Is this anti-Catholic?

[Erich]

Is this true? We don’t have any of the original copies, only the translations?

From Proving Inspiration:

…
Sir Frederic Kenyon, in The Story of the Bible, notes that “For all the works of classical antiquity we have to depend on manuscripts written long after their original composition. The author who is the best case in this respect is Virgil, yet the earliest manuscript of Virgil that we now possess was written some 350 years after his death. For all other classical writers, the interval between the date of the author and the earliest extant manuscript of his works is much greater. For Livy it is about 500 years, for Horace 900, for most of Plato 1,300, for Euripides 1,600.” Yet no one seriously disputes that we have accurate copies of the works of these writers. However, in the case of the New Testament we have parts of manuscripts dating from the first and early second centuries, only a few decades after the works were penned.

Not only are the biblical manuscripts that we have older than those for classical authors, we have in sheer numbers far more manuscripts from which to work. Some are whole books of the Bible, others fragments of just a few words, but there are literally thousands of manuscripts in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Coptic, Syriac, and other languages. This means that we can be sure we have an authentic text, and we can work from it with confidence.
…

 

[Cable]

AntiCatholic? Well, the CBS can certainly be in contradiction to your Catholic faith since it conveys attitudes or beliefs based on different (than Catholics) interpretations of Scripture.
I hope you don’t mind blunt, but since you’re Catholic, you don’t belong in CBS and neither do your Catholic children. Our Christian brothers, who aren’t Catholic, accept the teachings of Sola Scriptura (Bible alone) and Sola Fidelis (faith alone) which are contrary to Catholic’s equal acceptance and reverence for Sacred Scripture/Sacred Tradition/Magisterial Teaching, for starters. I also think the CBS conveys teachings that contradict one or more of ours concerning the Eucharist, reconciliation, the primacy of Peter, the Virgin Mary, the intercession of the Saints, the Mystical Body and so on and so on. I think our children should be fully instructed and firm in their own faith first. You can teach them about their Catholic faith yourself and probably learn even more yourself in doing so from that and from further reading in the Catechism of the Catholic Church book. One of the Catholic publishing company’s faith workbooks (We liked Seton Publishing) can help you teach your children. They have one for each grade. The CatChat. audio CD’s (for little kids) and the Baltimore Catechism are a couple of other resources we worked with. Anyway, I don’t think you’re being paranoid in the least about your situation. Keep the faith

 

[pnewton]

This particular lesson, while it avoids mentioning Catholics is without a doubt aimed at Catholics, and a misrepresentation of what Catholics believe. After all, are there any angel-worshipping denominations out there? Are there any other faiths that put Tradition as a means of revelation? If you stay, please recognize this for what it is, namely, at least in this lesson, anti-Catholic. You know better than we if there is any benefit to staying and whether you are grounded enough in your faith.

 

[po18guy]

This particular lesson, while it avoids mentioning Catholics is without a doubt aimed at Catholics, and a misrepresentation of what Catholics believe. After all, are there any angel-worshipping denominations out there? Are there any other faiths that put Tradition as a means of revelation? If you stay, please recognize this for what it is, namely, at least in this lesson, anti-Catholic. You know better than we if there is any benefit to staying and whether you are grounded enough in your faith.

The really odd thing about such groups is that you are fine of your are Methodist. Presbyterian is fine. Baptist is fine. Congregationalist is fine. Lutheran is fine. Assembly of God is fine. United Church of Christ is fine. Bubba Joe Bob’s Church and transmission shop is fine. Catholic? BAD!!!

Tell them you are Orthodox. They won’t know what to make of it.

 

[Peacefulwishes]

The really odd thing about such groups is that you are fine of your are Methodist. Presbyterian is fine. Baptist is fine. Congregationalist is fine. Lutheran is fine. Assembly of God is fine. United Church of Christ is fine. Bubba Joe Bob’s Church and transmission shop is fine. Catholic? BAD!!!

Tell them you are Orthodox. They won’t know what to make of it.

