Tag Archives: protestant

Christian Bigotry

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A friend of mine and semi-frequent comment poster has asked me numerous times to
stop posting “anti-gay stuff”. This Sed
Contra post might interest him. The blogger at SC is David Morrison, author
of Beyond Gay. He lives with same-sex attraction, but does not accept or
advocate the gay lifestyle. His most recent post, about the proper Christian response
to homosexuals, relates to Sunday’s Gospel
reading.

I care about this so much because I wouldn’t be Christ’s today if it were not for
the friendship and love of the Christians in my first Anglican parish, people who
knew I was a gay activist, didn’t agree with me about gay sex, and loved me anyway.
They knew I had homosexual sex and that I believed it was fine – and they disagreed
with me. But they nevertheless invited me to their cookouts, car washes, sporting
events, school plays, pot lucks – the whole joyful, chaotic mess of parish and family
life and as our friendships deepened they showed me they loved me.

And they told me their stories too. They told me about their own past drug use,
their own previous abortions, their own prior womanizing, and their own previous
struggles with the Faith and its demands. In short, they made it clear to me that
the church universal is a hospital for sinners far more than it is a penthouse for
saints.

I Loathe PETA

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How do you make two awful things worse? Combine them. The result is worse than the
sum of the parts. Jack Chick and PETA. *shudder*

Of
Chick and Chickens: The Strange Connection Between PETA and Evangelism

The flier with the charming title “Your Mother Kills Animals” helps spark children’s imaginations by asking them how they would “feel if someone were to take away their kitty or puppy, stomped on their head, and ripped their skin off their bodies?” The tract ends as many of these public service type booklets do, by leaving the kid with some useful advice: “Keep your doggie or kitty friends away from mommy – she’s an animal killer!”

If you’re like me, you might be wondering who could have devised such a brilliant idea. While I can’t be certain, I know of only one man in America who has the genius to dream up this type of campaign — Jack Chick.

Can Anybody Hear Me?

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I’ve been debating with a Protestant (we’ll call him Joe) on the issue of praying to the Mary and the Saints. He posed an interesting question that I’m not sure how to answer. Here’s the whole exchange.

Me: "…the praying to Mary bit is not worship, so it is not idolatry. It’s like asking a very holy friend to pray for you."

Joe: "I suggest you read 1 Timothy 2:5. (I don’t believe that God wants us praying to anyone besides Him.)

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" – 1 Timothy 2:5

Me: "I suggest you read Romans 15:30, Philemon 1:4, 1 Timothy 2:1-4 and this Catholic Enclopedia article.� I’m not looking to refight the Reformation.� I just want you to know that no true Catholic gives latria (worship) to anyone but God.� Take a look at the Catechism if you won’t take my word for it. :)"

"I appeal to you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf" – Romans 15:30

"I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers" – Philemon 1:4

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." – 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Me: "The point is that nearly all Christians believe that asking fellow members of the Body to pray for you or others is not only acceptable, but laudable.� Catholics and Orthodox believe that death is not a barrier between the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant. We ask the dead (the saints, small ‘s’) to pray for us as we would the living. We generally limit our prayers (really just requests for prayers on our behalf) to those whose lives were so holy we feel assured they are in Heaven (the Saints, big ‘S’). Among these is Christ’s mother. We see Mary as the perfect example of Christian discipleship. We don’t worship her or the Saints. To do that would be heretical and a very grave sin."

Joe: "Here’s a hypothetical situation: The pope, you, and two hundred Catholics in different cities all around the world pray to Mary at the same time. Who does she hear? If you say everyone, you are saying she is omnipresent. That is essentially saying that she is God. Actually, I don’t believe that she hears anyone on this planet who prays to her."

So I ask my St. Blog’s brethren, what’s wrong with the logic behind this question (aside from the fact he probably meant omniscient, rather than omnipresent)?

I suppose, at the very least, he should read this Catholic Encyclopedia article on the Communion of Saints.

Point of View

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There's an interesting post on The Dawn Patrol about counterproductive evangelization. Specifically, several Catholics clumsily tried to convert her from Protestantism. I understand the reasoning, but the approach left a lot to be desired. I have a news flash for self-righteous catechism thumpers. Protestants aren't the spawn of Satan. Nor are they doomed to Hell. They are Christians like us, with whom we should work to make the world a better place, rather than treating them like heathens or pagans.

As an ex-Protestant who cares deeply about reuniting the Body of Christ, I cringe at preachy attempts to, as one friend puts it, "upgrade" Protestants. I wasn't so much won over by argument as I was by Christ-like example.

There is a flip side to this, though. Each time a Protestant tries to "free" me from my "bondage" as a Catholic, I get a step closer to beating one with a clue-by-four. The Catholic Church is not the whore of Babylon. We do not worship Mary or the saints. We do not believe works save us. We are Christians just like you. Jack Chick is a moron who spreads hateful lies.

Ya got that?!? Now…The next one of you primates…even touches me…HYA!!! *BANG*