For those of you who know me really well, you know that I am a bit stingy with my money. Some people call me a cheapskate. I, however, prefer the term "frugal" or "careful." Anyways, the one area in my life where I don't feel obliged to be careful is with my giving.
Note: I am in NO way trying to flaunt myself and my giving. This blog has a different point which you should get as you read.
Unless religious news (or news in general) is of no interest of you, you may know that the Roman Catholic Church is undergoing various scandals at this point in its history (pedophile priests, the lack of charisma within the faithful, former priests who seem desperate to regain former popularity). Because of these scandals and other reasons, a handful of people have asked me why I continue to give to a church of that is filled with hypocrites and sinners.
Why not? There is no question that I should give. How can I call myself a faithful Christian if I do not give? It is said that your heart is where your treasure is stored. If I spend my money on the latest gadgets, that means I have subjected myself to a Technological God. If I save each and every penny I earn, I make money itself my God. However, if I give my money as an act of worship to God, then I am serving the Lord as my God.
So, that's all fine and dandy, but the question still remains - why give to the Roman Catholic Church? The fact of the matter is, if I wait for a pure, sinless, completely righteous organization or group of people to give to give to, I will be waiting until I end up in the grave. The fact that the Church is full of sin proves that it is the church of Christ. Christ came to call sinners, not the self-righteous. Any church that points fingers to a sister church within Christianity without finding faults within itself has simply proven that it is not a Church of Christians.
As this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity commences, I pray that all the denominations of Christianity can stop pointing fingers and stop pretending to be the sole "temple of truth" if you may. Let us stop the bitter name-calling and the division that we force by resorting to senseless attacks based on external doctrinal details. Instead, let us unite with what we share - faith that Jesus is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
Showing posts with label catholic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label catholic. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Weeding Out Thorns
The news has been rampant recently about yet another sex abuse case within the Roman Catholic Church. What makes this particular case so different is its link with Pope Benedict XVI. Back when Joseph Ratzinger was a Cardinal, this particular priest was brought to his office (since he was in charge of overseeing this particular problem within the Church). Instead of the priest being handed to authorities (since the abuse of minors is a crime, in addition to a sin), he was ordered to undergo psychiatric therapy. When transferred to a different parish, the priest continued to abuse minors.
This problem within the Church has been a thorn in its side. It has been an insidious cancer in the Christian faith amongst those who follow the Catholic tradition. This particular aspect of the Church, among a few others, is the reason why the Church has such a bad reputation in the world. How can the children of God - that is the entire world - be fed with the Gospel if the vineyard of God is not all that welcoming? How can we expect people to allow their old ways to die and renew themselves in faith, hope, and love if the harvest is bearing bad fruit?
I have come to believe that more people will get turned off from attending church than be reasoned away from it. While there are many different things that I feel need reform, I will stick with the lone issue of sex abuse. There is a difference between being a sinner and being a criminal. It's really simple, if a priest, a deacon, a bishop, a cardinal, or the pope himself for that matter, commits such a desolating sin - like child sex abuse - not only should he not be allowed to hold the position anymore, but he should be turned over to police. Instead of trying to cover its tracks, the Church should be have a more open-door policy towards her adherents.
People don't want secrecy, they want openness. Jesus did not hold secrets. Unlike the Jewish high priests who later played a role in his crucifixion, Jesus was open and indeed opened the door to the kingdom of heaven. He opened people's eyes and hearts to the truth instead of holding the truth to himself and only giving out pre-selected information.
I'm not saying that those who commit the sin should be kicked out of the church altogether, but just as a shepherd should not commit inappropriate acts with his sheep, the pastors and associate pastors of these parishes should not be committing inappropriate acts with the parishioners, let alone their children.
So kick them out of the priesthood. That will surely send a message to those who are not pure of heart and yet are thinking of attending seminary. If a priest sins, it will be all right because no fully mortal man is without sin. But just as you wouldn't allow a priest who commits murder continue in his post, neither should one who has done this. You want to give a true apology? Show the people that you are cleaning house and ensuring it will not happen anymore.
