Split: Mother Theresa Didn't Preach the Gospel

[Redbandito]

Of course it does. I agree completely. Salvation is through Christ, & Christ alone.
But I know that…My best friend & I graduated from high school together, back in the '60s. And we have spoken more than once about the fact that our generation has had a less than exemplary effect on our whole culture.
So, there has been about 40 years or so, of trying to be politically correct, at the expense of truth, of right morals, of–you name it.
Now, I really, really, don’t think that Christianity just up & went away in those 40 years. But I do think that we have to admit that we, as individuals, have at times caused scandal, because we were busy following the times. And, yes, this is sin.
But then, when* wasn’t* sin a problem??
I am in no way attacking anybody. (Except for the people who put up hate sites. I will cheerfully admit that they rub me the wrong way. And, I know that it sometimes shows…

Zooey, I hope you know that I was not addressing you, but ChrisB with that post. I hope you didn’t feel attacked. You have been a really solid contributor on this thread. God bless!

 

[Carrie_Andrews]

You finish what you started and reap what you’ve sown, mate

Yes, you might start by responding to the fact that these are not Mother Theresas words, but yet another attack on her.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

It’s obvious that there’s no point in any further response by me in this thread. Have a good evening.

Yea there usually is no point when you can’t back your assertions up with anything that resembles facts. Everyone has continuely asked you to show some credible sources to what you claim, you couldn’t do that. Not getting the result you wanted from this thread isnt on us, its on you.

God Bless

 

[Abiien]

“Critics of Mother Teresa have argued that her organization provided substandard care, and were primarily interested in converting the dying to Catholicism. At the same time, Teresa received large sums in donations, the amount or destination of which has not been revealed. These donations are alleged to have been transferred to Catholic missionary programs elsewhere, rather than being spent on improving the standard of healthcare. Furthermore, Teresa’s relationships with some donors and political figures has been a source of controversy. The Catholic Church has dismissed most of these criticisms.”

"Mother Teresa has garnered criticism for her encouragement of sacramental baptisms being performed on the dying (a majority of which were Hindus and Muslims), thus converting them to the Catholic faith. These were done without regard to the individuals’ religion. In a speech at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego, California in January, 1992, she said, "Something very beautiful… not one has died without receiving the special ticket for St. Peter, as we call it. We call baptism ‘a ticket for St. Peter.’ We ask the person, do you want a blessing by which your sins will be forgiven and you receive God? They have never refused. So 29,000 have died in that one house [in Kalighat] from the time we began in 1952.’ "

-Wikipedia - “Mother Teresa”

From these, (which the actual places they took it frmo are on the wikipedia site) i can conclude she did not only preach the gospel, both outloud and to her self, but she helped other to preach the gospel!

“Mother Teresa’s work inspired other Catholics to affiliate themselves with her order. The Missionaries of Charity Brothers was founded in 1963, and a contemplative branch of the Sisters followed in 1976. Lay Catholics and non-Catholics were enrolled in the Co-Workers of Mother Teresa, the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, and the Lay Missionaries of Charity. In answer to the requests of many priests, in 1981 Mother Teresa also began the Corpus Christi Movement for Priests. Today over one million workers worldwide volunteer for the Missionaries of Charity.”
Wikipedia - “Mother Teresa”

 

[exoflare]

It’s obvious that there’s no point in any further response by me in this thread. Have a good evening.

Way to sugarcoat your giving up…

Face it, you were caught using spurious material as the sole basis for your claims and you were caught. Next time, be more careful to put some thought into your accusations before you rush out and broadcast them to the world.

 

[NotWorthy]

If you want to see if Mother Teresa preached the Gospel, get a transcript of any of her speeches, read her books, or watch some of her interviews. That way you can go right to the, er, horse’s mouth, and judge for yourself if she preached the Gospel or not.

She pretty much spoke from the heart and didn’t spend too much time disseminating or straddling the fence.

 

[NotWorthy]

Also, go to any convent of the "Sisters of Charity, watch these ladies throughout the day (keep up with them if you can…) and you’ll see exactly what Mother Teresa thought of the Gospel and its message in her life.

 

[LilyM]

Also, go to any convent of the "Sisters of Charity, watch these ladies throughout the day (keep up with them if you can…) and you’ll see exactly what Mother Teresa thought of the Gospel and its message in her life.

- as I said in a previous post I have a community of them in my neighbourhood. Never been to their convent, never had occasion to, but I see them around. Awesome (and awe-inspiring) women.

 

[rayne89]

Feel free not to respond then.

This isn’t the gospel revealed in Scripture.

rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/teresa/general.htm

Make all the excuses you want to, she was wrong.

This is a book that was recommended from the website you provided with this Mother Theresa story.
Roman Catholicism by Loraine Boettner
Some comments from those who reviewed on amazon?

I read this book almost 20 years ago.It’s full of lies an frauds against RCC (Roman Catholic Church).This book is also a little outdated.This book book is so faker, that it claims that in 1229, during the Valencia’s Concil, the Roman Catholic Church put out of law the bible’s reading.In fact, there was never a Valencia’s Concil, in 1229.In fact, it couldn’t even ever existed, because in 1229, Valencia was under muslin control.

