Posts Tagged ‘Error-a-Day’

Day 7: Manual Labor

Friday, November 6th, 2009

papal blessingThe Manual of Indulgences, approved by the Holy See, was published in 2006 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The book is a 160 page explanation of indulgences. Here are some of the rules:

  • indulgences are available for the devout use of a blessed crucifix, cross, scapular, rosary or medal
  • If an indulgence is granted for visiting a church and the church is destroyed, the site remains a holy site if the building is rebuilt within fifty years
  • Only the pope can authorize indulgences. Since he is a busy man, he can delegate the issuance of indulgences to the following: eparchial and diocesan bishops within their jurisdictions (but plenary only three times a year), metropolitans (but only partial outside their jurisdiction), patriarchs (partial and plenary three times a year – even outside their jurisdiction), etc., etc.
  • Indulgences granted for a pilgrimage on a particular day: the day is a 36 hour day beginning at noon of the preceding day

It is incredible the religious hoops that people are willing to jump through instead of receiving the simple and wonderful gift of forever forgiveness. It is sad, is it not? Blessed medals and scapulars? Idolatry. It makes me weep.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Catholicism | 2,551 Comments »

Day 4: Welcome to Purgatory, Pop. Zero

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Offer Void Where Prohibited

People Good Enough to Qualify

Purgatory is a comforting doctrine for the Catholic. You wouldn’t think that a place of suffering and purgation would bring comfort. But purgatory is a safety net for the semi-honest  Catholic. The honesty arises from understanding that they are not good enouugh to go directly to heaven – they have debts that must be satisfied first. However, the great lie that they tell themselves is that they have attended enough masses, confessed all mortal sins, and basically are good enough to qualify for purgatory!

The “good Catholic” (I was one) must be convinced by the Holy Spirit that THEY ARE NOT GOOD!  Jesus says that no one is good but God (Lk 18:19Lk 18:19
English: World English Bible - WEB
19 Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God.

WP-Bible plugin
). Paul  says that everyone is under sin, that no one is righteous (Rom 3:9-10Rom 3:9-10
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written, “There is no one righteous. No, not one.),  and that all have sinned and fallen short (Rom 3:23Rom 3:23
English: World English Bible - WEB
23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;). The penalty for sin? Eternal death (Rom 6:23Rom 6:23
English: World English Bible - WEB
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.).

The population of purgatory is zero, because it doesn’t exist. It doesn’t exist because Jesus paid the full penalty for sin. THE DOCTRINE OF PURGATORY IS WICKED – IT DECEIVES CATHOLICS INTO SELF- ( AND CHURCH-) RELIANCE AND KEEPS THEM FROM THE FINISHED WORK OF THE SAVIOR.

Catholicism is a hard sell without purgatory.

_________________________________________________________

Purgatory.   The place of suffering for those who die in a state of grace, yet in need of purification because of sin. The atonement of Jesus only removed the guilt of sin. The temporal consequences of sin remain and we must pay for our sins while alive or after death. The soul in purgatory is entirely passive. Therefore the only way to gain heaven is by suffering in purgatory or through the intercession of the Church. The pope can mitigate the consequences of purgatory by dispensing indulgences to the faithful. The righteousness of Jesus, Mary and the Saints has been stored up by God in the Treasury of Merit. The souls in purgatory may receive infusions of righteousness from this heavenly bank account to pay for sin. The soul in purgatory gets “time off for good behavior.” It is not their behavior, but rather the actions of the living faithful who gain indulgences on their behalf.

 Jesus paid the entire penalty for our sin (Rom 6:23Rom 6:23
English: World English Bible - WEB
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

WP-Bible plugin
). No one deserves heaven. By the perfect righteousness of Jesus we are reconciled to God (Rom 5:18Rom 5:18
English: World English Bible - WEB
18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.). Purgatory is a wicked doctrine, since it provides a false sanctuary for the poor deceived Catholic. It also denies the abundant grace and love of God, making Him the miserly God of double jeopardy.  The idea of merit is based on the false idea that the original sin of Adam only weakened our nature. In reality, we are born in a state of spiritual death (Eph 2:5Eph 2:5
English: World English Bible - WEB
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ,). Jesus confirmed that no one is good but God (Mk 10:17Mk 10:17
English: World English Bible - WEB
17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”). Salvation is entirely a gift of God – so that no one can boast (Eph 2:9Eph 2:9
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 not of works, that no one would boast.).

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Catholicism | No Comments »

Day 2: Spiritual Bondage to Manmade Tradition

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

handcuffs

November 1st is a Holy Day of Obligation in the U.S.: All Saints Day. But since it falls on Sunday this year, no extra day of attendance is required. This is a good thing, since a majority of Catholics fail to attend mass on most Holy Days. Such a failure is spiritual suicide to the Catholic – to willfully disobey this precept results in loss of all sanctifying grace. Canon Law states:

Canon 1247
On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass; they are also to abstain from those labors and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord’s Day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body.

__________________________________________________

Holy Days of Obligation.   Special days celebrated to commemorate certain events in the lives of Mary and the saints. Attendance at Mass every Sunday and Holy Day is mandatory as one of the five precepts of the Catholic Church. Failure to attend Mass on the required days is a mortal sin, which if unconfessed causes a person to go to hell. There are currently ten such “feast days,” including the immaculate conception of Mary, the assumption of Mary, All Saints Day, Christmas, and the Solemnities of Joseph, Mary, Peter and Paul, and Corpus Christi. Canon law allows each country (with the permission of the Pope) to reduce the number of mandatory holy days. In the U.S., the bishops require mandatory attendance for six holy days.

The Bible places no mandatory attendance rules upon the consciences of Christians. In fact, mandatory observance of special days is described as worthless and enslaving by the apostle Paul (Gal 4:9-10Gal 4:9-10
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again? 10 You observe days, months, seasons, and years.

WP-Bible plugin
). The arbitrary nature of the required days (they change from country to country and generation to generation) demonstrate how the Catholic Church places its traditions above the authority of the Word of God (Acts 15:10-11Acts 15:10-11
English: World English Bible - WEB
10 Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, TR adds “Christ” just as they are.”).

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Catholicism | 3 Comments »

Day 1 – Halloween: A Catholic Holiday

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

gravestone

The name “halloween” is a mash-up of two words: Hallows and Evening. It is the evening that precedes All Hallows (or Saints) Day.  Many Christians have argued against the celebration of Halloween based on its pagan origins and connection to the occult. But there also is the fact that All Saints Day reflects erroneous Catholic teaching. Over the next year, I will document a new Catholic error each day. The Catholic Church claims that its teachings are infallible. I beg to differ. Catholicism is fallible from A to Z.

__________________________________________________

All Saints Day.   A holy day of obligation (November 1st) to honor the saints who are in heaven.  The saints are deemed to be able to intercede on behalf of the Catholic, and thus are mediators of grace. Attendance at mass is mandatory on a holy day of obligation; failure to attend without just cause (such as illness) is a grave sin. Unless confessed, grave sin remaining at death causes exclusion from heaven and eternal death in hell.

 Paul describes the obligatory practice of observing religious holidays as “weak and worthless elemental things” (Gal 4:9-10Gal 4:9-10
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again? 10 You observe days, months, seasons, and years.

WP-Bible plugin
), and feared for the souls of the Galatians who practiced them. Concerning the mediation of the saints, the Scriptures know of only one mediator – Jesus. Belief in the mediation of the saints minimizes the all-sufficient mediation of Jesus for sin.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Catholicism | No Comments »