This problem within the Church has been a thorn in its side. It has been an insidious cancer in the Christian faith amongst those who follow the Catholic tradition. This particular aspect of the Church, among a few others, is the reason why the Church has such a bad reputation in the world. How can the children of God - that is the entire world - be fed with the Gospel if the vineyard of God is not all that welcoming? How can we expect people to allow their old ways to die and renew themselves in faith, hope, and love if the harvest is bearing bad fruit?
I have come to believe that more people will get turned off from attending church than be reasoned away from it. While there are many different things that I feel need reform, I will stick with the lone issue of sex abuse. There is a difference between being a sinner and being a criminal. It's really simple, if a priest, a deacon, a bishop, a cardinal, or the pope himself for that matter, commits such a desolating sin - like child sex abuse - not only should he not be allowed to hold the position anymore, but he should be turned over to police. Instead of trying to cover its tracks, the Church should be have a more open-door policy towards her adherents.
People don't want secrecy, they want openness. Jesus did not hold secrets. Unlike the Jewish high priests who later played a role in his crucifixion, Jesus was open and indeed opened the door to the kingdom of heaven. He opened people's eyes and hearts to the truth instead of holding the truth to himself and only giving out pre-selected information.
I'm not saying that those who commit the sin should be kicked out of the church altogether, but just as a shepherd should not commit inappropriate acts with his sheep, the pastors and associate pastors of these parishes should not be committing inappropriate acts with the parishioners, let alone their children.
So kick them out of the priesthood. That will surely send a message to those who are not pure of heart and yet are thinking of attending seminary. If a priest sins, it will be all right because no fully mortal man is without sin. But just as you wouldn't allow a priest who commits murder continue in his post, neither should one who has done this. You want to give a true apology? Show the people that you are cleaning house and ensuring it will not happen anymore.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Making Sacrifices...
So that time of the year is coming upon us again - the time when Catholic Christians throughout the world make a sacrifice for the Lenten season. The popular notion amongst people of this faith is to make a "sacrifice to please God." Unfortunately, that is the wrong conception one can have the season.
Lent gives us an opportunity to "die" to our old ways and to "rise" with Jesus to a new way of life. Even though we may have already become believers and experienced a conversion of heart - or became born again - our decision to let the old ways die and follow Christ in new ways is one we can make over and over again, especially during Lent. But doing so involves conversion.
What are some of the "old ways" that we need to "die" to? Many of these are personal choices and attitudes that we have gotten used to: being selfish with our time and money, refusing to help others, saying hurtful things to get a laugh, or not putting effort into school, work, and/or into our gifts/talents. Other "old ways" are attitudes and choices that we often share with the society around us: ignoring the needs of poor or homeless people, not caring for those who are sick or hungry, or allowing the most vulnerable among us to go without the help they need. Lent gives us a chance, with God's grace and our best efforts, to change our minds, our hearts, and our lives.
Isaiah speaks to us about the meaning of Lent. His words serve as a great remnder of the Lenten practices that we follow in order to move toward conversion: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. What can you "do for Lent" in one or more areas?
Whatever you decide to do, it is also important to remember that Lent is a season of grace. It is not so much about what we do but about Jesus' presence with us, calling us to come closer and closer to him each day. Whatever our failures or trials in responding to his call, we are never overcome. We can always renew our efforts with help of the grace he gives us. And renewal is always possible for us, for we are following our Savior who faced what we faced, yet still manages to lead us through death into new life.
So the following is a list of points/tips I'd like to make about the upcoming season.
1) Remember that what we should sacrifice is whatever keeps us away from God. Meaning, unless it is keeping you away from God, I don't think sacrificing chocolates, soda, fast food, etc. brings the message home.
