I have just one question for those who think the bible is our only source of Gods word. Where did the bible come from?
Well thats an easy answer. It came from the church. God said to Peter that he is the rock and upon him the church will be built. As time has gone by people have decided to go against certain traditions, doctrines etc which lead them away from the full truth by picking and choosing what they like and don't like. The bottom line is we need to pray for unity...
Who gives a healthy shit what Anne Rice does? Regarding anything? She does some fairly good writing on occasion. Fine. If I find myself in the mood to read some fairly good writing, then I map opt to read some of hers. Beyond that, seriously, who cares? At all?
WHY does the Roman Catholic church teach that no one can be certain of salvation, when the Bible teaches that salvation is assured in Jesus Christ? “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” 1 John 5:13
@rtarasiak WHY does the Roman Catholic church teach that no one can be certain of salvation, because thats what the Bible teaches and seems your not getting eternal life JN 666
@rtarasiak Scripture is much better than opinion! It is too bad that Martlut has no clue and does not have "fruit" of the Holy Spirit. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life".John 3:16 Quite clear! NO need for a false Mary of the RCC as a co-mediatrix, (Blasphemy! She was a sinner as ALL fall short!), nor a priest like the O.T., nor a wafer, just believe and trust in Christ's redemption! simple!
@rtarasiak NO Rosary, no idolatry, no sacraments, no baptism, no! ONLY trusting in Jesus' "Once and for all sacrifice" who paid the debt by all! Saved by grace thru faith! NOTHING added to this scripture. IT IS BY FAITH OR NOT? Is the Word of God true or not? Thus the RCC is clearly wrong by adding to faith for salvation! Scripture is clear! WORKS come after by the Holy Spirit leading! So many Catholics never do work for the Lord anyway? Sad! Thinking go to a mass and all set! God help RCC!
I understand what you are saying but this is a problem that has come to the western societies and beyond Feminism has distorted the views and the roles of gender in the church. The whole idea that men and women play certain roles that may not be the same but equally important. This is an anathema to feminism. They put so much emphasis into distroying gender roles especailly if that gender is male, Family also has it's scars due to feminism why because in the traditional family gender roles come
@mraNewfoundland out more. Christian families who follow biblical teaching gender roles are so much more import. The church in all truth has to hold to task the feminist agenda and to challenge their ideology and the propaganda that has been so pervasive in western society.
@rtarasiak What do you call your biological father? Would it be violating Jesus' word if you said to someone, "well, my father is over there?" See friend, it's just silly to interpret the Lord's word here in this literalistic way. We both know what he meant: that there should be no earthly figure to whom your final allegiance is due.
@mrob75 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him 1 Cor 2:13-14 (NKJV)
@domosdad "For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
1 Cor 4:15 (NKJV) Where in the world did you get YOUR translation? Again I call NO man Father on earth, except my blood father, and even him, I called Dad, not father? Jesus said not to call any man on earth Father, why? because after being born from above or born again, I have One and only One Father in heaven! Get born again
@rtarasiak I use the version authorized by my Mother, the Church..namely, the New American Standard Version. However, I would like to kindly point out to you that the Bible was given to us through Holy Mother Church (see St Jerome's work with the Latin Vulgate) and you would also see the scandalous, suspicious circumstances of the KJV were you to review who King James was (as well as his predecessor). Apostolic Succession cannot be ignored when analyzing what is True Scripture and what is error.
@domosdad Please explain Ephesians 1:11-14 since rhe RCC does not believe that one is saved by grace thru faith, not of any works and justified (past tense) Rom. 3:24, 4, 5:1. And thus Apostle Paul declares to the saints (born-again believers) that they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise? Your Vatican has no answer for this scripture, I pray you do? Since RCC doctrine says anyone who says one is saved by grace thru faith is anethema?
@domosdad RCC: "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life." Pg. 324, #1274 But Bible disagrees, stating that the eternal destiny of God's children has been sealed with the Holy Spirit: "... in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," Ephesians 1:13 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30. So is baptism necessary for salvation? The Catechism says "yes." God's Word says "no."
@rtarasiak1281 but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptized
@rtarasiak If you'll read Genesis (start at Gen 1 and don't stop until you see 'maranatha'), you'll note that water is the seat of the Lord, the Holy Spirit. (Thus, the deluge and the 'baptism of the earth') The water of Baptism (as well as the Oil) cleanses and seals with the gift of the Spirit. Before you go pontificating about Catholic doctrine to a real Catholic layman, 'pastor', I would prod the minds of Fr Barron, Dr Scott Hahn, Pat Madrid, or possibly (GASP!) listen to Pope Benedict XVI.
@domosdad lol!!!! You are a funny bunny! Wow! I can see the RCC bias in your indoctrination in how your interpret scripture! I was once that way, until I became born-again and have the Holy Spirit reside within me. YOU can listen to fallible men like the pope, etc. All listen to Christ, God, H.S. and the Word alone!! Hurry pray more rosaries. GO! GO! you might die and not have enough induilgences! Hurry!!!! you could die tonight! MORE Mary, more purgatory prayers! GO ! GO! LOL! - I trust Jesus!
@rtarasiak Actually, pastor preacher revival thump-the-Book pass tha building fund man, I was born into an intense Southern Baptist life (South Carolina). Only by God's Mercy did I come to His Church.
@domosdad Obviously you never got fed the TRUE Word of God where it clearly tells one is saved by grace thru faith! "for whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved!" So now you pray to Mary? LOL!!!!! Wow! You must love want your itchy ears want to hear! You r are damned to hell if you do not repent! Jesus loves you! Explain Eph. 1:11-14 if you can? the RCC has no answer for this scripture since they believe in purgatory!
@rtarasiak Okay, pastor. I believe I've had my fill of the 'plain sense of Scripture' from your adulterated version of the Bible. The Church teaches salvation by faith AND works, btw.
@domosdad Don't believe in Lent, this is man made. I believe in an everyday relationship with Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit. So go and get drunk with the rest of the hypocrites and the next day place ashes on your head and look foolish or even "saintly" and pretend to be a true follower of Christ. Oh! That's right the Catholics are followers of the pope and man-made religion and Mary! Almost forgot!! LOL!
@domosdad I know it well! You have yet to answer my question concerning Eph. 1:13? Obviously you cannot answer thus the conclusion is you do not know how to read the Word, not interpret, nor have the Spirit of God, because you probably are not born-again? "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
@rtarasiak Have I not answered it or have you not heard the answer? Have Fr Barron and men like him not been showing and speaking but you and those like you have not seen or heard??
@domosdad These Works FOLLOW a Born-again believer! Once they are Spirit led, the Lord leads one to good works! Very simple! That is why one will know a true or false convert by their works or fruit of the Holy Spirit! How man persons have you led to Christ's salvation, His FREE gift in the last year? So you believe you can out do or trump God's work o the cross by His Son Jesus? Boy are you in trouble and been indoctrinated by lies of the Devil, and now blinded! God bless you and I love you!
@rtarasiak is lying one of those works Pastor you do it so well by the way the bible never says Born again believer thats one of thse things you make up you know man made traditions
@rtarasiak I don't pretend to be a master of soteriology but I don't think I could put it any simpler. I've also yet to hear an explanation of James 2:14-27..but I will let it slide. Peace be with you
@rtarasiak Mt 3:9 - Jesus calls Abraham "father"; Acts 7:2 - St Stephen calls Jewish leaders "fathers"; Acts 21:40-41 - St Paul calls Jerusalem Jews "fathers"; 1 Tim 1:2 - "to Timothy, my true child in faith" If I am someone's child, that makes him my father (again in Titus 1) The list goes on, brother (or sister). Please exam the history of your own faith and seek reconciliation to the one, true, holy, Catholic, apostolic Church founded by Christ.. Come home. Peace be with you and God bless.
I liked everything this priest said, it was the truth, although I agree with Anne Rice's decision, he was right, in order to be a part of and truly intuned with the head, you have to live in the flesh...That''s the connection....
Rice, in the end was weak. Staring down the barrel of lifes true horrors she picked up the security blanket, teddy bear, and nook which is religions core.
Let me see if I got this right: If I don't go to church then I'm not a real Christian and if I'm not Christian I will burn in hell? Is this really how things works? God cares more about my attendance and rituals than my actual faith?
How does Anne Rice think that Catholicism is "anti" woman? No denomination honors a woman (MARY) more than Catholics do.....GOD chose a woman (Virgin Mary) to help destroy Satan's domain......The Catholic Religion is def NOT anti-woman.
The Bible says "call NO MAN father" except your Father in heaven. The Eucharist is not in the Bible, but Passover (Lord's Supper) is. Christmas is not in the Bible. Birthdays are not in the Bible. Even, wearing make up is not in the Bible (but is mentioned in the Book of Enoch). Praying to dead saints is not in the Bible. Rosary not in the Bible. Lent not in the Bible (40 days weeping for Tammuz), Purgatory not in the Bible. How exactly is Roman Universalism the truth?
