This Is One Nasty "Chick"!

Being Catholic, my wife and I see this kind of stuff all the time. It's always interesting to see to what ends Christians bash other Christians.

I used to buy these tracts all the time, I had quite the collection! When I returned to Christ in the marines at the age of 19, it was through the ministry of the AoG, then I moved on to some Baptist churches, I was fed a steady diet of this anti-Catholic rhetoric. They told me my baptism as an infant was invalid and I was brought up in a Satainc church! I am fully convinced now that the words of the late Bishop Fulten Sheen are true; "Only a few really hate the Catholic Church, but many hate what they believe She teaches."

That is so true. I think alot of people fear that which they do not understand. Everyone is working towards the same goal. Enough of the religion bashing. Christians as a group already have enough enemies to be bickering amongst themselves.

spectrefate wrote:

That is so true. I think alot of people fear that which they do not understand. Everyone is working towards the same goal. Enough of the religion bashing. Christians as a group already have enough enemies to be bickering amongst themselves.

"We have found the enemy, and he is us!" - Eric Clayton

though i think CHICK is a jerk, and has a cold heart, i must say there are things about catholocism i do not agree with (though i love catholics)!

there is one mediator, the man jesus who was given as a ransom! in jesus, we have out "cohen ha gadol"! why do we have other priests? the bible says to "call no man father", yet priests are called father.

also, the eucarist, the whole idea that that bread and wine ACTUALLY TURN INTO the BODY and BLOOD of christ..is absurd! jesus died ONCE AND FOR ALL. his sacrifice was sufficent! we are to eat the lord's supper IN REMEMBERANCE of him! it does not BECOME HIM.

anyhow, i did not write this to offend my catholic brothers and sisters. i just had to get that off my chest.

"protestants" do some really messed up stuff, so i am not singling anybody out!

I have noticed that these Chick tracts ALWAYS use one of Satans greatest tools. He gives you enough truth to make you think that he would not lie to you while the whole time he is twisting the truth to fit his own perverted beliefs.
Basicly he tries wrapping up a steaming pile of rooster feces into a package that is so pretty that you forget that it is rooster feces.
I collected his tracts as a young Christian until I seen the one called "Angels". This one claimed that all contemporary Christian music artists were homosexuals and violent hypocrites.
Its so irritating to me that SOME of what he says is the truth, even in the tract you and I both mentioned, but only enough truth to decieve (
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. )

I agree futuristicfolkartist, there is MUCH about the Catholic faith that I disagree with, most is the very things you mentioned. I honestly believe that there is much evil done in the name of Catholicism, but look also at the blatant anti-biblical things done in the name of Christ. Name it Claim it, Little Gods theory, Anti-biblical manifestations prosperity teaching , ect.
Seems like its close to some of the signs of the end.
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

I will look into the you mediator comment, as for the Eucharist, Luther believed in real presence even after the reformation. For now I'll just say, we ask for our brothers and sisters to pray for us, why bother if Christ is our only mediator?

Let me start here w/a premise that I am no Catholic apologist, nor am I very good at christian apologetics, if you really would like to know more about what the Catholic Church really teaches let me suggest you visit this site:

http://chnetwork.org/forums/

If you go there w/the intent of bashing Catholic beliefs, you'll probably get banned, as i was here for bashing Protestant/christian beliefs, but if you go there w/questions, you'll get answers and be treated w/respect.

Perhaps this is the scripture that was in reference.
1Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Perhaps there are others that state differently but this is the only one I can recall at the moment. I have been out of the bible for a few months.
But you did raise an interesting question. Why then do we ask for our bretheren to pray for us?

These are just my opinions.

Honestly, I have always had a problem with the Rapture idea. The idea of only the "good people" in the world being summoned one day is a little more far fetched than believing the body and blood of Christ in the eucharist. Also, what is God going to do with 10% of my earnings?

But honestly, although I am Catholic, I must be honest that I don't follow the Church blindly. I believe that does not make me "in communion" with the Church, but Catholicism works for me. I don't condemn my Christian brothers because of their personal religious beliefs.

Most mainline Protestants do not believe in the rapture as it is espoused in "Left Behind", that belief is in fact, a rupture!

Okay here's my two cents on this one:

a) I have always hated Chick tracts. Did before I was saved, and still do now. I think they portray Christians as being everything the world says we are - bigoted, closed-minded, unkind and intolerant. I also never liked the anti-Christian rock message, considering that Christian rock was the catalyst God used to draw me to Himself.

b) I go to an AoG church and was raised in one. None of the AoG churches I've ever been to were into Chick tracts, and none of them have ever bashed Catholics.

c) John's family is Catholic and my mother-in-law is one of the Eucharists at their parish. She does not believe that the elements literally "become" the blood and body of Jesus...she believes the way we do. They are Irish Catholic.

There are things about the Catholic doctrine that I disagree with.....one of them is, why don't Catholics refer to themselves as Christians? Aren't they followers of Christ? I've always wondered that.

Also - there are things about the AoG, Southern Baptist, independent charismatic, etc doctrines I disagree with.

I go wherever God leads my husband and I to go, and I serve Him wherever I happen to be on this planet. I guess I have that mindset because He has called my husband and I to have an interdenominational ministry (Generation Actz).

I mean - I got saved at World Harvest Church, the church from the TV show Breakthrough in case any of you have ever seen it. Believe me, there are plenty of things about Rod Parsley I've disagreed with over the years.