2) Fasting is not about starving yourself. If you fast, you will likely become hungry at some point during the day. Instead of moaning and groaning, just ask God to fill that hunger for you, and if you believe He will, then He will. Jesus speaks about fasting in the Gospel of Matthew. On that note, too, maybe you should wash your face after attending mass on Ash Wednesday. Who you are and what you are embarking on is between you and God. No need to wear an ash-cross throughout the day. Just remember that from ashes we came, and to ash we shall return.
3) Instead of sacrificing one of the superficial items listed as number one, some examples of good sacrifices can be taking out of the New Testament. St. Paul gives us good examples of positive sacrifices we can make to grow in our relationship with Christ, and to help those who have lost all hope and/or purpose.
4) When making sacrifices, it's supposed to be a life-changing one. For example, if you give up pride or being overly lustful, it's not supposed to last only until Easter. If not, what change have you really made in your life?
5) I invite all of my non-Catholic Christian brothers and sisters to partake in the season as well. Lent should not be for Catholics alone, but for Christians of all denominations and traditions. I'm not saying that you have to celebrate Ash Wednesday or Palm Sunday, but I think a Pauline sacrifice would benefit each of us as individuals.
Lent gives us an opportunity to "die" to our old ways and to "rise" with Jesus to a new way of life. Even though we may have already become believers and experienced a conversion of heart - or became born again - our decision to let the old ways die and follow Christ in new ways is one we can make over and over again, especially during Lent. But doing so involves conversion.
What are some of the "old ways" that we need to "die" to? Many of these are personal choices and attitudes that we have gotten used to: being selfish with our time and money, refusing to help others, saying hurtful things to get a laugh, or not putting effort into school, work, and/or into our gifts/talents. Other "old ways" are attitudes and choices that we often share with the society around us: ignoring the needs of poor or homeless people, not caring for those who are sick or hungry, or allowing the most vulnerable among us to go without the help they need. Lent gives us a chance, with God's grace and our best efforts, to change our minds, our hearts, and our lives.
Isaiah speaks to us about the meaning of Lent. His words serve as a great remnder of the Lenten practices that we follow in order to move toward conversion: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. What can you "do for Lent" in one or more areas?
Whatever you decide to do, it is also important to remember that Lent is a season of grace. It is not so much about what we do but about Jesus' presence with us, calling us to come closer and closer to him each day. Whatever our failures or trials in responding to his call, we are never overcome. We can always renew our efforts with help of the grace he gives us. And renewal is always possible for us, for we are following our Savior who faced what we faced, yet still manages to lead us through death into new life.
So the following is a list of points/tips I'd like to make about the upcoming season.
1) Remember that what we should sacrifice is whatever keeps us away from God. Meaning, unless it is keeping you away from God, I don't think sacrificing chocolates, soda, fast food, etc. brings the message home.
2) Fasting is not about starving yourself. If you fast, you will likely become hungry at some point during the day. Instead of moaning and groaning, just ask God to fill that hunger for you, and if you believe He will, then He will. Jesus speaks about fasting in the Gospel of Matthew. On that note, too, maybe you should wash your face after attending mass on Ash Wednesday. Who you are and what you are embarking on is between you and God. No need to wear an ash-cross throughout the day. Just remember that from ashes we came, and to ash we shall return.
3) Instead of sacrificing one of the superficial items listed as number one, some examples of good sacrifices can be taking out of the New Testament. St. Paul gives us good examples of positive sacrifices we can make to grow in our relationship with Christ, and to help those who have lost all hope and/or purpose.
4) When making sacrifices, it's supposed to be a life-changing one. For example, if you give up pride or being overly lustful, it's not supposed to last only until Easter. If not, what change have you really made in your life?