Father Baron, what are your thoughts on the pope at one point going to Africa and condemning condoms. Africa as you know has a massive problem with aids. How can one justify this irresponsible action?
@wordonfirevideo So your saying condoms wont help limit the spread of aids? I have a cousin who is currently in the peace corp in Africa. Her jobs are varied, but she mainly teaches and educates. Part of that education is using condoms for aids prevention. Would you view that part of her job as pointless then? Is there absolutely no benefit in trying to prevent stds with the use of condoms?
@wordonfirevideo Or else, take a look at the statistics in Uganda, the only country which decided to attack AIDS not on the basis of prevention using condoms, but on sexual morality and marital faithfulness, very much like the Catholic teaching. It's the only country that succeeds in this fight.
@dawgpost90 - Condoms are effective 85% of the time according to the Center for Disease Control in preventing the transmission of sperm. That's pretty comparable to Russian Roulette. Should the Pope say that Russian Roulette is moral and a good practice for those who would otherwise commit suicide?
@imromancatholic Answer one question...If someone doesn't want to get pregnant or wants to try and prevent getting stds, which action should they take?
@dawgpost90 Also why do you think condoms are made and sold? To just get people to have sex? NO people do that anyway. Condom manufacturers make money because they provide an effective product people want. Before manufactured condoms people made their own less effective versions of contraception, one of the earliest being a bladder from a sheep.
@imromancatholic I had to go back to this. What if condoms saved only 50 percent of their users from stds or unwanted pregnancy? Your saying you would rather 100 percent of those same people to contract an std or unwanted pregnancy?
@dawgpost90 - Before the free love and free sex and rampant availability of condoms, Stds were less than 2 persent. Now 50%. God created natural consequences to keep us out of this mess. I am saying that if God's consequences were left in place people wouldn't be screwing around as much.
@imromancatholic Lol your telling me that there is a god out there so concerned with human sexuality that he created stds a a punishment for promiscuity? I'm sorry we've reached a level of silliness I cant proceed into. Belief what you want just dont impose it on other people.
@dawgpost90 - Stop putting words in my mouth. God did not create std's. They are a consequence of man's actions and the devil's ability to use nature against us when we go against God's laws. I will speak my mind and beliefs anywhere and any time I please just as you evidently will speak your headonism any time you please. If you feel I am imposing it by speaking it so be it. You by your definition are imposing your headonism.
@imromancatholic " God created natural consequences to keep us out of this mess. I am saying that if God's consequences were left in place people wouldn't be screwing around as much" Sorry if I "put words in your mouth" Could have sworn that when we were talking about stds you said "God created natural consequences to keep us out of this mess."
@imromancatholic Why would i be talking to you if i didnt believe you could share your beliefs? I never said you couldn't or shouldn't...not once. When I said dont impose your beliefs I wasnt implying you were doing that in this case. I was just sating in general that belief whatever just dont impose your beliefs on others.
@imromancatholic Really? Have I said that? I'm sorry if I think some of the catholic church's teachings are dangerous but hey like i said belief what you want
@dawgpost90 - To add to my last post, condoms increase promiscuity and so simply by the increased frequency of sexual activity vs. the failure of the condom to protect either party, according to the statistics from the CDC, a great part of the "positive" effect of condoms is negated.
@imromancatholic Um promiscuity is not a problem...unless your a catholic...so lets stick to real life issues k? LOL condoms are like russian roulette? Bottom line is people are going to have sex for pleasure whether you like it or not. Condoms have shown to be fairly effective at their job. What's worse unprotected sex or sex with a condom? Please spare me on the abstinence thing...that is simply not realistic.
@dawgpost90 - Catholicism speaks to those who want to listen to the Church. Those who have no desire to listen to the Church will use whatever they want and do whatever they want and suffer the consequences. Promiscuity is a problem when over 30% of children are born out of wedlock, there are 1million abortions a year, and std's have skyrocketed since promiscuity was deemed not a problem in the 60's.
@imromancatholic What percentage of those 30 percent would have been prevented from condom use? What percent of those stds would have been prevented? People are going to have sex whether you like it or not. So lets be responsible fellow humans beings and prevent unready parenthood, stds, aids....through condom use and safe sex edcuation
This was interesting from my perspective as a person who is liturgically a Catholic but theologically a Lutheran. I suspect that a LARGE part of the problem of treating the Church like a voluntary organization was the fault of the Church itself. It seems to have a bad historic trend towards responding to calls for reform by kicking out the agitators, directly or indirectly, and then paternalistically "calling them back to mother church". Why shouldn't they gather in their own ecclesia?
@CoryTheRaven Because that game ends in Bill and Ted's Excellent Bible Shack and 2000 other idiosyncratic sects. If we really want to understand the egotistical and ambitious, those who insist on forming their own breakaway sect might be better candidates.
Agitators like Francis of Assisi, Robert d'Arbrissel, etc. were not kicked out. Not until the German Princes used adopt-a-heretic to declare independence from the Empire did reformers shop their sects to the secular rulers.
@YeOldeStatistician I can't downplay the role of the German princes, nor would I want to. It was those princes who protected Luther and his fellow excommunicants from a death sentence. When I said that the Church has a bad tendency towards kicking out agitators, I was being generous. Allow me to rephrase: the Church has a bad historic trend towards outright murdering agitators, kicking out the ones they can't get at, and etc. It's just sad that Luther had to rely on secular power to protect him
@CoryTheRaven They murdered Francis of Assisi? Robert d'Abrissel? Shazaam! The Church authorities actually offered to meet with Luther and discuss the very real abuses. He refused. But this requires actual history, not myths in which stereotyped Culture Heroes perform iconic acts. In a literate society like ours, the floating horizon of historical consciousness lies ca.300 years in the past, so even historical figures from the 17th century are already the Stuff of Legend.
@YeOldeStatistician I was thinking more like Jan Hus, or the (lol) corpse of John Wycliffe. Tell me though, this meeting in which the Catholic Church offered to meet Luther in all fairness and sober-mindedness to discuss his concerns over the conduct of the Papacy, was this before or after he was brought up on charges of heresy? Of course, the Papcy being infallible, must be a blameless cultural icon. Well, infallible ex cathedra, but why stop there, amirite?
@CoryTheRaven Before. At Augsburg, with von Militz. And, in a way, even at the Leipzig Disputatio with Eck. But Luther must be understood in the context of German Nationalism and the movement toward total State supremacy; just as Hus must be considered in the context of the Angevin-Neapolitan struggle and the Western Schism, and Wycliffe in the centralizing State efforts of Lancaster and his clique.
@YeOldeStatistician You're right, Luther must be understood in the context of his time! Christianity, being a religiuous situated in history, finds and resolves its theological truth in the grounding of specific context. In this case, it was the economic, political and spiritual oppression being exercised by Rome against the German people (which Luther's meetings with von Militz did nothing to resolve). Thanks for catching up!
@CoryTheRaven There are books you could read. Avoid polemics written in the white heat of fundamentalism or German Nationalism. (And it's not as if French and Spanish and English nationalism were not tearing at the notion of a transnational Empire.) The march toward 1914 was already beginning.
@YeOldeStatistician Oh yes... I almost converted to Catholicism a little over 10 years ago and had a full battery of Catholic friends feeding me all sorts of information on the Church's version of the Reformation. I even know all about how Luther was probably most strongly reacting against William of Ockham. But in the end, I still had to side with the freedom of conscience over the exercise of authority.
@CoryTheRaven Reacting AGAINST William of Ockham? That's a new one. He was certainly reacting against what he called "That whore, Reaon," because he felt that the scholastics had relied too much on logical arguments rather than on proof-texting; but that was after Ecks had bested him at the Leipzig Disputatio.
@YeOldeStatistician You hadn't heard the Ockham thing? Jeez, I guess you better bone up on your own propaganda.
Cute swipe about proof-texting, but I suppose I should take for granted that a Catholic wouldn't even know what our fundamental spiritual core is, and therefore what our fundamental beef is, before acting like some kind of animal. Keep it up, champ.
Yeah, Anne Rice's reasons for leaving christianity are somewhat shallow. You leave christianity because you realize that there is no good argument for god's existence. After that, you cannot go back. It's simple as that.
Ann Rice is ugly, so we wont miss her; but I was worried when a very beautiful girl was not showing up on Sundays at my parish, but she returned, and now im happy.
Poor Anne Rice and those like her. They need prayers. They want our Lord made in their own image (sin and all) rather than aspiring to be holy, as called by God.
I like Anne Rice, but she made a common mistake many people do.
