With Same-Sex Decision, Evangelical Churches Address New Reality

[WonderAndAwe]

Our church itself is divided on the issue, just look at the latest tweets by Catholic superstars like prominent author Fr. James Martin, SJ or Jason Welle, SJ who is the editor for the Jesuit Post. Both of these influential priests have been posting things such as “Love Wins” or sharing rainbows and have refused to clarify that they consider marriage between a man and a woman when asked. I find this a sign that even the RCC is in a state of division on the issue…

So how long until those two are defrocked and excommunicated for such blasphemous heresy?

Any Catholic priest in support of gay marriage needs to be defrocked and excommunicated in order to prevent more Catholics from being misled.

Heck, do that to politicians and celebrities as well, excommunicate them if they go against Catholic teaching while calling themselves Catholic.

 

[MaryT777]

My point is that their preaching and teaching must not be very effective if they can’t convince over 75% of young Catholics.

The work of Satan to brainwash our youth via the media is real. The truth will stand albeit what percentage of our youth believe as such.

The difference with the Catholic Church/ the truth is that it doesn’t bend to public opinion.

Mary.

 

[MaryT777]

It won’t be long before it hits Catholicism. With someone as liberal as Pope Francis, the sky is the limit.

The truth will stand forever in Catholicism. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Mary.

 

[Jeannie52]

Absolutely. Well said, MaryT777:thumbsup:

 

[St_Francis]

My point is that their preaching and teaching must not be very effective if they can’t convince over 75% of young Catholics.

How many people did Christ preach to? How many walked away? Even among His chosen disciples He had problems!

The word of God is hard to follow…

 

[rcwitness]

I tried to explain that they were probably Cafeteria Catholics who felt that way, but it makes my job harder to argue in favor of Catholicism when I have to try to defend why Catholics aren’t following Catholic teaching.

Hey bro,

Join the club… it’s what we are called to do. And no, it doesn’t get easier. But there are always rewards when we suffer for His sake.

We don’t believe what we believe to convert people, but hope, pray and do what we feel will convert people because we believe.

But I seem to remember a story of a Prophet who preached for 40 yrs in the desert and converted no one.

 

[johnnyc176]

So protestants are protesting…what a surprise.

 

[johnnyc176]

The truth will stand forever in Catholicism. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Mary.

 

[johnnyc176]

My wife and I are conservative evangelical protestants. Our feelings on this subject can be summed up by Franklin Graham in the following piece:

nation.foxnews.com/2015/06/26/exclusive-franklin-graham-warns-gay-marriage-ruling-will-lead-christian-persecution

I am seriously considering RCIA in the fall although my wife is somewhat anti-Catholic. That sad part is that she indicated she temporarily blocked some of her friends from Facebook who were openly celebrating the Supreme Court SSM ruling and the rainbow over the White House pictures, and she went on to inform me that a high number of them were Catholic friends. In fact, there were more of them than her protestant evangelical friends, and she has more evangelical friends than Catholic ones.

I tried to explain that they were probably Cafeteria Catholics who felt that way, but it makes my job harder to argue in favor of Catholicism when I have to try to defend why Catholics aren’t following Catholic teaching.

Protestantism comes in many forms. You need to look at what the Church that Jesus founded teaches not what certain individuals say. Heck our first Pope denied Christ three times!

 

[jmcrae]

Our church itself is divided on the issue, just look at the latest tweets by Catholic superstars like prominent author Fr. James Martin, SJ or Jason Welle, SJ who is the editor for the Jesuit Post. Both of these influential priests have been posting things such as “Love Wins” or sharing rainbows and have refused to clarify that they consider marriage between a man and a woman when asked. I find this a sign that even the RCC is in a state of division on the issue…

Canon Law still defines marriage in the traditional way.

 

[Ion]

Surveys can be easily manipulated, never trust them unless all the conditions and questions can be verified.
And that jesuitpost website something is wrong, is to much pro gay. Also the negative votes are not permitted and probably the negative comments are deleted. Can be that somebody uses illegally those names?
Is it possible for the evangelicals to start a seccesion and make their separate Christian USA? Iv heard that was a state who tried separation from the federation a short while ago.

