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Date:         Wed, 14 Oct 1992 13:01:18 -0400
From:         Eric James Ewanco <ewanco@MLO.DEC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Idolatry --- the Catholic Church is NOT God

Excerpts from catholic: 14-Oct-92 Idolatry --- the Catholic C.. Tim
Rolfe@DSUVAX.DSU.EDU (1828)

> A few reminders to some of the more strident people posting to this list:

>    1)  The Catholic Church is NOT God; it is possible for God-fearing
> and God-honoring individuals to disagree with miscellaneous church
> documents and customs.  Review what the Catholic doctrine is regarding
> infallibility --- it DOESN'T extend to everything coming out of  Rome by
> any stretch of the imagination.

This is certainly true.  We believe in a "hierarchy of truths" and some
things must be held for our salvation, but other things are simply
teachings of the magisterium which should be respected, and other things
we are free to believe what we wish on.  But we should ensure that what
we are disagreeing with is not an infallible truth.

>    2)  The Catholic Church HAS changed its position on a number of
> matters       (one standard example is whether it is sinful to lend
> money at interest).  It has also changed its position on matters of
> ritual  --- please don't elevate liturgical prescriptions to the level
> of scripture.

Actually usury as defined by the Fifth Lateran Council in 1515 was this:
"This is the proper
interpretation of usury [namely] when gain and increase is sought from
the use of a thing that is nonproductive, and with no labor,  no
expense, and no risk."  This is obviously different from how we use
interest today.  It is also still sinful in the context defined here.

I also agree that liturgical prescriptions are for the most part not
infallible with few exceptions (most notably the fact that only a priest
can consecrate the Eucharist).

>    3)  The Catholic Church DOES have married priests --- even though the
>   norm for the Latin Rite is a celibate clergy.  The Eastern Rite
> Catholics in communion with Rome are every bit as much Catholics  as
> Latin Rite Catholics, and Eastern Rite Catholic priests include  . . .
> married Catholic priests in communion with Rome.

Quite true, quite accurate.  Also, there are Episcopal priests who
converted to Catholicism who are married, yet received a special
dispensation to remain married and function as Catholic priests.

>    4)  Please don't elevate the Latin text for the liturgy to the level
> of scripture.  Again note the existence of different Rites in the
> Catholic Church --- you can be certain that the Divine Liturgy
> celebrated in an Eastern Rite Catholic Church is not using the
> Tridentine Mass, or even the Mass of Paul VI.

Amen!

>    5)  The translations/paraphrases we're using in America were approved
>        by Rome, I'm pretty sure.  So how is one being unfaithful to the
> Catholic Church is using them?  Perhaps Rome has also gone astray?

This I'm not sure about.  I heard that this is not true, i.e., our
translation of the liturgy is _not_ approved by Rome.  That could be
wrong, though.

Eric
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