LOL!! This gave me a chuckle, thanks.

You are all right, I felt it in my gut a few times before with little things here and there that this was aimed at Catholics. Actually I think they do a lot of aiming at Mormons too… but maybe I only recognize that since I used to be one. But anyway, it’s not something I feel comfortable with so we’ll stop going. I will heed another posters suggestion and try to start a childrens group during my own parishes bible study, maybe then we can get other young couples to go (mainly the only people in attendence are seniors). Thanks for the reassurance, everyone Oh and many thanks to Cable for the teaching resources, I will check them out!

 

[bettyg51]

Check out this page:
CATHOLIC APOLOGIST’S SCRIPTURAL CHEAT SHEET
ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/WALLET.HTM

These are verses that refute Sola scriptura:
Jn 21:25 … not everything is in the Bible.
2 Thess 2:15; 2 Tim 2:2; 1 Cor 11:2; 1 Thess 2:13 … Paul speaks of oral tradition.
Acts 2:42 … early Christians followed apostolic tradition.
2 Pet 3:16 … Bible hard to understand, get distorted.
2 Jn 1:12; 3 Jn 1:13-14 … more oral tradition.
2 Pet 1:20-21 … against personal interpretation.
Acts 8:31; Heb 5:12 … guidance needed to interpret scriptures.
I recommend you use the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition It is accurate, but does not have good footnotes. Ignatius Press only has a study bible for the RSV-CE New Testament, which is excellent.

You probably need to read some books on Catholic apologetics if you want to learn how to use these verses.

The stuff about angels might also be a reference to Jehovah Witness’ belief that Jesus was an angel.

 

[po18guy]

I will heed another posters suggestion and try to start a childrens group during my own parishes bible study, maybe then we can get other young couples to go (mainly the only people in attendence are seniors). Thanks for the reassurance, everyone Oh and many thanks to Cable for the teaching resources, I will check them out!

You may have no idea just how many at your parish are waiting for such an opportunity.

Christ’s peace be with you.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Hi all, I joined a CBS group a couple of months ago mainly so that I could get my two young children involved in it (I don’t even know where to begin to teach the kids about God, our parish offers nothing for young ones and the CBS childrens program really appealed to me.) Of course doing a bible study appeals to me too, since I really haven’t done any in-depth reading into it. I’m a convert to Catholicism, only 2 years new.

Up until this week, the weekly studies have seemed fine. But this weeks study has left me feeling uneasy as if they are implicating Catholicism is untrue. This weeks study is on Colossians 2:8-23. The main verse studied is Colossians 2:8 (NIV) “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” For reference, my NAB (Catholic edition) bible states this verse as “See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.”

Here are some questions in this week’s study:

“Read all Romans 14. Make a list of the principles that should guide us in dealing with Christians who have traditions and convictions that differ from our own.”

“For further study: Many people today are becoming involved in angel worship. Read Exodus 20:3-4; Hebrews 1:4-14. Summarize the biblical teaching about angels given in these verses.”

“What is the great danger that may result from overemphasizing the importance or position of angels?”

At the end of the weekly lesson there is a commentary. In it, it says this: “Human traditions are deceptive because they have no absolutes to guide them.” … “With the passing of time, popular human philosophies come and go. They are empty, shallow, hollow. And they are also temporary; they are “in” and then “out” of favor. Only biblical truth is eternal; it does not change. The truth of Scripture has been found to be adequate and timeless in every culture to which it has been taken. It is the only dependable source of information about God and salvation.”

Am I being paranoid or am I right to think that my group of ladies are going to automatically think “Catholics!” when they read this, especially about angels (even though we do not worship them, a lot of non catholics seem to think so) and then that last part in the commentary basically proclaiming Sola Scriptura. Am I right to be alarmed? Or is it in my head?

Ask yourself if there is any human tradition in the way the group you chose to allign yourself and your children with is guilty of.

It will be painful, yes.

For instance, when did you celebrate Christmas? If you did at all?