The ecumenical Antichrist
We're quite experienced in the rhetoric of the in Northern Ireland. Some fundamentalist Protestant groups, not least the Free Presbyterian Church, have identified the papacy with that shadowy biblical character. It's quite a turn-up for the books when a prince of the Catholic Church preaches a sermon claiming that the Antichrist, when he appears, will be a 鈥渁 .鈥 Cardinal Biffi was never one to pull his punches -- not even when delivering this year's Lenten meditations in the presence of Pope Benedict.
Some news reports of this controversial speech have made much of the cardinal's reference to pacifism, ecology and ecumenism -- as though he wished to attack those commitments, by association, in the presence of the pope. In fact, if commentators take the time to read the Cardinal himself, they'll find that he is merely arguing that the Antichrist "disguises" his identity by appearing to care about social goods such as peace, the environment, religious understanding, even ! I still wouldn't recommend the cardinal's outmoded approach to biblical hermeneutics, but we should at least try to fairly report the statements he's actually made.
Comments
You lead people into the misunderstanding that the Antichrist is the creation of Irish protestants.
They merely follow the Reformation in describing the Pope as Antichrist. See Martin Luther.
dont know why Free Ps need to be blamed for the papacy and antichrist theory.
The Anglican church long had this as official stance up until very recently, if indeed it is not still so.
As have just about every protestant denomination ever and John Wesley and all the reformers etc etc.
seems like a teeny bit of prejudice here maybe against NI Protestants
PB
PB
You can't have a really good religion without deamonizing somebody, the Jews, heretics, Catholics, Martin Luthor, heathens, the Pope, apostates. It helps in recruiting more of the good righteous "us" for a constant battle against the evil "them." Fighting evil is one road to eternal salvation a religion provides. I think the Catholic Church would be making a big mistake if they shut down hell as was discussed here a few weeks ago. Who will they jetison next, the devil? How can you have an antichrist if there is no devil? What would there be left to be saved from? Who will donate their money now if there is no promise of a big payback in the end. And what of those who already have paid up? A contract is a contract. If money can't buy you peace of mind that you will get into heaven, what can it buy?
pb, it says "not least the FPs" ... nobody's saying there aren't other groups that have demonised the catholic church. Chill pill time, pb?
You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Money can鈥檛 buy peace of mind. Money is not the passport for entry to heaven.
For ye are bought with a price, the purchase was expensive it was not for nothing that your freedom was purchased. There was an incalculable price paid for your redemption with the precious blood of Christ the currency of heaven to give you peace of mind from the guilt of your sin and to set you free from the bondage of sin Jesus has paid up on your behalf to redeem you from the curse of the law.
knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
HGL
The intro clearly targets NI Free Ps.
Reading Pill HGL?
PB
It鈥檚 good to here the Free Presbyterians on 成人论坛NI Thought for Today, the 成人论坛 have eventually allowed the Free Presbyterians to have a thought for today. Why has it taken so long.