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RCWarrior
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| Joined: | Tue Mar 20th, 2007 |
| Location: | Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 93 |
| First Name: | stefany | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | I am a Devout Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Apr 15th, 2007 06:16 pm |
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Pope Benedict said hell is not just a religious symbol to bring the faithful together; it is a real place where sinners are eternally seperated from God's love, the online version of the Times of London reported.
Addressing a parish gathering in a Northern suburb of Rome in late March, the Holy Father said that many people, including some believers, had forgotten that if they failed to "admit blame and promise to sin no more," they risked "eternal damnation-the inferno". He added that God had given men and women free will to choose whether "spontaneously to accept salvation...the Christian faith is not imposed on anyone, it is a gift, an offer to makind."
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I know God won't give me anything I can't handle; I just wish he didn't trust me so much---Mother Teresa
If you invoke The Blessed Virgin when you are tempted, she will come at once to your help, and Satan will leave you----St. John Vianney
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brian
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 803 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 16th, 2007 01:16 am |
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| how can one really promise to sin no more and believe it. We obviously will sin more. I can understand implying that we will try not to sin anymore. But if sinning more in any capacity meant we were in danger of hell fire what hope could there be for any of us. Is there any way to better contextualize these comments?
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5348 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Apr 16th, 2007 01:32 am |
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brian wrote: how can one really promise to sin no more and believe it. We obviously will sin more. I can understand implying that we will try not to sin anymore. But if sinning more in any capacity meant we were in danger of hell fire what hope could there be for any of us. Is there any way to better contextualize these comments?
Brian, what matters is sincere intent. When we promise to sin no more, we are promising to try. God knows we will fail, but we promise an honest, sincere effort. Note that in the quote cited above, the Holy Father didn't say we will sin no more; he said we must promise to sin no more. If we confess a sin that we know with certainty we will not even attempt to avoid in the future, as if we confess extramarital sex while continuing to cohabitate, our confession is invalid.
The important thing is intent, and our intent must be genuine.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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RCWarrior
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| Joined: | Tue Mar 20th, 2007 |
| Location: | Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 93 |
| First Name: | stefany | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | I am a Devout Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 16th, 2007 08:28 am |
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| Absolutely right Cajun...
____________________
I know God won't give me anything I can't handle; I just wish he didn't trust me so much---Mother Teresa
If you invoke The Blessed Virgin when you are tempted, she will come at once to your help, and Satan will leave you----St. John Vianney
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JimAroo
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| Joined: | Mon Feb 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Hawaiian Gardens, California USA |
| Posts: | 10 |
| First Name: | Jim | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Born Catholic, lapsed, 20 yr Revert |
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 05:25 pm |
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It is easy to become discouraged because we make that promise and then break it again and again. For a long time this made it very hard for me to confess - it seemed so pointless. Then I realized that God knew my struggles.... he wanted me to turn to him in my temptations and weak moments. God is a loving father who wants us to ask His help and to let Him carry us.
My weaknesses and constant failings let me get a glimpse of what an awesome God we have. He cares so much for me that His only Son would have suffered and died for me even if I were the only sinner in the world.
Ask for His grace and His hand to resist temptation. We can with His help walk in the light!
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Viva Cristo Rey!
Jim
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Steven Barrett
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| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 946 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 05:42 pm |
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I've heard from some erudite folks up my way that hell is just a handy metaphor used by the clergy to keep their flock in line, coming to church and plunking their coins in the baskets.
Such "wisdom" came from people with a ton of academic sense and an ounce of spiritual formation, much less common sense to believe, much less utter such nonsense.
Of course the Pope is right!
Besides, who's bold or crazy enough to really challenge Benedict at his word?
If we feel as if we've gone through hell, well, it's only a foretaste of what's to come for eternity if we're not carefull and stray too far for too long. Pope John Paul II said hell is our separation from God's love. But I think too many people overlooked the unsaid, but equally important part of his admonition: the permance of this separation within Satan's company for the eternal life of our souls.
If somebody really wants an idea of the physical cost of denying hell's existence, he or she should pay a visit to a glass-blowing business. Too hot just standing near the oven? Well, just step right up and take a glance into the furnace.
Sizzzzzzzzzzzle, pop, crackle and more of the same, only this time the crackle comes from Satan's miles long bull-whip.
Ouch!
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For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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