The most liberal pope since Jesus?

[Supereem]

If you can convince me that "Hail Mary" is not actually worshipping Mary, I'd be impressed.

Go to Greece and you will see it is obvious the saints/Maria/angels helped in the transition from polytheism to Christianity.

Sailors still needed a 'sea god' to believe in, so the temples of Poseidon were replaced with churches to St Nicholas. People still needed their "mother" goddess (Gaia, Hera, Athena) so Maria took the mantle. Warriors still needed their Ares so St George took that mantle.

I am Christian but anthropologically it is obvious that Orthodox Christians are basically polytheistic. In theory you pray to the saints to pray to God but most believe the actual saints are the ones helping you out. I love it all the same however.

 

[ripskater]

Some end times experts believe that the last Pope/the Vatican is the False Prophet of Revelation.

 

[Whitesnake]

Some end times experts believe that the last Pope/the Vatican is the False Prophet of Revelation.

That's because American conservative christians put their politics above all. The pope is clashing with their political views! Anti-Christ!

 

[dontsnitch]

Go to Greece and you will see it is obvious the saints/Maria/angels helped in the transition from polytheism to Christianity.

Sailors still needed a 'sea god' to believe in, so the temples of Poseidon were replaced with churches to St Nicholas. People still needed their "mother" goddess (Gaia, Hera, Athena) so Maria took the mantle. Warriors still needed their Ares so St George took that mantle.

I am Christian but anthropologically it is obvious that Orthodox Christians are basically polytheistic. In theory you pray to the saints to pray to God but most believe the actual saints are the ones helping you out. I love it all the same however.

Interesting take on polytheism, I never thought about it like that, but it can definitely apply. I also think that the meaning depends on the individual. So while I don't see a biblical case to be praying to saints, it's not necessarily a huge misstep, depending on how you see the saints. Same goes for Mary, in theory, it depends on the individual, but I've seen far too many people treating Mary like another God.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Jesus wasn't a Pope.

 

[Throttlehead]

Some end times experts believe that the last Pope/the Vatican is the False Prophet of Revelation.

What a gig.

 

[Phanuel]

The current Pope, Pope Francis, is pretty liberal. He tried to change the catholic stance towards gays, condoms are still cool these days, he's even encouraging people to try and fight corporate greed: meaning he wants to address poverty and climate change.

IMO he's the most liberal pope since Jesus, unless you count Oprah as Pope of America, which she of course is.

Any man who follows God and the Good Word of Jesus does not follow the Pope. The Pope is a mockery of the doctrine of truth.

 

[dontsnitch]

Some end times experts believe that the last Pope/the Vatican is the False Prophet of Revelation.

That never made sense to me because Christianity is on a massive decline, and Catholicism even a greater decline. The False prophet is supposed to amass all these followers, I'd soon guess a Muslim leader with Islam being the one world religion than anything Christianity related.

 

[ripskater]

That never made sense to me because Christianity is on a massive decline, and Catholicism even a greater decline. The False prophet is supposed to amass all these followers, I'd soon guess a Muslim leader with Islam being the one world religion than anything Christianity related.

Nobody knows. But the Vatican and this Pope seem to be softening their stance on many things that the Bible is against.

I've heard he alluded to or said that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. I haven't read the prayer, but people are saying that.

The Pope has also said that he would baptize aliens.

This Pope really is saying some concerning things .

Anyway, back to your point, some end times experts say the last Pope will unite with Islam to form the one world religion which helps form the New World Order.

 

[Jack V Savage]

Nobody knows. But the Vatican and this Pope seem to be softening their stance on many things that the Bible is against.

I've heard he alluded to or said that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. I haven't read the prayer, but people are saying that.

How many Gods do you believe exist?

Anyway, back to your point, some end times experts say the last Pope will unite with Islam to form the one world religion which helps form the New World Order.

Whoa, if true.

BTW, how does one become an end times expert? I want to add that to my card.

 

[HOLA]

The lord giveth and the lord taketh away...
If it wasn't for the Crusades and the Papal bull supporting them, where would they have been?

So yeah, it may be 8 centuries later, but someone that likes to style themselves as "knighttemplar" and then discredits the pope by quoting Stalin of all people, is kinda funny...

Not that surprising though really, given the sort of people that like to entertain "knight templar" fantasies.

