Fatwa: Catholics Are Only True Christians

[*Arabman]

Hold on!!! This isn't a new fatwa by Sheikh Saleh al-Fozan. This is a fatwa by Pope Benedict of the Vatican.

Vatican text angers Protestants

Pope Benedict has approved a new text asserting that Christian denominations outside Roman Catholicism are not true Churches in the full sense of the word.

The document, issued by a Vatican watchdog, has been criticised as offensive by some Protestants.

The text was written by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, headed by Pope Benedict before his election as Pope.

It states that Christ established only one Church here on earth.

Other Christian denominations, it argues, cannot be called Churches in the proper sense because they cannot trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles.

True to tradition

The new text is basically a re-statement of another document known as Domine Jesus, published in the year 2000 under the signature of the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope.

That document set off a storm of criticism from Protestant and Anglican leaders who felt that the Vatican was failing to take into account progress made towards re-establishing Christian unity in talks with Rome over a period of many years.

It remains unclear why Pope Benedict chose to publish this document just as he begins a three-week holiday in the Italian Alps.

Admittedly, the document does stress that Pope Benedict remains seriously committed to dialogue with the other Christian Churches, but first reactions from Protestant Church leaders appear negative.

This is the second document issued by the Pope in recent days which re-evaluates the work of the Second Vatican Council, the reforming council held in Rome during the 1960s.

The Pope's point is that although this was a council of reform, the Church fathers meeting at that time remained true to Catholic traditions.

Pope Benedict is, in effect, attacking what he regards as later erroneous interpretations of what the council actually decided.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6289014.stm

[*Arabman]

I think Pope Benedict's fatwa has some validity.

[FAH1223]

Rome will be in the hands of the Muslims

[The-Screw]

^ now that would be a sight to see, wouldn't it?

[FAH1223]

[quote="The-Screw"]^ now that would be a sight to see, wouldn't it?[/quote]

its a sign of judgment day

[*Gibran]

lol It seems the pope is learning from the Takfiris... wonder if he lived/studied in the Wahabi kindom of Al-saud

[Luq_Ganane]

Arabman, Ilahay ka cabso, and don't speak without knowledge when it comes to Islamic stuff. How are you asking people to take a "Fatwa" by a Pope? Only the righteous scholars can make fatawa sxb. Chill.

[Padishah]

Its a clever play on words, Luq. Didn't knoe Arabman had it in him.

[*Arabman]

[Only the righteous scholars can make fatawa sxb.]

Example of righteous scholars who make fatwas?

[Grant]

Mormons claim the Catholic Church lost its succession of priestly authority as a result of corruption during the Middle Ages and early Rennaissance. Mormons claim priestly authority directly from Peter, James and John, apostles of Isse. Most Protestant organizations take their authority directly from the old and new testaments of the Bible, pointing out that Catholic practice does not follow, most obviously on the issue of priestly celibacy.

This Pope wishes he still had a state church under the Roman Empire.

[*Arabman]

[Mormons claim the Catholic Church lost its succession of priestly authority as a result of corruption during the Middle Ages and early Rennaissance. Mormons claim priestly authority directly from Peter, James and John, apostles of Isse. Most Protestant organizations take their authority directly from the old and new testaments of the Bible, pointing out that Catholic practice does not follow, most obviously on the issue of priestly celibacy.]

Clearly, Mormons are into the worst types of bid'ah and shirk; they have strayed too far and need to repent and return to the fold of true Christianity (Catholicism). It's no wonder you quit Mormonism for obvious reason(s).

[Grant]

Actually, Mormons are quite conservative. Father, Son and Holy Ghost is the extent of the shirk, and the biggest item of bid'ah they attempted was polygamy.

Are you familiar with the Marianist movement within Catholicism? Now there is shirk and bid'ah.

[*Arabman]

[the biggest item of bid'ah they attempted was polygamy.]

I thought their biggest bid'ah was a never-ending revelation.

[Are you familiar with the Marianist movement within Catholicism? Now there is shirk and bid'ah.]

No. There are enough sects and denominations to be familiar with; offshoot movements are too much.

[Grant]

Marianist=worship of God through Mary. It was Pope John Paul's preferred perspective for worship, and it is hardly an offshoot.

Continual revelation makes better sense to some folks than a sealed revelation lasting 1400 or 2000 years as the case may be, as the world and circumstances march on. Circumstances, and the revelations applying to them, changed even during the Prophet's time. There is said to be a small room in one of the towers of the Salt Lake Temple where the President (the Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Church) speaks directly with God whenever there is any question of a change in dogma, such as the end of polygamy or the extension of the priesthood to the sons of Ham. As circumstances change, Mormons ask the will of God in the form of prayer, and many bear witness they have received answers.

Catholicism was the official state religion of the western Roman Empire, the theory for most of which was created in the Eastern Empire by Constantine and his mother Helena. What makes you choose the Western Church over one of the Eastern? Or indeed over the Coptic or one of the Gnostic versions?

[*Arabman]

[What makes you choose the Western Church over one of the Eastern? Or indeed over the Coptic or one of the Gnostic versions?]

Maybe the same reason why most people choose to watch Hollywood movies over Greek, Coptic, Maronite, etc movies?