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curiousdannii
curiousdannii
12:13 AM
@ReadLessPrayMore If your beliefs aren't fringe then all you need to do is identify what the perspective is and add supporting quotes and references.
That's how you show your beliefs aren't fringe, by proving you're part of a bigger group.
No one here knows all the teachings of every branch of Christianity. But if someone refuses to explain how they fit into a bigger group and we haven't heard anything they're saying from other Christians before, then it would be fair to wonder whether they are in fact a fringe thinker.
When something isn't common knowledge it is the answerer's responsibility to add supporting evidence, so that the readers can know the answer does present the perspective the question asks about.
 
Peter Turner
Peter Turner
12:45 AM
@Matthew My old pastor had a better analogy he gave to the kids at catechism class when they asked the perfunctory "what about Protestants" question. He just explained that it's like we're all going to the movies and Protestants are those guys who like to sit on the outside isle seats even though there was plenty of room in the middle. We're seein' the same movie, but some people choose to look at it sideways.
 
curiousdannii
curiousdannii
12:59 AM
@PeterTurner Could equally say the same about Catholics ;)
 
Peter Turner
Peter Turner
I was thinking that too while writing it.
But I'm pretty sure this is what Chesterton was getting at when he wrote:

> When a religious scheme is shattered (as Christianity was shattered at the Reformation), it is not merely the vices that are let loose. The vices are, indeed, let loose, and they wander and do damage.But the virtues are let loose also; and the virtues wander more wildly, and the virtues do more terrible damage. The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone.
 
GratefulDisciple
GratefulDisciple
1:25 AM
@curiousdannii At times like this I feel safest and content to watch the soccer match as a third party between Protestants and Catholics competing who is the best in Group A while non-Trinitarians battle in Group B and "solo/nuda scriptura" teams in Group C. Really wonder who Jesus will award the World Cup trophy at the end of time. @curiousdannii I'm glad that Australia and USA made it to round 16.
 
GratefulDisciple
GratefulDisciple
1:37 AM
@Mast Thank you for helping refereeing the FIFA matches and I also thank SE for being the venue for C.SE matches. I'll do my part to keep the site peaceful, civil, and respectful.
 
GratefulDisciple
GratefulDisciple
2:06 AM
@PeterTurner I like that analogy, as well as Bishop Barron's saying that Catholics has the "fullness of truth" and possess all Christ's gifts while maintaining how it's not contradictory for Catholics to affirm that Protestants can exercise some Christ's gifts BETTER than Catholics in Scripture study, in preaching, and in declaring the primacy of grace.
But for canon determination, this Church Grammar episode interview with Dr. John Meade is quite revealing how in the meetings for the Council of Trent, the theologians were still debating whether to side with Augustine's larger canon or Jerome's, dispelling the myth that the canon issue was already decided before the Middle Ages. So in canon, I'm also still on the fence.
 
 
3 hours later…
Matthew
Matthew
5:35 AM
christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/93692 reminded me of another reason I take issue with Catholics praying to Mary/saints/angels, or rather, a reason why I don't think the argument that we ask other, living humans to pray for us justifies the practice.
To wit, when I ask a friend/relative/pastor to pray for me, I might explain (in plain language) what's going on, and the request is almost always just "please pray for me". Not a formal sonnet. Not a Bach cantata. Certainly not anything I'd call a "prayer".
Compare that to the number of ornate settings of "Ave Maria", and there's a pretty clear difference.
 
 
18 hours later…
forest
forest
11:58 PM
@Matthew Probably a stupid question, but why don't christians find some way to automate prayer? Is there a belief that god won't listen if a prayer is not being sent by a specific person?
If the thing that matters is (at least partially) the number of people praying simultaneously, wouldn't it be possible to just record a prayer and play it in a loop?
 

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