Officating a funeral

I am disappointed by the anti-Catholic sentiment, not surprised just disappointed.

 

The opposite of what you say is that you would be happy with a "pro-Catholic" sentiment. Is this true?

 

Don't have to be pro-Catholic, how about a loving neutrality. How about not casting doubt on the sincerity and authenticity of every Catholic just because they are Catholic. How about not lumping Catholics in with other faith groups and calling them all cults and evil, terrible awful people. How about some decency and respect.

 

It is the doctrine of the RCC that is evil.
Amos said: How can two walk together lest they be agreed?
The answer to that rhetorical question is: they cannot.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
--Believing in the RCC doctrine is not believing in the Bible. You believe one or the other. The RCC doctrine leads one to hell. Thus most (as in 99%) are unsaved. There is no gospel in the RCC.

for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

and what communion hath light with darkness?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial?

or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord... (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

There is no neutral ground.

 

When the Catholic Church ceases to be a cult and ceases to be evil, they will stopped being lumped in with other evil cults. Until then...if it quacks like a duck....

 

How are we supposed to be "neutral" about somebody using our pulpit to preach a false gospel?

But isn't it reasonable to assume that Catholics affirm Catholic doctrines?

The Catholic Church is evil and, I believe, meets many of the criteria of a cult (ie. an "infallible" leader, membership required for salvation, salvation by following group's salvific rituals, extra-Biblical source of revelation, etc).

We should love the Catholic, but hate the false religion that keeps them in bondage.

 

It's ok for a Catholic to preform a funeral in church but God forbid if the congregation recites the Pledge or sings the Star Spangled Banner. Just shows how far off base some folks are.

 

How do you define believers?

No I would adjust your statement to the Roman Catholic Doctrine is believing in the bible and Tradition.

Why?

How did you come up with this statistic? I don't even know the % of people at my much smaller church (just over 300 member) who are saved or not. Sometimes I think someone is saved and then am faced with a whopper! And I wonder about them. So I can't assume.

None but is that really what we are talking about?

Belial is an ancient god no longer worshipped. And Accordingly I've never heard a catholic worship a belial.

Now it just sounds like you're reading from the Koran.

I don't know I mean there were statues of Seraphim in the temple. Images of trees and other things. And I just watched a documentary on second temple finds at the cave of letters and there is imagery of Thetis which is Roman/ Greek mythology. The triumphal entry in Rome has a carving of soldiers bringing in a Menorah and on its base is a depiction of Thetis. So I'm not so certain there were imagry problems in the second temple period. It seems there was a bit of religious cross polination. Interesting its not mentioned in the NT or that Jesus is not mentioning commenting on this in the temple however between the cave of Letters and the depiction on the arc it seems there was this during the 2nd temple.

In John 6 it says the work of the father is to believe in Jesus. Are you adding to it?

obviously for you there is not.

 

One who has put their faith and trust in the substitutionary work of Christ, trusting him alone as Savior by faith alone, and not of works.

For the rest of your post do you really want to answer it. 2Cor.6:14-17 is Scripture. You simply argued against the Word of God, against God himself. Those weren't my words; they were His.

 

That's completely off-topic.

We're not talking about corporate worship, we're talking about a funeral or memorial service. That's completely different.

Want to say the pledge at a funeral? I won't join in, but go right ahead.

 

Yes, yes, yes. It is most definitely a sub-christian attitude. Many catholics are walking in darkness (although the same could be said of many baptists, as well), but we are the same Church. There are no doubt many catholics who have responded in faith to God's call on their lives.

It is not a cult by any stretch of the imagination.

 

As for your first Paragraph there are Catholics who trust the substitutionary work of Christ alone. They claim to be saved by this alone. Their faith and actions are all part of their sanctification. How is this different from any other saved person?

As for your second paragraph yes I would like an answer. Your quoted verse is only a re-itteration of what you questioned before. The problem is that we are saying that these people may be believers as well. In which case the very first verse doesn't apply and if you take the passage in context you will see that it leaves out an important part of that passage because the original text did not have the breaks the english translations put in it but the end of that thought is carried in at the very begining of the next chapter

So don't hang out with pagans defiling yourselves with their practices because you want to purify yourselves which is the point of the passage. In which case catholics believe in Jesus. And are not pagans.

 

Yes, it is on topic and it speaks volumes as to what's really important to you. Thanks for responding and confirming my suspicion. By the way, the funeral services that are performed at my church are first and foremost worship services. The memory of the deceased is honored but more importantly, the gospel is preached. Of all the Catholic priests I've heard at funerals non preached the gospel. The deceased, in some cases, was clearly unregenerate based on the life style they lived, but since he or she was baptized into the Catholic church he or she is in heaven. This happened two weeks ago at a graveside service conducted by a Catholic priest. Momma is in heaven not because she trusted in Jesus but because she was baptized and had once attended mass on a regular basis. But, it has been years since her last appearance. That is a false gospel and I would not allow it anywhere near the pulpit in any church that I have served.

 

I would adjust your statement to "The Roman Catholic doctrine is believing in tradition and, if expedient and if it doesn't contradict the Magisterium, perhaps the Bible".

 

Whoa. Chill out, dude.

As far as the gospel being preached, that's all very good, but that's still not necessarily a corporate worship service.

Either way, pledging allegiance or worshiping a country in a service borders on idolatry. Allowing a catholic to speak at a memorial service in a church building is not.

 

In which case you're wrong. But that ok we can't all be perfect.

 

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. (Jeremiah 13:23)

The leopard with his spots can claim to be a tiger with his stripes, but it won't make him one. You can claim to be good when you are evil, but that won't make you good. You can claim to be saved when you are not, but that won't make you saved. This truth has been taught for centuries.

The RCC is a false world religion just like Islam and Hinduism, and their doctrine is no more Christian. All three have set their adherents on the same road--the road to hell. Salvation (Eph.2:8,9) is by grace through faith, and the RCC, Islam, and Hindus do not teach that. It is through Christ alone, taught from the Bible alone. Not one of those religions teach that. Because the RCC, like Islam and Hinduism teach that one reaches heaven (paradise, nirvana), by works and not by grace through faith. That puts them in the realm of a cult or a false religion. Take your pick. Both are taught by false teacher, whom Jesus said to be aware of.

There is no problem with me. Those in the RCC (as long as they believe RCC doctrine) are not believers. It is that simple.

The RCC is as much a pagan religion as Hinduism is. It has many elements of paganism.
The pagan ritualism of praying to the dead.
The superstition that water washes away sin.
The belief in polytheism (they make Mary into a god as well).
Bowing down before their gods, as they make the stations of the cross.
--It is a very paganistic religion and always has been.

Thus the Bible says to the Corinthians (true believers) to come out from among them and be ye separate from them and their pagan practices.
And, yes 7:1 follows naturally.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
--The promise that God "will receive you and be a Father unto you" is referred to. Come out from among them. Have no fellowship with them. Read the passage again. Sin and false doctrine defiles.

 

Actually, I'm not wrong. Those of us who were Catholics and those of us who routinely share the Gospel with Catholics know first hand that their reliance on tradition over scripture is a hurdle that has to be overcome when talking to them.

 

What does this have to do with the price of tea in China? Seriously, your...whats the word...umm....yes... Pontificating!

Catholics believe they are saved by faith through Grace alone. So It seems you are pontificating again. BTW I always wondered how people like you view this passage from Jesus?

or how about

I'm curious to how you respond.

It seems that Pontificating is something you like to do.

Are these attempts at comparison? Because there is no real comparison.

I think you have a problem seperating sanctification from works.

 

Declaring peace when there is no peace?