Welcome To Catechism (Compendium) Class.

[Lana]

[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth.

This is the one line in your passage that strikes me deeply. The other points are of great worth and concern, but this one does more dammage i believe, than the personal dammage that can be done to self in our forms of sinning. To hurt onself is a choice, a freedome we express, and are willing to be judged for in the end. However, when we take our own beliefs, quandries, and anger at God or his worthyness out on others in the forms of misrepresentation and gossip, then we are not allowing the person we tell these things to the same freedome we allowed ourselves. We claimed to know better for them or on their behalves eliminate the right to choose and believe on our own.

You "take" from them with glee, and oportunity you insisted you take alone on your own. What makes you feel that you are more worthy, or have the power to supress religion or faith in OTHER peoples lives, and not feel you deserve the right to be judged due to removing the entity of faith in such a bulling fashion.

Many wounded people are misled by positions of respect. Be it a parent, friend, teacher, or priest. We believe in the intentions of God in general, and ACCEPT that the people in these positions would not lead us astray, but out of their own agenda to teach what THEY believe to be true, instead of what is right...to teach what GOD believes to be true..they take much risk in assuming such power, as to be a GOD themselves.

That is not Sheparding, that is destruction of mind soul and spirit...it is not the work of the true Sheppard, but rather the work of Satan in their own hearts acting strictly from a personal agenda...What they believe. A priest or anyone else telling about HIM should teach what the message is, not teach what they personally got from the message. There is a sense of i know better that betrays those who are weaker, and searching to find a place...where do the lost lambs go?

Like i did, very far from YOU mr know it all (hypothetical person) and i learned long ago to take all leaders of this caliber the same grain of salt. To detect the truth gets exhauting, and why i simply only believe what God himself tells me. Why would i ask a neighbor about my mother or father. He or they are MINE, and why do i give those rights away to allow others to tell me what my parents believe, feel or think about me...

Yup, same goes for my heavenly parents and family...to do otherwise is gossip in degrees of dammage done to my person.

Lana

[reen]

quote: Lana
...where do the lost lambs go?





reens 

[Lana]

Again...a picture tells it all...

perfect!

Lana

[Black Knight]

Guys, relax.

Unlike some people, the New Testament and the Catholic Church are not out to damn people to Hell.

That passage is simply meant to get across that, just as St. Paul says later on in chapter 14, "[12] So each of us shall give account of himself to God. "

Certainly some of us can find ourselves in Hell, but if we do it won't come as a surprise because we'll have made that conscious choice to reject God and His loving mercy.

One reason that I cited that passage is to show one very good reason that unlike many Christian religions, the Catholic Church says that there is hope even for those who never hear the Gospel. According to that passage, a native somewhere who was as good a person as he could be based on what he knows in his heart is right will probably be  as well off (or maybe even better) than some of us.

Certainly I agree that there are those in this world who manipulate and corrupt others, or just plain old teach wrong doctrine. (Look up James 3:1), but I see nothing in the Word of God, nor in the teachings of the Catholic Church that holds me unduly accountable if someone else teaches me wrong.

Girls...we're ALL lost lambs, and our only hope is to take up our crosses daily and follow that "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."

Does this help any?
Blackie

[Lana]

lol...did i apear up tight...sorry, but i really did read a passage once about
those who cause the lost lamb to not be able to come to him might as well
jump in the sea. I can not for the life of me remember where the passage
comes from (which book)

To stop yourself is one thing, but to block another is quite sinful i believe.

Was i wrong in this?

Lana

[ncjohn]

lol...did i apear up tight...sorry, but i really did read a passage once about
those who cause the lost lamb to not be able to come to him might as well
jump in the sea. I can not for the life of me remember where the passage
comes from (which book)

To stop yourself is one thing, but to block another is quite sinful i believe.

Was i wrong in this?

Lana

It's actually today's gospel reading from Matthew, chapter 18.



 

[Lana]

oooo...cool, now i know where it is at in the bible!!!

Matthew
Chapter 18
1
1 At that time the disciples 2 approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2
He called a child over, placed it in their midst,
3
and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, 3 you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5
4 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
6
"Whoever causes one of these little ones 5 who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

[Black Knight]

4. Is the light of reason alone sufficient to know the mystery of God?

37-38

In coming to a knowledge of God by the light of reason alone man experiences many difficulties. Indeed, on his own he is unable to enter into the intimacy of the divine mystery. This is why he stands in need of being enlightened by God’s revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of human reason, so that even in the present condition of the human race, they can be known by all with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error.

Kinda goes right along with what I was saying before.
Blackie

[Black Knight]

5. How can we speak about God?

39-43
48-49

By taking as our starting point the perfections of man and of the other creatures which are a reflection, albeit a limited one, of the infinite perfection of God, we are able to speak about God with all people. We must, however, continually purify our language insofar as it is image-bound and imperfect, realizing that we can never fully express the infinite mystery of God.

An important point to keep in mind.
Blackie

[reen]

from Blackie's quote:

We must, however, continually purify our language insofar as it is image-bound and imperfect,
realizing that we can never fully express the infinite mystery of God.

This is why, I think, God Himself provides the images.
"Father" "Good Shepherd" "I am the way and the truth and the life."
"What father - his son having asked for a fish - would give him a stone?"
Or the father, in the parable of the Prodigal son.
Staying close to the images that God Himself has provided is wisdom.
"Wisdom has built herself a house..." [Proverbs 9: 1}


reen