It's amazing how some just repeat what they hear, never looking for the truth. We all are responsible for our own salvation, not another who proclaims to be "in the know." I certainly will not leave my "forever" up to someone else. The following is clarification of one of the very unfortunate pieces of false information that many seem to believe as fact because someone said so.
"Now if God simply forbids the making of graven images, then there are problems elsewhere in the Bible. First, in Exodus 25:18-21, God commands Moses to make two statues of angels (cherubim) for the top of the Ark of the Covenant. Later in Numbers 21:8-9, God commands Moses to make a bronze serpent, so that the people who were bitten by snakes could look upon it and be healed. Now it is true that centuries later King Hezekiah destroyed it; however, this action was done because the people worshipped it as a god (2 Kings 18:4). In the Gospel, Jesus compared Himself to the bronze serpent (John 3:14). Continuing in the Old Testament, the inner sanctuary of the Temple contained two large statues of angels according to 1 Kings 6:23-28. In the following verses, Solomon also had the walls of the Temple decorated with carved images of angels, palm trees and flowers (1 Kings 6:29ff). During the Babylonian Captivity, Ezekiel had a vision from God about the design of the new Temple. According to Ezekiel 41:17-25, this new Temple contained graven images of angels and palm trees. These passages in the Bible indicate that God does not forbid the making of statues. If God truly condemned the making of graven images in the "Second Commandment", then He must have changed His mind later in the Old Testament.
The Catholic Church during the Council of Trent (1545-1563) issued a clear statement concerning images and statues. According to the 25th Session of this General Council:
The images of Christ and of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the saints are to be had and retained particularly in churches, and due honor and veneration are to be given them; not that any divinity or virtue is believed to be in them on account of which they are to be worshipped, or that anything is to be asked of them, or that trust is to be reposed in images, as was of old by the Gentiles, who placed their hopes in idols; but because the honor which is shown them is referred to the prototypes which these images represent; so that we through the images which we kiss...or bend the knee, adore Christ and venerate the saints, whom they represent. [The Canons & Decrees of the Council of Trent (TAN Books, 1978) p. 215-6]
The Church does NOT compel her members to kneel or pray before images. No one is allowed by the Church to pray to images since they have no ears to hear or power to help us. The Church allows for the veneration of images as long as the honor is directed towards Christ and His saints." Read more at A Catholic Response
Are you worshipping your Precious Moments or other collections, the photos of your kids & family, your garden statuary?
This web site is best viewed with java-enabled Netscape Navigator 4.0 and up, or Internet Explorer 4.0 and up, at a minimum screen resolution of 800 x 600
..........If we were always dependent on the priest's personal holiness, we'd be in trouble. Priests are chosen by God from among men, and they're tempted just like any human being and fall through sin just like any human being. But God knew that from the beginning. Eleven of the first twelve apostles scattered when Christ was arrested, but they came back; one of the twelve sinned in betraying the Lord and sadly never came back. God has essentially made the sacraments "priest-proof," in terms of their personal holiness. No matter how holy they are, or how wicked, provided they have the intention to do what the Church does, then Christ himself acts, just as he acted through Judas when Judas expelled demons and cured the sick............read the rest of Answering Scandal with Personal Holiness FR. ROGER J. LANDRY one of the best I've come across.
Special Bulletin - this is a run down of scandal in all churches
Faith and works
"So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead....You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." James 2:17,24
"We are justified by a faith that worketh by charity." Gal. 5:6
"For God is not unjust that He should forget your works." Hebrews 6:10
more from St. James, Chapter 2:
(14) "What will it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but does not have works? Can the faith save him?"
(17) "So faith too, unless it has works, is dead in itself."
(18) "But someone will say, 'Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without works, and I, from my works, will show thee my faith'."
(20) "But dost thou want to know, O senseless man, that faith without works is useless?"
(24) "You see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
(26) "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith also without works is dead."
And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith, so as to remove mountains, yet do not have charity, I am nothing." I Corinthians 13:2
Wouldn't be great if we could just say "I believe" and then go on with how we want to live, not considering how the Lord asks us to live:
...... Worldly Christians look to God primarily for personal fulfillment. They're saved, but self-centered. They love to attend concerts and enrichment seminars but you'd never find them at a missions conference because they aren't interested. Their prayers focus on their own needs, blessings and happiness. It's a "me-first" faith: How can God make my life more comfortable? They want to use God for their purposes instead of being used for his purposes.......
