What do Evangelicals say about Fatima?

[jmcrae]

Not always. Scripture says we must test the spirits to see if they are of God.

This is why it often takes decades before a Marian Apparition is approved by the Church for devotional belief.

 

[mo3]

What would we say? That, with all due respect, this is a bit weird.

This miracle has been so well documented. There were thousands of people who were not in the field with the 70,000 but were up to 12 miles away. They confirmed what the 70,000 saw which would rule out mass hallucinations.

Disbelief in this miracle reminds me of today’s situation. 30% of Americans now believe that the US government had something to do with the attack on Sept 11. If this disbelief developed in only 5 years, I guess people will lose belief 89 years after Fatima.

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

… I guess people will lose belief 89 years after Fatima.

I really disagree to that, because as time goes on, the miracle of Fatima becomes more interesting. There are two things that interest me deeply…

1. A prediction by Our Lady of Fatima was given to the children that a bishop dressed in white (believed to be the Pope) would be killed by bullets. Did you know that the attempted assasination on Pope John Paul II occurred on the anniversary of the first apparition (May 13th, 1981). A rather strange co-incidence, don’t you think? This is why JPII was so adamant that Our Lady saved him from being killed that day.
2. There is an interesting commentary on Our Lady of Fatima from Bishop Fulton Sheen in 1952. Sheen noted that Muslims have an attraction to Mary because Muhammed (Islam’s lone prophet) believed Mary to be the highest woman in heaven. And Sheen noted Muhammed had a great affection to his favourite daughter whom he regarded as the second highest woman in heaven. And the name of his favourite daughter; Fatima. In this age of Islamic terrorism, I strongly believe that Our Lady of Fatima is our hope for Muslims.

 

[rr1213]

I really disagree to that, because as time goes on, the miracle of Fatima becomes more interesting. There are two things that interest me deeply…

1. A prediction by Our Lady of Fatima was given to the children that a bishop dressed in white (believed to be the Pope) would be killed by bullets. Did you know that the attempted assasination on Pope John Paul II occurred on the anniversary of the first apparition (May 13th, 1981). A rather strange co-incidence, don’t you think? This is why JPII was so adamant that Our Lady saved him from being killed that day.

But John Paul II was not killed, thereby suggesting that the prophesy is untrue or that it did not apply to him.

 

[JoeyWarren]

When I’ve talked to fundamentalists about Marian apparitions, they dismiss them as Satanic counterfeits

Ditto!

 

[JoeyWarren]

Mass illusion

I just love that excuse. Can we say “DENIAL”?

 

[JoeyWarren]

The problem with Protestants is that they are guilty of idolatry. They believe the bible completely contains God, and that God is completely revealed in the bible. The bible is their idol.

For Protestants, a book (albeit the bible) has replaced the living Holy Spirit, Saints and Angels. There is no room to teach Protestants anything new, even via a spectacular miracle.

You can not be a Protestant and believe in Our Lady of Fatima. Even if Jesus came down to earth and asked us to pray the rosary for prayer and repentance, He would be dismissed by Protestants as the Devil in disguise. They would demand that they stick their finger through His wounds… and even then I’m not sure if they’ll believe.

For some reason I don’t doubt this at all.

 

[rr1213]

For some reason I don’t doubt this at all.

Well then I feel sorry for you.

 

[JoeyWarren]

Well then I feel sorry for you.

why?

 

[rr1213]

The problem with Protestants is that they are guilty of idolatry. They believe the bible completely contains God, and that God is completely revealed in the bible. The bible is their idol.

For Protestants, a book (albeit the bible) has replaced the living Holy Spirit, Saints and Angels. There is no room to teach Protestants anything new, even via a spectacular miracle.

You can not be a Protestant and believe in Our Lady of Fatima. Even if Jesus came down to earth and asked us to pray the rosary for prayer and repentance, He would be dismissed by Protestants as the Devil in disguise. They would demand that they stick their finger through His wounds… and even then I’m not sure if they’ll believe.

Because you are acting under the illusion that the above is true when it is not.

 

[JoeyWarren]

Because you are acting under the illusion that the above is true when it is not.

It is true for the Pentecostals and Congregationals I grew up with and in. They would not believe even if they did put their finger into the wound. If it has a Catholic notion attached to it, it must be satanic. I don’t know how protestants are from where you are from, but here in the Alabama…

 

[JoeyWarren]

As for Bible Idolatry, my boss here at work is a Bible Idolater and he does not even realize it. He takes his Bible everywhere. This adoration toward an inaminate object of paper and ink is disturbing.

 

[JoeyWarren]

Because you are acting under the illusion that the above is true when it is not.

It is true for many but not all. Let’s make the distinction.

 

[rr1213]

It is true for many but not all. Let’s make the distinction.

