Prodigal's Isle

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I imagine there would be more priests if the Catholic Church did not forbid them to marry. With more priests in each parish, there would be fewer sheep among them for which to care, giving them more time to be with their families. I imagine priests would be able to make enough to care for a family if the parishioners would be asked to give twice–once for their priests, and once for the Church. If a married priest felt the parishioners gave him too much, he could rejoice in their generosity, taking only what his wife and children needed and giving the rest to the Church.
You know, there might indeed be more Catholic priests if marriage was allowed, but they would all have less moral authority than they do now. You know that a man who is willing to give up everything for the glory of God is committed to it. That is extremely powerful.
 
It sounds to me that Paul is making a universal declaration regarding the sinful nature of preventing people from marrying:The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry…

(1 Timothy 4:1-3)

When i consider who it is that forbids people to marry–the Magisterium, Bishops, and even the Pope, my mouth drops to the floor! What does he say of such people? He calls them those who:
  • abandon the faith
  • follow deceiving spirits
  • advocate things taught by demons
  • have their consciences seared with a hot iron
:eek:

If he spoke publicly this way of the Pope today, would he not be removed from the office of Apostle? Would he not even risk excommunication? Be completely sincere with me Pax, and tell me what you truly think.
Where do you get the Idea that the Church forbids people to marry? The Church does no such thing. She only says that you cannot marry AND be a priest (In the Latin Rite of The Church. So one must follow that call which to which Christ is drawing them The Priesthood (celibate) or marriage (not celibate); Holy Orders or Holy Matrimony.

Peace
James
 
It sounds to me that** Paul is making a universal declaration **regarding the sinful nature of preventing people from marrying:The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry…

(1 Timothy 4:1-3)

When i consider who it is that forbids people to marry–the Magisterium, Bishops, and even the Pope, my mouth drops to the floor! What does he say of such people? He calls them those who:
  • abandon the faith
  • follow deceiving spirits
  • advocate things taught by demons
  • have their consciences seared with a hot iron
:eek:

If he spoke publicly this way of the Pope today, would he not be removed from the office of Apostle? Would he not even risk excommunication? Be completely sincere with me Pax, and tell me what you truly think.
6 But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment. 7 For I would that all men were even as myself:

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry…

Why did you cut it off at marry…

…heres the rest of what the Spirit clearly saith to Paul; … to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that have known the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

The Magisterium, Bishops, and even the Pope do not teach you to abstain from meat nor have they forbidden you to marry. In fact marriage is held in high esteem, it is a sacrament.

St. Paul was talking about what would become a widespread division of Christians who did actually forbid marriage and did abstain from meat.
The Catholic Church passed an edict against them in 382 AD.
 
I imagine there would be more priests if the Catholic Church did not forbid them to marry. With more priests in each parish, there would be fewer sheep among them for which to care, giving them more time to be with their families. I imagine priests would be able to make enough to care for a family if the parishioners would be asked to give twice–once for their priests, and once for the Church. If a married priest felt the parishioners gave him too much, he could rejoice in their generosity, taking only what his wife and children needed and giving the rest to the Church.
Why settle for second best;

For I would that all men were even as myself: … - 1 Corinthians 7:7
 
Where do you get the Idea that the Church forbids people to marry? The Church does no such thing. She only says that you cannot marry AND be a priest (In the Latin Rite of The Church. So one must follow that call which to which Christ is drawing them The Priesthood (celibate) or marriage (not celibate); Holy Orders or Holy Matrimony.

Peace
James
Priests are not people, too?

🤷
 
You know, there might indeed be more Catholic priests if marriage was allowed, but they would all have less moral authority than they do now. You know that a man who is willing to give up everything for the glory of God is committed to it. That is extremely powerful.
Are you saying that being married makes someone less moral?

🤷
 
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.

–St. Augustine
This quote was one on the logo for an Evangelical Church i once attended regularly. It’s also one of the few quotes from the early Church Fathers i’ve heard taught by Protestants. The thing about reformer 1, reformer 2 and reformer 3 is that (at least from an Evangelical Christian’s point of view) it does not matter whom you prefer, as long as each agrees with the essential doctrines of the historic Christian Faith. There is a Protestant organization that has experts on staff from many different denominations, and from non-denominational churches. The members of this organization disagree on matters which they consider non-essentials, such as Church government, and the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, but they agree on the essentials, which are the nature of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, they say, is OK with their differences, as long as they all hold to the essentials. Hence, He does not contradict Himself.

