I know this will piss some people off, but MOST Cathoilics insist that they would never tell someone else that their religion is wrong and that they dont judge etc etc yadda yadda yadda. I do judge and I do tell some people of certain faiths that they will not see heaven.
BUT..... I NEVER would tell anyone that ONE church had the ONLY way to heaven! I have said before that you can be a Catholic and be saved and KNOW that you are going to heaven. I dont believe in denominations I believe in the Bible.
steve.dick@heraldbulletin.com The author of this article at the Herald Bulletin of Anderson, IN
Pope Benedict XVI opened a Pandora’s box Tuesday, and the reverberations began immediately.
He released a document that said other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation, according to a story by The Associated Press.
Worldwide fallout from Protestant churches ensued, and local pastors also had reactions.
“I don’t agree with that,” said the Rev. Jerry Alexander of Colonial United Methodist Church. “Any person has the same opportunities to find and follow Jesus Christ, and he doesn’t have to be connected to a church at all.”
The Rev. Ray Wright, of Love Alive Church of God in Christ, agrees.
“I don’t know where the pope is coming from,” he said. “In our world situation, no one should throw mud.”
He said churches give people hope. “Churches shouldn’t snipe at other churches that are keeping the hope.”
He said the church leader’s duty to people can be a big task.
“(A pastor’s) job is leading people to Christ, bring them to salvation, keep them in a straight way and try to bring people to Christ. That’s a job within itself.”
Neither pastor had heard of the pope’s statement before being contacted by The Herald Bulletin. Other pastors were called but were not available for comment.
Alexander said it was hard to draw a conclusion as to the pope’s intentions, but he was concerned as to where it might lead.
“The aftermath could create a further divide between Protestants and Catholics,” he said. “That’s not a healthy situation.” END OF ARTICLE.
This could also cause further disastrous repercussions in Ireland.
Doesnt seem like a very well thought out proclamation.