I found Loraine Boettner’s Roman Catholicism in the library of the small Christian
Collage I was attending. What he wrote was inflammatory, unjust, uncalled for (especially against the nuns). Strawmen were thrown up and torn down. The most ridiculous and humiliating things were stated as facts. So little was based on fact that I was appalled.

The book’s infamy stems from its method of argumentation which combines various strategies: not only biblical exegesis, citation of Reformed creeds, quotations from Protestant authorities, and social analysis, but also innuendo, guilt by association, half-truths, and distortions of Roman Catholic teaching.

The fact that the editor of this website would recommend such obvious anti-Catholic and false reading material says to me you need to provide a more credible source of information.
I seached around the web for more information on this these so called quotes about Mother Theresa. The only places I found anything about them were on blatantly biased and viciously anti-Catholic websites all linking back to this one so called interview.
The author of this website also posted (among other bizarre theories) a long article on how Christians should not be celebrating Christmas.

 

[Mijoy2]

Let me see if I understand. There is potentially a very very ill, possibly delarious, person breathing thier last breath and praying to the god(s) they were taught to believe (like we are taught to believe our God) and Mother Theresa (probably) was on her knees praying with all her heart to God for thier soul. Along with this (again possibly) she may have attempted to comfort them with thier (vain) attempts to do what they believed with all thier heart to be right as they lay there painfully dying. Again, as she prayed for them.

She was supposed to, at this time, convert them?
I’ve seen (in pictures and film) the love in Mother Theresa’s eyes for her fellow man. I’ll trust that Mother Theresa, in what ever decision she made, was walkinig with the Lord while she made the decision.

What’s all the hullaballo about?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I always cringe when Catholics hold up Mother Theresa so highly as an example of holiness. If she was so holy, why did she not share the gospel with dying people but instead told them to pray to their own gods? Don’t try to convince me that Protestants that go to the world and preach the gospel of Christ as it’s revealed in Scripture pales in comparison to a woman who told dying people to pray to their false gods. And there are plenty of Protestants who died for their faith during the inquisitions. And plenty of missionaries that have lost their lives, I’m sure, to take the gospel to the world. I’m sorry but that’s how I see it.

She followed the example of St. Francis: “Preach the Gospel always and everywhere, and when necessary use words”.

 

[NotWorthy]

I heard a story (I think from one of Fr. Larry Richards CD’s) about Mother Teresa was going to give the graduation address (I can NOT remember the name of those boring speeches) at Harvard one year. One of the people commented how ironic it was that a representative from one of the poorest part of one of the poorest countries in the world was going to give the commencery (that’s what it is!!!) address at one of the richest colleges of one of the richest countries in the world.

Mother Teresa (remember, she was only about 5 feet tall at her best) stood toe to toe with this man and scolded him like a little child. She said something like, “As long as America kills innocent babies and calls it ‘a mother’s right’, I will never consider her rich in any way. I consider Calcutta far richer than any part of America”.

That’s preaching the Gospel!!!

 

[Gertabelle]

My goodness, what an extraordinary thread.

I don’t have time to read every posting, and I apologize for that. But I wanted to relate something you may not find in any book about Mother Teresa, and which you certainly won’t find in any source committed to proving Catholicism wrong and evil and all that.

I had the remarkable honor of sharing dinner with Mother Teresa and two other Missionaries of Charity when I was a novice at a convent in Boulder, CO (1989). Mother Teresa was indeed very short, and very soft spoken. But her words were mighty. She told us of the countless deaths at which she had been present. She told us all that she always asked these dying men and women if they would like to accept Jesus and be baptized before their death. She spoke of sending them to Jesus with a “ticket for St. Peter.” Yes, I know the image of St. Peter standing like a ticket taker at the gates of heaven is not scriptural.

Still, her story pointed to one huge fact. She did ask the dying to accept Jesus, and thousands of them did and were baptized, often moments before their deaths.

We will always find exactly what we are looking for in life. If you are committed to finding proof that Mother Teresa was the anti-Christ, you’ll find it. If you are committed to finding Christ in His distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor, then you’ll find Him. And if you do find Him, will you put your love for Him into a living action, or will you just tell Him He’s going to hell because He’s disguised as an atheist, or a Muslim, or a Jew, or an abortionist?

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone who loves, knows God and loves God, for God is love.

Gertie

 

[rtconstant]

This thread blows my mind. Mother Theresa LIVED the gospel. Look at her daily life and then measure that against a 45 minute sermon on Sunday done just in time to beat the Shonney’s crowd.

 

[bear06]

Again, this whole thread is not based directly on quotes from Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa very often ran into people who were hard of heart. Obviously, she wasn’t going to make much headway with some of them by saying “Convert or you’re going to hell” so she killed them with kindness. Also, I’d find it hard to believe that someone has proof that she didn’t proclaim the Gospel. From those I know who knew her personally, she did preach the gospel but she knew when to plant seeds and when to plow the field. One should notice this in the different audiences with whom she communicated.