Now, let’s say that reformer 4 comes along and teaches what they believe to be a different Gospel, or a different understanding of who God is. That person they would not consider a Christian, for he does not hold to the doctrines which are essential for a Christian to believe in order to be a genuine Christian. In this case, they claim, the Holy Spirit would reject reformer 4 as teaching a different Gospel and a different Jesus, as would they.

But isn’t this the same in the Catholic Church, albeit to a lesser degree? While matters of Church government might be considered essential doctrine, the perpetuity of spiritual gifts is apparently not. Here in the South Bend area of Indiana, where Purdue University resides, is what many believe to be the center of the Charismatic Catholic movement. There are Catholic priests speaking in tongues, and other Catholic priests interpreting what is said, in the unknown language, into English. These translated messages, the priests claim, are direct communication from God Himself to their parishes.

Now the bishop presiding over these parishes, and the Pope who is overseeing the bishop, do not condemn the practice. But there are many Catholics who might, and bishops who would never tolerate such practice in their own parishes. Would you say that, since there is such disagreement, that the Holy Spirit contradicts Himself? Or would you say, as do i, that these are non-essentials over which Christians may disagree, but over which they should never divide. A Catholic from South Bend, and a Catholic from Rome, might have a lively debate about speaking in tongues, but afterward should go out for a pizza together. Don’t you think?

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6199/482881998206850/1600/viena02.jpg

A Charismatic Catholic Mass
Dear Soc,

nice to see Augustine quoted !

I guess one should go out for a pizza together after any charitable debate with anybody. 🙂

Different possible attitudes towards a movement within the Church are IMHO an understandable and very human fact, rather than a threat to ecclesial unity. ( Unless an existing official roman stance is manifestly disregarded.)

I’m trying to briefly outline what IMHO are the main differences in the cases you refer.

Nice that several denominations and non-denominations can build an umbrella organization ( a super-denomination, you could maybe say), with experts who can teach who is out and who’s in and why…

This sounds like a …magisterium, doesn’t it ? IMHO any religious body needs one, of some sort.
The funny thing is that these denominations were built by extolling private judgment against …the magisteriums of their mother communities. Denominations are born on the principle of private judgment, rejectinjg magisterium, then are governed by magisteriums. Or so it seems. 🤷

Second point : there certainly remain other protestant magisteriums, besides the one you mention. The creation of many magisteriums defeats their raison d’etre, to allow the faithful to be guided by a sure trustable voice in learning and following God’s word.

Third point: by what Authority those learned and good guys are to be considered a legitimate christian magisterium ? By what authority (according to themselves ) do they define who is Christian, what are essential doctrines and so on ?
 
I believe Protestants do not hold to the Bible alone, either. At least, they recognized that God gives certain people the gift of teaching, and see the contributions of such men and women as extremely valuable. Some Protestants belong to denominations that even have their own traditions and cannons. So there are all three. But rather than all three supporting the doctrines of the Church, there teaching and the traditions lean on Scripture. Where tradition or teaching disagree with Scripture, the Protestant is to accept what the Bible says, and reject the contrary teaching or tradition. There are many Evangelical Christians, for example, who have left mainline denominations, such as Presbyterian and Methodist and Episcopalian, because the teaching and resulting traditions have strayed too far from the Bible on the essentials of the Christian Faith.

.
Those individual Evangelicals followed, by their private judgments on what the Bible teaches and what are the essentials, the example set by the Reformers.
It is IMHO a revival, against this or that of the protestant magisteriums, of the foundational principle of the private judgment on Scripture. Which potentially could destroy all denominations born out of ….itself.

Shouldn’t we read “supremacy of private judgment” when we see “supremacy of Scripture” ?

Back to Catholicism: it is not that the Magisterium “supports the doctrines of the Church”. It formulates them. Working on and serving God’s word, as expressed in Sacred Scripture and contained in Sacred Tradition. ( see Dei Verbum)
 
But did the early Christians give the Sacred Scriptures such supremacy over tradition? I think they did. As Pax pointed out, the early Church rejected the tradition of requiring circumcision. And did the early Christians give the Sacred Scriptures such supremacy over teaching? I believe they did, for we i find this historical example:
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

(Acts 17:11)
The Bereans were of better character than other Christians, because they tested what even an Apostle said in the light of Sacred Scripture.
IMHO the decision to reject circumcision was taken by the ruling authority of the Church, as a development founded on Sacred Tradition. You may note the decision was not left to private judgments. A Church Council authoritatively decided, setting a paradigm for following Councils.

My impression on the famous Bereans ( been in Veria a few years ago , you know, nowadays a small town in greek Macedonia) is that are often a little misunderstood. :)🙂 The pericope is not about Christians testing an Apostle in the light of the (Christian) Bible. We’re speaking about jews ( so as the Thessalonians about whom is said) who, in order to decide whether accepting Paul and his message ( ie Jesus’ message) examined the Tanach.
And they came to the conclusion that the new oral teaching ( which they came to consider as consistent with the teachings of the Tanach, but which was not part of them ) would determine their future beliefs. So to speak, the examination of the Tanach told them not to go Sola Tanach. :). Had they concluded that everything was in the Tanach, they would not have accepted the new message.

I always agree about keeping ( or trying to keep 🙂 ) the dialog on what each considers essential.

Bless you
P7

PS About my present difficult connections, I just know that any time errors appear (680 or 718 or whatever) :(. Next week anyway I’ll be back home to my usual connection…

… …
 
I think there seems to be an error in your process here…(at least i see it a little bit differently).

God doesn’t forsake us! It is those who forsake him…but of course, there are consequences to that, but he is there always loving and prodding…and working. But he doesn’t mess with “free will” and the consequence to those who forsake him and don’t follow him is hell.

That isn’t GOD’s doing, in forsaking them. THEY forsook Him.

Does that make sense?

😉

Maybe look up the word authority in the Bible and do a bit of a study on the discussion of the Authority of the church. It might help to clear some of the cobwebs…

God guide you and grant you His peace.
 
Soc in Christ,

Your concerns about Jesus speaking ambiguously and thus deceiving people is IMHO a bit off the mark. I do not believe that Jesus was ambiguous. The problem is that none of us were there to hear his teaching directly for the three years of his public life. His words were clear to his disciples and they were taught by him and the the Holy Spirit through and after Pentecost. The apostolic tradition passes on to us the true meaning of Jesus rather clear words.

Sometimes Jesus words get twisted just as do Paul’s words and some of the other scriptures to the destruction of those that twist them. At one point Paul says this to Timothy:

1 Tim 1:3-7
As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations rather than the divine training that is in faith; whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. Certain persons by swerving from these have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.
It isn’t that the words are ambiguous as much as it is that some people will do the things described by Paul and Peter in twisting the scriptures. It isn’t Jesus…it’s sinfulness and weakness of men. No matter how things were worded, there would be those that would be twisting the words and leading others astray. This is easily seen in your own experience where you find Trinitarian doctrine unmistakeable in scripture where others do not.

God bless.
 
Priests are not people, too?

🤷
Priests are certainly people. But they are people who choose a different path.
So the man is not forbidden to marry, he just needs to make a choice. He is aware of the requirements when he makes that choice.

Peace
James
 
Are you saying that being married makes someone less moral?

🤷
No, I am saying that if a person is willing to give up everything for the glory of God, you know he is very serious about it. This is not to say that a married man can’t be serous about God as well (I am married), But think about your initial premise: " there would be more priest if they could be married." That means what you want to add is people who put marriage above serving God as a priest… Those people just don’t have the moral authority (myself included) that the celibate priest has. He has given up EVERYTHING to serve his flock. That deserves tremendous respect.
 
Socrates4Jesus,

**You wrote: ** * I’d like to be rescued, but the only way [that] I can see to get off this God-forsaken place is to decide, once and for all, whether the Catholic Church is an authority [that] I can trust to get me home safely. That’s my goal. The method I’d like to take is to avoid heated debate, have a little fun, and take my time to really think through what each of you have to say. So, please convince me: Tell me why I should trust the authority of the Catholic Church. *​

I have felt this dilemma, too, for a long time. The only churches that have any really demonstrable authority are the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Holy Roman Church (Catholic). It seems like torture to come to full, unconditional, 100% agreement with all that the Catholic Church teaches, especially where it differs from the Orthodox Church. I say, “make the leap”: you know that the Catholic Church has just claims. Don’t deny outright what seems dubious in small points of doctrine; just “put it on the back burner” for the Holy Spirit to work on this in your mind and soul.