 

[benjohnson]

Is it possible for the evangelicals to start a seccesion and make their separate Christian USA?

I’d want to live in the non-christian USA. More opportunity to evangelize.

 

[Ion]

I’d want to live in the non-christian USA. More opportunity to evangelize.

If you will be publicly forced to do something against your faith ? Who will believe you?

 

[Topper17]

Hi Eliz,

They try to live out their understanding of Biblical teachings, but this endeavor is doomed to fail, from the start, because they lack central authority, a Magisterium, Apostolic Succession, and the Deposit of Faith.

The only thing Evangelicals have to look forward to is a deep, wide, and excruciating schism.

From a practical standpoint, no Sola Scriptura church has the real authority necessary to produce a teaching on something like this and actually ‘make it stick’ with the laity. They may say that they do but in reality, their authority is extremely limited. In fact, it is limited to how much the people are willing to buy into it. After all, if enough of them support another position, they can always schism off and form their own denomination.

Christian marriage has been suffering a continual decline since the Reformation, right alongside the decline in the importance of Christian doctrine and the Church.

God Bless You Eliz, Topper

 

[Tommy999]

Canon Law still defines marriage in the traditional way.

That is what I find most appealing about Catholicism and I admire it. The Catholic Church doesn’t adjust or mold its teachings to cater to contemporary public opinion. In many ways, it is a lighthouse on a dark and stormy sea – pointing the way home and out of danger.

However, many Catholic parishioners apparently* do * follow public opinion and I find that troubling. I also find it hard to reconcile that a majority of US Catholics (or those who identified as Catholics in exit polls) voted for the current president twice – a president who unashamedly espouses the most anti-Catholic positions on abortion and same sex marriage of any president in the history of the United States – the same president who allowed the gay rainbow to be openly displayed on the White House as an “in your face” display of hubris, in my opinion.

Why is there apparently such a big disconnect between Catholic teaching and the personal and voting behavior of Catholics in the USA and in countries like Ireland? I just can’t seem to figure that out and it makes me have second thoughts about pursuing Catholicism if it indeed makes no practical difference in the daily lives of Catholics, although I still plan to continue with my journey because I long to live a sacramental life that is even closer to God than the life of faith I live now – in the Catholic Church that I believe was the one that Christ founded and whom he still loves dearly.

.

 

[Tommy999]

Hi Eliz,

From a practical standpoint, no Sola Scriptura church has the real authority necessary to produce a teaching on something like this and actually ‘make it stick’ with the laity. They may say that they do but in reality, their authority is extremely limited. In fact, it is limited to how much the people are willing to buy into it. After all, if enough of them support another position, they can always schism off and form their own denomination.

/QUOTE]

While your points have validity, in the last US election over 51% of people who identified their religion as Catholic voted for the current president who holds strong anti-Catholic positions on many issues while between 70-75% of evangelical protestants voted for his opponent, according to a Pew survey.

Which group voted their faith principles in larger numbers?

While there are many reasons to be a Catholic, the criticism of Protestant evangelicals who don’t follow the teachings of their faith shouldn’t be one of them, in my opinion.

 

[josh987654321]

That is what I find most appealing about Catholicism and I admire it. The Catholic Church doesn’t adjust or mold its teachings to cater to contemporary public opinion. In many ways, it is a lighthouse on a dark and stormy sea – pointing the way home and out of danger.

However, many Catholic parishioners apparently* do * follow public opinion and I find that troubling. I also find it hard to reconcile that a majority of US Catholics (or those who identified as Catholics in exit polls) voted for the current president twice – a president who unashamedly espouses the most anti-Catholic positions on abortion and same sex marriage of any president in the history of the United States – the same president who allowed the gay rainbow to be openly displayed on the White House as an “in your face” display of hubris, in my opinion.

Why is there apparently such a big disconnect between Catholic teaching and the personal and voting behavior of Catholics in the USA and in countries like Ireland? I just can’t seem to figure that out and it makes me have second thoughts about pursuing Catholicism if it indeed makes no practical difference in the daily lives of Catholics, although I still plan to continue with my journey because I long to live a sacramental life that is even closer to God than the life of faith I live now – in the Catholic Church that I believe was the one that Christ founded and whom he still loves dearly.