...

 

[skombolis]

He's the leader of an organisation of 1.1 billion people. An organisation which believes certain of his pronouncements are "infallible" and inspired by God.

Hence why his opinions matter...

People really haven't thought that in some time. And that was only a thing for a short while. Popes normally stay for life so when you add it all together, papal infallibility was more of a blip on the radar


"Only one pope, Pius XII, has expressly claimed to speak infallibly since a desperate Pope Pius IX seemingly invented “papal infallibility” less than 150 years ago. The last two popes tried slickly to apply a “creeping infallibility” to many issues, such as ordaining women priests and blessing homosexual relationships. Significantly, Pope Francis in recent remarks about Pius XII said: “I am not saying he did not make mistakes. He made a few. I get things wrong often too”. At last we have in Francis a pope who admits popes are fallible, at least on some matters..."

http://christiancatholicism.com/pop...ake-mistakes-will-he-now-try-to-correct-them/

And the past pope admitted mistakes also.

 

[ripskater]

How many Gods do you believe exist?

Too many to count. Millions would be my guess. Counting the fallen angels and the demons.

Whoa, if true.

BTW, how does one become an end times expert? I want to add that to my card.

Lol. I figured someone would make fun of that term. I didn't know what to call them. Maybe Bible Prophecy guru.

 

[Jack V Savage]

Too many to count.

Interesting. I thought you were a Christian. Or are you answering me out of character?

Lol. I figured someone would make fun of that term. I didn't know what to call them. Maybe Bible Prophecy guru.

"End times expert" is cool. Just wondering how you attain that status.

 

[HOLA]

Interesting. I thought you were a Christian. Or are you answering me out of character?



"End times expert" is cool. Just wondering how you attain that status.

Can't imagine the prerequisites are intense.

Probably just head over to Staples and make a few business cards and youre ready to go.

 

[ripskater]

Interesting. I thought you were a Christian. Or are you answering me out of character?

I edited my post above. That probably explains. There is one true God. But probably millions of false wannabe gods.

"End times expert" is cool. Just wondering how you attain that status.

There is not a status. Just some people that study Bible prophecy.

 

[HOLA]

Could you give me some other teachings besides the worship of Mary that you disagree with?

I was born into the Russian Orthodox denomination and most people who are religious tend to pray and worship a lot of saints. Icons of saints, from what I recall, are even more prevalent than Jesus himself. That does seem a bit contrary to the scripture.

Not stoning your kids when they disobey you is contrary to it too.

That St. Francis statue holds my garden together. I ain't no polythiest. But, whatever.

Catholicism certainly can be weird. But, I'd rather live in the Catholic areas of the country(the northeast, the west coast) than outside of them.

 

[Ruprecht]

People really haven't thought that in some time. And that was only a thing for a short while. Popes normally stay for life so when you add it all together, papal infallibility was more of a blip on the radar


"Only one pope, Pius XII, has expressly claimed to speak infallibly since a desperate Pope Pius IX seemingly invented

 

[Ruprecht]

Could you give me some other teachings besides the worship of Mary that you disagree with?

I was born into the Russian Orthodox denomination and most people who are religious tend to pray and worship a lot of saints. Icons of saints, from what I recall, are even more prevalent than Jesus himself. That does seem a bit contrary to the scripture.

You'll find various degrees of iconoclasm in the protestant denominations.
All the way through to those that see the symbolic use of the crucifix as a form of idolatry.
The rejection of the Catholic/Orthodox concepts of sainthood and the "intercession of the saints" has been pretty much universal in my experience.
Maybe some Anglicans still hold to it.

 

[ElKarlo]

Not sure what you're asking about the Hail Mary prayer. I know a lot of catholics, and I know that many of them hold Mary to a dubious level of esteem that is for all intents worshipping her, which I vehemently disagree with.

I don't think the entire denomination is bad, I've attended many catholic services, I admire a lot of their faith, just think they have some pretty obviously false teachings which there is no reason for them to keep in the face of biblical proof.

I'm Catholic and Mary is to be revered not worshipped. But as you said it definitely goes towards worshipping. Or at least is very gray in many cases.

I like being Catholic again. Francis finally made it not shameful.
I tried being Protestant but I found many to be wildly left or right. To the point where I felt uncomfortable