WN: Pope calls for a "global authority" on economy - Reuter

[Fez]

I know many catholics who will be in heaven and many protestants (and otherwise) who won't.

Hmmmm........ Must be a direct line. Can I have the number?

[Scarletprayers]

No matter what the Pope or the Vatican does, we should always be very careful about not offending Catholics (and everyone else for that matter). Most of my dad's family are Catholic and, for the most part, are pursuing a relationship with God in the best way they know how. They perceive any criticism through a prism of "we're the Church that everyone envies and therefore wants to destroy". Until you can get past that veneer, they aren't going to hear criticism of the leader of their church.

Either way....we should accept catholics are brothers/sisters in the faith as a starting point and find ways to celebrate what we have in common as opposed to being suspicious of their salvation as a starting point and looking for fault in them constantly. Individual catholics deserve to be treated as individuals and respected.

I know many catholics who will be in heaven and many protestants (and otherwise) who won't.

We are all going to need each other in the days ahead.

Amen yod, Amen!

[Massorite]

This is not surprising to me. I've always believed the Vatican is going to be somehow involved in the OWG; I just haven't figured out how. I don't trust the Pope or the Vatican; never have and never will. And I don't know why.

I could be wrong here and I can't prove it scripturally but I believe that a Pope will be the false prophet.

[Matthitjah]

Isn't there still talk of Blair being pres of the EU?

Yes; interestingly enough, Tony Blair converted to Catholicism last year. Rumor has it that GWB is going to convert as well.

Naw, that was Obama silly, he's in Rome now. He's probably bending down to talk to the Pope the same way he did the King of the House of Saud.

No, it was GWB, it was about a year ago that the rumors were flying.

http://catholicism.about.com/b/2008/06/16/...catholicism.htm

It wouldn't be a big deal if he did convert. It's a personal thing. Of course, Obama might be going to convert too; who knows?

R-E-L-A-X! I was trying to be funny.

[lekh l'kha]

Anyway, me and others have offended Christophine good and solid.

I don't like the idea of Christophine or any other Roman Catholics being hurt.

Someone said something about truth sounding like a clanging symbol if it comes with no love.

But does that mean that we must be quiet and not warn other Christians to be careful of the Pope's moves when the Pope's moves aren't good?

It doesn't matter how we do it, the moment anyone ever challenges that man's "authority", we offend millions who are devoted to him.

Yet that didn't stop the reformers who gave their lives to challenge his authority.

How does one make a stand for truth without offending?

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

One speaks forth the Truth in Love.

If the Pope makes a Marxist statement, I believe we call him on it. If he stands for Righteousness, we stand with him.

Peace,

Dave

[mizzdy]

No matter what the Pope or the Vatican does, we should always be very careful about not offending Catholics (and everyone else for that matter). Most of my dad's family are Catholic and, for the most part, are pursuing a relationship with God in the best way they know how. They perceive any criticism through a prism of "we're the Church that everyone envies and therefore wants to destroy". Until you can get past that veneer, they aren't going to hear criticism of the leader of their church.

Either way....we should accept catholics are brothers/sisters in the faith as a starting point and find ways to celebrate what we have in common as opposed to being suspicious of their salvation as a starting point and looking for fault in them constantly. Individual catholics deserve to be treated as individuals and respected.

I know many catholics who will be in heaven and many protestants (and otherwise) who won't.

We are all going to need each other in the days ahead.

Amen. Its not the people its the system, many don't think of the vatican as a sovereign nation of which the pope heads is also a political system with banks and property rights and that sort of thing.

[Christofine]

Someone suggested that the Pope might be the anti Christ.

How convenient if the anti Christ lived in a far away country, and was so easy to spot in his very unusual clothes.

He doesn't speak English as a first language either, like most of the baddies in Hollywood movies.

Actually I think his critics should stop gazing into the distance and start looking for Satan's disciples at work locally.

Introducing drugs to our youth.

Seeking to corrupt them through obsene, blasphemous and violent entertainment.

Deceiving us with their seductive financial deals that will make us poor.

These things have white anted most Western cultures.

And I don't think the instructions are coming from the Pope.

Yours in Jesus

Christofine

[Matthitjah]

Joh

[Massorite]

Anyway, me and others have offended Christophine good and solid.

I don't like the idea of Christophine or any other Roman Catholics being hurt.

Someone said something about truth sounding like a clanging symbol if it comes with no love.

But does that mean that we must be quiet and not warn other Christians to be careful of the Pope's moves when the Pope's moves aren't good?

It doesn't matter how we do it, the moment anyone ever challenges that man's "authority", we offend millions who are devoted to him.

Yet that didn't stop the reformers who gave their lives to challenge his authority.

How does one make a stand for truth without offending?

Here is the answer to this dilemma. What did Jesus do or say to those He saw as offenders of God. He called them snakes and hypocrites. He even called one woman a dog. Were they offended? You bet they were. They were so offended that they wanted to kill Him and these were the religious elite of the day.

Any time the truth is spoken it will always offend those who have perverted the truth. The question is this. Are we going to speak the truth in spite of the fact that it might offend some body? Or are we going to be so concerned about offending some one that we stop preaching the gospel or compromise our integrity

If the word of God says that it is a sin against God to worship or pray to any other deity then God the Father. Then it is wrong no matter who tells who that it is wrong. And scripture does tell us not to put up with any religion that would advocate the worship of any false god or goddess.

Just because the Pope is the leader of one billion Catholics doesn't make Him above reproach when he stands before the cameras that broad cast to the world and he says "Mother of God pray for us sinners".

What has become of us when we make excuses for a man who prays to a false god and leads others to do the same. What good can come from that? How do you think Jesus would deal with that? What do you think Jesus would say to them on judgment day?

I don't think that any body on this thread intended to insult anybody on purpose but when the truth is told it will offend.