She allowed secular liberalism to define Christian morality for her. What I mean here is that modern political correctness conflicts with Christian morality, and when she could not reconcile the two she decided that Christianity is wrong. She allowed negative examples from within the Church to define morality in a sharp contrast to her secular liberalism? If so, how can she say she believes in Jesus? She listens to others.
Thank God for Fr. Barron's charity and incredible faith which he so willingly shares with all of us. I hope Anne Rice has a chance to hear what he is saying.
how precious...the way he speaks...yes the body of Christ...we are all one...
Spiritually speaking we are hurting especially in the church...the wounded warriors..the persecuted ones..those suffering for the gospel...we can't separate from them...perhaps she means...the sunday go to meetin Christians...those that aren't "walkin the talk" but there are many are walkin the talk. How can we abandon them?
I dont know how she became a writer but its obvious that she has very little appreciation of her faith. Her move is the summit of her ignorance as she doesnt know and understand the foundation of the theology, philosophical, and ethical of the catholic church, which precipitated her action of declaring her separation from the church. And yet she says she is still a follower of Christ, when in fact he despises the body of Christ. Dismissing the great minds, martyrs, fruit of the Holy Spirit.
I can truly understand Ms. Rice's struggles, and I admire the response you have offered, Fr. Barron. I too was born and baptized into the Church, walked away for two decades, and then returned by the Grace of God. It is a daily struggle, and sometimes my brothers and sisters in Christ--both Catholic and Protestant--drive me to distraction. But if I were to leave again, how would I ever learn to love as the Lord has called me to love--unconditionally, and rooted in Him?
@AtomicDreamscape454, No, lol, I am not mentally ill. Neither, I am assuming, were the people in The Holy Bible, particularly in The Old Testament, who experienced similar things. :)
I came to Christ completely outside 'the church' and through supernatural means. Jesus came and got me, personally. I would like to be in church as a sinner like the rest who attend. But I find the people there so godless that it makes me physically ill. I feel repelled ... blown back out the door. I am also rejected by 'the church' due to my personal relationship with God. Should I keep perservering?
I didn't say all priests or bishops were ambitious egotistical or ruthless. I said the church ( pick one any one of them) is run by such men. You have a lot of good priests, bishops, pastors ect, but it is unusual that such men end up in charge. And yes, this is my opinion, not unassailable fact.
@wordonfirevideo Good Lord, I amended my statement, and I stand by it. The majority of those who run churches are ambitious, egotistical and ruthless.
@wotmot223 Friend, do you have any idea how irresponsible and mean-spirited that comment is?! How could you possibly know that? Do you personally know at least 51% of the bishops of the Catholic Church well enough to make that sweeping and damning remark?
I distrust organized religions because they are run by men. I do not accept that God speaks only to some. I try to be a follower of christ, but "the church" to me these days is run by the ambitious, the egotistical, the ruthless.
@wotmot223 Just a little bit of a generalization, don't you think? There is not one priest or bishop in the world who is not "ambitious, egotistical, and ruthless?" Come on, friend.
@wordonfirevideo Afraid not my holy than though friend I know from experience. I was raised the son of a baptist minister, I know you are Catholic but Christians in general have killed more ppl than the Nazi party! Don't try and deny that you are either in it for the money or the power.
The pope should have been put on trial way before any war monger! You idiots have killed more people than anyone in history!
As a Catholic priest how does that make you feel? Should you be judged?
Does anybody know why Hitler was never ex-communicated? Wasn't he a Catholc all his life? There are pictures of him getting along with cardinals in the book "SMOKESCREENS." (can be googled and read on-line. Or, just look at the pictures)
PETER
I was never a blasphemous pope and I was never even in ROME! They found my grave in Jerusalem a long time ago.
PAUL
Look for BEREANbeacon and EXCATHOLICS on-line or on youtube
@wordonfirevideo plz forgive me my friend , I'm afraid I took this further than I should have . Peace be with you and may the love of Jesus Christ find us all.
The thing is, Jesus is perfect, people are not. The church is run by people. The church has become corrupt and twisted with power and greed whether anyone is willing to admit it or not. I completely understand and agree with Anne's decision. As long as one believes and follows Christ, that's what matters. As long as you can say I love God and all that jazz, then that's it. People, whether they are pastors, priests or popes, don't know anything except the love of God if they are willing to accept
and that is very understandable because of the fact that the catholic church was built on blood. The church persecuted others, and completely wen't against the Bible which you said yourself, the church assembled. Theyre are many more books from that time period that the church didn't find relevant enough to include in the bible. They pick and chose what they wanted people to see and believe. And this persecution is still going on today.
all i have to say is, i admire Anne Rice. With all the wrong that's been going on with the Catholic Church, i'm completely astounded that the catholic church would even think about saying that they do things in the name of christ, when all theyre doin is disproving that statement. And in John 12:26 it clearly says: "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me shall not abide in darkness." Anne Rice believes in Christ. she simply doesn't support the catholic church.
@stressedoutbrother --You admire the wrong people; So Annie Rice left because of evil pepole in the church? Im staying because of GOOD people in the church, like F. Barron and the Pope and tons of other holy folk. Have fun wandering the "spiritual" wasteland, which btw, is anything outside the Catholic Church.
@PublicChristianity99 wasteland? I beg to differ. Out of all world faiths, more harm has been done in the name of the catholic church than any other. Sure the catholic church used to be a foundation of a good, but that good has been relinquished by all the wrong that has been done over the years in the name of the church. Many of the most influential and philanthropic people, people who are apparitions of good, aren't catholic. A persons faith doesn't determine who they are as a person.
@stressedoutbrother Actually, no. But one must read actual history and not mythological accounts. It helps, for example, to realize that the Crusades were a counter-attack.
@YeOldeStatistician ok but when you speak of mythological accounts, it upsets me a little. after all, the story of christ in itself is a mythological account. and the bible on which so many people rely on as a connection to god, was compiled by man.
@stressedoutbrother Myth is a particular genre marked by specific styles/tropes. A mythic account is populated with culture heroes from Origin Time doing iconic deeds and laying out the basics of the culture. While the accounts are true, they are not factual. Compare: the mythic account of Galileo, an Origin Myth of the Modern Age, compared to the actual historical records. The gospels belong to a Greek genre known as bioi, and are quite different in character.
@YeOldeStatistician The Gospels may be in the form of bioi, but their kerygmatic nature overrules this classification and relevant considerations. And unlike the biographies of today's day and age, bioi were part truth part myth. the bible being an prime example of fabrication. If the words in the bible were from god, how then can you explain the church picking and choosing which gospels to include. explain to me how the bible isn't just a compilation of myth and legend.
@stressedoutbrother "Overrules", forsooth. Easier to reach a conclusion when you actually start there. If the Bible is from God, as you say, then books not included in the Bible are not from God, ipso facto. Remember: Church came first; then gospels and letters. Re 2nd question: the Bible is a compilation of myth and legend-and bioi, letters, prophesies, chronicles, songs, novellas, and cryptic visions covering political subversion. One must learn to read different genres.
She's not rejecting Christianity. She's rejecting organized religion and the whole basis if Christianity, She believes in Christ but does not embrace Christianity, and I, for one, agree with her.
Christianity has strayed from the basis of love thy neighbor. We love thy neighbor as long as he or she's like us.
And NOWHERE in the Bible does it say you have to be part of Christianity to be saved. You must believe in Jesus as the Olny Begotten Son of God and what He did for our sins.
@majimawmovies Well first of all, neither you nor Anne Rice nor anyone else has ever heard of Jesus Christ apart from the mediation of some church, for the church assembled the Bible and the church has propagated the word about Jesus for the past two thousand years. Secondly, you can't have Christ without having, at the same time, the mystical body of Christ--with all of its flaws and imperfections.
@wordonfirevideo Pretty sure that people have heard of Jesus Christ and know him through their own revalations and the word that they individually receive from God. There's a difference between being a believer and a follower.
@majimawmovies -- Your statment "Christianity has strayed from the basis of Love thy neighbor" is an unfounded broadbrush comment; some do love thy neighbor and some do not. You are just part of the "Churchless Christian" fad.
Let's see: at age 18 Anne Rice rejected Catholicism and became a passionate atheist. Then, 13 years ago she rejected atheism and became a passionate Catholic (again). Now she calls herself a non-aligned believer in Christ.
We must just hope that when her head's finished turning, her face is to the front again. ;)
@DoctorMirabilis30 I didn't read any of Mrs. Rice's books after she returned to Christianity, I haven't even read all the Vampire Chronicles/Mayfair Witches etc. books. But I think that this is a little sad that you say something as glib and calloused as "her face is to the front again when her head's finished turning". I find that in her interviews and in the books that I've read, she has that moral foundation laid out from her Catholic roots, but like all of us, she's having trouble committing
@adorima I'm guessing she's really at war with herself, with reconciling herself from her atheistic years to her Catholic years. I'll be reminded to pray for her tonight, and for myself, since do relate to her like that. After seeing this review from Fr. Barron, I'll be sure to pick up "Called out of Darkness."