I think that this quote more clearly represents her beliefs and methodologies on the matter. This was a question and answer with her.

Friends of yours say you are disappointed that your work has not brought more conversions in this great Hindu nation.

Mother Teresa’s response:

Missionaries don’t think of that. They only want to proclaim the word of God. Numbers have nothing to do with it. But the people are putting prayer into action by coming and serving the people. Everywhere people are helping. There may not be a big conversion like that, but we do not know what is happening in the soul.

What do you think of Hinduism?

I love all religions, but I am in love with my own.

And they should love Jesus too?

Naturally, if they want peace, if they want joy, let them find Jesus. If people become better Hindus, better Muslims, better Buddhists by our acts of love, then there is something else growing there. They come closer and closer to God. When they come closer, they have to choose.

time.com/time/reports/mot…a/t891204.html

BTW, I’m 99.999999% sure that Mother Teresa converted far more to the Faith than those who complain about her or condemn her methodologies. The proof is in the pudding.

 

[Zooey]

Zooey, I hope you know that I was not addressing you, but ChrisB with that post. I hope you didn’t feel attacked. You have been a really solid contributor on this thread. God bless!

Not at all! But I thank you for your words…
This is a hard way to communicate soemtimes…We have no faces, no body language that we can read.
But I do try to be clear, & I didn’t want anyone misunderstanding me.

And again, my little rant was because I was frustrated by the fact that I was trying to make my position clear; in no way whatsoever should anyone think I was upset that one person assumed I was Catholic. I just thought it needed to be said, that good theology is good theology, & bad is bad. Regardless of the side of the Tiber…

 

[Zooey]

My goodness, what an extraordinary thread.

I don’t have time to read every posting, and I apologize for that. But I wanted to relate something you may not find in any book about Mother Teresa, and which you certainly won’t find in any source committed to proving Catholicism wrong and evil and all that.

I had the remarkable honor of sharing dinner with Mother Teresa and two other Missionaries of Charity when I was a novice at a convent in Boulder, CO (1989). Mother Teresa was indeed very short, and very soft spoken. But her words were mighty. She told us of the countless deaths at which she had been present. She told us all that she always asked these dying men and women if they would like to accept Jesus and be baptized before their death. She spoke of sending them to Jesus with a “ticket for St. Peter.” Yes, I know the image of St. Peter standing like a ticket taker at the gates of heaven is not scriptural.

Still, her story pointed to one huge fact. She did ask the dying to accept Jesus, and thousands of them did and were baptized, often moments before their deaths.

We will always find exactly what we are looking for in life. If you are committed to finding proof that Mother Teresa was the anti-Christ, you’ll find it. If you are committed to finding Christ in His distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor, then you’ll find Him. And if you do find Him, will you put your love for Him into a living action, or will you just tell Him He’s going to hell because He’s disguised as an atheist, or a Muslim, or a Jew, or an abortionist?

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone who loves, knows God and loves God, for God is love.

Gertie

What a wonderful experience that must have been for you!
And thank you for a beautiful post!!
God bless you & yours, and God bless all here.

 

[Zooey]

Galatians 1:6-9

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/misc/signholder.gif :bible1:

[sign]
Matthew 25:31-46:bible1: ****
[/sign]

( I do believe that Great-Granpa Frank & Great-great-great-great-Granpa Joseph must of just poked me here!!)

 

[Zooey]

Again, this whole thread is not based directly on quotes from Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa very often ran into people who were hard of heart. Obviously, she wasn’t going to make much headway with some of them by saying “Convert or you’re going to hell” so she killed them with kindness. Also, I’d find it hard to believe that someone has proof that she didn’t proclaim the Gospel. From those I know who knew her personally, she did preach the gospel but she knew when to plant seeds and when to plow the field. One should notice this in the different audiences with whom she communicated.

I think that this quote more clearly represents her beliefs and methodologies on the matter. This was a question and answer with her.

"Friends of yours say you are disappointed that your work has not brought more conversions in this great Hindu nation.

Mother Teresa’s response:

Missionaries don’t think of that. They only want to proclaim the word of God. Numbers have nothing to do with it. But the people are putting prayer into action by coming and serving the people. Everywhere people are helping. There may not be a big conversion like that, but we do not know what is happening in the soul.

What do you think of Hinduism?

I love all religions, but I am in love with my own.

And they should love Jesus too?

Naturally, if they want peace, if they want joy, let them find Jesus. If people become better Hindus, better Muslims, better Buddhists by our acts of love, then there is something else growing there. They come closer and closer to God. When they come closer, they have to choose. "

time.com/time/reports/mot…a/t891204.html

BTW, I’m 99.999999% sure that Mother Teresa converted far more to the Faith than those who complain about her or condemn her methodologies. The proof is in the pudding.

[SIGN]Praise the Lord!![/SIGN]

 

[Carrie_Andrews]

I just had to comment on how beautiful this thread turned!!! I’m thinking especially of Gerties reply and all who have done such a beautiful job of researching and telling of the great goodness of this amazing Saint!!!
Thank you!!!