Hi,

Thanks for stopping in.

May 8, 2012 -- 7:44PM, Ironhold wrote:

I'm having a conversation with someone who self-identifies as Catholic.

This does not identify him as an authority on Catholic teaching,

In the process, he's made a number of assertions that I find rather hard to believe actually fits in with Catholic doctrine.

Among them:

1. He feels that nobody ever had the right to translate the Bible into the vernacular; instead, everyone is obligated to learn the original Biblical languages.

This is not Catholic teaching.  Catholics are obliged to defer to the magisterium, not make up their own rules.  This would put them in the same category as the protestants which they condemn.

2. He feels that Martin Luther was under eternal condemnation for leaving the Roman Catholic Church, as is anyone who starts a Christian denomination that isn't Catholic.

Judge not, least you may be judged.  Only God knows who is condemned, and we are committing serious sin to judge someone as condemned.  

3. He feels that the Protestant Reformation was directly responsible for the rise of modern atheism, his logic being that he feels it encouraged people to question everything around them.

He is certainly entitled to his opinion, and anyone is entitled to disagree with him'

4. He feels that America is a hotbed of sin, such that he questions why God would want anything to do with it.

Jesus said a well person has no need of a physician.  The Blessed Mother is our patroness--Neither of them would abandon us.  

Please tell me I'm dealing with a guy who's not exactly in communion with Rome.

Absolutely true---he is just what he condemns in others.

Thank you.