It would appear that since Ms. Rice does not approve of the Church's position on women in the Church as well as its stance on homosexuality she instead prefers the secular religion of political correctness, the latter which is decidedly narcissistic.
If church members and its authorities are prone to the same mistakes as the rest of us, if they're corrupt, self-serving, and indulge in child rape, then what good are they? How can its claim to moral authority be true? What use does it serve? If knowledge of Jesus' moral teachings is not accompanied by any discernable moral improvement, then what good are they? Church scandals completely undermine its claim to moral authority and moral relevence.
@lewisejackson That doesn't follow at all! There are plenty of bad Americans. Does that mean that American ideals are worthless? Most golfers are bad. Does that mean that the beauty and dignity of golf are themselves compromised? I agree with you: most Christians are bad Christians. As Chesterton said: "Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it's been found difficult and never tried."
@wordonfirevideo You must not have been reading carefully. I was talking about the Church's claim to moral authority. Its claim that it imparts morality to its followers and acts as a moral guide. If those claims were true then church leaders and their followers should consistently act better than those outside the church. Instead, they behave exactly the same, clearly indicating that the church is usless when it comes to instilling moral values in itself and its followers.
@lewisejackson I read your posting carefully and understood it perfectly. And you're still not making any sense! How does the bad behavior of certain Christians undermine the rectitude of what the church teaches? Most Catholics don't follow Humanae vitae, which proves absolutely nothing about the correctness of that encyclical's teaching. One of the doctrines of the church is original sin. That's why we're not at all surprised when even the best-instructed people act badly.
@wordonfirevideo You're not reading my posts carefully. You think I'm saying that because some Catholics are bad, all of them are bad. What I'm actually saying is that if the Catholic Church is effective at teaching and imparting morals, then its leaders and its followers should be better, in proporation, to the rest of the world. In reality they are good and bad exactly in proportion to the world, indicating that the Catholic Church is useless when it comes to teaching morals.
@imromancatholic Good point. Catholic priests cover for pedophiles or are pedophiles in much greater proportion to the general populace, so I guess Catholic ideology is having the opposite effect that Catholics claim.
@imromancatholic Also, I couldn't find worlwide statistics, but in the US: "In the East, over 64% of inmates are Catholics. In the national prison population they average 50%. A national census found Catholics 15%. They count from the diaper up. Hardly 12% are old enough to commit a crime. Half of these are women. That leaves an adult Catholic population of 6% supplying 50% of the prison population." Source: The New Criminology", Max D. Schlapp and Edward E. Smith
@imromancatholic My apologies. Further research indicates that priests are pedophiles in roughtly the same proportion to the general population, the only difference is that the majority of pedophiles don't have an international organization that covers up their crimes and protects them from prosecution.
@wordonfirevideo I mean, if the Catholic Church was good at instilling good moral values and its leaders really did possess superior moral insight, then the proof of this would be better behavior by Catholics and the Vatican. Instead, the behavior of Catholics and the Vatican are indistinguishable from non-Catholics and other religious leaders, which proves that the Catholic Church is not any better than any other insitution at instilling morals and its leaders possess no special insights.
@wordonfirevideo Most Catholics not following Humane Vitae DOES say something about its correctness. It might be telling us something about how livable this view of morality is. Catholics may have found that it hampers love in their relationship rather than leading to more love. Many couples trying to follow the teaching on contraception have found that it leads to great anxiety in their relationships and plays a cruel joke on women by telling them to abstain when their desire is greatest.
@Jugglable Hmmmm.... So right and wrong is based on the number of people that follow it? 11 out of 12 Apostls abandoned Jesus at the Cross so it would seem that it was moral to abandon Jesus at the cross by your thinking. What your thinking is lacking is God's call for us to achieve, to be great. You bring morality down to man rather than raise it up to God and we are fallen creatures.
@imromancatholic I wouldn't say that right and wrong is based on the number of people who do it. I'm suggesting that couples who are in sexual relationships are in a better situation than a celibate clergy to know how well a teaching can be applied, and how conducive that teaching is to love, which is the purpose of the teaching anyway.
@Jugglable Well have you ever read Paul VI's Humane Vitae. He told what would happen with contraception. How it would lead to increase of divorce, pornography, out of wedlock births, etc. etc. He was dead on. No, I think your criterea is clouded by your humanist thinking. People compromise their morality to the situation. That is why they need a Church to help them make hard choices. Choices that in the end they will be blessed for. See psalm 127.
@imromancatholic I am very much struggling with where I stand on the contraception question. If you can show that there is causation between increasing use of contraception and all of those bad things, rather than just a correlation, it might seal the deal for me and make me as anti-contraception as you.
I have just one question for those who think the bible is our only source of Gods word. Where did the bible come from?
Well thats an easy answer. It came from the church. God said to Peter that he is the rock and upon him the church will be built. As time has gone by people have decided to go against certain traditions, doctrines etc which lead them away from the full truth by picking and choosing what they like and don't like. The bottom line is we need to pray for unity...
missk929 1 day ago
Who gives a healthy shit what Anne Rice does? Regarding anything? She does some fairly good writing on occasion. Fine. If I find myself in the mood to read some fairly good writing, then I map opt to read some of hers. Beyond that, seriously, who cares? At all?
JeffersonDinedAlone 1 day ago
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broffaith 6 days ago
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broffaith 6 days ago
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broffaith 6 days ago
WHY does the Roman Catholic church teach that no one can be certain of salvation, when the Bible teaches that salvation is assured in Jesus Christ? “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” 1 John 5:13
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak WHY does the Roman Catholic church teach that no one can be certain of salvation, because thats what the Bible teaches and seems your not getting eternal life JN 666
martlut 1 week ago
@rtarasiak you should have told Paul God And Jesus not to have called anyone Father guess thats why you fled from him you call him a liar JN 666
martlut 1 week ago
@rtarasiak Scripture is much better than opinion! It is too bad that Martlut has no clue and does not have "fruit" of the Holy Spirit. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life".John 3:16 Quite clear! NO need for a false Mary of the RCC as a co-mediatrix, (Blasphemy! She was a sinner as ALL fall short!), nor a priest like the O.T., nor a wafer, just believe and trust in Christ's redemption! simple!
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak NO Rosary, no idolatry, no sacraments, no baptism, no! ONLY trusting in Jesus' "Once and for all sacrifice" who paid the debt by all! Saved by grace thru faith! NOTHING added to this scripture. IT IS BY FAITH OR NOT? Is the Word of God true or not? Thus the RCC is clearly wrong by adding to faith for salvation! Scripture is clear! WORKS come after by the Holy Spirit leading! So many Catholics never do work for the Lord anyway? Sad! Thinking go to a mass and all set! God help RCC!
rtarasiak 1 week ago
Anne Rice is POSSESSED
maginatorgia 1 week ago
I understand what you are saying but this is a problem that has come to the western societies and beyond Feminism has distorted the views and the roles of gender in the church. The whole idea that men and women play certain roles that may not be the same but equally important. This is an anathema to feminism. They put so much emphasis into distroying gender roles especailly if that gender is male, Family also has it's scars due to feminism why because in the traditional family gender roles come
mraNewfoundland 3 weeks ago
@mraNewfoundland out more. Christian families who follow biblical teaching gender roles are so much more import. The church in all truth has to hold to task the feminist agenda and to challenge their ideology and the propaganda that has been so pervasive in western society.
mraNewfoundland 3 weeks ago
Father Barron, what you call an "abstraction" the Scriptures call "faith."
michaeldavidgantt 1 month ago
Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
Matt 23:9 (NKJV) - Jesus
rtarasiak 1 month ago
@rtarasiak What do you call your biological father? Would it be violating Jesus' word if you said to someone, "well, my father is over there?" See friend, it's just silly to interpret the Lord's word here in this literalistic way. We both know what he meant: that there should be no earthly figure to whom your final allegiance is due.
wordonfirevideo 1 month ago 13
@wordonfirevideo I'm really enjoying your videos I subbed thanks alot for this.
lonematrix48 1 month ago
@rtarasiak lol...You must have just called your own father "dad" or "pop".
mrob75 3 weeks ago
@mrob75 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him 1 Cor 2:13-14 (NKJV)
rtarasiak 3 weeks ago
@rtarasiak "..for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the Gospel." 1 Cor 4:15 Ad majorem Dei gloriam!
domosdad 2 weeks ago
@domosdad "For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
1 Cor 4:15 (NKJV) Where in the world did you get YOUR translation? Again I call NO man Father on earth, except my blood father, and even him, I called Dad, not father? Jesus said not to call any man on earth Father, why? because after being born from above or born again, I have One and only One Father in heaven! Get born again
rtarasiak 2 weeks ago
@rtarasiak I use the version authorized by my Mother, the Church..namely, the New American Standard Version. However, I would like to kindly point out to you that the Bible was given to us through Holy Mother Church (see St Jerome's work with the Latin Vulgate) and you would also see the scandalous, suspicious circumstances of the KJV were you to review who King James was (as well as his predecessor). Apostolic Succession cannot be ignored when analyzing what is True Scripture and what is error.
domosdad 2 weeks ago
@domosdad Please explain Ephesians 1:11-14 since rhe RCC does not believe that one is saved by grace thru faith, not of any works and justified (past tense) Rom. 3:24, 4, 5:1. And thus Apostle Paul declares to the saints (born-again believers) that they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise? Your Vatican has no answer for this scripture, I pray you do? Since RCC doctrine says anyone who says one is saved by grace thru faith is anethema?