But - today I heard him preach the most awesome message (on TV cause I'm sick) that I've ever heard him preach, about how we need to stop isolating ourselves as Christians and start reaching out and serving people. It was amazing, and ironically went against everything he taught in the 80's about health, wealth and the pursuit thereof.

It just goes to show you that no matter the doctrine or denomination, they are all ran by PEOPLE who are imperfect and can be wrong.

Which is I guess why I call myself a Bapticostal. LOL

But yeah I can't stand Chick tracts......

Catholics most certainly refer to themselves as christians.

http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/medicine/871/church.html

Vade Vexx wrote:

Why then do we ask for our bretheren to pray for us?

Because we need each other for fellowship and support, so we pray together to strengthen and comfort each other. The Bible is FULL of scriptures, showing how people came together to pray for each other and with each other.

Jesus was in constant prayer with His Father, with His disciples, and with those around him, so we do as He did.

Plus, it just feels good to pray with your brothers and sisters!

futuristicfolkartist wrote:

also, the eucarist, the whole idea that that bread and wine ACTUALLY TURN INTO the BODY and BLOOD of christ..is absurd! jesus died ONCE AND FOR ALL. his sacrifice was sufficent! we are to eat the lord's supper IN REMEMBERANCE of him! it does not BECOME HIM.

I got this from a poster at another site, hope it may help you or anyone else who might not understand the Eucharist and the celebration of Mass.

You falsely assert that Catholics hold the mass to be a continuation of Christ's action on the Cross. This is not our doctrine. We teach the it is a re-presentation of the one sacrifice. Christ is eternal, as all His actions are eternal (i.e. are not strictly bound by time in the way that we are). Thus when we witness to the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass, we do not witness a new sacrifice, nor do we witness the continuing of the old one, continually crucifying Christ. Rather, we are brought into contact with the exact same sacrifice that was made on the Cross. This is a great mystery, but it is the consistent teaching of the Church, from the New Testament up to the present day.

futuristicfolkartist wrote:

though i think CHICK is a jerk, and has a cold heart, i must say there are things about catholocism i do not agree with (though i love catholics)!

there is one mediator, the man jesus who was given as a ransom! in jesus, we have out "cohen ha gadol"! why do we have other priests? the bible says to "call no man father", yet priests are called father.

Fr. Corapi gave a good explanation for this, Ill look it up whan I get the time. For now, do you not call your dad father? Jesus also told us not to swear, but to simply let our yes be yes and our no be no, yet in court we are instructed to place our right hand on the bible and swear to tell the truth. I believe a lot of this has to do w/context and culture.

i was not trying to come across as biased or biggoted. if i ever say anything that sounds unloving, please forgive me!

where did i get my "info"? well, i have cousins who are catholic. one, who is pretty hard core, said that "salvation is a life long process". i think this is a distortion of "work out your salvation with fear and trembling". yes, we do need to WORK, but out work is one of GRATITUDE! "he has not given us a spirit of fear, but of sound mind". this FEAR is one of WONDER AND AWE not, AFRAID WE ARE GOING TO HELL! jesus said "it is finished!" of his work before he gave up the ghost!

also, let me say something of PROTESTANTISM.

i am not a catholic in the conventional sense of the word. "catholic" in it's litteral sense means "church universal". all those who are truly saved are the "church universal".

i am also NOT PROTESTANT! to say so would suggest the way CATHOLICS (in the conventional sense) were the ORIGINAL CHURCH, and i do not believe this. nor, do i believe that peter was the first pope! (and i do not belive peter would listen to PETRA! ...kidding).

to PROTEST of something, means that thing we are protesting of was there first...

the early church met in synagogs, each other's home, etc. there was no SET DAY. i am sure when they met in synagogs, they met on saturday, as this is the sabbath. (i am not 7th day adventist either!). the SUNDAY standard was set by constantine, and comes from anti-sematism, which is also very UNBIBLICAL!

protestants have done some messed up stuff. read about the inquisitions! the crucades were a bunch of pagans in armor sporting crosses. they raped women, divided spoils of war, horded, etc. their crosses did not make them christians any more than wearing a cross around you neck as a fashion statement makes you a christian, or as much as going to macdonalds makes you a hamburger!

there is a lot of mistakes the church has made, and it is up to US to change that, folks! people need jesus, and the only way the world will see him is LOVE! (four fingers point back to me!).

"The abuse of the Church does not negate it's authenticity." --Some dude!

The Church teaches our salvation is obtained by God's grace alone, indeed there is nothing we can add to the perfect sacrifice of Christ, but as James points out, faith alone won't cut it.

I believe the idea of corporate worship on Sundays has to do with it being the day Christ rose from the dead, rather significant day don't ya think?

BTW, I never thought you were biast or biggoted.

More on the origin of Sunday worship:

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1993/9312chap.asp

i have heard many a sermon on "faith/works" that i agree with. basically, saying that works are an EVIDENCE of faith.

not, "if we are good, we go to heaven". or, "if we have faith and produce works, then we mess up, and forget to confess that sin, we go to hell".

salvation and sanctification are not one in the same.

salvation= the work that was done once and for all on the cross.

sanctification= the work that is an ongoing process, which will be finished when we are with christ face to face.

my cousin made the error of saying "salvation is an ongoing process".

I'm still in the begining stages of the learning process of the Church, so I would probably do a disservice to Her w/any elaboration on this subject, to wit, I would be speaking out of the abundance of my ignorance!

"The Lord knows who are His, let him who claims the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."

I'll leave it at that for now.