Just to follow up on my last post I want to explain what teachings of the Catholic church I agree with and disagree with. I'm just going to throw it out in the archives so people can read through it when I'm dead and gone.
As I said, Catholics are great people. Mother Teresa was a shining example of Christian service. That is the purpose of it all. I was never really big on doctrine. People who fight over doctrine miss the point.
To start let's reference the Protest and Reformation. King James I commissioned the translation of the Bible in 1604, and the King James Version was published in 1611. Google AI claims that "The project was authorized after a conference of churchmen requested a new, more accurate translation to replace existing versions that were considered corrupt."
The Protestant Reformation began around 1517 when Martin Luther published 95 Theses. Wikipedia claims that "It detailed Luther's opposition to what he saw as the Roman Catholic Church's abuse and corruption by Catholic clergy, who were selling plenary indulgences."
Google AI is trying to rewrite history by denying what the sale of indulgences was. So is an arrogant troll on this blog. Let's be clear. This is not a hit piece on the Catholic religion. I know many Catholics who are wonderful people. I don't know any Catholic who believes everything that church teaches blindly. They all believe in the church but disagree with many things about the church. As I said, I like Catholics a whole lot more than Born Agains.
When the Bible was translated and people started reading it they saw many of the teachings of the Catholic church didn't match up with the teachings in the Bible. For example, the Bible says a Bishop should be the husband of one wife and predicts a time when people will forbid to marry or eat meat.
The translation of the Bible aided the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was a good man. Martin Luther King was named after him. He was also a good man. King Henry the 8th, that's another story. The Catholic church didn't allow divorce so he kept beheading his ex's. After a while he started feeling guilty so he started his own church that allowed divorce. King Henry's motives were far less sincere than Martin Luther's.
That kind of sums up the Protestant Reformation. We had some good people trying to go good and some bad people trying to do evil. We also had human nature that tends to fight and argue about everything. People would argue about a point of doctrine then split off and form their own church.
I had a good friend in Belfast who was a Catholic. He would say Peter was the first Pope and there's an unbroken chain from Peter to the current Pope. I'd just smile. If that was true he'd be absolutely right. He'd also say the Catholic church is the only church that has the proper authority. If we don't have it the Protestants don't have it and if we have it we certainly didn't given them authorization to start a new church. Again, I'd just smile because his argument did make sense.
The problem is Peter wasn't the first Pope. Jesus mentioned prophets and apostles but he never said anything about Popes. Neither did the Bible. After Peter and the Apostles were killed there was a gap of 300 years before the first Pope was selected and that office was created.
Christ chose 12 apostles. After Judas killed himself the other apostles chose and ordained Mathias to take his place. After that, they were all killed with no replacements.
Just as the Bible predicted the scattering and gathering of Israel, it also predicted the apostasy and restoration of the church. Would the Catholic church fix itself or would someone else fix it? I'll leave that for you to decide. Some believe that God had to restore it. That is what I believe.
Yet I still contend that people who argue about doctrine miss the point. Service is the purpose of Christianity. Christ made that clear in the parable of the Good Samaritan and in the parable of the sheep and the goats. Martin Luther King taught "Anyone can be great because anyone can serve. Life's most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?"
Martin Luther King nailed it. It doesn't matter if the pearly gates swing or slide. What matters is that we live the kind of life that will let us pass through them. I remember a joke about a man who went to heaven and was getting a tour.
He passed by the Catholics, the Muslims, the Jews and the Sikhs. Then he passed by one building that was filled with cheers. They were screaming Yeah! Yahoo! Hallelujah! The man asked his guide what is that? The guide said, oh that's the Born Agains. They think they're the only ones here.
My personal beliefs:
I was raised in the United Church of Canada. I have many positive memories from that time. The United Church doesn't claim to have all the answers. They're not really big on doctrine but they are big on forgiveness and tolerance.
I remember hearing them sing Jesus loves the little children when I was growing up. "Red and yellow, black and white they are all precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world." The United Church emphasizes service and forgiveness. They exemplify the parable of the prodigal's son.
I was christened in Saint Andrews United Church in North Vancouver when I was a baby. My father served as the Sunday school president. His parents were married in that church. When I was 13 I made my confirmation in Surrey and renewed the vows my parents made on my behalf when I was a baby.
When I was 19 I joined the Mormon church and served a mission. Although I have served many years in that church I am no longer active. Yet I still believe in their doctrine. Right now I'm kind of half way between the two, LDS and United.
There are a lot of things about the United Church I really like. I just think they're missing a bit of doctrine but too often doctrine distracts us from the real point of the church.
There are some things in the Mormon church that I disagree with. Not many but a few. I do believe in the 13 Articles of Faith especially the 11th and 13th. The 11th article of faith states "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."
That's pretty much a public endorsement of the US Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights. The freedom of religion doesn't mean adopting a state religion. It means the freedom of religion. The 13th article of faith recognizes that there is good in other religions and we embrace the good.
The 4th article of faith clarifies the first principles and ordinances of the gospel while the 1st article reaffirms a belief in the original Trinity. The distorted understanding of the Trinity came from a council of men 300 years after the Apostles were killed.
Many born agains claim Joseph Smith was a false prophet because he said he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. They claim Jesus and God are the same so that is not possible. People who claim that do not understand the Bible.
Stephen was martyred for saying the same thing in the book of Acts 7:51-60. He said he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God and the religious zealots at the time said that was blasphemy and stoned him.
Jesus said we would see him standing at the right hand of God. They said that was blasphemy and crucified him.
There are many verses in the Bible which states God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one but you need to put that in context. The Bible also says that the church should be one. That means they should be united. It doesn't mean every Christian shares the same body. Christ made that very clear in his prayer while in the Garden of Gethsemane.
In that prayer Christ asked that his followers be one in the same sense that Jesus and his Father are one. Who was he praying to? He wasn't talking to himself. These are basic doctrines that a lot of people get mixed up but again I say, arguing about these doctrines misses the point. Mother Teresa understood the point of the gospel. So did Martin Luther King.
Yet we are reminded that the greatest service we can render is within the walls of our own home. I also still believe in the United Church Creed. That creed mentions seeking justice and resisting evil. Seeking justice is missing from the Mormon articles of faith. Martin Luther King said noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. Seeking justice is an important part of any mission statement.
The United Church has embraced LGBT. If you are LGBT they will welcome you and put you to work serving others. You can also take their communion. That door is wide open.
Now I'm not saying the LDS church should do that. There's a woke wave sweeping over the LDS church and I'm a bit uncomfortable with it. When you take the sacrament you renew the covenants you made a baptism.
That includes a commitment to have heterosexual relations within the bond of marriage. If you're not prepared to do that, then don't take the sacrament.
The LDS church is now saying it's OK if you're LGBT as long as you're celebrate. That's not realistic. You're better off being honest and join the United church. As for the Catholic church, the amount of sexual abuse that has gone on over the years is an abomination. There's no way around that.