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@domosdad RCC: "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life." Pg. 324, #1274 But Bible disagrees, stating that the eternal destiny of God's children has been sealed with the Holy Spirit: "... in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," Ephesians 1:13 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30. So is baptism necessary for salvation? The Catechism says "yes." God's Word says "no."
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak1281 but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptized
martlut 1 week ago
@rtarasiak If you'll read Genesis (start at Gen 1 and don't stop until you see 'maranatha'), you'll note that water is the seat of the Lord, the Holy Spirit. (Thus, the deluge and the 'baptism of the earth') The water of Baptism (as well as the Oil) cleanses and seals with the gift of the Spirit. Before you go pontificating about Catholic doctrine to a real Catholic layman, 'pastor', I would prod the minds of Fr Barron, Dr Scott Hahn, Pat Madrid, or possibly (GASP!) listen to Pope Benedict XVI.
domosdad 1 week ago
@domosdad lol!!!! You are a funny bunny! Wow! I can see the RCC bias in your indoctrination in how your interpret scripture! I was once that way, until I became born-again and have the Holy Spirit reside within me. YOU can listen to fallible men like the pope, etc. All listen to Christ, God, H.S. and the Word alone!! Hurry pray more rosaries. GO! GO! you might die and not have enough induilgences! Hurry!!!! you could die tonight! MORE Mary, more purgatory prayers! GO ! GO! LOL! - I trust Jesus!
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak Actually, pastor preacher revival thump-the-Book pass tha building fund man, I was born into an intense Southern Baptist life (South Carolina). Only by God's Mercy did I come to His Church.
domosdad 1 week ago
@domosdad Obviously you never got fed the TRUE Word of God where it clearly tells one is saved by grace thru faith! "for whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved!" So now you pray to Mary? LOL!!!!! Wow! You must love want your itchy ears want to hear! You r are damned to hell if you do not repent! Jesus loves you! Explain Eph. 1:11-14 if you can? the RCC has no answer for this scripture since they believe in purgatory!
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak Okay, pastor. I believe I've had my fill of the 'plain sense of Scripture' from your adulterated version of the Bible. The Church teaches salvation by faith AND works, btw.
domosdad 1 week ago
@rtarasiak Repent and believe in the Gospel. Have a great Lent.
domosdad 1 week ago
@domosdad Don't believe in Lent, this is man made. I believe in an everyday relationship with Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit. So go and get drunk with the rest of the hypocrites and the next day place ashes on your head and look foolish or even "saintly" and pretend to be a true follower of Christ. Oh! That's right the Catholics are followers of the pope and man-made religion and Mary! Almost forgot!! LOL!
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak maybe we should listen to the infalliable liar like you Pastor caught in so many lies I cant keep count anymore
martlut 1 week ago
@rtarasiak By the way, 'pastor', you wouldn't know the True Word of God if it bit you right in the seat of your Sunday suit..
domosdad 1 week ago
@domosdad I know it well! You have yet to answer my question concerning Eph. 1:13? Obviously you cannot answer thus the conclusion is you do not know how to read the Word, not interpret, nor have the Spirit of God, because you probably are not born-again? "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor 2:14"
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak Have I not answered it or have you not heard the answer? Have Fr Barron and men like him not been showing and speaking but you and those like you have not seen or heard??
domosdad 1 week ago
@rtarasiak Please, pastor, explain to me how the church your heretical predecessors have created would interpret James 2:14-27?
domosdad 1 week ago
@domosdad These Works FOLLOW a Born-again believer! Once they are Spirit led, the Lord leads one to good works! Very simple! That is why one will know a true or false convert by their works or fruit of the Holy Spirit! How man persons have you led to Christ's salvation, His FREE gift in the last year? So you believe you can out do or trump God's work o the cross by His Son Jesus? Boy are you in trouble and been indoctrinated by lies of the Devil, and now blinded! God bless you and I love you!
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak is lying one of those works Pastor you do it so well by the way the bible never says Born again believer thats one of thse things you make up you know man made traditions
martlut 1 week ago
@domosdad You still hav not answered my question of Eph. 1:11-14? Sadly you have no answer!
rtarasiak 1 week ago
@rtarasiak I don't pretend to be a master of soteriology but I don't think I could put it any simpler. I've also yet to hear an explanation of James 2:14-27..but I will let it slide. Peace be with you
domosdad 1 week ago
@rtarasiak by the way I have answered that question for you several times 1:11-14 Pastor liar
martlut 1 week ago
@rtarasiak Mt 3:9 - Jesus calls Abraham "father"; Acts 7:2 - St Stephen calls Jewish leaders "fathers"; Acts 21:40-41 - St Paul calls Jerusalem Jews "fathers"; 1 Tim 1:2 - "to Timothy, my true child in faith" If I am someone's child, that makes him my father (again in Titus 1) The list goes on, brother (or sister). Please exam the history of your own faith and seek reconciliation to the one, true, holy, Catholic, apostolic Church founded by Christ.. Come home. Peace be with you and God bless.
domosdad 2 weeks ago
@rtarasiak seems funny you call your sunday school teacher Jesus also said call no one teacher
martlut 1 week ago
I liked everything this priest said, it was the truth, although I agree with Anne Rice's decision, he was right, in order to be a part of and truly intuned with the head, you have to live in the flesh...That''s the connection....
MzShaybutta 1 month ago
Rice, in the end was weak. Staring down the barrel of lifes true horrors she picked up the security blanket, teddy bear, and nook which is religions core.
1Beaker2 1 month ago
Let me see if I got this right: If I don't go to church then I'm not a real Christian and if I'm not Christian I will burn in hell? Is this really how things works? God cares more about my attendance and rituals than my actual faith?
gaymuraki 1 month ago
How does Anne Rice think that Catholicism is "anti" woman? No denomination honors a woman (MARY) more than Catholics do.....GOD chose a woman (Virgin Mary) to help destroy Satan's domain......The Catholic Religion is def NOT anti-woman.
jofo817 1 month ago 5
boils down to... because we need you! but she doesn't need you nor does any thinking intelligent human being for that matter.
thefhaja 1 month ago
The Bible says "call NO MAN father" except your Father in heaven. The Eucharist is not in the Bible, but Passover (Lord's Supper) is. Christmas is not in the Bible. Birthdays are not in the Bible. Even, wearing make up is not in the Bible (but is mentioned in the Book of Enoch). Praying to dead saints is not in the Bible. Rosary not in the Bible. Lent not in the Bible (40 days weeping for Tammuz), Purgatory not in the Bible. How exactly is Roman Universalism the truth?
herbertwarmstrong 1 month ago
@herbertwarmstrong Ask a priest. If you seek the truth, you will find it.
grandmotherwatch 1 month ago
Who cares about Anne Rice? Does she keep God's Sabbath on Saturday? Does she refuse to eat pork? No, then, she wasn't even a christian to begin with.
herbertwarmstrong 1 month ago
please log on to equip.org please read hank hanegraaff book -the complete bible answer book available on amazon good stuff
soulkiss1001 1 month ago
Father Baron, what are your thoughts on the pope at one point going to Africa and condemning condoms. Africa as you know has a massive problem with aids. How can one justify this irresponsible action?
dawgpost90 2 months ago
@dawgpost90 Take a look at the statistics and you'll see that condoms are by no means the solution to the problem of AIDS.
wordonfirevideo 2 months ago 13
@wordonfirevideo So your saying condoms wont help limit the spread of aids? I have a cousin who is currently in the peace corp in Africa. Her jobs are varied, but she mainly teaches and educates. Part of that education is using condoms for aids prevention. Would you view that part of her job as pointless then? Is there absolutely no benefit in trying to prevent stds with the use of condoms?
dawgpost90 2 months ago
@wordonfirevideo So what is the solution?
happyperson123456 1 month ago
@wordonfirevideo Or else, take a look at the statistics in Uganda, the only country which decided to attack AIDS not on the basis of prevention using condoms, but on sexual morality and marital faithfulness, very much like the Catholic teaching. It's the only country that succeeds in this fight.
realrodrigobley 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - Condoms are effective 85% of the time according to the Center for Disease Control in preventing the transmission of sperm. That's pretty comparable to Russian Roulette. Should the Pope say that Russian Roulette is moral and a good practice for those who would otherwise commit suicide?
