I came across this info on a website that seem interesting. Please share your views. As with any problem, if there is not a good definition of the problem, it cannot be resolved. The question that we must ask ourselves in Portugal and in the whole world is: Why are the faithful abandoning the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church and flocking to sect-like religious organizations..

The definition is not difficult:

(a) Whomever is not fed in one place, abandons it for another one where nourishment is promised; (b) Whomever is thirsty and cannot find water where he is at, abandons it for the place where water is promised; (c) Whomever searches for the truth and all he sees are lies and hypocrisy, abandons the Church and will go to the first place where the truth is promised. Let us take one single case as an example. ¨How does the youth views the Catholic Church?

a. If they attend Mass... they do not understand the miracle which is taking place... In addition homilies are seldom directed toward their immediate needs. Then, why would they want to attend Mass? b. They see their parents piously attending Mass on Sundays and then witness them... idolizing the material world and indiscriminately breaking the Laws of God the rest of the time. c. They see that their shepherds, the clergy... more immersed in the material world than they (the youth) themselves are. d. They witness so many people who live in mortal sin and yet take Holy Communion without the required Sacrament of Reconciliation. e. On the one hand they are told about the Eucharist Presence of Jesus Christ... and witness that... the majority of the Clergy and the adults faithful do not give it... reverence... If that is the respect that the ecclesiastic, family and social leaders of the youth give to the Living God, it is logical that the youth not be very impressed with that "God".

God bless, Ramanie.

-- Ramanie Weerasinghe (lilanw@yahoo.com), April 08, 2004

Answers

bump

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), April 08, 2004.

I see a lot of truth in your post Ramanie. That is why we must set a good example and live our faith, not just profess it. Thanks for that post.

Something else that is so important is love. Nonbelievers are supposed to know we are Christians by our love.

-- Andy (aszmere@earthlink.net), April 08, 2004.

Unfortunately, there is corruption in the Church, and there are people who do not teach with doctrinal accuracy to what the Church teaches. I believe that this is one of the main reasons many people leave the Church, and what others use to condemn her. However, this in no way negates the fact that the Catholic Church is the one true Church. In fact, it supports it.

Jesus told the apostles (ie. Church leaders) that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13), and that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church (Mt. 16:18). However, He did not promise that there would be no sinners in the Church! In fact, it is quite the contrary.

Jesus foresaw that people in the Church would still be sinful and there would be corruption, so he chose Judas as an apostle (ie. leader of the Church) to show this. Furthermore, some of His parables imply that there are both good and evil people in the Church.

Mt 13 (KJV)

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

When is the harvest in the above passage? We know it is referring to the end of the world because of the passage below found in the same chapter. Jesus showed that there would be both weeds and wheat in the Church (the "kingdom of heaven"). The weeds are burned (ie. go to hell), meaning that these people did not receive (at least) final salvation.

Now if you ask a Protestant "What defines the Church?" or "What is the kingdom of heaven?" they will likely respond that it is comprised of all believers, but not of unbelievers (Protestants have told me this before). But in doing so, they are denying this passage and the one below, since some of the people in the "kingdom of heaven" go to hell at the end of time! If that definition of "the Church" is not correct, then what is "the Church"?

Mt 13 (KJV)

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

As for the teachers who are corrupt, See James 3:1

(NIV)

1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

(KJV)

1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

In essence, God will judge them for teaching falsely. God is just, and only judges us according to what we know, as long as we pursue truth in good conscience. He will not hold it against those who are innocent victims of false teaching.

-- Emily (jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), April 08, 2004.

I thought of another passage that applies to this. Mt. 7 (KJV)

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

A Protestant once used the phrase "Ye shall know them by their fruits" to say that the Catholic Church is wrong because there are those within the Church who are corrupt. They were applying the idea of "good trees" and "corrupt trees" to churches as a whole, saying that an entire church (ie. the Catholic Church), if it contains corruption, cannot be the true Church since "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." It is ludicrous to say that there will not be corrupt people who become members of churches.

But in any case, this theory is negated by verse 19, where we see that "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Thus, the corrupt trees go to hell. How can an entire Church be sent to hell because of one corrupt person? The trees refer to individuals who are good or corrupt. Indeed, the passage begins with "beware of false prophets," not "beware of false churches."

-- Emily (jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), April 08, 2004.

Great quotes Emily. Very appropriate. Thanks for sharing those.

-- Andy (aszmere@earthlink.net), April 11, 2004.