Baptism in the Catholic Church

[Ken]

On the flip side, the EO world is currently suffering from far less unity, and is probably headed towards a major split in the near future.

They wouldn’t call it a split though.

We should do that. We'll just stop calling our Anabaptist divisions "splits". Problem solved!

Or if you don't like splits, maybe stop splitting?

[Soloist]

They wouldn’t call it a split though.

We should do that. We'll just stop calling our Anabaptist divisions "splits". Problem solved!

Or if you don't like splits, maybe stop splitting?

I have never split. That’s the other guy.

[Josh]

They wouldn’t call it a split though.

We should do that. We'll just stop calling our Anabaptist divisions "splits". Problem solved!

Or if you don't like splits, maybe stop splitting?

Hasn't been one in my group in my lifetime, or my grandparents' lifetime, or their grandparents' lifetime, for that matter.

[MaxPC]

On the flip side, the EO world is currently suffering from far less unity, and is probably headed towards a major split in the near future.

They wouldn’t call it a split though.

We should do that. We'll just stop calling our Anabaptist divisions "splits". Problem solved!

"What is in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
-Romeo & Juliet: II, II

[JimFoxvog]

Francis either needs to reverse his decision, or allow a lot of bishops to ignore him, or else the Eastern Orthodox are going to suddenly have a lot of new dioceses.

He is standing with the decision.

“The Lord blesses everyone.”

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope ... bd49e8b9c9
AP is giving balanced reporting, I think, repeating

Vatican’s Dec. 18 declaration restated traditional church teaching that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and woman.

[Josh]

Francis either needs to reverse his decision, or allow a lot of bishops to ignore him, or else the Eastern Orthodox are going to suddenly have a lot of new dioceses.

He is standing with the decision.

“The Lord blesses everyone.”

I'm aware he is, but the idea of giving a "blessing" to people living in obvious sin is an obviously anti-Christian position. You don't give a "blessing" to someone's career who is a hitman. Or a "blessing" to a heterosexual couple cohabiting and living in sin. Or a "blessing" to someone who chronically lies and cheats to get ahead in business.

We also know from experience that such "blessing ceremonies" are the camel's nose in the tent that, in every other denomination that has started to do this, eventually becomes full-blown acceptance and promotion of homosexual "marriage".

[Ken]

I'm aware he is, but the idea of giving a "blessing" to people living in obvious sin is an obviously anti-Christian position. You don't give a "blessing" to someone's career who is a hitman. Or a "blessing" to a heterosexual couple cohabiting and living in sin. Or a "blessing" to someone who chronically lies and cheats to get ahead in business.

Actually it seems that you do. Although he doesn't look happy about it.

[Soloist]

Actually it seems that you do. Although he doesn't look happy about it.

I don’t think either of us believe the pope is a true Christian.
Either way, he doesn’t look happy. Maybe he just has a resting grouch face?

[Josh]

I'm aware he is, but the idea of giving a "blessing" to people living in obvious sin is an obviously anti-Christian position. You don't give a "blessing" to someone's career who is a hitman. Or a "blessing" to a heterosexual couple cohabiting and living in sin. Or a "blessing" to someone who chronically lies and cheats to get ahead in business.

Actually it seems that you do. Although he doesn't look happy about it.

Blessings for world leaders seem suspect to me although as believers we are to pray for peace and for kings and all in authority.

I don’t think there is a special blessing ritual for world leaders.*

*Well, I’m wrong. There are lots of special blessings for kings and other leaders and apparently there has been for 1,699 years.

[Ken]

Blessings for world leaders seem suspect to me although as believers we are to pray for peace and for kings and all in authority.

I don’t think there is a special blessing ritual for world leaders.*

*Well, I’m wrong. There are lots of special blessings for kings and other leaders and apparently there has been for 1,699 years.

When I was working in Guatemala in the 1980s the ultra-conservative Cardinal Casariego who was Archbishop of Guatemala would famously consecrate armored personnel carriers and tanks with holy water that were in route to the western highlands areas where they were engaging in what was essentially genocide against indigenous Mayan populations. It was a few years before my time but people still talked about it and also how he would travel around the country with an army escort.

I was just laughing at your notion that shady businessmen would ever be denied blessing or rites such as marriage in the Catholic Church or any other church, Mennonite included.