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic LOL the message here is condoms make sex more dangerous...nice what a reasoned argument...
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - Thank you,. I know it was.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic LOL only a catholic would compare condom use to Russian roulette.
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 I made a blanket statement here I shouldn't have.
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@imromancatholic Answer one question...If someone doesn't want to get pregnant or wants to try and prevent getting stds, which action should they take?
A) dont use a condom
B) use a condom
It s simple question at the heart of the matter.
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 How about c) abstinence?
wordonfirevideo 1 month ago
@wordonfirevideo Well what if abstinence is not a welcome suggestion to the person you suggest that to? That would go back to A) or B)
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 Also why do you think condoms are made and sold? To just get people to have sex? NO people do that anyway. Condom manufacturers make money because they provide an effective product people want. Before manufactured condoms people made their own less effective versions of contraception, one of the earliest being a bladder from a sheep.
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@imromancatholic I had to go back to this. What if condoms saved only 50 percent of their users from stds or unwanted pregnancy? Your saying you would rather 100 percent of those same people to contract an std or unwanted pregnancy?
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - Before the free love and free sex and rampant availability of condoms, Stds were less than 2 persent. Now 50%. God created natural consequences to keep us out of this mess. I am saying that if God's consequences were left in place people wouldn't be screwing around as much.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic Lol your telling me that there is a god out there so concerned with human sexuality that he created stds a a punishment for promiscuity? I'm sorry we've reached a level of silliness I cant proceed into. Belief what you want just dont impose it on other people.
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - Stop putting words in my mouth. God did not create std's. They are a consequence of man's actions and the devil's ability to use nature against us when we go against God's laws. I will speak my mind and beliefs anywhere and any time I please just as you evidently will speak your headonism any time you please. If you feel I am imposing it by speaking it so be it. You by your definition are imposing your headonism.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic " God created natural consequences to keep us out of this mess. I am saying that if God's consequences were left in place people wouldn't be screwing around as much" Sorry if I "put words in your mouth" Could have sworn that when we were talking about stds you said "God created natural consequences to keep us out of this mess."
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@imromancatholic Why would i be talking to you if i didnt believe you could share your beliefs? I never said you couldn't or shouldn't...not once. When I said dont impose your beliefs I wasnt implying you were doing that in this case. I was just sating in general that belief whatever just dont impose your beliefs on others.
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - What power do I have to impose my beliefs on others? Hummmm???? That is stupid to say.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - Stop trying to tell the Catholic Church what it can and can't preach for it's members.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic Really? How I said that at all?
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - Stop trying to tell the Catholic Church what it can and can't preach for it's members. ie. imposing it on them.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic Really? Have I said that? I'm sorry if I think some of the catholic church's teachings are dangerous but hey like i said belief what you want
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - To add to my last post, condoms increase promiscuity and so simply by the increased frequency of sexual activity vs. the failure of the condom to protect either party, according to the statistics from the CDC, a great part of the "positive" effect of condoms is negated.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic Um promiscuity is not a problem...unless your a catholic...so lets stick to real life issues k? LOL condoms are like russian roulette? Bottom line is people are going to have sex for pleasure whether you like it or not. Condoms have shown to be fairly effective at their job. What's worse unprotected sex or sex with a condom? Please spare me on the abstinence thing...that is simply not realistic.
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 - Catholicism speaks to those who want to listen to the Church. Those who have no desire to listen to the Church will use whatever they want and do whatever they want and suffer the consequences. Promiscuity is a problem when over 30% of children are born out of wedlock, there are 1million abortions a year, and std's have skyrocketed since promiscuity was deemed not a problem in the 60's.
imromancatholic 1 month ago
@imromancatholic What percentage of those 30 percent would have been prevented from condom use? What percent of those stds would have been prevented? People are going to have sex whether you like it or not. So lets be responsible fellow humans beings and prevent unready parenthood, stds, aids....through condom use and safe sex edcuation
dawgpost90 1 month ago
@dawgpost90 Does the Pope have to justify his actions to you? Do you decide what is responsible/irresponsible ?
N01NP 1 week ago
This was interesting from my perspective as a person who is liturgically a Catholic but theologically a Lutheran. I suspect that a LARGE part of the problem of treating the Church like a voluntary organization was the fault of the Church itself. It seems to have a bad historic trend towards responding to calls for reform by kicking out the agitators, directly or indirectly, and then paternalistically "calling them back to mother church". Why shouldn't they gather in their own ecclesia?
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
@CoryTheRaven Because that game ends in Bill and Ted's Excellent Bible Shack and 2000 other idiosyncratic sects. If we really want to understand the egotistical and ambitious, those who insist on forming their own breakaway sect might be better candidates.
Agitators like Francis of Assisi, Robert d'Arbrissel, etc. were not kicked out. Not until the German Princes used adopt-a-heretic to declare independence from the Empire did reformers shop their sects to the secular rulers.
YeOldeStatistician 2 months ago
@YeOldeStatistician I can't downplay the role of the German princes, nor would I want to. It was those princes who protected Luther and his fellow excommunicants from a death sentence. When I said that the Church has a bad tendency towards kicking out agitators, I was being generous. Allow me to rephrase: the Church has a bad historic trend towards outright murdering agitators, kicking out the ones they can't get at, and etc. It's just sad that Luther had to rely on secular power to protect him
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
@CoryTheRaven They murdered Francis of Assisi? Robert d'Abrissel? Shazaam! The Church authorities actually offered to meet with Luther and discuss the very real abuses. He refused. But this requires actual history, not myths in which stereotyped Culture Heroes perform iconic acts. In a literate society like ours, the floating horizon of historical consciousness lies ca.300 years in the past, so even historical figures from the 17th century are already the Stuff of Legend.
YeOldeStatistician 2 months ago
@YeOldeStatistician I was thinking more like Jan Hus, or the (lol) corpse of John Wycliffe. Tell me though, this meeting in which the Catholic Church offered to meet Luther in all fairness and sober-mindedness to discuss his concerns over the conduct of the Papacy, was this before or after he was brought up on charges of heresy? Of course, the Papcy being infallible, must be a blameless cultural icon. Well, infallible ex cathedra, but why stop there, amirite?
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
@CoryTheRaven Before. At Augsburg, with von Militz. And, in a way, even at the Leipzig Disputatio with Eck. But Luther must be understood in the context of German Nationalism and the movement toward total State supremacy; just as Hus must be considered in the context of the Angevin-Neapolitan struggle and the Western Schism, and Wycliffe in the centralizing State efforts of Lancaster and his clique.
YeOldeStatistician 2 months ago
@YeOldeStatistician You're right, Luther must be understood in the context of his time! Christianity, being a religiuous situated in history, finds and resolves its theological truth in the grounding of specific context. In this case, it was the economic, political and spiritual oppression being exercised by Rome against the German people (which Luther's meetings with von Militz did nothing to resolve). Thanks for catching up!
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
@CoryTheRaven There are books you could read. Avoid polemics written in the white heat of fundamentalism or German Nationalism. (And it's not as if French and Spanish and English nationalism were not tearing at the notion of a transnational Empire.) The march toward 1914 was already beginning.
YeOldeStatistician 2 months ago
@YeOldeStatistician Oh yes... I almost converted to Catholicism a little over 10 years ago and had a full battery of Catholic friends feeding me all sorts of information on the Church's version of the Reformation. I even know all about how Luther was probably most strongly reacting against William of Ockham. But in the end, I still had to side with the freedom of conscience over the exercise of authority.
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
@CoryTheRaven Reacting AGAINST William of Ockham? That's a new one. He was certainly reacting against what he called "That whore, Reaon," because he felt that the scholastics had relied too much on logical arguments rather than on proof-texting; but that was after Ecks had bested him at the Leipzig Disputatio.
YeOldeStatistician 2 months ago
@YeOldeStatistician You hadn't heard the Ockham thing? Jeez, I guess you better bone up on your own propaganda.
Cute swipe about proof-texting, but I suppose I should take for granted that a Catholic wouldn't even know what our fundamental spiritual core is, and therefore what our fundamental beef is, before acting like some kind of animal. Keep it up, champ.
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
What she meant is that she follows God, but dislikes the Roman Catholic organization.