Hi Tommy999

I agree, although I believe I have recieved a few answers, one answer came when I was in year 10 at a Catholic High School and the teacher mentioned that the Eucharist was the real body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ; Catholic students reacted as if it were folly.

I also had my answer, when on Sundays, the Churches are scarcely filled, but when the School went to Mass once or twice a year, there isn’t enough room to fit just the school kids in.

Sacred Heart of Jesus - St Margaret-Mary Alacoque

http://s15.postimg.org/uc0cy5a0r/st_margaretmary2.jpg

Jesus to St Margaret-Mary Alacoque

** “Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love. But what I feel most keenly is that it is hearts which are consecrated to Me, that treat Me thus. Therefore, I ask of you that the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi be set apart for a special Feast to honor My Heart, by communicating on that day, and making reparation to It by a solemn act, in order to make amends for the indignities which It has received during the time It has been exposed on the altars. I promise you that My Heart shall expand Itself to shed in abundance the influence of Its Divine Love upon those who shall thus honor It, and cause It to be honored.”**

Eucharistic Miracle of Poland, Sokólka, October 12, 2008

Sokólka, October 12, 2008 (Part 1) – (PDF: 1.41M)
Sokólka, October 12, 2008 (Part 2) – (PDF: 1.31M)
Sokólka, October 12, 2008 (Part 3) – (PDF: 1.41M)

Eucharistic Miracles of Argentina, Buenos Aires, 1992 - 1994 - 1996

Buenos Aires, 1992 - 1994 - 1996 (part 1) - (PDF: 1.46M)
Buenos Aires, 1992 - 1994 - 1996 (part 2) - (PDF: 1.42M)
Buenos Aires, 1992 - 1994 - 1996 (part 3) - (PDF: 1.25M)

Eucharistic Miracle of Italy, Lanciano, 750 A.D.

Lanciano, 750 A.D. (part 1) – (PDF: 186k)
Lanciano, 750 A.D. (part 2) – (PDF: 194k)

I hope this has helped

God Bless You

Thank you for reading
Josh

 

[Thorolfr]

While your points have validity, in the last US election over 51% of people who identified their religion as Catholic voted for the current president who holds strong anti-Catholic positions on many issues while between 70-75% of evangelical protestants voted for his opponent, according to a Pew survey.

As this article points out, "Even in an era when most Americans, including a majority of Catholics and white mainline Protestants, support same-sex marriage, among white evangelicals just 27 percent are in favor while 70 percent are opposed, according to the Pew Research Center.

According to a Pew Research Center survey from last year:

Similarly, despite the church’s continued opposition to same-sex marriage, most U.S. Catholics (57%) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to legally wed, according to aggregated 2014 Pew Research surveys. And again, younger Catholics are particularly likely to express this view. Three-quarters of Catholic adults under 30 support legal same-sex marriage, compared with 53% of Catholics ages 30 and older (including just 38% of those 65 and older).

pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/10/16/young-u-s-catholics-overwhelmingly-accepting-of-homosexuality/

 

[dronald]

Yep. This thread is weird.

Statistically American Catholics are more likely than Evangelicals to support gay marriage. I believe it was Evangelicals actually who were the least likely under Christianity to support it.

Catholics love to take a shot at how ‘unorganized’ we are, and yet somehow the CC can’t get its members to accept its teachings? At least not as well as us apparently, as it relates to gay marriage.

My point is that their preaching and teaching must not be very effective if they can’t convince over 75% of young Catholics.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

[dronald]

That is what I find most appealing about Catholicism and I admire it. The Catholic Church doesn’t adjust or mold its teachings to cater to contemporary public opinion. In many ways, it is a lighthouse on a dark and stormy sea – pointing the way home and out of danger.

No, this is incorrect.

The Catholic Church has for years held much power and was very authoritative and ‘mean’ for a lack of a better word. However, now that the world has changed, it’s become very nice and pleasant to those who disagree with it.

Read the fourth Lateran council and tell me if that sort of language could ever be used in Italy again? How about read what was said about Muslims and Islam? How about the Lutherans or the Heretics?

The day the newest Popes write another 4th Lateran council document in the kind of language that was used is the day that Catholicism would die out.