www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall We must conform our hearts to His

Friends,

Pat Buchanan has it right in this editorial. He's correct not because he is Pat Buchanan. He is correct because he is correct.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43966

An excerpt:

In answer to the question why do cafeteria Catholics, secularists, and liberals fulminate over the election of Pope Benedict XVI?

"Answer: Deep in their hearts, they fear the church is right. They are unsettled because they fear that when the church says it has been given by Christ custody of the truths about how men must live to reach eternal life, it is right. When liberal Catholics say people have been "hurt" by Catholic teachings, what they are saying is that their consciences are hurting.

To modern man, freedom means the inalienable right to live one's life in conformity with one's desires. Many Americans buy into that idea of freedom. In Catholicism, true freedom is the freedom to live one's life in conformity with the Gospels and church teachings, as this is the only certain way to eternal life."

He understands the truth.

Dan L

Is he a Catholic?

Nick

Dear Nick:

Are you asking the difference between Pat Buchanan and John Kerry (or Ted Kennedy)?

Amado

Nick,

I gather you are being sarcastic.

Dan L

Nick,

If I misunderstood I ask your forgiveness. Yes, Buchanan is Roman Catholic.

Dan L

Hmmm... if Patrick is a good Catholic... why does he leave out everything between The Acts of the Apostles and... Clement!!!?

Is Faith a set of doctrines to which one subscribes through mental assent

or

Is Faith trusting what God has done in, through and by the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth/Christ Jesus?

or stated slightly differently:

do we trust in a repository

or

do we take our repose in Christ?

It really sounds as if Patrick has a (partial) repository... bless him.

I know I'm going to be sorry for asking this, but here goes: "What the heck are you on about?"

Dan L

... maybe you could 'phone a friend...

I have decided it is a difference in communication because we are on opposite sides of the pond.

Rose I'm sitting in Oxford and I have no idea what Wild Goose is talking about so I dont think its a transatlantic thing

Hi Myles, are you a lifelong Catholic? Our friend has recently informed us that he was a Protestant before he moved over to 'Mother' Church. As one born and bred in protestant traditions, he will know exactly what is being referenced.

For those of you who have no other Church (denominational) heritage outside either Rome or Eastern Orthodoxy, I wouldn't expect knowledge.

For instance see the sanctoral cycle:

Sun., May 1, St. Peregrine Laziosi (Patron saint: cancer and AIDS patients). Works of wonder: The lesson of St. Peregrine's life is not that God worked a miracle, but that a faithful, trustful servant placed himself unconditionally in the hands of God. Peregrine's trust in God can be a model for us in dealing with the pain, sickness, and the crosses of our lives.

It wasn't Peregrine's adherence to a set of doctrines that prompted others to say he was a saint... it was his utter trust in God in Christ.

That is the difference; there is a difference-- Our friend knows (about) this. And there are times in all our lives when doctrines do doodly-squat... yet utter trust in God will pull us through/out of the deepest Pit.

You and Rose know that... surely, yes! grace and peace... Ευτυχές Πάσχα, wg

No I'm not a lifelong Catholic and personally my faith in God is my faith in the magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church. I obey them because I believe through them God is speaking to me so I can penetrate the depths of His love.

Hi Myles,

With all due respect, I'm not a lifelong Orthodoxy-phile... but I wonder where the Majesty of Christ Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords... fits in with "the magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church." That One is He in Whom I have faith. And I couldn't begin to tell you how that fits into 'magisterial' teaching.

Just how much knowledge (of the magisterial teaching) would I have to gain to be a brother-on-par with you? Or are we brothers based on some other measurement?

I'd really like to know. grace and peace, wg

p.s. Jesus Christ has penetrated the depths of His love to me on many an occasion; this I know

Dear Wild Goose,

FYI I was raised Southen Baptist, my dad is a retired Baptist minister. I have no idea of what you are talking about sometimes.

Sorry!

Pani Rose

Dear Pani Rose,

Ask your dad to log on and see if he can make heads or tails of what I'm saying... SBC, ey? I assume he's a seminary grad, right? I should think he'll be able to put you in the picture. (and, no, I'm not being sarcastic. )


That Pat Buchanan gets some press here is an indication of the political leanings of some people. Like most 'good' politicians, he will play the religion card to his 'benefit' if and when it suits him.

I reckon he wouldn't be able to 'decipher' what I've written here either, as if it's that hard to understand.


Within the New Testament there is movement from faith as trust in God to adherence to a set of beliefs-- either/or orthodoxy/orthopraxy. I think it is safe to say that this topic highlights the latter. The former is what I'm highlighting.

Any of us can know what are the tenets of the faith (You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder. James 2.19); giving mental assent to those tenets, that set of doctrines, Tradition... is not the same as placing our lives in the care of the Almighty.

It sounds like some are saying that the adherence to Tradition is what takes us into the Care of the Almighty-- the holding of such knowledge puts us right with God.

That is not what Christ Jesus came proclaiming... and The Church knows that. grace and peace, wg