Disclaimer: This web site may contain copyright material. Source and credit is given whenever possible. It is presented here for education and discussion purposes only under the fair use act. If you are the owner of any material presented in this website and object to its use, you may contact me at trainwreckcentral@yahoo.com
Click here to urge your representative to co-sponsor the Federal Marriage Amendment. It will only take a minute or two and is easy to do. Let them know just how important this issue is to you and your family. (If your representative is already a co-sponsor, you may thank them for taking that action)
One of the reasons I searched for the true Church was the fact there were so many different protestant churches and so many teaching something different. In my Bible the references was to Church not churches. I bought several different Bibles trying to figure out what I was missing. Christ has but one Church, the Bible doesn't mention thousands of churches.
"there shall be one fold and one shepherd" John 10:16
"one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God & Father" Eph 4:3-6
"avoid those who create dissensions" Romans 16:17
"I urge that there be no divisions among you" 1 Cor 1:10
"being of of same mind, united in heart, thinking one thing" Phil 2:2
"God grant you to think in harmony with one another" Rom 15:5
"I pray that they may be one, as we are one" John 17 17-23
"that they may be brought to perfection as one" John 17:23
"in one spirit we were baptized into one body" 1 Cor 12:13
"we, though many, are one body in Christ" Romans 12:5
"one body, one Spirit, called to one hope" Eph 4:4
"the peace into which you were called in one body" Col 13:15
I wasn't baptized until 2000. My kids were baptized at a young age, not at birth, so I was putting their salvation in jeapordy and my own. The Bible clearly states that all are to be born again of water and the Holy Spirit. Baptism has three
effects: forgives original sin and personal sin, bestows sanctifying grace, and integrates the person into the body of Christ. This would include children too, our loving God is not going to leave the children out. It says througout the Bible, households were baptized. That would include the children, don't ya think? Karl Keating writes:
Peter explained what happens at baptism when he said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). But he did not restrict this teaching to adults. He added, "For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him" (2:39). We also read: "Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16). These commands are universal, not restricted to adults. Further, these commands make clear the necessary connection between baptism and salvation, a connection explicitly stated in 1 Peter 3:21: "Baptism . . . now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Catholic Answers, Baptism
An excellent apologist, if you haven't listened to his (Karl Keating) radio program, you should. He spoke also at the Ignatius Press conference we went to along with Fr Benedict Groeschel (and others) but audiences must make him nervous because he wasn't near as good as he is on the radio. You can read more on what he says on baptism
What I believe
We believe (I believe) in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages. (God of God) light of light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and was made man; was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose Kingdom there shall be no end. And (I believe) in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is to be adored and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess (I confess) one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for (I look for) the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen."
Save up to 70% on Religious and Spiritual Jewelry at Limoges Jewelry!
Kinsey: Let’s Talk About Sex - The film, starring Liam Neeson as the notorious sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, is the latest attempt by the liberal media elite to trash Judeo-Christian values and glorify sexual perversion. Kinsey is a full-frontal assault on God’s plan for human sexuality. We must be alerted to the insidious forces working to undermine the values that traditional families hold dear.
The Kinsey Corruption - access background information on Dr. Alfred Kinsey, author bios, and analyses on the effects of "sex research" on American culture
Ever wonder how people call themselves Christian but they're full of hate? Ever see the Catholic faith attacking another? Not.
A good example of this is the Jesus is Lord website. Nothing but hate, lies and deceit. This is Christ-like? Wonder who wrote his Bible? Proof is in his supposed number of visitors.
Viewing the source, you can see there is no counter but entered numbers:
An obvious dishonest lost soul, but others will believe what's there rather than spending the time to find out the truth for themselves. Thank God, the Holy Spirit led me to search and discern for myself and never fell into stuff like this. Another JackChick I suppose. Someone we need to pray earnestly for.
Meet a true man of God, Dr. Scott Hahn, director of The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit research and educational institute promoting life-transforming Scripture study. You'll get the best resources and information to help in your walk with the Lord from those with the true spirit of Christ.