5) I invite all of my non-Catholic Christian brothers and sisters to partake in the season as well. Lent should not be for Catholics alone, but for Christians of all denominations and traditions. I'm not saying that you have to celebrate Ash Wednesday or Palm Sunday, but I think a Pauline sacrifice would benefit each of us as individuals.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Different Breeds of Catholicism
I have been meaning to write this blog for a while, now. It's amazing how group-oriented human beings are, and human beings of faith are no different. People of faith are grouped into different religions, and each of those religions are grouped into different denominations. I thought that it would be interesting (and humorous) to take a look at the denomination I know the most - Catholicism. There are so many different types of Catholics out there - one that I think they should all fall into and that the Church intends they fall into, and other types that I feel should not be considered Christianity, let alone Catholicism, at all. I also know that a lot of different Christian denominations contain some of these "breeds" as well.
So, without further ado, here is a bird's eye view of the species of Catholicism. Please keep in mind that I do not mean to offend anyone. I simply am expressing my opinion based on my experiences and what I've seen.
Catholic Christians
Catholic Christianity is the "true" branch of the Catholicism. Catholic Christians identify themselves as Christians who follow the Catholic denomination. Yes, they believe that Catholicism is the denomination that has most Christian truth, but they also see truth in all Christian denominations. While they believe there are some denominations that are more "true" than others, the important thing is that they all have truth in them. I sincerely believe that the current pope falls into this category, though I was once skeptical about it.
Santeria Catholics
A lot of Hispanic Catholics fall into this category. And when I say a lot - I mean the overwhelming majority. Santeria Catholics are those who put emphasis on Saints and the Virgin Mary more than they do on Christ. You can identify these people easily whenever you see God working in their lives. However, instead of thanking God for His grace, they thank San Lazaro, or St. Teresa of Little Flower, or Mary for their work. They believe the saints to be like the League of Justice. Whenever someone prays, they answer the call to save the day. There is a historical reasoning for Hispanic culture's saint-emphasized culture. When the Spaniards first introduced the faith to the Native Americans, they helped the natives understand this new religion by comparing it to their gods. Unfortunately, over time, Christianity got intertwined with spirits, ghosts, and ancestors, leading to this Santeria Catholicism.
I only pray that they learn that to pray to a saint, or to pray to Mary for that matter, is heretical. They are simply twisting what the Catholic Church teaches to fit a cultural need, which leads to the next group of Catholics.
Cultural Catholics
A cultural Catholic is someone who observes the Catholic practices as a cultural tradition rather than a spiritual exercise. Cultural Catholics may not fully understand the theology that informs the religion's rituals, or may reject part or most of the theology as outdated or irrelevant to modern life. Cultural Catholics may attend Mass less than several times a year, or may not practice their religion at all, but still regard their association with the Catholic Church as a defining aspect of their identity, much like how non-practicing Jews still consider themselves Jewish. It becomes more of a racial, rather than spiritual, aspect of society. Cultural Catholics regard the sacraments of the Catholic Church (such as baptism, first communion, confirmation and a wedding in a Catholic Church) as important milestones in life, without necessarily attaching much spiritual significance to the events. A lot of American and European Catholics fall into this category. Dane Cook is a famous example of this kind of Catholic, not necessarily because of what he says about the Catholic mass (I actually find it hilarious), but mainly because some of his other jokes in regards to sexual promiscuity.
These are also the same people who may say things like "I'm a Catholic, but I'm not a good Catholic." Since when are there different levels of Christianity? Isn't it that you are a Christian, or you aren't? They also say things like "I'm a good person. I haven't killed anyone or stole anything." Their assumption is right. They may be a good person. That's how God created them to be - good. The problem is that God calls us to be more than good. He calls us to be holy.
Cultural Catholic is a term generally synonymous with Cafeteria Catholic.
Cafeteria Catholics
The term "cafeteria Catholic" (also CINO = "Catholic In Name Only") is applied to those who pick and choose which doctrines and dogmas they want to believe in. Sometimes they may be theological (for example, they may believe that Jesus was the Messiah but that he was not free from sin) or political/social issues (like dissenting from Roman Catholic moral teaching on issues such as abortion, contraception, premarital sex, masturbation, and homosexuality). The term has no status in official Catholic teachings.
