Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Can we please stop and think before making posts here or responding to posts?

When we direct posts on this forum, we are communicating with real people, with real feelings. Not to an annonymous computer monitor. That person whom we may hurt badly by a snide or cruel comment may have just returned from Mass, after receiving the Eucharist, when they read a cutting comment. The physical presence of Jesus is still inside them.

When we speak to someone here, should we not treat every person with the respect we would give to Our Lord? Whatever you do to the least of my brothers you do to me.

We know Christ will come again. When, how, who? Only the Father knows. That stranger we speak to on here could be Him. Far-fetched maybe,unlikely probably, but...

Only the Father knows!

As Christ taught us:

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Over the last few days on here people have made some cruel remarks about individuals on the forum. It's almost enough to make one ashamed to be Catholic. Let's please let them know we are Christian by our love.

God bless

-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), April 23, 2003

Answers

bump

-- bump (bump@bumpity.com), April 23, 2003.

Sara,

You're right! And we should remember that Our Lord reads these posts as well :)

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on my a sinner! Forgive me brother and sisters if I have sinned against any of you or caused you to sin on my account.

-- Joseph (josephwill@aol.com), April 23, 2003.

Yes, Sara. We as Christians are worse trowards our fellow Christians than to those who don't carry the name of Jesus.

You will not see me insulting people ditrectly in this forum. I learned a great lesson in the 1980s when I was in charge of my group of Catholic Action. Our group had regular,Charismatics,traditional, seminarians, priests religious, and those who just came not to be bored or for friendship. I used to be attacked a lot when I took over the group.

There were 2 brothers. One from the group that wanted to take me out. The other from the group who could care less. The charismatics were on my side . Not the priests or seminarians. The regulars were undecided. José got up. He said, " I don't agree with everything Elpidio says or does, but he is a hard worker. He cares for our group. You know I usually don't care, but we must change. I am willing to work with Elpidio and the rest of you if we can work as a group again..." I stayed in my position. We worked very well in the coming months.This he said after his own brother had taken me down really hard.

His brother later took over my position without too much success. Jose followed him later. He was very successful. Years later, his brother took over the group again. One day he said, " I notice that you stay quiet when I talk. So I will shut up." Then everybody all of the sudden started talking. He got the picture. He left 2 weeks later.

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), April 23, 2003.

The two great commandments seem like such a simple thing. The very essence of our faith and the heart of our salvation.

Why are they so hard to live. I've gotten carried away in this place and spouted off when I shouldn't have and for that I too am sorry. This place should be a Catholic place, a "holy" place as we are all called to be "holy."

God Bless you Sara

-- Leon (vol@weblink2000.net), April 23, 2003.

Hi.

I've noticed that some people here are very intellectual and proud. I've been trying to avoid this forum for feeling like a little tadpole in a pool of sharks. So, it seems best to just view the messages and stay low. I was under the belief that we should be humble. Boy was I wrong. I learned much about religious discussions--avoid them.

Elpidio- I think we share some of the same kind of "dreaming". I'm glad that you aren't afraid to make your claims. Don't let them step on you.

rod

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), April 23, 2003.

"We as Christians are worse trowards our fellow Christians than to those who don't carry the name of Jesus"

if you are talking about "reformers" (whether protestant or dissonant Catholics), there is an argument that they amongst all non- Catholics should know better.

in fact, it seems to me that the Catechism (esp various parts of Vatican II) place the greatest burden upon Catholics. because we have the fullness of Truth readily available through our Church, we must try to live immaculate lives. eg we have to ecumenise yet evangelise: now, how easy is that?!?! others can just be "good ol' boys" and that's OK; they can be saved through OUR Church.

does this explain it all? i don't know.

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), April 24, 2003.

You make some good points, Ian.

There's a school of thought which requires all discussion of faith to skim over all differences or allow open contradiction of our faith, just to seem Christ-like.

Christ gave us the truth. His holiness can't be over-emphasized, and we are all called to imitate Him. However, we must let His truth shine; not hide it under a bushel in order to avoid difficulty.

This may not always be possible without rejection of false prophets and overworked imaginations. The way to stop them is not always Christ-like. We may try to speak in parables, and prove our point by raising a dead man. But we'll only fail in that way. It takes love; tough love. For the sake of our holy Faith, we must do our best NOT to fail; using the only means God gives each one of us. If all Christians were in error, who would teach them?

