thought- and still think.
This Pope has said a lot of things, and I just hope Priests, but especially the Bishops, were and are listening, and FOLLOWING !
Our Church leaders are in quite a sick state in many places ( announcement of settlement of $16.5 million dollars today at Cashel) just a small sample of the carnage that exists because Priests did not do what they were called to do, and said they would do.
Let the Atheists start there own group, and maybe there could be a dialogue at the International level- like the Buddhists , That is what I needed to say, and I am happy it is out. Maureen