Two errors about the Ever-Virgin Mary
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M
I think your average person would be surprised to learn how many excommunications there are, but how few the RCC actually hands out.
The RCC is aware that many of its individual members have differences with the Magisterium; there are, for example, surveys that come out every once in a while talking about the American Catholic stance on contraception. There is a surprising amount of room for noncompliance.
There is, however, something called excommunication latae sententiae, in which a person by the very commission of an offense essentially excommunicates himself and no formal declaration about the individual is necessary. The Church merely recognizes that a person has stepped outside of communion and no longer extends to them the rights of a member of the Church. Every church does this, I think, even if they don't have Latin words to describe it.
The Church usually makes formal declarations in the case of scandal, where a person is intentionally taking others along with him. Does your hypothetical person make a point of obstinately or publicly diverging from the RCC? The way you've described it, this person has a private disagreement with the faith and, since they follow all the other rules, they're willing to discuss and work with someone. The Catechism defines some useful terms:
Heretics are not heretics because they believe, for instance, that Mary had other children. There must be a component of disrespect and unwillingness to work through the issue. A priest wouldn't call this person a heretic - he'd be thrilled to have him in his congregation. If he interrupted Mass because he had a bone to pick, however...
The Pope, if I understand his writings correctly, doesn't believe it's sufficient to follow all the rules. There's a major aspect of the faith missing there, even if a person toes every line.
The RCC is aware that many of its individual members have differences with the Magisterium; there are, for example, surveys that come out every once in a while talking about the American Catholic stance on contraception. There is a surprising amount of room for noncompliance.
There is, however, something called excommunication latae sententiae, in which a person by the very commission of an offense essentially excommunicates himself and no formal declaration about the individual is necessary. The Church merely recognizes that a person has stepped outside of communion and no longer extends to them the rights of a member of the Church. Every church does this, I think, even if they don't have Latin words to describe it.
The Church usually makes formal declarations in the case of scandal, where a person is intentionally taking others along with him. Does your hypothetical person make a point of obstinately or publicly diverging from the RCC? The way you've described it, this person has a private disagreement with the faith and, since they follow all the other rules, they're willing to discuss and work with someone. The Catechism defines some useful terms:
Heretics are not heretics because they believe, for instance, that Mary had other children. There must be a component of disrespect and unwillingness to work through the issue. A priest wouldn't call this person a heretic - he'd be thrilled to have him in his congregation. If he interrupted Mass because he had a bone to pick, however...
The Pope, if I understand his writings correctly, doesn't believe it's sufficient to follow all the rules. There's a major aspect of the faith missing there, even if a person toes every line.
Nobody is saying it will get us kicked out of Heaven to have a differing view.2 Peter 3:15-16 proves there are some things in the Scriptures hard to understand, and that some people pervert and misuses the Scripture, so it is not true than "any man who can read" will rightly divide (discern) the Bible's teaching. The Holy Spirit is only given to those who have right faith in Christ.
Without the right faith in God, it is impossible to please God.
R
Prayers are reserserved for GOD and Christ and The holy Spirit. Mary and the saints are not prayed to in the sense of idolatry as so I hear so many many many MANY times by many a Protestant and a very nice but angry Baptist Pastor on the radio. The prayers as you say are for a reason and perhaps misundersood and criticised by generations that it just doesn't even matter anymore. Ok so all Catholics and a few other Apostolic Branches there in are wrong. Then the Bible that was compiled by the Catholic Church and many traditions that span the length and breath of Christianty is wrong. Then we are ALL wrong and all following a falsehood. IF WE ARE WRONG THEN LET GOD TELL US NOT SOME PASTOR
You did not read what I wrote:
Any man who can read and rightly-divide the bible using his God given holy spirit and reason.
It is true that many do not rightly divide the word. This forum is proof. There are some who think everyone will be saved, some who think we are in the trib now, some (one, anyway) who thinks he is Jesus Christ reincarnated, pretrib and posttrib advocates, some think heaven is a state of mind, some pray to (or through) dead people, and on and on. Free-will believers versus Calvinists. Some think only the words of Jesus matter, discounting the rest of the bible. Somebody's gotta be wrong! LOL
Holy spirit is given to every single Christian. That's what being a Christian is, bring born again of holy spirit.
Any man who can read and rightly-divide the bible using his God given holy spirit and reason.
It is true that many do not rightly divide the word. This forum is proof. There are some who think everyone will be saved, some who think we are in the trib now, some (one, anyway) who thinks he is Jesus Christ reincarnated, pretrib and posttrib advocates, some think heaven is a state of mind, some pray to (or through) dead people, and on and on. Free-will believers versus Calvinists. Some think only the words of Jesus matter, discounting the rest of the bible. Somebody's gotta be wrong! LOL
Holy spirit is given to every single Christian. That's what being a Christian is, bring born again of holy spirit.
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Yes. I know what you said. But you seemed to be implying that everyone who reads the Bible will rightly understand it. I'm sure you probably did not mean THAT! Well, you are right. Somebody's gotta be wrong!
What if the Protestants and Catholics are wrong, but the Catholics are closer to being right than the Protestants. What if the Oriental Orthodox are almost right, as are the Old Catholics, except for the unfortunate tendency of some Old Catholics to want to ordain women, which is wrong. What if the true Church is the Eastern Orthodox Church, which existed in England until 1087 with the death of the last Western English Orthodox bishop?
Dear shroom:
Not true. That's human opinion, not the Truth!
The EOC is the Church Christ founded. The Church is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15), and the gates of hell (mouths of heretics) shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). so what you said blatantly contradicts the Holy Spirit.
God bless you.
In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington