Regardless of how Martin Luther came to be influenced we can say that we have all moved on. I think it is destructive and divisive to keep pointing it out as if somehow that taints all Lutherans or Prots in general for all eternity. It tends to get tiring, I feel similiarly about the press that keeps arguing the case that the CC is should be dismantled and the Pope charged with harboring criminals because of the sex abuse cases scandals within our Church. Certainly the CC has moved on. We know our Church has installed measures to combat this however that tends to be overlooked by our most vocal critics.
Our Protestant brothers and sisters are moving closer to us, we are engaging with each on an official level both higher up among the senior clergy and on the parish level. This is a good thing and I don’t think pointing out that ‘their founder or faith is influenced by Satan’ is going to win anyone who is contemplating the CC to come over. We can debate our differences in more constructive and social language.
Believe it or not there are some Protestants that are going to Heaven and there are Catholics who are not going to Heaven.
The Eastern Orthodox folks broke off earlier than Luther. Do you speak/feel the same about them?
Whilst I admire your passion for our faith oftentimes telling it the way it is loud and clear is not the only way to get results. I find as St Francis did that it is more productive to preach the Gospel constantly **and **speak only when necessary.
Saving Grace,
I ask you who or what influenced Martin Luther, to start his Church was it Jesus Christ or Satan? And Re: your quote above “Regardless of how Martin Luther came to be influenced we can say that we have all moved on.” is not an answer, it is shying away from the truth, the people need to know the truth.
How can you say we all moved on, that is farthest from the truth, I tell you why, because there is a “Martin Luther” every where starting a new Church that was not founded on Christ, today, and since Thee Martin Luther, there has been thousands of protestant Churches. So no we have not all moved on, like you stated and these need to know the truth.
Tell me where did I state that protestants are not going to Heaven? I never said that Protestants are not going to Heaven. Here, you are judging stating thats some Catholic are not going to Heaven, this is “destructive and decisive” and judgmental on your part “Believe it or not”! who are you to judge anyone.
Regarding Eastern Orthodox they too should of never left! They have no Pope to guide them. Now does that answer your question re: Eastern Orthodox?
I find as John The Baptist did is more productive Mathew 3: 7-10 7And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance. 9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.
Have you not read that John the Baptist told the people “loud and clear” and many people where baptized and saved using this approach Mathew 4: 4-6 4And the same John had his garment of camels’ hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan: 6And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
And as you know St. John the Baptist is in the Gospel that St. Francis preached constantly. Amen
The Catholic Church needs priests like St. John the Baptist specially in the time we now live in, who tell the Truth, Loud and clear, don’t you think.
Saving Grace do you feel St. John the Baptist was out of line? Should of St. John the Baptist preached the way St. Francis, did? Before you ask me the question do I feel that St. Francis was wrong the way he preached? I say No St. Francis was not wrong.
We are our Brothers keeper, therefore we must tell them the Truth, “loud and clear” about how their Protestant religion came to be, that it was not of God, and if not by God, therefore by whom? ___________ The Blank is not for Martin Luther, Martin Luther was only a puppet.
St. John the Baptist is the greatest man ever to be born, says our Lord Jesus Christ
Ufam Tobie
Perhaps the Holy Spirit is directing people to Jesus, and through human fraility, they are getting the message but not its fullness. Protestantism is not Satanic. Genuinely wanting to follow Christ, however imperfectly (and no one is perfect), is not Satanic.
if people can only be saved by belonging to the Catholic Church, then how do we reconcile that idea with the following? I of course totally agree with you about the power of the Sacraments:
You think pointing it out continually is spiritually edifying for you Ufam Tobie? I don’t think so, I think it’s ugly.