Everincon 2 months ago
@Everincon u can belive in god and not be a christian. u can read the bible pray to jesus but not be a member of any church.
samuelsixvids 2 months ago
Yeah, Anne Rice's reasons for leaving christianity are somewhat shallow. You leave christianity because you realize that there is no good argument for god's existence. After that, you cannot go back. It's simple as that.
alphabetablogger 2 months ago
@alphabetablogger Perhaps the question of God's existence, like the question of what is good food or good art or good sex, isn't an argument.
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
@alphabetablogger No good evidence? But there is motion in the world, efficient causes are ordered, and we constantly discover natural laws.
YeOldeStatistician 2 months ago
Ann Rice is ugly, so we wont miss her; but I was worried when a very beautiful girl was not showing up on Sundays at my parish, but she returned, and now im happy.
GoldenHarvest454 2 months ago
Poor Anne Rice and those like her. They need prayers. They want our Lord made in their own image (sin and all) rather than aspiring to be holy, as called by God.
64eugenia 2 months ago
I like Anne Rice, but she made a common mistake many people do.
She allowed secular liberalism to define Christian morality for her. What I mean here is that modern political correctness conflicts with Christian morality, and when she could not reconcile the two she decided that Christianity is wrong. She allowed negative examples from within the Church to define morality in a sharp contrast to her secular liberalism? If so, how can she say she believes in Jesus? She listens to others.
OCPRS 4 months ago 11
Thank God for Fr. Barron's charity and incredible faith which he so willingly shares with all of us. I hope Anne Rice has a chance to hear what he is saying.
wildensrunfarm 4 months ago
how precious...the way he speaks...yes the body of Christ...we are all one...
Spiritually speaking we are hurting especially in the church...the wounded warriors..the persecuted ones..those suffering for the gospel...we can't separate from them...perhaps she means...the sunday go to meetin Christians...those that aren't "walkin the talk" but there are many are walkin the talk. How can we abandon them?
mamamialove 4 months ago
I dont know how she became a writer but its obvious that she has very little appreciation of her faith. Her move is the summit of her ignorance as she doesnt know and understand the foundation of the theology, philosophical, and ethical of the catholic church, which precipitated her action of declaring her separation from the church. And yet she says she is still a follower of Christ, when in fact he despises the body of Christ. Dismissing the great minds, martyrs, fruit of the Holy Spirit.
davepinoy 4 months ago
I can truly understand Ms. Rice's struggles, and I admire the response you have offered, Fr. Barron. I too was born and baptized into the Church, walked away for two decades, and then returned by the Grace of God. It is a daily struggle, and sometimes my brothers and sisters in Christ--both Catholic and Protestant--drive me to distraction. But if I were to leave again, how would I ever learn to love as the Lord has called me to love--unconditionally, and rooted in Him?
Liminalitea 4 months ago
@AtomicDreamscape454, No, lol, I am not mentally ill. Neither, I am assuming, were the people in The Holy Bible, particularly in The Old Testament, who experienced similar things. :)
voyagersystem 5 months ago
I came to Christ completely outside 'the church' and through supernatural means. Jesus came and got me, personally. I would like to be in church as a sinner like the rest who attend. But I find the people there so godless that it makes me physically ill. I feel repelled ... blown back out the door. I am also rejected by 'the church' due to my personal relationship with God. Should I keep perservering?
voyagersystem 5 months ago
I didn't say all priests or bishops were ambitious egotistical or ruthless. I said the church ( pick one any one of them) is run by such men. You have a lot of good priests, bishops, pastors ect, but it is unusual that such men end up in charge. And yes, this is my opinion, not unassailable fact.
wotmot223 5 months ago
@wotmot223 Then you shouldn't say it in a public forum.
wordonfirevideo 5 months ago
@wordonfirevideo Good Lord, I amended my statement, and I stand by it. The majority of those who run churches are ambitious, egotistical and ruthless.
wotmot223 5 months ago
@wotmot223 Friend, do you have any idea how irresponsible and mean-spirited that comment is?! How could you possibly know that? Do you personally know at least 51% of the bishops of the Catholic Church well enough to make that sweeping and damning remark?
wordonfirevideo 5 months ago 16
I distrust organized religions because they are run by men. I do not accept that God speaks only to some. I try to be a follower of christ, but "the church" to me these days is run by the ambitious, the egotistical, the ruthless.
wotmot223 5 months ago 2
@wotmot223 Just a little bit of a generalization, don't you think? There is not one priest or bishop in the world who is not "ambitious, egotistical, and ruthless?" Come on, friend.
wordonfirevideo 5 months ago 7
@wordonfirevideo Afraid not my holy than though friend I know from experience. I was raised the son of a baptist minister, I know you are Catholic but Christians in general have killed more ppl than the Nazi party! Don't try and deny that you are either in it for the money or the power.
The pope should have been put on trial way before any war monger! You idiots have killed more people than anyone in history!
As a Catholic priest how does that make you feel? Should you be judged?
Memnoch67 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Do 1000 Hail Marys twice a day
Pope Rats
Does anybody know why Hitler was never ex-communicated? Wasn't he a Catholc all his life? There are pictures of him getting along with cardinals in the book "SMOKESCREENS." (can be googled and read on-line. Or, just look at the pictures)
PETER
I was never a blasphemous pope and I was never even in ROME! They found my grave in Jerusalem a long time ago.
PAUL
Look for BEREANbeacon and EXCATHOLICS on-line or on youtube
Exheretics1 5 months ago
I agree with Anne! I feel the same way, Christians are to judge mental.
Memnoch67 5 months ago
@Memnoch67 Oh and I suppose you aren't being the least judgmental in making that sweeping little remark!
wordonfirevideo 5 months ago
@wordonfirevideo plz forgive me my friend , I'm afraid I took this further than I should have . Peace be with you and may the love of Jesus Christ find us all.
-David
Memnoch67 5 months ago
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@Memnoch67 --We call it like we see it.
ZebraSpider454 5 months ago
Comment removed
soyuncatacol 5 months ago
The thing is, Jesus is perfect, people are not. The church is run by people. The church has become corrupt and twisted with power and greed whether anyone is willing to admit it or not. I completely understand and agree with Anne's decision. As long as one believes and follows Christ, that's what matters. As long as you can say I love God and all that jazz, then that's it. People, whether they are pastors, priests or popes, don't know anything except the love of God if they are willing to accept
GreenLikeEnvy 5 months ago
and that is very understandable because of the fact that the catholic church was built on blood. The church persecuted others, and completely wen't against the Bible which you said yourself, the church assembled. Theyre are many more books from that time period that the church didn't find relevant enough to include in the bible. They pick and chose what they wanted people to see and believe. And this persecution is still going on today.
stressedoutbrother 5 months ago
all i have to say is, i admire Anne Rice. With all the wrong that's been going on with the Catholic Church, i'm completely astounded that the catholic church would even think about saying that they do things in the name of christ, when all theyre doin is disproving that statement. And in John 12:26 it clearly says: "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me shall not abide in darkness." Anne Rice believes in Christ. she simply doesn't support the catholic church.
stressedoutbrother 5 months ago
@stressedoutbrother --You admire the wrong people; So Annie Rice left because of evil pepole in the church? Im staying because of GOOD people in the church, like F. Barron and the Pope and tons of other holy folk. Have fun wandering the "spiritual" wasteland, which btw, is anything outside the Catholic Church.
PublicChristianity99 5 months ago
@PublicChristianity99 wasteland? I beg to differ. Out of all world faiths, more harm has been done in the name of the catholic church than any other. Sure the catholic church used to be a foundation of a good, but that good has been relinquished by all the wrong that has been done over the years in the name of the church. Many of the most influential and philanthropic people, people who are apparitions of good, aren't catholic. A persons faith doesn't determine who they are as a person.
stressedoutbrother 3 months ago
@stressedoutbrother --Crusades, Inquisitions, blah blah blaaaaah.
PublicChristianity99 3 months ago
@PublicChristianity99 those events weren't "blah blah blaaaaah." those events caused death death death. and all at the hands of the catholic church.
stressedoutbrother 3 months ago
@stressedoutbrother Actually, no. But one must read actual history and not mythological accounts. It helps, for example, to realize that the Crusades were a counter-attack.
YeOldeStatistician 2 months ago
@YeOldeStatistician ok but when you speak of mythological accounts, it upsets me a little. after all, the story of christ in itself is a mythological account. and the bible on which so many people rely on as a connection to god, was compiled by man.
stressedoutbrother 1 month ago
@stressedoutbrother Myth is a particular genre marked by specific styles/tropes. A mythic account is populated with culture heroes from Origin Time doing iconic deeds and laying out the basics of the culture. While the accounts are true, they are not factual. Compare: the mythic account of Galileo, an Origin Myth of the Modern Age, compared to the actual historical records. The gospels belong to a Greek genre known as bioi, and are quite different in character.
