Can more then one religion be true?

[artsylady]

Douay:

I agree with Godrulz.

It's what is in a person's heart that determines their Christianity.

I have no animosity toward ANY Catholic. It's just the religion that I do have some problems with and can't figure out many of the questions I have about it. It's not for me to say that any Catholic is or is not a Christian. I wish that I COULD agree with what Catholicism teaches. I wouldn't necessarily follow it, but at least I wouldn't feel that people are being led astray, but unfortunately, at this point, I do feel this way.

When I went to the Catholic website and saw the thread "Can only Catholics be saved?" I was totally in shock at the responses, because most were saying "Yes", but not based on scripture, but based on the Catholic laws.

As a protestant, I don't feel we protestants are the only ones that will be saved. In fact, I'm pretty darn sure there will be a lot of Catholics in heaven.

I also think about the other religions that say they are based on the Bible (mormon, islam, catholicism) which have books that are extraneous to the Bible, yet the followers of these religions seem to hold these extra books as superior to the Bible. Most Catholics I know can recite many Catholic verses and rules and Hail Mary's and such, but don't seem to know the Bible very well. It sure makes me wonder.

[Douay]

Godrulz- I picked this name because my uncle was on a discussion board where one of the members names was Rheims, he thought it was kinda funny. The Douay-Rheims version of the Bible is where the inspiration for the name came from. That name comes from the two cities with colleges which translated the Bible into English. The new testament in 1582 and the old in 1609.

Godrulz-

Like any religion, it probably has its areas of corruption (priest sexual abuses).

My cousin(more like a brother to me) was in the seminary for a year or so and I also know one of his good friends he met there. What we found out was that homosexuals enter the Church through the priesthood. The homosexuals have chosen the Church as a way to seek protection and find targets. It was not because the Church caused it, although I don't know what they can do about it now, they have infiltrated and set up protective measures to help each other out. Dissenters do the same thing, except they enter the Church with the sole purpose of trying to destroy it.

Teh Wiccan- I wouldn't bring that up here, but those things are NOT in the Bible, they are the teachings of one man. I was thinking about starting that thread, but let's be nice.

Issues with the bible... I can't agree with things like genocide or denying groups of people rights... It's not something I can do. Many of the teachings in the bible are good, but some aren't my cup of tea

Artsylady- That particular thread you mention is very complicated. The Pope declared ex cathedra, meaning infallibly to Catholics, that only Catholics will be saved(we don't think the Pope is always infallible, he can have personal convictions like the rest of us). However, he did this at the time of the protestant reformation, and I think that during schisms is the only time that this has happened. I think that this was to send a strong message to those who meant to break away, but it came too late and it was too little. He should have taken it more seriously sooner. Those of us who don't agree with this are probably right in doing so and have most likely been able to see the spirit of the law in those declarations, those who do think that only Catholics go to heaven are most likely arrogant, and don't want to see anybody else in heaven except themselves(maybe not a conscious conviction, but in their hearts). I can explain to you the Catholic reason for belief in Mary, the sacraments, and other things if you want, they all pretty much have but one maybe two answers that covers all of them. I would rather that you pm me so I dont have to argue with everyone on the board just to put down what I know, which isn't by any means comprehensive but it's a good start.

Douay

[Douay]

One more thing, I do NOT feel that that attitude is descriptive of most Catholics, and I don't even think it is,(outside of the 3 bulls, which are infallible), accepted Church teaching. I do think that I debunked the argument in favor of that opinion rigidly. At the current time( I just remembered this) Catholics believe as defined in Vatican 2 in those outside the Church being alllowed to obtain salvation, so it is actually on paper.

Douay

[jesusislord]

I NOTICED THAT U SAID THAT THE CURCH DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE POPE AS INFALLIABLE...... WELL IN THE EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DECLARED THE POPE INFALLIABLE....

COULD U PLEASE EXPLAIN IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT RECOGNIZE INFALLIABLE WHY DID IT MAKE THAT STATEMENT

THANK U

WILL WAIT FOR YOUR ANSWER AFTER I GO WORSHIP THE LORD

[Douay]

I just looked it up again because it is complicated, but basically you could say that usually when the Pope speaks ex cathedra it carries the weight of infallibility. The Pope declared infallibly that the definition of infallibility is thus: The Pope is infallible when, speaking ex cathedra as Supreme Pastor, explaining a doctrine of faith or morals, and it is to be held by the Universal Church. Even if those three conditions are met, the Pope is not speaking infallibly if teaching new doctrine, or not guarding the revelation passed on from the Apostles.

That is the official definition, somewhat paraphrased for simplicity.

The teaching of papal infallibilty goes back at least to the year a.d. 1000.

The easiest way to look at this is that there are levels which the pope uses to teach. In the business world you have memos and policy. The pope could issue a memo that says hey we need to try to get these things done better because it is good that way. Or he could issue a policy (ex cathedra) that says this is the way it is, period.

Douay

[jesusislord]

THUS HE COULD MAKE UP THE MYTH ABOUT THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION MAKING MARY SINLESS COULDNT HE

OR SAY MARY WAS A VIRGIN ALLOF HER LIFE

BOTH ARE BLASPHEME AND CONTARY TO THE WORD OF GOD THE BIBLE

[Douay]

THUS HE COULD MAKE UP THE MYTH ABOUT THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION MAKING MARY SINLESS COULDNT HE OR SAY MARY WAS A VIRGIN ALLOF HER LIFE

Where does it say otherwise in the Bible?

Douay

[godrulz]

Mary called on Jesus as Savior. She was not sinless. The Holy Spirit/Jesus are without sin (don't have verse location handy).

Jesus had brothers and sisters (not just believers, but half brothers or siblings...again verse is there, but spiritualized by Catholics). She was not a perpetual virgin.

This topic is now off track. There were other threads about Catholicism.

[Catsmeow]

NASB Version Luke 1:47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

*Mary evidently requires a Savior (as we all do).

[Catsmeow]

King James Version

Mt 1:25 - And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Douay-Rheums Version

Matthew 1:24-25

24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. 25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her first born son: and he called his name Jesus.

The term, "knew" is in reference to sexual intimacy between husband and wife.