Ratzinger does not tolerate "freedom of ideas" in the "Catholic" church.

[Yarddog]

The Church is still living in the 16th Century in many aspects of its hierarchy and administration,

16th century? Hopefully that is more like the 1st and 2nd century.

not to mention the social issues that are causing your church to bleed 400,000 Catholics a year in the US alone.

The Church teaches against sin and those who wish to go to a non-Catholic Church which doesn't preach against sin are free to go, just as many Jews couldn't follow Jesus' teachings. The population of the Church continues to grow, though, even as the Southern Baptists population shrinks. Some SBC researchers call it a "denomination in decline". Some project that half of Churches will close by 2030.

 

[WinBySurrender]

Oops!
http://www.edstetzer.com/2008/04/a_year_is_not_a_trend_decline_1.html

 

[WinBySurrender]

16th century? Hopefully that is more like the 1st and 2nd century.

The Church teaches against sin and those who wish to go to a non-Catholic Church which doesn't preach against sin are free to go, just as many Jews couldn't follow Jesus' teachings.[/quote=]'Dog, you're getting perilously close to accusing other churches of the non-Catholic variety of not preaching against sin. Sure you want to go there? The population of the Church continues to grow, though, even as the Southern Baptists population shrinks.

That's another misnomer. SBC churches have had one year in the last 10 that membership fell off by 22%, or about 32,400 out of 16 million. The Catholic Church is indeed losing 400,000 members a year, three-quarter of one percent of the 68 million members.

Some SBC researchers call it a "denomination in decline". Some project that half of Churches will close by 2030.

Ludicrous. Here is the latest information, going up through 2006. In 2008 there was the previously mentioned decline, but membership is not declining. Its not burgeoning either, but no denomination in the US other than the 7th Day Adventists is experiencing growth in the US, and that growth comes from South American immigration where the church has a strong foothold.

 

[Yarddog]

That's another misnomer. SBC churches have had one year in the last 10 that membership fell off by 22%, or about 32,400 out of 16 million.

Not according to the National Council of Churches. Of course, one would expect the LifeWay Research to show what you say since they are from the SBC.
National Council of Churches USA
The 79th annual edition of the Yearbook reports a continuing decline in membership of virtually all mainline denominations. And the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's second largest denomination and long a reliable generator of church growth, reported a decline in membership for the third year in a row, down .42 percent to 16,160,088 members.

The "third year in a row" also follows another four year in a row decline in the mid-2000s.

The same article reports:
The Catholic Church, the nation's largest at 68.5 million members, reported a membership growth of .57 percent.

This shows that the Catholic Church grew by almost 400,000 members and not lost that many. While the SBC shrank by almost 68,000.

 

[WinBySurrender]

Not according to the National Council of Churches. Of course, one would expect the LifeWay Research to show what you say since they are from the SBC.
National Council of Churches USA

Sorry, I don't buy anything the NCC is selling.

 

[Yarddog]

Sorry, I don't buy anything the NCC is selling.

And I don't buy what you are selling that the Catholic Church is losing
400,000 of its total membership a year. I haven't found a single credible site which makes that claim.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

You misunderstand. I am not in favor of the ordination of women either, because of Paul's excellent point on the matter of Eve's deception and her natural state in relation to the order of creation. That is not all that the Pfarrer Initiative is demanding. There are other matters: They will practice “disobedience” such as not denying Communion to divorced and remarried, will allow laity to preach as Sunday Mass, and unofficially transfer leadership of communities to laity. These are areas that many Catholics share concerns about. The Church is still living in the 16th Century in many aspects of its hierarchy and administration, not to mention the social issues that are causing your church to bleed 400,000 Catholics a year in the US alone.

The Catholic Church has existed for 2000 years, watching nations and empires, cultures and societies come and go. The Church's teachings are divinely inspired and protected. Thus, to expect it to conform to one culture in one era's view is absurdity.

Judaism went through the same struggle. They lived in the midst of pagan peoples with offensive rituals and false gods. The more they tried to be like their neighbors, the less pleased God was with them.

Dissident theologies and views are the Baal idols of today. Catholics living the west today are like the Jews living in the Middle-East of the ancient world. Unfortunately, both take/took in a lot of bad ideas and practices.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

ref.: BBC News - Pope Benedict XVI rebukes Austrian dissident priests

Will Mr. Ratzinger react with a strong hand as did the rulers that resisted the cry for and protests for freedom of rights and equality or will he open the door to "freedoms of thought" in the "Catholic" church?

This is not an issue of religious freedom or freedom of thought. It is an issue of disobedience among Catholic priests. I don't expect that non-Catholics, or even Catholic laity to understand the importance and meaning of obedience in priesthood. Being a priest isn't a job.

When someone is ordained, they fully give themselves over to the Church for the service of God. They promise/vow obedience. They profess that they fully believe and will teach what the Church teaches and believes. There is no longer a self or a faith that is separate from the Church. A priest cannot say "The Church teaches this, but I actually believe this".