YeOldeStatistician 1 month ago
@YeOldeStatistician The Gospels may be in the form of bioi, but their kerygmatic nature overrules this classification and relevant considerations. And unlike the biographies of today's day and age, bioi were part truth part myth. the bible being an prime example of fabrication. If the words in the bible were from god, how then can you explain the church picking and choosing which gospels to include. explain to me how the bible isn't just a compilation of myth and legend.
stressedoutbrother 1 month ago
@stressedoutbrother "Overrules", forsooth. Easier to reach a conclusion when you actually start there. If the Bible is from God, as you say, then books not included in the Bible are not from God, ipso facto. Remember: Church came first; then gospels and letters. Re 2nd question: the Bible is a compilation of myth and legend-and bioi, letters, prophesies, chronicles, songs, novellas, and cryptic visions covering political subversion. One must learn to read different genres.
YeOldeStatistician 1 month ago
She's not rejecting Christianity. She's rejecting organized religion and the whole basis if Christianity, She believes in Christ but does not embrace Christianity, and I, for one, agree with her.
Christianity has strayed from the basis of love thy neighbor. We love thy neighbor as long as he or she's like us.
And NOWHERE in the Bible does it say you have to be part of Christianity to be saved. You must believe in Jesus as the Olny Begotten Son of God and what He did for our sins.
majimawmovies 6 months ago
@majimawmovies Well first of all, neither you nor Anne Rice nor anyone else has ever heard of Jesus Christ apart from the mediation of some church, for the church assembled the Bible and the church has propagated the word about Jesus for the past two thousand years. Secondly, you can't have Christ without having, at the same time, the mystical body of Christ--with all of its flaws and imperfections.
wordonfirevideo 6 months ago
@wordonfirevideo Pretty sure that people have heard of Jesus Christ and know him through their own revalations and the word that they individually receive from God. There's a difference between being a believer and a follower.
GreenLikeEnvy 5 months ago
@majimawmovies --Typical anti-biblical individualist spirituality; What would Martin Loser think about this?
PublicChristianity99 5 months ago
@PublicChristianity99 First of all, I am a Christian. You obviously are not because of a comment like that.
majimawmovies 5 months ago
@majimawmovies -- Your statment "Christianity has strayed from the basis of Love thy neighbor" is an unfounded broadbrush comment; some do love thy neighbor and some do not. You are just part of the "Churchless Christian" fad.
PublicChristianity99 5 months ago
@majimawmovies
Let's see: at age 18 Anne Rice rejected Catholicism and became a passionate atheist. Then, 13 years ago she rejected atheism and became a passionate Catholic (again). Now she calls herself a non-aligned believer in Christ.
We must just hope that when her head's finished turning, her face is to the front again. ;)
DoctorMirabilis30 4 months ago 4
@DoctorMirabilis30 I didn't read any of Mrs. Rice's books after she returned to Christianity, I haven't even read all the Vampire Chronicles/Mayfair Witches etc. books. But I think that this is a little sad that you say something as glib and calloused as "her face is to the front again when her head's finished turning". I find that in her interviews and in the books that I've read, she has that moral foundation laid out from her Catholic roots, but like all of us, she's having trouble committing
adorima 4 months ago
@adorima I'm guessing she's really at war with herself, with reconciling herself from her atheistic years to her Catholic years. I'll be reminded to pray for her tonight, and for myself, since do relate to her like that. After seeing this review from Fr. Barron, I'll be sure to pick up "Called out of Darkness."
adorima 4 months ago
It would appear that since Ms. Rice does not approve of the Church's position on women in the Church as well as its stance on homosexuality she instead prefers the secular religion of political correctness, the latter which is decidedly narcissistic.
Mechanized0 6 months ago
so what he just said is the catholic church is God. hmmmbshmm!
lostdeez 6 months ago
Far as I'm concerned is that Anne Rice is a whore. These atheists are always attacking Christians, but are too scared when it's muslims. Hypocrites.
MontChevalier 6 months ago
If church members and its authorities are prone to the same mistakes as the rest of us, if they're corrupt, self-serving, and indulge in child rape, then what good are they? How can its claim to moral authority be true? What use does it serve? If knowledge of Jesus' moral teachings is not accompanied by any discernable moral improvement, then what good are they? Church scandals completely undermine its claim to moral authority and moral relevence.
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@lewisejackson That doesn't follow at all! There are plenty of bad Americans. Does that mean that American ideals are worthless? Most golfers are bad. Does that mean that the beauty and dignity of golf are themselves compromised? I agree with you: most Christians are bad Christians. As Chesterton said: "Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it's been found difficult and never tried."
wordonfirevideo 6 months ago 4
@wordonfirevideo You must not have been reading carefully. I was talking about the Church's claim to moral authority. Its claim that it imparts morality to its followers and acts as a moral guide. If those claims were true then church leaders and their followers should consistently act better than those outside the church. Instead, they behave exactly the same, clearly indicating that the church is usless when it comes to instilling moral values in itself and its followers.
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@lewisejackson I read your posting carefully and understood it perfectly. And you're still not making any sense! How does the bad behavior of certain Christians undermine the rectitude of what the church teaches? Most Catholics don't follow Humanae vitae, which proves absolutely nothing about the correctness of that encyclical's teaching. One of the doctrines of the church is original sin. That's why we're not at all surprised when even the best-instructed people act badly.
wordonfirevideo 6 months ago
@wordonfirevideo You're not reading my posts carefully. You think I'm saying that because some Catholics are bad, all of them are bad. What I'm actually saying is that if the Catholic Church is effective at teaching and imparting morals, then its leaders and its followers should be better, in proporation, to the rest of the world. In reality they are good and bad exactly in proportion to the world, indicating that the Catholic Church is useless when it comes to teaching morals.
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@lewisejackson - Where is your data that says they are exactly in proportion to the rest of the world?
imromancatholic 6 months ago
@imromancatholic Good point. Catholic priests cover for pedophiles or are pedophiles in much greater proportion to the general populace, so I guess Catholic ideology is having the opposite effect that Catholics claim.
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@imromancatholic Also, I couldn't find worlwide statistics, but in the US: "In the East, over 64% of inmates are Catholics. In the national prison population they average 50%. A national census found Catholics 15%. They count from the diaper up. Hardly 12% are old enough to commit a crime. Half of these are women. That leaves an adult Catholic population of 6% supplying 50% of the prison population." Source: The New Criminology", Max D. Schlapp and Edward E. Smith
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@imromancatholic My apologies. Further research indicates that priests are pedophiles in roughtly the same proportion to the general population, the only difference is that the majority of pedophiles don't have an international organization that covers up their crimes and protects them from prosecution.
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@wordonfirevideo I mean, if the Catholic Church was good at instilling good moral values and its leaders really did possess superior moral insight, then the proof of this would be better behavior by Catholics and the Vatican. Instead, the behavior of Catholics and the Vatican are indistinguishable from non-Catholics and other religious leaders, which proves that the Catholic Church is not any better than any other insitution at instilling morals and its leaders possess no special insights.
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@lewisejackson Haven't you been offensive enough to Father Barron?
MontChevalier 6 months ago
@MontChevalier No.
lewisejackson 6 months ago
@wordonfirevideo Most Catholics not following Humane Vitae DOES say something about its correctness. It might be telling us something about how livable this view of morality is. Catholics may have found that it hampers love in their relationship rather than leading to more love. Many couples trying to follow the teaching on contraception have found that it leads to great anxiety in their relationships and plays a cruel joke on women by telling them to abstain when their desire is greatest.
Jugglable 6 months ago
@Jugglable Hmmmm.... So right and wrong is based on the number of people that follow it? 11 out of 12 Apostls abandoned Jesus at the Cross so it would seem that it was moral to abandon Jesus at the cross by your thinking. What your thinking is lacking is God's call for us to achieve, to be great. You bring morality down to man rather than raise it up to God and we are fallen creatures.
imromancatholic 6 months ago
@imromancatholic I wouldn't say that right and wrong is based on the number of people who do it. I'm suggesting that couples who are in sexual relationships are in a better situation than a celibate clergy to know how well a teaching can be applied, and how conducive that teaching is to love, which is the purpose of the teaching anyway.
Jugglable 6 months ago
@Jugglable Well have you ever read Paul VI's Humane Vitae. He told what would happen with contraception. How it would lead to increase of divorce, pornography, out of wedlock births, etc. etc. He was dead on. No, I think your criterea is clouded by your humanist thinking. People compromise their morality to the situation. That is why they need a Church to help them make hard choices. Choices that in the end they will be blessed for. See psalm 127.
imromancatholic 6 months ago
@imromancatholic I am very much struggling with where I stand on the contraception question. If you can show that there is causation between increasing use of contraception and all of those bad things, rather than just a correlation, it might seal the deal for me and make me as anti-contraception as you.
Jugglable 6 months ago