friendofsaints&angels wrote:

Not to long ago I was on the discussion, dialouge, and debate board, and I noticed that alot of noncatholics have a major problem with every other thing that the pope has to say. I don't think that the pope can tell you what you can eat for breakfast, But when he speaks about our faith I believe he does this majestarely, and makes no mistakes.
Besides GOD put him there so I obey his word. Alot of other people from different faiths are misinformed about what he says in the first place, Because they get what he said from the secular media and its usually twisted to their liking by the time the general public gets it. That is one of the reasons I gave up on secular radio and only will listen to relevant radio. http//www.relevantradio.com                 They actually have constant updates from the vatican on most of their commercial breaks, and as a catholic I thank GOD for this radio station. Why would people from other faiths be offended, or even care what the pope has to say anyway?   P.S. if you get a chance check out a priest on there called father john corapi. He explains the catholic faith like nobody Iv'e ever heard. He comes on daily at 10:00 a.m. central except on saturday when he's on at noon.

Relevant radio is a great network!  Do not forget to support it.  They won't mention it on the air, but I have a friend who works there, and they're really struggling financially, and its straining on the inter-office relationships.  They're good people though. 

As for the Pope, the Pope is only infallible when he speaks ex cathedra and that is pretty rare.  However, we've had two really great Popes in my lifetime.  They're very theologically sound.  I think a lot of people simply want religions all to meant into some generic spiritually.  Thus they get offended when our Pope reaffirms that we do believe we are the one true Church Christ established, not one of many alternative spiritualities that are all equal in their striving for the same thing.   The Church has never changed that teaching.  However, Pope John Paul II, in his striving to show respect for people's frevor toward their pursuit for God, God's love for them and for true religious devotion made people believe the Church was "progressing" down that route.

Its not that what the Pope said is truly offensive.  Its that what the Pope said is contrary to what people want to believe about religions anymore.

Well, I'm a Protestant who holds great affection for the Catholic side of the family.  Lots of Protestants are bothered by the idea of a Pope, but lots aren't.  We aren't all running around calling him the Anti-Christ.  That's mostly the rightest of the right-wingers.  I was really upset when JP II died, and I wasn't the only Protestant in my circle who walked around like they'd lost a friend.

I think what may bother many Protestants is what the papacy often seems to represent.  Not frequently the Christ he should (and we all should) represent, but things that theologically we don't understand.  Don't forget, none of the Protestants you come in contact with now were picketing at Nicea, or tearing down monasteries for the love of King Henry VIII.  Most of us were born Protestant like most of you were born Catholic.  Not all of us are anti-liturgy, sola scriptura, or once-saved-always-saved Christians.

I've been reading and watching and listening to the Catholic Church for a few years now.  To date, no one has been able to really explain to me how Marian Theology works.  It's not addressed simply by saying, "We don't worship her, for crying out loud".  There's more to it than that.  Or how theologically some of the Popes who were rennigade hedonists fit into the picture.  Quite honestly, I want someone to convince me.  Not because I'm dead set on having a debate, but because I've nowhere else to go.  I want to be proven wrong.  I don't  want to win at the expense of my soul.  But I can't pretend to believe what I don't, so I feel like I'm punished by both sides for being honest.

Hi Crickhollow.  I hope that my last post answered some of your questions.  Feel free to ask.  Thanks.

Peace - Mareczku

Well, I'm a Protestant who holds great affection for the Catholic side of the family.  Lots of Protestants are bothered by the idea of a Pope, but lots aren't.  We aren't all running around calling him the Anti-Christ.  That's mostly the rightest of the right-wingers.  I was really upset when JP II died, and I wasn't the only Protestant in my circle who walked around like they'd lost a friend.

I think what may bother many Protestants is what the papacy often seems to represent.  Not frequently the Christ he should (and we all should) represent, but things that theologically we don't understand.  Don't forget, none of the Protestants you come in contact with now were picketing at Nicea, or tearing down monasteries for the love of King Henry VIII.  Most of us were born Protestant like most of you were born Catholic.  Not all of us are anti-liturgy, sola scriptura, or once-saved-always-saved Christians.

I've been reading and watching and listening to the Catholic Church for a few years now.  To date, no one has been able to really explain to me how Marian Theology works.  It's not addressed simply by saying, "We don't worship her, for crying out loud".  There's more to it than that.  Or how theologically some of the Popes who were rennigade hedonists fit into the picture.  Quite honestly, I want someone to convince me.  Not because I'm dead set on having a debate, but because I've nowhere else to go.  I want to be proven wrong.  I don't  want to win at the expense of my soul.  But I can't pretend to believe what I don't, so I feel like I'm punished by both sides for being honest.

Hi Crickhollow.  I hope that my last post answered some of your questions.  Feel free to ask.  Thanks.

Peace - Mareczku