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Recent content by fhansen

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    Is goodness-narcissism destroying Western civilization?

    Thank you- a very thoughtful and perceptive and informed post-beyond my own capabilities for sure. It focuses on grace and aligns with the ancient church understanding, as revealed in three quotes of Augustine included in this catechetical teaching: 2001 The preparation of man for the reception...
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    Is goodness-narcissism destroying Western civilization?

    So...to explore the extremes, should we forgo any attempt at being more righteous today than we were yesterday when we experience faults? Should we forgo recongizing and admitting to our sins and striving to overcome them by the power of grace? That should be the opposite of the Pharisee's...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    But what you've offered is just the same bogus self-serving "scholarship" that determined that Catholcism was promoting sun worship because their main day of worship was now the Lord's Day, the day of the sun=Sunday. But nowhere can one ever find the slightest trace of sun worship teachings in...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    If any truth caused me to change my views, that would only be a positive thing. And it's happened more than once-as it should.
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    Is goodness-narcissism destroying Western civilization?

    The actual quote I responded to and objected to appeared, to me, to be speaking about being righteous by our own effort. But apparently I misunderstood.
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    Is goodness-narcissism destroying Western civilization?

    And this is all pretty consistent with the historic Christian faith since the beginning, as I see it, even if worded a bit differently, perhaps. Reconciliation is already but not yet complete, as is salvation. Persistence in grave sin either means one was never a believer to begin with, or left...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    No, all truth is God's truth simply by virtue of being true, and whether that truth is something we prefer or detest. Either way, truth is something we must always be open to, and vigilant about seeking and accepting-and certainly not twisting to fit our own agendas and false conceptions.
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    Is goodness-narcissism destroying Western civilization?

    IMO this is simply telling us that self-righteousness is the precursor or foundation for sin, the true flaw of fallen man, which it is. But isn’t that the point of our faith, that man’s “righteousness” actually equates to distance from God; his pride being what’s wrong with him, resulting in all...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    Some (erroneous) theologies maintain that the elect are first changed and therefore caused/compelled to believe such that they could never do otherwise. In any case, God's redemptive offer is for us to come into communion with Him, a fellowship that Adam rejected, forfeited, in favor of...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    And yet many, many early writers, and the majority of early Christians in general, believed in eternal punishment, necessitating eternal existence, with or without regard to philosphy. Philosphy was simply seen by many as the admirable pursuit of truth, by the use of reason, something Paul was...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    I'm not sure what you're getting at but if you're referring to conciliar decrees, creeds, etc, that was the church doing nothing more or less than what the apostles, the church, did in Acts in order to decide on and resolve controversies, determine the truth, guided by the Holy Spirit. As for...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    If I may, @The Liturgist takes the objective and scholarly approach, accepting truth wherever it's to be found and rejecting pseudo-knowledge or pop-mythology otherwise. He won't agree with all Catholic teachings in any case but definitely recognizes those similarities between them and the other...
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    Is it lack of sin or love kindness and mercy

    Love excludes sin, fulfilling the law by its nature regardless of whether or not we’ve even heard the law. This is why John can also tell us, in his letters, that those who continue in sin and who don’t love don’t even know God. We’ll continue to struggle against sin until we’re “perfected in...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    And yet..it's very important for us to know that the one thing we can do is to refuse God's overtures, His grace; we can say "no" at any point. He desires our "yes", and our continous "yes", but the purpose of grace is not to compel it, but to enable it. We have no means of salvation apart from...
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    Why are there even denominations to begin with?

    While there have been and always will be controversies, the advent of multiple denominations came with the acceptance of Scripture alone as the sole rule of faith or authority. Because of this, each person, with their own interpretations, became the actual authority resulting in many differing...