On April 18, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI preached about this in a homily:
"Being an adult means having a faith which does not follow the waves of today's fashions or the latest novelties. A faith which is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ is adult and mature."
In a similar vein, Pope John Paul II stated in his talk to the Bishops in Los Angeles in 1987:
"It is sometimes reported that a large number of Catholics today do not adhere to the teaching of the Catholic Church on a number of questions, notably sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage. Some are reported as not accepting the clear position on abortion. It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the Magisterium is totally compatible with being a "good Catholic," and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error."
Traditionalist Catholics
Traditionalist Catholics believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Vatican II (1962-1965). They are usually angry with the current Church in regards to many of their new teachings, such as the following:
1) They believe that the Catholic Church is the only true Church devoted to Christ and that all non-Catholic churches that are not in full communion with the Vatican are not true Christian churches. The Catholic Church now teaches what I wrote before in the "Catholic Christian" section - that all Christian churches have truth to them. The Catholic Church also teaches that one not need to convert to Catholicism to gain salvation while Traditionalists believe that one must be Catholic.
2) They believe that the Catholic mass should always be in Latin. Why? I'm not so sure. I mean, Latin is great, but I think that each parish should decide what they want to do.
3) They believe that the Church has enemies and disagree with the modern Church's efforts to seek peace with people of all faiths, including the secular world.
Mel Gibson and Pat Buchanan are prime examples of Traditionalist Catholics.
Anti-Protestant Catholics
Anti-Protestant Catholics are the exact inverse of Anti-Catholic Protestants. They believe in all the spiritual Christian truths, but feel that Protestant groups of Christians are not really Christians (just like those Protestants who believe Catholics to not be Christians). These kinds of Catholics, regardless of how devotedly they believe in Jesus, cannot be 100% Christian in my book - just like the Anti-Catholic Protestants. I feel that in order to be 100% Christian, one has to look past all the doctrinal differences between denominations and realize that as one church, they could get a lot more done. Instead of preaching the gospel to the secular worlds, they thrive on fighting amongst themselves.
Sunday Morning Catholic
A Sunday Catholic or Sunday morning Catholic (also Once-a-weeker) is someone who typically goes to church on Sundays but does not strictly adhere to the doctrines or rules of Catholic Christianity.
The term is most often used to describe someone who is lukewarm in the Christian faith. From some people's perspective, a "Sunday Christian" is attempting to cheat God by taking only those parts of the religion which are appealing or convenient without having to commit to anything. They believe the "Sunday Christian" is attempting to buy his/her way into heaven with a minimal amount of effort.
From another perspective, the person being labeled a Sunday Catholic may simply adhere to another interpretation of Christianity, one which may include greater emphasis on actions, attitudes and good will rather than dogma. The person might also being simply paying lip service, attending church for familial or reputation purposes while otherwise not carrying the beliefs of the church as their own.
The term may also be used to describe people who apply double-standards to non-Christians, such as a person who justifies their political beliefs through the Bible but only attends church so that their hypocrisies are not noticed. This also ties into the idea of lip service.
It is also worth noting that there is a large number of people who only attend Christian church service on Christmas and Easter. They are sometimes called Twice-a-years or C & E Christians, or Submarine Christians (so-named because they surface in Church only twice a year).
While there are many, many more breeds of Catholics, that's all I can muster up for now. Hope you had a good chuckle when you read this and thought to yourself: "I know someone like that."
So, without further ado, here is a bird's eye view of the species of Catholicism. Please keep in mind that I do not mean to offend anyone. I simply am expressing my opinion based on my experiences and what I've seen.
