Post #132 by Yipyupyep put forward the conspiracy theory. I replied to it saying it is stupidity (not the person but the conspiracy theory) but you then came in with post #141 saying that whenever there is a question it is worth discussing. I retorted that in this particular case it is not worth discussing because the Church already has a position on it. The conspiracy theory is contained in the Gnostic Gospel of Judas which was declared a fiction and a heresy by St Irenaeus. There was no conspiracy. It was made up by the Gnostics who were a bunch a heretics.
Hi,
Hi, again,
I sinerely hope that you have taken no animosity in my postings, or if you have, let me immediately retract anything you found to seem “animous” (if that’s the correct word).
Now, to your reply …
Your first point, I accept (and apologize for my misconstruction of your use of the word, “stupidity”) that your intention was not to say that the poster was “stupid”, and, based on your reply, I accept that I was wrong to see that as the “implication” contained therein…
As to your second point, I hold to the belief that: for the true Catholic (or for any true seeker after truth, for that matter, but, particularly for a Roman Catholic): “Wherever there is a question, there is something worth discussing …”,
I believe this, whether the question is “pro” the Catholic Faith, “anti” the Catholic Faith", or, simply “neither way inclined” regarding the Catholic Faith, and, I further, believe, that it is for the Catholic to happily answer even the seemingly most inane question regarding his Faith, with patience with, and respect for, the questioner.
Indeed, I have felt it to be the message of Jesus Christ, that it is not only necessary for Salvation that we believe in Jesus Christ, but that we demonstrate that belief openly …
In this way, Catholics proselytise for the Catholic Faith, and become (in varying degrees), as the Apostles before, messengers for Jesus Christ.
Therefore, I repeat, I believe that any question posed is better dealt with,should it be met with patient respect (is that not “Charity”?), and, rather than in curt “answers in defense”, in a manner which demonstrates, in its content and in its intent,
a willingness to explain -to whatever length is necessary- the Faith, in the hope that, by our demeanour, by our information and by our example, we might assist (in however small a way) another Soul to Salvation and God.
Your current posting, I feel, goes more toward the latter, whereas, in the former, I felt could be seen demonstrated in your first posting (the one to which I responded).
And, in regard to the “not worth discussing” part, I, firstly would hope that the above partly answers that, but would add that it has always been my postion, when a difficult question is posed in regard to any subject, to “refer to the source” (and the ultimate source" of the Roman Catholic Church, I have always seen to be the Bible.
The opinions of those various other people who have pronounced on the various aspects of the Bible, I “entertain”, and am fully willing t accept as “guidance”, but I am conscious that (no matter how more highly elevated) these “pronouncers” are Souls, just like I am a Soul (and I say this without the least intent of in-deference), and, on the Day of Judgement, I do not think that God will accept the excuse (if some “pronuouncing” Soul has made a mistake) that “somebody else told me that such and such was the case”…
Rather, God will ask why I did not refer to His written Word, the Bible, which I understand to contain the answer to any question about the way to live in order to attain Salvation, and check for myself what HE has said …
I merely seek to understand … but I believe that God gave me the power to reason and discern, so that I would use it (God does nothing for nothing), and I, therefore, could never completely give up my ability to understand into the hands of any other Soul (regardless how loftily placed that Soul is perceived to be), since I believe that my ultimate source is God.
As to your final point, I seem to remember, in my postings, posing the question: "How could Jesus be a “conspirator”, since God can never be a “co-inspirer”, since God is “The Inspirer” of all that is …
However, I accepted that I “do not know”, and that, since this particular question is not answered within the Bible (God’s Word), then I have to accept the situation, and, with that, the fact that God has felt that it is not necessary -for whatever His reasons- for me to know.
(To do otherwise, again, as I have said before, is to “second-guess”, or to “attempt to improve upon” the Word of God … or to make a vain attempt by an inferior Spirit to comprehend the motivation of The Supreme Spirit.)
Finally, in regard to whether or not the Gospel of Judas was “made up by the Gnostics, who were …”, I have no reply to this (I wasn’t there, and I have not read, and don’t know enough from others who have read deeply into the subject to begin to form an opinion).