It defies reason and common sense to stick with Protestant or Anglican denominations that clearly are not “the real thing” as churches, nor do they demonstrate any long term stability. So – ditch 'em and “swim the Tiber” (or the Bosphorus, if that is an option) – and leave the miniscule "odds-‘n’-ends to work out later. Nobody in the Catholic Church is going to burn at the stake for having quiet doubts about Purgatory, Limbo, indulgences, and that sort of thing, which, anyway, are rather minor points. I am not sure, but I think that the old style Recantation – an horridly sombre and frightening thing to undergo and one that used to touch on all sort of doctrinal trivia – is any longer required to convert.

Pax, Jerry Parker
 
Dear Soc,

nice to see Augustine quoted !

I guess one should go out for a pizza together after any charitable debate with anybody. 🙂
Loved his *Confessions! * And eating pizza was a metaphor.
Different possible attitudes towards a movement within the Church are IMHO an understandable and very human fact, rather than a threat to ecclesial unity. ( Unless an existing official roman stance is manifestly disregarded.)

I’m trying to briefly outline what IMHO are the main differences in the cases you refer.

Nice that several denominations and non-denominations can build an umbrella organization ( a super-denomination, you could maybe say), with experts who can teach who is out and who’s in and why…
They’d not call it a super-denomination, but a super (or universal) Church. Some call it the true catholic Church, making a point that catholic is spelled with a small c. Catholics, they’d say, are of a different Church, and a different religion. They have a different gospel, and Paul strongly advises us:As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

(Galatians 1:9)
This sounds like a …magisterium, doesn’t it ? IMHO any religious body needs one, of some sort. The funny thing is that these denominations were built by extolling private judgment against …the magisteriums of their mother communities. Denominations are born on the principle of private judgment, rejectinjg magisterium, then are governed by magisteriums. Or so it seems. 🤷
If by Magisterium you mean teachers of the Bible, i’d say yes. They would not call it private judgment, as though a conflicting judgment made by someone would be just as valid. They’d call it a correct judgment, based on a correct understanding of the biblical text.
Second point : there certainly remain other protestant magisteriums, besides the one you mention. The creation of many magisteriums defeats their raison d’etre, to allow the faithful to be guided by a sure trustable voice in learning and following God’s word.
I guess the point you appear to be implying is that a person, apart from the Magisterium, is incapable of making a correct judgment as to the truth that Sacred Scripture teaches. Is this your second point?
Third point: by what Authority those learned and good guys are to be considered a legitimate christian magisterium ? By what authority (according to themselves ) do they define who is Christian, what are essential doctrines and so on ?
They’d say by the authority of Christ, as His will is revealed in the biblical text. They’d quote such passages as this:In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

(Hebrews 1:1-2)
 
Those individual Evangelicals followed, by their private judgments on what the Bible teaches and what are the essentials, the example set by the Reformers.
It is IMHO a revival, against this or that of the protestant magisteriums, of the foundational principle of the private judgment on Scripture. Which potentially could destroy all denominations born out of ….itself.

Shouldn’t we read “supremacy of private judgment” when we see “supremacy of Scripture” ?

Back to Catholicism: it is not that the Magisterium “supports the doctrines of the Church”. It formulates them. Working on and serving God’s word, as expressed in Sacred Scripture and contained in Sacred Tradition. ( see Dei Verbum)
P7:

I do appreciate your effort to help me, but you are really just confusing me. You keep using the words, “private judgment,” implying that such a judgment is necessarily wrong, or prone to error. But rather than helping me understand, you’re making me scratch my head. (Your words “invisible church” had the same baffling effect; not that i was baffled by the effect, but that the effect was to leave me baffled!) Socrates said:How can a man understand the name of anything, when he does not know what the thing is?

(Theaetetus, 147)
And in this case i agree. How can i understand the words private judgment when i have no idea what you mean by them? Please define exactly what a private judgment is, and briefly explain what makes it less desirable than a public judgment (which, i assume, is its opposite).
 
IMHO the decision to reject circumcision was taken by the ruling authority of the Church, as a development founded on Sacred Tradition. You may note the decision was not left to private judgments. A Church Council authoritatively decided, setting a paradigm for following Councils. …
Seems i cannot make a private–, err, sorry! PUBLIC judgment about your statement until i hear your definition of the term.

😃
 
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