Catholic Christians
Catholic Christianity is the "true" branch of the Catholicism. Catholic Christians identify themselves as Christians who follow the Catholic denomination. Yes, they believe that Catholicism is the denomination that has most Christian truth, but they also see truth in all Christian denominations. While they believe there are some denominations that are more "true" than others, the important thing is that they all have truth in them. I sincerely believe that the current pope falls into this category, though I was once skeptical about it.
Santeria Catholics
A lot of Hispanic Catholics fall into this category. And when I say a lot - I mean the overwhelming majority. Santeria Catholics are those who put emphasis on Saints and the Virgin Mary more than they do on Christ. You can identify these people easily whenever you see God working in their lives. However, instead of thanking God for His grace, they thank San Lazaro, or St. Teresa of Little Flower, or Mary for their work. They believe the saints to be like the League of Justice. Whenever someone prays, they answer the call to save the day. There is a historical reasoning for Hispanic culture's saint-emphasized culture. When the Spaniards first introduced the faith to the Native Americans, they helped the natives understand this new religion by comparing it to their gods. Unfortunately, over time, Christianity got intertwined with spirits, ghosts, and ancestors, leading to this Santeria Catholicism.
I only pray that they learn that to pray to a saint, or to pray to Mary for that matter, is heretical. They are simply twisting what the Catholic Church teaches to fit a cultural need, which leads to the next group of Catholics.
Cultural Catholics
A cultural Catholic is someone who observes the Catholic practices as a cultural tradition rather than a spiritual exercise. Cultural Catholics may not fully understand the theology that informs the religion's rituals, or may reject part or most of the theology as outdated or irrelevant to modern life. Cultural Catholics may attend Mass less than several times a year, or may not practice their religion at all, but still regard their association with the Catholic Church as a defining aspect of their identity, much like how non-practicing Jews still consider themselves Jewish. It becomes more of a racial, rather than spiritual, aspect of society. Cultural Catholics regard the sacraments of the Catholic Church (such as baptism, first communion, confirmation and a wedding in a Catholic Church) as important milestones in life, without necessarily attaching much spiritual significance to the events. A lot of American and European Catholics fall into this category. Dane Cook is a famous example of this kind of Catholic, not necessarily because of what he says about the Catholic mass (I actually find it hilarious), but mainly because some of his other jokes in regards to sexual promiscuity.
These are also the same people who may say things like "I'm a Catholic, but I'm not a good Catholic." Since when are there different levels of Christianity? Isn't it that you are a Christian, or you aren't? They also say things like "I'm a good person. I haven't killed anyone or stole anything." Their assumption is right. They may be a good person. That's how God created them to be - good. The problem is that God calls us to be more than good. He calls us to be holy.
Cultural Catholic is a term generally synonymous with Cafeteria Catholic.
Cafeteria Catholics
The term "cafeteria Catholic" (also CINO = "Catholic In Name Only") is applied to those who pick and choose which doctrines and dogmas they want to believe in. Sometimes they may be theological (for example, they may believe that Jesus was the Messiah but that he was not free from sin) or political/social issues (like dissenting from Roman Catholic moral teaching on issues such as abortion, contraception, premarital sex, masturbation, and homosexuality). The term has no status in official Catholic teachings.
On April 18, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI preached about this in a homily:
"Being an adult means having a faith which does not follow the waves of today's fashions or the latest novelties. A faith which is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ is adult and mature."
In a similar vein, Pope John Paul II stated in his talk to the Bishops in Los Angeles in 1987:
"It is sometimes reported that a large number of Catholics today do not adhere to the teaching of the Catholic Church on a number of questions, notably sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage. Some are reported as not accepting the clear position on abortion. It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the Magisterium is totally compatible with being a "good Catholic," and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error."
Traditionalist Catholics
Traditionalist Catholics believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Vatican II (1962-1965). They are usually angry with the current Church in regards to many of their new teachings, such as the following:
1) They believe that the Catholic Church is the only true Church devoted to Christ and that all non-Catholic churches that are not in full communion with the Vatican are not true Christian churches. The Catholic Church now teaches what I wrote before in the "Catholic Christian" section - that all Christian churches have truth to them. The Catholic Church also teaches that one not need to convert to Catholicism to gain salvation while Traditionalists believe that one must be Catholic.
