First I apologize to all on this thread who are annoyed that this discussion has gotten at least superficially off point. I say superficially however because I don’t think one can really understand the relativistic arguments so many people make regarding abortion; how for example proabortion candidates consistently receive a majority of the Catholic vote, without understanding the sentiments, or habits of mind that support them. These attitudes stem directly from Vatican II’s promotion of religious liberty, freedom of conscience, respect for other religions, “non-judgementalism”, the elevation of the “social gospel” over the Social Kingship of Christ, etc. These notions apparently few realize (understandilbly as it is not taught, hasn’t been nearly 50 years), are in direct opposition, a virtual reversal, of what the Church consistently taught for its first 1,930 years.
Now Alisa,
I do not think that I am being “negative”. I am trying to promote my understanding through argument. Argument is not a bad word. It is our most essential and meaningful form of communication. It is essential to learning, it is essential to critical thinking, in fact it defines critical thinking. It is the purpose for which a site such as this exists. I don’t understand what you mean by negativity. Is it the lack of a consensus?
Neither is the willingness to make spirited arguments with reference to facts arrogant.
I have no authority and I have little to be prideful about. I’m well aware of my own considerable limitations and sinful propensities. But I do know what the Church has taught, because these things are simple and straight forward and “must be beleived by all” (not my words but the words of Christ and his Church). All I’m doing is pointing them out to people who seem to have forgotten or never heard them.
,
You say that only God decides who will go to Heaven and you are absolutely right. However what you seem to miss is that He told us an awful lot about how He will decide. Have you not read the Gospels? The clues abound. One must be baptized, one must eat His body, one must obey His commandments, one must know the Son to know the Father, one must listen to the Church. Christ said directly that “He who denies me before men, I will deny before the Father”. Now Jews and Muslims deny Christ. Is it not that simple? It is of course your perogative to think otherwise, but if you do, you are fooling yourself in thinking you are a Christian.
Now if you think as I do, that if people do not embrace Christ and His Church, that they will be lost for eternity, is it more charitable to tell them what they want to hear and spare their feelings, or to tell them what you beleive they must know?
Your attitude, that “God reveals himself in different ways” to everyone is not only heretical (God reveals Himself through His Church), but it is contrary to the very idea that there even is anything that can be called “true”. Think about it.