One Church is free from error. She has the obligation to teach; and we are members of the Church. The obligation falls on us, as Catholics.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), April 24, 2003.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Up.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), April 24, 2003.

The people that would even to venture to make, as you call it, "cruel remarks" may be only attempting to right a wrong that has been branded into your head. The catholic church is so incredibly wrong for many of the things it does, it's not even funny. Christians and catholics are not the same. Yes the first commandment is indeed the greatest, but how many catholics uphold that? The catholics pray to false idols (virgin Mary) and have many other farfetched ideals that aren't in the Bible at all. If you read the Bible you'll understand that all the great works and hail mary's and confessions (to another sinning human being) in the world will not get you into heaven. You must realize that you are a sinner and realize that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again three days later and is still very alive today. You then must confess with your mouth to the Father (not the dress wearing priest you call "father," but the real Father in Heaven) that you are a sinner and you know the only way to get to Heaven is through Him (the one who died on the cross). Then you will be saved and when you die you will be admitted into the gates of Heaven. Let me know and I'll give you verses on all of this. I don't intend to be cruel, but I just want to plant a seed in your heart to do the right thing.

-- Chris (chris.bailey1@us.army.mil), April 27, 2003.

Dear Chris:
Your whole post from start to end is the stock supply of lies and bigotry of more than 400 years protestant failure.

Catholics are not ''branded'' with false images of right and wrong. Bible thumping wannabee Christians are daily branded with anti-Catholic myths. You are taught in Sunday school to think, ''Catholics bow to idols, Chrissy. The Catholics have phony priests, Chrissy, and they all kiss the Pope's toe, Chrissy. And the Pope is Satan, Chrissy.'' You swallowed it all. It's branded in your psyche, and you have no choice.

You're robots who thump a Bible. The Bible wouldn't have found its way into your hands without --The Catholic Church of past ages. The Bible, Chris-- is given by God to His Church; by way of His holy apostles. The apostles gave us the Catholic Church, which preserved the Word of God until it could be written. You are up against it; without Catholics, you would have no faith at all!

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), April 27, 2003.

Dear Chris - too late! The seeds of Christianity were already planted - 2,000 years ago, by Jesus Christ, in the Church He personally founded, the Holy Catholic Church. You are right about one thing. "Christian" and "Catholic" are no longer synonyms, though they were for the first fifteen centuries of Christianity. Today Christianity has been literally torn to shreds by the introduction of manmade traditions and heresies in the 16th century. However, the One True Church founded by Jesus remains solid in its unchanging, divine truth.

There are no idols in God's Church. Everything the Catholic Church teaches is directed to the worship of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Asking the saints to pray for us is directed toward worship of Jesus Christ, and relationship with Him, nothing else. How can you possibly think that novel ideas which never existed in Christianity before the 16th century can qualify as "Christian". If you read the Bible AND understood it, as Catholics do, you would know that works of charity, participation in the Sacraments, and prayers of intercession are all extremely valuable in "getting you into heaven", because they are all directed toward acceptance of the Savior, and worship of the One True God. What will NOT get you into heaven is rejection of the Church which GOD Himself founded for all men, in favor of manmade traditions which teach what you want to hear. This is no surprise though. It was predicted in scripture (2 Tim 4:3)

You say: "You must realize that you are a sinner and realize that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again three days later and is still very alive today". Good! I'm glad to see that you have not rejected Catholic teaching completely. Otherwise, you could not claim the title "Christian". These truths, and all other truths you possess came to you from the Holy Catholic Church, for there was nowhere else that Jesus placed His truth.

You say: "Let me know and I'll give you verses on all of this". Please don't bother. All of the verses are Catholic verses. You took them from the Catholic Church, twisted them to fit your manmade traditions, and are now offering them back to us in their new, warped form. No thanks. We have the original, complete with authoritative interpretation. Nothing less is acceptable.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), April 27, 2003.

Thou art Peter!; and Upon this Rock (Peter) I will build my Church! and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it!!! ... Whatever You [Peter] shall Bind on earth shall be bound in heaven! Whatever You [Peter] shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven!!!

*** Peter and all the Popes Make all the Rules!!! Give Me a Break!!! *** ... Matthew 16:18-19

Catholic Church 2000 Years all others 500 years tops!!! Give Me a Break!!!***

-- Joseph Anthony (elvisja@aol.com), June 14, 2004.