Arch ; If a man cannot express what he believes in a simple concise statement,; I submit to you he does not know what he believes or why he believes it.
AGAIN;
Is this what you believe ;
The Catholic Church is the SOLE Authority on the interpretation of scripture.
How many times have I asked you this simple question?
How many times have I answered it. At least this time you did not try to "put words in my mouth".
Sacred Scripture has only One Meaning�One Interpretation. One Authority�GOD! Would it be such a �crazy� idea to think that God would want His Church that He started to be the Only earthly Authority when it comes to matters of Faith and Morals?
Yes�The Catholic Church is the Church Jesus started and Yes�she is the sole earthly Authority when it comes to Scripture.
The problem is that without accepting a single �Interpretive Authority�, we will be forever coming up with our own particular interpretations which will contradict the interpretations of others. We could attempt to find the common set of interpretations that everybody can agree on, but then we would be using �man�s� own interpretations�not God�s.
I know this does not sit well with your "individual believers" style of church where God gives everyone their own interpretations of Scripture, but...
I really would like to read what you write but I find that I have to eat some food before I have time to finish it and then I get distracted by having to sleep and...well...?
Catholics do not Interpret Scripture. Catholic have The Church that has the Authorized Interpretation of Scripture.
As to your question:
�So where does that leave all who are not Catholic? Are they allowed to interpret scripture for themselves?�
That is none of my concern. I would think that they could do whatever they like.
Chuck, the problem with not having One Sole Earthly Authority on Scripture is that Protestant teachers disagree about so many teachings. Why would God give us His inerrant word and have us not be able to properly interpret it? Examples of disagreements:
Calvinism vs. Arminianism
Easy-believism vs. Lordship salvation
Young-earth creationism vs. old-earth progressive creationism
Baptism as a symbol vs. Baptism actually removing original sin
Communion as a symbol vs. the Real Presence of Christ in The Eucharist
End-time viewpoints
Charismatic vs. non-charismatic
Miraculous healing is the norm for today vs. the miraculous gifts ended with the apostles
The various forms of church government
Trinity vs. Modalism
Pan vs Post vs During vs ?
Snake Handling
Speaking in Tongues (yes or no?)
Women wearing dresses?
Color of the carpet?
With no Central Sole Authority Interpreting Scripture what you end up with is good Christians interpreting Scripture as best they can and then finding other Christians that agree with them and then starting a church until more disagreement breaks up that church and the process goes on and on and�
Chuck, I�ve been with the same Church since I was eight days old. My Church has not changed what She believes in�well�NEVER!
I hope this ends your vendetta to discredit The Catholic Church and quite frankly I�ve forgotten what we were discussing?
I actually was not dicussing, I was just trying to get a straight answer out of you. Now that I. Have a inkling what you believe, maybe now we can discuss things like where scripture says ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. I guess if you are Catholic you can skip this step? After all doesn't "She" the Carholic Church. guide you into all truth.
Chuck, your questions are so clear (not! and I do hope that you have more than just an "inkling" of what I believe). I am going to assume that what you want to know is:
�Where in Scripture it says to Ask for The Holy Spirit?� I cannot remember anywhere in Scripture where it says to �ask for The Holt Spirit��
My best guess is
John 16:13 New International Version (�1984)
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Is that the verse you are asking about? I would venture that you are getting at the �God Speaks to me thingy church� where you invoke The Holy Spirit and it gives you the correct Interpretation and meaning of Scripture. Is that it?
Chuck, while that would be great and wonderful (and God is certainly capable of doing just that) it is painfully obvious that God is not doing that. If God was doing that then we would all be on the same page and there would be just the One Church that God started and not over 38,000 different churches all claiming that God �speaks� to them Individually.
(your words) �I guess if you are Catholic you can skip this step? After all doesn't "She" the Carholic Church. guide you into all truth�
Chuck, I don�t need to �skip� this step because God has already provided me with the correct Interpretation of His Divine Word. Christ made certain that He was not misunderstood and Christ also provided The Holy Spirit to ensure that nothing would be altered in The Full Deposit of Faith He left with His Bride.
Chuck, why do you think that there is so much confusion in the Protestant churches. Why they cannot be united as one and are in constant flux? It is because they refuse to submit to Authority. They accept the Authority of The Church in Choosing the Canon of The New Testament, yet refuse Her Authority anywhere else!
Again�none of that is necessary for Salvation. That is up to God alone.
Chuck�how about we end this here? This is only leading to more �word games� and pseudo-confusion, although I do enjoy exercising my mind.
I await your �Steve�please give me a straight answer!� reply.
