How long will there be division?

[Benedicta00]

My 4 month old and 2 year old have not confessed, or had communion yet. They’re Catholic, they’re certainly not Protestant.

 

[PastorSherm]

 

[stray bullet]

My 4 month old and 2 year old have not confessed, or had communion yet. They’re Catholic, they’re certainly not Protestant.

I didn't mean that, I was only speaking of me personally, having formally been one. Your kids are Catholic. I simply meant that there is a piece of paper in a protestant church with my name on it.

Sorry for the misunderstanding...

I am Catholic

 

[BjBarnett]

Judging from the pattern of history, the spiritual unity of God's chosen people has always been cyclical. Even in the Old Testament, there exists this pattern of falling away, God stepping in, falling away, God stepping in, etc. This patterned seemed to have continued after Christ; the early Church marked a return to the faith; there was alot of Christian persecution and that forced Christians to unite and the Holy Spirit to shine among them.

Then as we approached the reformation, God's chosen people were falling away again. God even appeared to St. francis of Assisi (who lived just prior to the reformation) and told him; "Rebuild my Church, which as you see is falling into ruin".

I believe the reformation marked the lowest negative point in this cycle, splitting Christianity into all these different sects. Now, it would seem, we are on the rebound once again, slowly coming back together to repeat the cycle once more.

This also rings true with Pope JPII's comments regrading the great army that God is currently in the process of building. We are slowly approaching the top end of this cycle, yet still very far away. I would also suspect, for this to happen, there would be another era of persecution just prior to the pinnacle of Christian unity.

I have to say that what you say makes a lot of sense. I think Christian persecution is right around the corner. With the 10 commandments issues, God in the pledge and all that. I think its coming to a time when Christians will have to reunite like you said in that cycle. Hopefully our reformist brethern will realize where they need to be soon.

 

[geocajun]

I didn't mean that, I was only speaking of me personally, having formally been one. Your kids are Catholic. I simply meant that there is a piece of paper in a protestant church with my name on it.

Sorry for the misunderstanding...

I am Catholic

Stray, just for the sake of clarity, I hope you don't think having that paper makes you Catholic.
And just because I keep my paper locked away in a fireproof vault, surrounded by guards doesn't mean I think that either

 

[BjBarnett]

whats wrong PastorSherm? have we offended you? if we have we are sorry we didnt mean to offend.

 

[stray bullet]

Stray, just for the sake of clarity, I hope you don't think having that paper makes you Catholic.
And just because I keep my paper locked away in a fireproof vault, surrounded by guards doesn't mean I think that either

Not at all. I was only speaking about it from a legalistic, "on paper" sense, which is why I said "technically".

 

[PastorSherm]

I just want to start off by saying I hope we can discuss this while being respectful to our protestant brothers and sisters and not offend them in any way .

I appreciate the comment. i was really hesitant to even post here, since I am not Roman Catholic. First I find the whole thread to be insulting...in my own opinion. I'm wondering how you would feel if a thread was started on one of the Protestant boards titled "How Long will there be Roman Catholics" instead of heretic the word Pagan religion was used?{sadly it probably already was} Now of course I do not believe that for a second. I have nothing but love and respect for my Catholic brothers and sisters. With Christian Unity month coming up next month..these types of threads both from protestants{trust me, we are not innocent in this} and Catholicsmake me very sad. But by the dictonary def. of Heretic: A person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman catholic church. Then if that is your def. then I guess I am a heretic by your standards.

 

[Maximus]

historically speaking, all heresies have ended eventually. I think Arianism took 600 years.

I don't wish to contradict you, Geo, but that's not exactly correct.

There are still fairly substantial Monophysite and Nestorian groups that still reject the councils of Chalcedon and Ephesus, respectively. Their heresies have persisted since the 5th century.

IMHO, Protestantism will go on and on. Its sects are attractive to many people who dislike liturgical churches and the idea of an authority above themselves, and who like the freedom and relative ease of Protestant theology and morality.

 

[ZooMom]

Ok, I think everyone is misunderstanding Stray. He only meant that he is still, on paper if in no other way, a member of a protestant church, because they have him on the membership roll. I think he knows what and who he is.

 

[Rising_Suns]

I appreciate the comment. i was really hesitant to even post here, since I am not Roman Catholic. First I find the whole thread to be insulting...in my own opinion. I'm wondering how you would feel if a thread was started on one of the Protestant boards titled "How Long will there be Roman Catholics" instead of heretic the word Pagan religion was used?{sadly it probably already was} Now of course I do not believe that for a second. I have nothing but love and respect for my Catholic brothers and sisters. With Christian Unity month coming up next month..these types of threads both from protestants{trust me, we are not innocent in this} and Catholicsmake me very sad. But by the dictonary def. of Heretic: A person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman catholic church. Then if that is your def. then I guess I am a heretic by your standards.

Perhaps a more appropriate title would be; "How long will there be division?"

 

[BjBarnett]

Perhaps a more appropriate title would be; "How long will there be division?"

yes, perhaps i should go back and change it.

 

[ZooMom]

I don't think you can edit thread titles, Ben. Would you like for me to do it?

 

[BjBarnett]

I don't think you can edit thread titles, Ben. Would you like for me to do it?

lol your right. I tried and it only changed my post title. If you dont mind I would appreciate it if you could change it for me zoomom

 

[Maximus]

Perhaps a more appropriate title would be; "How long will there be division?"

Perhaps an important additional question would be, Is division always bad?

 

[ZooMom]

lol your right. I tried and it only changed my post title. If you dont mind I would appreciate it if you could change it for me zoomom

No problem.

 

[Rising_Suns]

I don't think you can edit thread titles, Ben. Would you like for me to do it?

I think you can only edit titles if no one has responded on the thread yet.

 

[NDIrish]

I will have everyone know that PastorSherm is a Catholic-in-training as far as I'm concerned.

Heck, he even believes in the Real Presence of the Eucharist!!!!

I think the qustion would be more aptly stated as:

"When will we have doctrinal unity?"

 

[BjBarnett]

No problem.

thank you ZooMom :

Now on with the discussion . how long do you guys think there will be division?

 

[stray bullet]

I appreciate the comment. i was really hesitant to even post here, since I am not Roman Catholic. First I find the whole thread to be insulting...in my own opinion. I'm wondering how you would feel if a thread was started on one of the Protestant boards titled "How Long will there be Roman Catholics" instead of heretic the word Pagan religion was used?{sadly it probably already was} Now of course I do not believe that for a second. I have nothing but love and respect for my Catholic brothers and sisters. With Christian Unity month coming up next month..these types of threads both from protestants{trust me, we are not innocent in this} and Catholicsmake me very sad. But by the dictonary def. of Heretic: A person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman catholic church. Then if that is your def. then I guess I am a heretic by your standards.

Well, I hope you don't feel any of our comments are malicious or intended to mock what you believe.

First and foremost, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

I guess you just have to look at this from our perspective, that is, that we want all of Christianity reunited and under One Holy and Apostolic Church.
Many of us, including myself obviously, are former protestants who moved to the Church. I think all of us have since had our lives profoundly changed and our faith deepened. We don't discuss this to hurt, but because coming to the Church has meant so much to us and we want so much to see others find the same joy and completeness.