Pope: Other Christian denominations not true churches

Approving a document released on July 10, Pope Benedict XVI denounced other Christian denominations stating that "other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation." As a practicing protestant, this statement from the pope has lit a fire in me. I am infuriated. It's comments like these that have spread war between the Irish and England. It's comments like these that breed rebellion. It's comments like these that further prove the hypocrisy of Catholics. Now that the almighty, god-fearing, holy pope has pronounced this, all I can expect is to be damned to Hell. Likewise, the pope has inferred that I am practicing a false, sinful, defective religion. However, I know that the Protestant reformation was brought on by those same abominations such as falsehoods, sin and defectiveness by the Catholics. Furthermore, I am simply aghast at the statement of the pope.

As I said, the protestant reformation started with a realization of falsehoods, sin and defectiveness from the Roman Catholic Church. What I have failed to mention however is that the protestant movement started with the Gutenberg printing press which made it possible for people to actually read the Bible. There were no bibles available to the peasants and middle class at this time. And before Gutenberg's printing press, a certain "intellectual" would interpret the Bible and let his congregation know what he thought. But through the study of the bible, many people realized that corruption amongst the Catholic Church existed. Thus a reformation took place to take back the correct approach to the bible and separate from a blatant falsehood. But this "blatant falsehood" is now being called the only true way to salvation. Perhaps it is time for the pope to visit Catholics right here in America and to research some of the patterns that has developed amongst his people. He may have some work cut out for his next statements then?

Some of the popes next statements should probably clarify the sticky situation about sexual scandals in the church. The church has shelled out over $2,000,000,000 (billion) dollars for sexual harassment cases. And the pope wants to call protestants defective? The irony is quite comical. However, the point I am trying to make is not that catholics are bad people as a whole, as I do realize that the mainstream media will do anything to emphasize rough spots within the church, but that Protestants can't possibly be deemed "defective" or "false". Likewise, it should be known that about 90% of outreach and missionary efforts come from protestant churches. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure if I have ever seen a youth group from a catholic church on missionary work. But I could be wrong and probably am.

Lastly, one piece of advice I should give to the pope is this. Rather than further opposing the churches, as though we were playing against each other, he should embrace protestants as a vital part to Christianity in many parts of the world. To demonize protestants as a false, defective religion is blasphemy in itself. Will he speak out against Jews next?! The protestants and catholics are all working together in an effort to spread the word of God. Simple. Although we may have minor differences it should be imperative that we not oppose each other. Such opposition looks to the average person as instability within the church. And that doesn't sit well with God.

Thank you and keep reading!
--Clint :-)

"Bless you" out-dated?

For this edition of my blog I thought I might bring a little less controversy and ask a question that I have long pondered upon; Why do we reply to a sneeze with "God bless you"? Many would consider the phrase to be common courtesy. But do we really know why we say it? The custom of saying "God bless you" after a sneeze was begun literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory the Great (540-604 AD) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the plague (his successor succumbed to it). Gregory (who also invented the ever-popular Gregorian chant) called for litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God's help and intercession. Columns marched through the streets chanting, "Kyrie Eleison" (Greek for "Lord have mercy"). When someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the plague. All that prayer apparently worked, judging by how quickly the plague of 590 AD diminished. Thus resulting in the century-old saying of "God bless you". Now we know that a phrase can't act to ward off a sickness, so shouldn't the saying have no meaning to it? In other cases there has been suggestion that the phrase would shield you against evil spirits. We now know that this is an absurd practice. So in the modern-day, present period I find that the phrase has literally no meaning. And we know today, of course, that when you sneeze, your heart doesn't stop, nor will your eyes pop out if you can keep them open , nor does your soul get expelled. What does get expelled are hundreds upon thousands of microscopic germs. Something that most people don't like to be exposed to. My point is not that I am offended by germs (being that sneezing is only natural), but that bringing attention to sneezing is, in fact, rude. So my only suggestion is that the next time someone sneezes you can offer your courtesy by offering a tissue. Maybe then an uncomfortable situation can be avoided.

Keep reading and thank you,
Clint :-)