Dueling Catholic conferences

[DetroitPole]

The mainstream Protestant religions preach the same religion that Catholics do, minus the veneration of the saints, and other practices meant to bring in the pagans into the fold centuries ago.

Let's face facts. The church is dying off. Ask yourself why that is, why the lack of priests, why a lot of things like this conference. Give it time on this course, soon there won't be any church left.

I see the thread I started has turned into a gigantic mess with Danny leading the debate over veneration of saints. Pity.

The merits of this notwithstanding, I'd like to clear something up for you: The Mainstream Protestant denominations have been facing similarly declining attendance and other problems the Catholic Church is faced with for decades, both almost exclusively in the Western world.

I'm not sure what your "facts" are.

[maxx]

Horseshit. The only thing that's similar is a belief in Jesus. NONE of the Protestant faiths teach the importance of Good Works--they all seem to think you can just say "Yay Jesus", and suddenly you're "saved".

Paul or whoever wrote Romans 8 seems to go with predestination.

[29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

http://www.guidedbiblestudies.com/library/episcopal.htm
The Episcopal Church believes man does not the power to do good works that is pleasant and acceptable to God and it requires the grace of God by Christ. They believe they are justified by faith only. The Episcopal Church believes good works are the fruits of faith and follow after justification. They believe it cannot put away sins but are pleasing to God in Christ. The Episcopal Church believes works done before the grace of Christ, and the Inspiration of the Spirit are not pleasing to God.

[So they are not completely against good works. They just say you have to believe their dogma first if you want to score any points in heaven.]

LIkewise the presbyterians.
http://www.firstpresdearborn.org/wp/?p=226

Likewise the methodists.
http://christianity.about.com/od/dev.../Methodist.htm

And the baptists.
http://missouriavenuebaptistchurch.c...ut-good-works/

[GUSHI]

Aren't all christian religons off spring of the Catholic religion?

[Vox]

I see the thread I started has turned into a gigantic mess with Danny leading the debate over veneration of saints. Pity.

The merits of this notwithstanding, I'd like to clear something up for you: The Mainstream Protestant denominations have been facing similarly declining attendance and other problems the Catholic Church is faced with for decades, both almost exclusively in the Western world.

I'm not sure what your "facts" are.

Well I can't see where that matters at all in this discussion, outside of the fact that mainstream Protestant churches are more honest about their declines in membership. Catholics keep you on the rolls for life to pad their stats.

[jcole]

Aren't all christian religons off spring of the Catholic religion?

Pretty much. Luther and Henry VIII started the ball rolling with Lutheranism and the C of E in the 16th century, and Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopals, etc followed suit.

[GUSHI]

So in a sense all these people talking smack about the Catholic Church [[ex : VOX) is like the child talking back to the parent, in a sense, lol

Pretty much. Luther and Henry VIII started the ball rolling with Lutheranism and the C of E in the 16th century, and Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopals, etc followed suit.

[jcole]

So in a sense all these people talking smack about the Catholic Church [[ex : VOX) is like the child talking back to the parent, in a sense, lol

And the one[[s) saying that the Protestant churches have nothing in common with the Catholic Church is like the parent saying 'well, back in MY day...'

[GUSHI]

lol, I would have to agree

[Detroitej72]

And the one[[s) saying that the Protestant churches have nothing in common with the Catholic Church is like the parent saying 'well, back in MY day...'

The thing is, many Protestants don't consider Catholics to be Christian. They seem to think suddenly 1500 years after Christ, Martin Luther and his followers knew better what the protocol for Christianity was than what was practiced since Peter.

[ghettopalmetto]

Well I can't see where that matters at all in this discussion, outside of the fact that mainstream Protestant churches are more honest about their declines in membership. Catholics keep you on the rolls for life to pad their stats.

OR, since you yourself admitted that you've been baptized in the Church, then you know that Catholics believe Baptism to be for life, just as any of the other Sacraments.

I'm jus sayin.

[GUSHI]

Catholic Church is like the USA big and powerful and people fear it/hate it , what is it 1 billion in the world. So people tend to hate. Kind of like the Yankees you either love them or hate them none in between.[[Hate the yankees)

[GUSHI]

I may not agree w all the things the Catholic Church has done in the past/does now, but I would never bash it. Just like I would never bash Islam, for what a little percentage does/did.

[Vox]

OR, since you yourself admitted that you've been baptized in the Church, then you know that Catholics believe Baptism to be for life, just as any of the other Sacraments.

I'm jus sayin.

Sounds like a pyramid scheme to me. Maybe a religious version of Amway.

[jackie5275]

I may not agree w all the things the Catholic Church has done in the past/does now, but I would never bash it.

You seem to be in the minority these days.

[Hypestyles]

i would like to see the archdiocese or an independent group of progressive Caths sponsor a local conference on race relations and improving regional relationships..

[GUSHI]

You can't blame a entire religon for what a few have done. Its like blaming Islam for 9/11. Or blaming every white person for slavery.

You seem to be in the minority these days.

[Hypestyles]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...to-raise-$135M

Detroit archdiocese is broke? maybe it should downscale.. with the outer-rim surburban/exurban developments over the decades, just how far does the "detroit" archdioscese stretch?

[jcole]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...to-raise-$135M

Detroit archdiocese is broke? maybe it should downscale.. with the outer-rim surburban/exurban developments over the decades, just how far does the "detroit" archdioscese stretch?

It covers Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Lapeer, St. Clair and Monroe counties. An Archdiocese is overseen by an Archbishop. What difference does it make how far the Detroit Archdiocese stretches. Would you somehow be happier if the Detroit was left out and it was called the Archdiocese of Southeastern Michigan?

[Hypestyles]

yes.. it would be more honest since detroit is not a priority.

[Vox]

yes.. it would be more honest since detroit is not a priority.

It's not a priority because the individual churches refuse to make it so. It's been said that some churches in Detroit have an "island mentality" and refuse to engage the surrounding community for outreach and membership. I believe that is about to change for a lot of people.

Here is some info from the AOD on their next initiative, which is this:

http://www.aodonline.org/AODOnline/T...h+12019/QA.htm