2) They believe that the Catholic mass should always be in Latin. Why? I'm not so sure. I mean, Latin is great, but I think that each parish should decide what they want to do.
3) They believe that the Church has enemies and disagree with the modern Church's efforts to seek peace with people of all faiths, including the secular world.
Mel Gibson and Pat Buchanan are prime examples of Traditionalist Catholics.
Anti-Protestant Catholics
Anti-Protestant Catholics are the exact inverse of Anti-Catholic Protestants. They believe in all the spiritual Christian truths, but feel that Protestant groups of Christians are not really Christians (just like those Protestants who believe Catholics to not be Christians). These kinds of Catholics, regardless of how devotedly they believe in Jesus, cannot be 100% Christian in my book - just like the Anti-Catholic Protestants. I feel that in order to be 100% Christian, one has to look past all the doctrinal differences between denominations and realize that as one church, they could get a lot more done. Instead of preaching the gospel to the secular worlds, they thrive on fighting amongst themselves.
Sunday Morning Catholic
A Sunday Catholic or Sunday morning Catholic (also Once-a-weeker) is someone who typically goes to church on Sundays but does not strictly adhere to the doctrines or rules of Catholic Christianity.
The term is most often used to describe someone who is lukewarm in the Christian faith. From some people's perspective, a "Sunday Christian" is attempting to cheat God by taking only those parts of the religion which are appealing or convenient without having to commit to anything. They believe the "Sunday Christian" is attempting to buy his/her way into heaven with a minimal amount of effort.
From another perspective, the person being labeled a Sunday Catholic may simply adhere to another interpretation of Christianity, one which may include greater emphasis on actions, attitudes and good will rather than dogma. The person might also being simply paying lip service, attending church for familial or reputation purposes while otherwise not carrying the beliefs of the church as their own.
The term may also be used to describe people who apply double-standards to non-Christians, such as a person who justifies their political beliefs through the Bible but only attends church so that their hypocrisies are not noticed. This also ties into the idea of lip service.
It is also worth noting that there is a large number of people who only attend Christian church service on Christmas and Easter. They are sometimes called Twice-a-years or C & E Christians, or Submarine Christians (so-named because they surface in Church only twice a year).
While there are many, many more breeds of Catholics, that's all I can muster up for now. Hope you had a good chuckle when you read this and thought to yourself: "I know someone like that."
Monday, February 11, 2008
One Body in Christ
Excerpts from Don Cobb’s “One Body in Christ”
“Every church (denomination) is, like every person on the planet, right about some things and wrong about some things. That’s right. I said every denomination is right about some things in their doctrine which pertains to Scripture, and wrong about some things in their doctrine which pertains to Scripture. Man’s intelligence is limited. Our interpretations of Scripture, of which there are many conflicting interpretations, are always a combination of wisdom revealed by the Holy Spirit with a dash (or two, or more) of Man’s Imperfection. Therein lies the problem. It isn’t that the Protestants are right and the Catholics are wrong. It isn’t that the Pentecostals are right and the Methodists are wrong. It isn’t that the Adventists are right and every other Protestant denomination and the Catholic Church is wrong.
It’s that all of us are wrong about some things, and all of us are right about some things. All of us. Every Christian denomination. This is a fact which is true of the entire body of Christ.