What these priests are doing is not simply voicing their opinion, they are breaking the promises and vows they made. Their behavior is scandalous, offensive and against the very nature of the priesthood. When you become a priest, you do so knowing and willing that you are to serve your bishop.

People will make a big deal about celibacy - the fact they are giving up the freedom to marry. What people don't understand is that priesthood is about giving up yourself fully. The problem is that this is hard for people in our society/culture to respect. We believe in radical personal freedom. It is hard to imagine a person giving up themselves for their good and the good of another. That is exactly why so many marriages and families are failing.

 

[WinBySurrender]

The Catholic Church has existed for 2000 years ...

Misnomer. Peter was not the first pope and the Catholic Church was not the church founded by Jesus. It is a branch of that church just like any other denomination. It's claim that the shoes of Peter are filled by the pope would be laughable if it wasn't so arrogant and misguided. So please excuse me for being so blunt, but this statement cannot be allowed to stand.

 

[Mikey123]

Misnomer. Peter was not the first pope and the Catholic Church was not the church founded by Jesus. It is a branch of that church just like any other denomination. It's claim that the shoes of Peter are filled by the pope would be laughable if it wasn't so arrogant and misguided. So please excuse me for being so blunt, but this statement cannot be allowed to stand.

The Catholic Church has existed for 2000 years. It was started by Jesus and by Apostolic succession, is still the one true Church. Everything else except Judaism, is a denomination.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Misnomer. Peter was not the first pope and the Catholic Church was not the church founded by Jesus.

Actually, it was. Your denomination was created several centuries ago, a break off of the Anabaptists groups.

 

[Trogool]

Misnomer. Peter was not the first pope and the Catholic Church was not the church founded by Jesus. It is a branch of that church just like any other denomination. It's claim that the shoes of Peter are filled by the pope would be laughable if it wasn't so arrogant and misguided. So please excuse me for being so blunt, but this statement cannot be allowed to stand.

"I disagree with it, so I'll called it 'arrogant and misguided' and insist it 'cannot be allowed to stand'!"

 

[Yarddog]

Misnomer. Peter was not the first pope and the Catholic Church was not the church founded by Jesus.

No, the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ though it was brought to Rome by disciples and Apostles.

It is a branch of that church just like any other denomination.

Incorrect again. The Catholic Church was One. There were splits but no new Church was founded like what occurred in the many denominations which have today.

It's claim that the shoes of Peter are filled by the pope would be laughable if it wasn't so arrogant and misguided.

The claim which you make is totally laughable. Your denomination embraces a theology(Calvinism) which arose in the 15-16 century. Talk about the theology of man.

So please excuse me for being so blunt, but this statement cannot be allowed to stand.

Be blunt, look bad.

 

[WinBySurrender]

No, the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ though it was brought to Rome by disciples and Apostles.


Incorrect again. The Catholic Church was One. There were splits but no new Church was founded like what occurred in the many denominations which have today.

The claim which you make is totally laughable. Your denomination embraces a theology(Calvinism) which arose in the 15-16 century. Talk about the theology of man.

Be blunt, look bad.

Sorry, 'Dog. I love you as a brother and respect you and your faith. You and most Catholics that I know are true brothers in Christ. I just don't agree with this dogma any more than I can agree with conditional salvation. That's no offense to you or anyone else. That was a bit strong in that post, wasn't it? Sorry.

 

[Yarddog]

Sorry, 'Dog. I love you as a brother and respect you and your faith. You and most Catholics that I know are true brothers in Christ. I just don't agree with this dogma any more than I can agree with conditional salvation. That's no offense to you or anyone else. That was a bit strong in that post, wasn't it? Sorry.

Love you too,

 

[ranpleasant]

If you don't like the fact that they don't ordain women to the priesthood, go hop on the Episcopalian train. Because the fact is, it's not even remotely likely that Rome will ever change its opinion on that.

Agree! Actually, it is an absolute that it will not change. That women cannot be ordain into the priesthood is part of Holy Tradition, the Word of God not in the Bible, it is part of the deposit of faith entrusted to the Catholic Church. As such neither Pope St. Peter or any other Pope since has ever had the authority to change Holy Tradition. Holy Tradition and the deposit of faith is guarded by the Holy Spirit. To change this would require God to change His mind and God does not change His mind in order to meet the sinful and prideful wants of men and women.

Ran

 

[WayonDown]

"My Church is more popular than yours right now, so therefore it must be right" is the sentiment I get from some people's post here at the moment.

Where are you getting these numbers of 400,000 people are leaving the RCC and joining yours, I'm sorry, are you leading the Baptist Church?

I don't think anyone has any reasonable estimates of numbers as to who's leaving and entering, why does it matter anyway? The RCC has been around for 2000 years amidst all kinds of issues, it's not going to disappear overnight, and certainly not to the Baptist Church.

These mundane issues are silly.