Posted by
Michael Scotto on Monday, May 28, 2007 4:26:18 PM
You Can Quote Muhammad, Just Don't Quote the Popes!
Hotair.com is starting a series of
blog entries looking at the doctrines found in the e Quran. The folks at National Review's blog (
the Corner) like the idea. Similar sites, blogs and books such as "
The Truth About Muhammad" are popular among conservatives anxious to reveal the dangers inherent in Islamic fundamentalism.
I applaud these efforts and everyone who
chooses to identify himself with Islam and with Muhammad should have to answer for the commands of their founder (
given 1400 years ago). However, when the same standard is applied to other groups for doctrines infallibly codified 1000, 100 or even 40 years ago, cries of "bigotry" and nasty emails abound.
When I was a Religious Education teacher in the Diocese of Charlotte, I took the time to study the pronouncements of the Popes, catechisms and Councils. I believe that if one
chooses to indentify himself with the papacy and the Catholic Church he should have to answer for the decrees of the Popes and Councils (all of them).
Catholic political pundits like NR's Kathryn Jean Lopez like to mock what they call "cafeteria Catholics," but when confronted with their own selective form of Catholicism, they cry "anti-Catholic bigot!" or they just ignore their own penchant for al a carte RCism.
I know that when I quote a Pope or a Council or a catechism, the hate-mail is going to follow... usually from people who have been condemned by their own Popes and Councils for their personal beliefs and practices (or worse, from Evangelicals who have been condemned so many times, they're going to have create a separate hell just to punish them adequately).
"Nobody Believes That Anymore"
When confronted with the damnations decreed for their own versions of "cafeteria Catholicism," selective Catholics usually respond by arguing that the "unchanging faith" has
changed (a notion condemned by Leo XIII and Vatican I) or that they don't believe the infallible warnings of their own church!
If you don't believe their threats of eternal torment, then why do you believe their promises of salvation?
Quoting Gregory or Pius from the 19th Century is "not fair," but quoting Muhammad from the 7th Century is not only acceptable, it is lauded. I "
willfully left" and I "
refuse to enter in" the Catholic Church ,so according to Vatican II "
there is no salvation" for me. I can live with that... perhaps I should have been a "good Muslim," they at least have a shot at heaven beacuse they worship the same god that the Catholics worship (Vatican II again).
According to Catholic author and apologist Peter Kreeft, the "truth about Muhammad" is that he was a "crypto-Christian" Catholic and he is already in heaven (with Buddah). You see, although baptism is "necessary for salvation" (Council of Trent, etc.), Muhammad unconsciously "desired baptism" (which counts). Ignatius Press which printed Kreeft's book and the Evangelicals who endorsed Kreeft's book don't seem to have a problem with his conclusions.
Perhaps some might like to write to Kreeft, his bishop and to Ignatius Press instead of writing to me. I have the crazy idea that faith in Christ and in His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection is somehow important (note sarcasm). While you're wrting, send off an email to Father Chilson and to the Archbishop of Newark asking them how atheists are on "the same mountain" that Christians are on. When you get an answer, please forward it on to Elijah at Mt. Carmel and to Paul at Mars Hill.
A Group I Can Admire
I couldn't get excommunicated by my bishop, but
I did find a group that rightly condemns my beliefs a thousand different ways. I admire them for doing so. They've
actually read the Popes and Councils.
John Adams wrote sort of a "
The Truth About Canon Law" and its threat to liberty... but that was 250 years ago! Nobody is insane enough to hold a community to the decrees of its infallible prophets, would they?
If you read the Popes and Councils for yourself, perhaps you'll join the ranks of the
sedevacantists or become one of us ex-RCs (a group not even welcome in Evanagelical circles anymore). As a former RC myself, I love Catholics... I just wish more of them would actually study their own (unexpergated) history.