AND NOW FOR A LITTLE BIT OF NONSENSE ...

... today brought to you by Robert's blog:

As per usual there are several threads of lunacy in Robert's recent post part of which I've copied and pasted below.

I've highlighted the most extreme ravings but to be frank - not Frank , he's no longer with us - I might as well have highlighted the whole thing.

"In today's Gospel Luke 24:35-48 Jesus scares the daylights out of his disciples by suddenly appearing among them saying "Peace be with you". They thought at first that he was a ghost. But he encourages them to touch Him and see for themselves that He is real. (1) Their jaws drop. So to offer further proof He asks them for something to eat. They were having a barbeque so took a piece of grilled fish and gave it to Him, which He ate. He added, rather mysteriously, that "Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached to all the nations".

In today's Gospel we see Jesus in His new resurrected body like wot we will get. Yesterday a lady I had lunch with was playing a protestant song over and over. I forget the exact words but it implied that Jesus had died for our sins once and for all and there was nothing more we needed to do. It's part of a rather insidious protestant teaching 'once saved always saved'. We Catholics say we have to 'work' at our redemption and this is implicit in Christ's teaching. (2) Today's Gospel reminds us of the need for repentance, which is an act of the will, and requires daily examination of conscience. A continual re-aligning of our lives to the teachings of Jesus.

I've been praying to 'Pope Francis' asking his guidance. I'm sure he hears me. A warm, kind sensation comes into my heart and I sense him smiling at me. (3)

Don't forget Devine Mercy Sunday which is coming up. (4) A chance to be returned to the state just after baptism. I told my protestant friend at work about it, but she seemed disinterested and went back to listening to her songs about Jesus. Poor Protestants miss out on so many graces with all their protesting. (5)"

(1) This one has always got me. How stupid are those people that Jesus met who bought into his story of being resurrected? It is so self-evident that he didn't die that it makes me wonder if Jesus was some sort of hypnotist or that 'Cana wine' he created had some sort of hallucinogenic in it.

(2) I don't see the 'Protestant' teaching as insidious and don't distinguish between it and the Catholic teaching. They are both ridiculous and should be left in primary school teaching along with fairy tales and Janet and John books.

(3) Nonsense. Frank's dead QED. I liked Pope Francis but I don't think that he can hear me if I say or think that.

(4) This has been bugging me for ages where Robert writes 'devine' instead if 'divine'. It's stuck in his head for some reason that I cannot fathom. He .... oh, that's right, he's a Catholic so things in his head don't have to be correct or real. He just has to have faith that they exist. Carry on Robert.

(5) Robert's attempt at a pun I guess but again this is ridiculous. They are all bloody Christians believing in fairy tales and nonsense yet they quibble over minutiae. Sheesh!

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"While there isn't widespread "hatred" between Catholics and Anglicans, there are significant theological differences and historical tensions that can lead to misunderstandings and even animosity. The main disagreements revolve around the authority of the papacy, the validity of Anglican orders, and differing interpretations of scripture and tradition."

        AI Overview from the web 

I disagree about there being no hatred between Catholics and Protestants especially as any reading of the history of conflict is anything to go by. The theological differences, when exacerbated by social and political tensions can be fanned into dangerous fires. People like Robert with deep feelings of animosity can be duped into violent action given the right (and I mean Right) environment.

Catholics and Protestants  worship the same God, but the principles of their faith are different. Here are some examples:

1. Understanding of the Bible

Catholicism and Protestantism differ on the importance of the Bible. For Protestant Christians, Luther made clear that the Bible is the "Sola Skriptura," God's only book, in which He provided His revelations to the people and which allows them to enter in communion with Him.

Catholics, on the other hand, do not base their beliefs on the Bible alone. Along with the Holy Scripture, they are also taught that the Roman Catholic Church is the one true Church and that anything that the Vatican decrees is 'gospel'. This thinking stems from the 4th century when Rome - as controlled by the emperor Constantine - sought to neutralise the potentially dangerous Christian faction by controlling them through the establishment of the 'official' Roman Catholic Church.
 

2. Understanding the Church

Catholics and Protestants have a different view on the nature of the Church. The word "catholic" means "all-embracing," and the Catholic Church promotes itself as the only true church worldwide (not unlike what Richard does with his bass bag thingy) with a pope to rule it.

The Protestant Churches, on the other hand, do not make up one united Church. They were created by the Reformation and are driven by the idea of  'Evangelical' which means 'according to the Gospel'.  There isn't 'one true Protestant Church' - there are thousands of different denominations around the world - all considered equal.

3. The pope

Protestants do not believe that the Pope has any control over them. While they acknowledge that the Pope controls Catholics they believe that the Catholic view is not supported by the Evangelical view in the Bible. 

Catholics claim that the Pope is the successor of Saint Peter the Apostle who was the first head of the Catholic Church and appointed by Jesus.  This claim leads them to say that 'The papal office' is justified by an  unbroken chain of Popes from the first century to the present.

4. Understanding of the office

This continuous chain, known as the apostolic succession, is used by the Vatican hierarchy to justify spiritual offices in the Catholic Church. The 'Sacrament of Holy Orders' gives them the right to appoint bishops, priests, deacons and others who receive a 'lifelong seal of God', giving them sacramental authority over Catholic laypeople. This consecration of course can only be given to men. It's not unlike how Communist states once ruled their people and how North Korea and China still operate.

Protestants do not consecrate specific persons into office, but rather accept the principle that priesthood can be transferred to every believer — even to women.

That last difference alone would attract me more to Protestantism than Catholicism if ever I go totally doolally and want to become a Christian again.