(June 11, 2012 at 5:13 pm)Welsh cake Wrote: Describe a day in Heaven then please.Heaven is within the eternal present, so the concept of a "day" makes no sense. Heaven is constant adoration of God.
Quote:Why?Hate causes suffering because it is contrary to goodness, and as humans we long for what is good in our hearts, it is how we are inclined.
Quote:That's pretty much how the god of the Bible operates.No it isn't! If it were I don't think there would be any survivors, outside of Our Lord and Our Lady!
(June 12, 2012 at 12:32 am)Taqiyya Mockingbird Wrote: Reeling from sex-abuse scandals, the Roman Catholic Church is losing members in droves. Can it stem the decline?Losing members in some nations != "In its death throes". That is where I have to roll my eyes.
Quote:Yes, it does pad its numbers and it keeps rolls as well. Folks who leave stay on those rolls.No they don't. Every parish takes note of how many families it has every single year. A lot of atheists seem to think the only way to get off the "rolls" is to be formally excommunicated, but this isn't true of the Catholic Church, at least in the US. Any parish which tried to "pad its numbers" would only end up more in debt to the Archdiocese, so...they really have no incentive to pad their numbers outside of trying to maintain some nebulous bragging right to "largest Christian denomination"...I guess? We are really, really far away from losing that one though.
Quote:And it is not just MY assertion that the church considers folks who reject core tenets such as this transubstantiation bullshit as "not catholics", that is catholic church policyNo it isn't. It's poor catechesis, and, at worst, its heresy. But they are heretical Catholics. One of my Auxiliary Bishops advocates for female ordination. He's still a Catholic.
(June 11, 2012 at 4:57 pm)Thor Wrote: By definition, an atheist does not believe there is a god. Period. I don't know what kind of questions your referenced survey asked, so I can't really comment on it.Looks like at least 21% of atheists would disagree with you there, Thor. Geez, I don't know who I am supposed to believe!
Mary Immaculate, star of the morning
Chosen before the creation began
Chosen to bring for your bridal adorning
Woe to the serpent and rescue to man.
Sinners, we honor your sinless perfection;
Fallen and weak, for your pity we plead;
Grand us the shield of your sovereign protection,
Measure your aid by the depth of our need.
Bend from your throne at the voice of our crying,
Bend to this earth which your footsteps have trod;
Stretch out your arms to us, living and dying,
Mary Immaculate, Mother of God.
Chosen before the creation began
Chosen to bring for your bridal adorning
Woe to the serpent and rescue to man.
Sinners, we honor your sinless perfection;
Fallen and weak, for your pity we plead;
Grand us the shield of your sovereign protection,
Measure your aid by the depth of our need.
Bend from your throne at the voice of our crying,
Bend to this earth which your footsteps have trod;
Stretch out your arms to us, living and dying,
Mary Immaculate, Mother of God.