Despite the massive efforts to declare that one denomination or another “Isn’t Christian”, the Bible defines clearly what makes us “Christian” in Romans 10:9-10, which includes all believers: “...that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There you have it. Right? Apparently not. Not to some denominations, at least. We have among us, in our own family, brothers and sisters who insist that others who attend a different denominational church service than they are not Christian because of how they worship, because of their understanding (interpretation) of Scripture, because of many things. If these issues, these differences of opinion in how we interpret Scripture resulted in the loss of our salvation, I would be quick to say that probably most, if not all, Christians will ultimately be cast into the Lake of Fire. Fortunately for all of us, how we interpret Scripture has no bearing on our salvation…
What makes you “Christian” is not about whether or not you believe in dancing. It’s not about whether we worship on Saturday or Sunday. It’s not about whether or not you support killing babies before birth. It’s not about whether or not you believe that the healing power of Christ Jesus or in the baptisms in the Holy Spirit are “for today”. And it’s not about whether or not you prayerfully ask Mary to intercede on your behalf. If you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe He was raised on the third day, you are Christian. What makes you “Christian” today has nothing to do with what version of the Bible or even what other books you read…
The world laughs at us for the way we criticize and condemn each other over doctrinal differences. We’re not exactly the best witnesses for Jesus when we’re spending so much time telling other believers that they aren’t Christian. Are we? No. “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. What part of that don’t we Christians understand? Jesus wasn’t talking solely about Christian neighbors. He was talking about every neighbor, and yet we can’t even put His clear instructions into practice within our own body. It’s a safe bet we (many of us Christians) aren’t doing any better of a job at loving our non-Christian neighbors as ourselves than we are at loving our Christian brothers and sisters...and we’re failing miserably at loving our own family—the body of Christ…”
“Every church (denomination) is, like every person on the planet, right about some things and wrong about some things. That’s right. I said every denomination is right about some things in their doctrine which pertains to Scripture, and wrong about some things in their doctrine which pertains to Scripture. Man’s intelligence is limited. Our interpretations of Scripture, of which there are many conflicting interpretations, are always a combination of wisdom revealed by the Holy Spirit with a dash (or two, or more) of Man’s Imperfection. Therein lies the problem. It isn’t that the Protestants are right and the Catholics are wrong. It isn’t that the Pentecostals are right and the Methodists are wrong. It isn’t that the Adventists are right and every other Protestant denomination and the Catholic Church is wrong.
It’s that all of us are wrong about some things, and all of us are right about some things. All of us. Every Christian denomination. This is a fact which is true of the entire body of Christ.
Despite the massive efforts to declare that one denomination or another “Isn’t Christian”, the Bible defines clearly what makes us “Christian” in Romans 10:9-10, which includes all believers: “...that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There you have it. Right? Apparently not. Not to some denominations, at least. We have among us, in our own family, brothers and sisters who insist that others who attend a different denominational church service than they are not Christian because of how they worship, because of their understanding (interpretation) of Scripture, because of many things. If these issues, these differences of opinion in how we interpret Scripture resulted in the loss of our salvation, I would be quick to say that probably most, if not all, Christians will ultimately be cast into the Lake of Fire. Fortunately for all of us, how we interpret Scripture has no bearing on our salvation…
What makes you “Christian” is not about whether or not you believe in dancing. It’s not about whether we worship on Saturday or Sunday. It’s not about whether or not you support killing babies before birth. It’s not about whether or not you believe that the healing power of Christ Jesus or in the baptisms in the Holy Spirit are “for today”. And it’s not about whether or not you prayerfully ask Mary to intercede on your behalf. If you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe He was raised on the third day, you are Christian. What makes you “Christian” today has nothing to do with what version of the Bible or even what other books you read…
The world laughs at us for the way we criticize and condemn each other over doctrinal differences. We’re not exactly the best witnesses for Jesus when we’re spending so much time telling other believers that they aren’t Christian. Are we? No. “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. What part of that don’t we Christians understand? Jesus wasn’t talking solely about Christian neighbors. He was talking about every neighbor, and yet we can’t even put His clear instructions into practice within our own body. It’s a safe bet we (many of us Christians) aren’t doing any better of a job at loving our non-Christian neighbors as ourselves than we are at loving our Christian brothers and sisters...and we’re failing miserably at loving our own family—the body of Christ…”
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