If you are talking about accepting Fatima, I’d suggest that most Protestants would not. If you are talking about “Bible idolatry” and the Bible “replacing” the Holy Spirit, Saints and Angels, then I’d say this is not true for most Protestants. Protestants see God’s Word as being revealed primarily through the Bible, yes, but this is not to the exclusion of the Holy Spirit. Simply put, if the Holy Spirit is not within you then you are not a Christian. (And, no, I am not speaking necessarily in a Pentacostal or Charismatic sense here).

 

[JoeyWarren]

If you are talking about accepting Fatima, I’d suggest that most Protestants would not. If you are talking about “Bible idolatry” and the Bible “replacing” the Holy Spirit, Saints and Angels, then I’d say this is not true for most Protestants. Protestants see God’s Word as being revealed primarily through the Bible, yes, but this is not to the exclusion of the Holy Spirit. Simply put, if the Holy Spirit is not within you then you are not a Christian. (And, no, I am not speaking necessarily in a Pentacostal or Charismatic sense here).

okay.

 

[sadie2723]

The 89th anniversary of the Miracle at Fatima is tomorrow, October 13. Over 70,000 people, including Masons, communists and atheist, witnessed the sun dance in the sky, throw off multi-colors and descend to the earth. They looked directly at the sun for approx. 10 minutes and nobody was blinded! Many newspapers around the world reported it including the New York Times.

I have never asked non-Catholics but what do Evangelicals and Protestants say about this miracle? How can they deny this truth and the message delivered by the Blessed Virgin Mary?

I don’t mean to sound cynical or rude, but who cares what the Fundamentalists think? Most of the fundamentalists are about as grounded in scripture as a street pigeon. And, for that matter, lets remember that most of the fundamentalists sects have been taught from the pulpit to hate Catholics and convert them from that 2000 year old cult that Jesus Christ himself started….oh wait…they don’t believe that part.

The point is, the fundamentalists are not fundamental at all. They call themselves Bible Christians, but they only pay attention to the parts of the Bible that support their belief systems. The other parts, they interpret the way they want without conscience.

So, they deny Fatima…I am shocked. Well not really. I once heard a fundamentalist preacher call Mary a whore…that is how much he hated Catholics.

 

[JoeyWarren]

I

once heard a fundamentalist preacher call Mary a whore

I am not much into Marian devotion, but I would have to punch the guy and tell him “You better show a little more respect to the one that Jesus suckled upon as a babe”.

 

[deb1]

Occasionally I like to read Protestant fictional authors such as Frank Peretti.

When my friend informed me that she had a Frank Peretti film, I was excited. Sure a lot of what he writes of is more in line of Protestant thinking then Catholicism but I didn’t see him as being antiCatholic.

Wrong?

In the film the corpus on a crucifix is sin weeping and people in a Catholic church are healed from their afflictions.

This is not the work of God but of a demon possessed young man who is trying to convince people that he deserves worship.

So, I can see that some Protestants would explain away Catholic miracles as an act of demonic activity.

 

[Contarini]

Occasionally I like to read Protestant fictional authors such as Frank Peretti.

When my friend informed me that she had a Frank Peretti film, I was excited. Sure a lot of what he writes of is more in line of Protestant thinking then Catholicism but I didn’t see him as being antiCatholic.

Wrong?

In the film the corpus on a crucifix is sin weeping and people in a Catholic church are healed from their afflictions.

This is not the work of God but of a demon possessed young man who is trying to convince people that he deserves worship.

So, I can see that some Protestants would explain away Catholic miracles as an act of demonic activity.

I haven’t seen the film, but I think I’ve read the book in question. And in all fairness, the whole book mostly blasts Peretti’s own Pentecostal tradition. This young man in question is the product of an abusive family (his dad was a backwoods Pentecostal minister who basically tortured him in the name of God) and later a heartless megachurch that was all about money and power. The book is a scathing exposure of the worst side of Pentecostalism. If he takes some swipes at Catholicism in the process (I don’t remember this scene in the book, but it may well have been there), I think he should be excused.

Edwin

 

[Contarini]

The 89th anniversary of the Miracle at Fatima is tomorrow, October 13. Over 70,000 people, including Masons, communists and atheist, witnessed the sun dance in the sky, throw off multi-colors and descend to the earth. They looked directly at the sun for approx. 10 minutes and nobody was blinded! Many newspapers around the world reported it including the New York Times.

I have never asked non-Catholics but what do Evangelicals and Protestants say about this miracle? How can they deny this truth and the message delivered by the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Miracles don’t prove anything.

I don’t believe for a minute that Fatima was demonic. But that’s because on other grounds I trust the essential orthodoxy of Catholicism, and because the fruit produced by Fatima is orthodox and Christ-centered (the prayer “O my Jesus,” for instance–Satan isn’t going to teach people to pray that way). It has nothing to do with the sun dancing.

Edwin