Strickland and Pope Francis who is right ?
Today I find myself in the urgent need to write this paper and publish a video about Pope Francis and Bishop Strickland. There are many items in which I disagree with Pope Francis, and there are many times in which I disagree with Bishops from different dioceses, there are times in which I agree. Having said that, as an educated Catholic, I must remind a lot of people of the essence of the Catholic Religion.
The Catholic religion is based strongly on two Ideas, one is the resurrection of Christ and his ascension into heaven, as well as; the guaranteed continued guidance of the Holy Spirit forever.
Based on the belief that God is all-powerful and that the Holy Spirit patiently guides the church, to God's will, requires OBEDIENCE to the Pope and his Bishops. It has been stated that the Pope in union with his Bishops in Matters of faith is infallible, This is a major belief in the catholic church. It is Through Bishop Strickland and other Bishops that this has been proclaimed through the church. The Catholic church is NOT SUPPOSED to be guided by political preference or Socio-Economic pressure but by the will of the Holy Spirit, which presents itself through life with the signs of humbleness, obedience, temperance, patience, etc.
In times like this, when a Bishop or several bishops, rise themselves against the directions of the pope, you can tell it is not The Holy Spirit that guides them. They might as well start their own evangelical church, and start buying planes to travel, around promoting the “gospel according to Strickland”. When Bishops disagree they are supposed to have a SYNOD, a Conference, etc. Where the different points are presented, and a consensus is arrived at, which the hierarchy agrees on. Those not present, agree, via their vow of obedience, or may seek a further dialogue with the pope. Otherwise, when disobedience sets in, they are serving a spirit of scandal and separation, which is not a sign of the Holy Spirit.
Disobedience is in effect what Bishop Strickland and his followers are doing. In effect claiming, that somehow the Holy Spirit forgot to talk to the Pope in the conference where TOLERANCE, LOVE, AND ACCEPTANCE, were spoken. According to Bishop Strickland, it should be replaced with a language of Intolerance, because their conclusions don't, seem right to him. He Believes in essence, that God would not have changed anything without speaking to Strickland first, or that teh word of God is some kind of unmovable idol.
People who believe that the “deposit of faith is unchangeable” actually believe that the word of god is akin to a stone idol, unchangeable, unmoveable, and if you change it you can destroy it.
The essence of the word from God is its ability to survive changes through time. Its interpretation, changes as we go through life and time learning new things. Its essence of Love and Salvation remains. Would you still hold that the Earth is Physically the center of teh universe? No! That would be ignoring the fact that we know this not to be true and that it has nothing to do with salvation. The Bible is not meant to be taken literally, but a series of documents written by old visionaries through which, they tried to show us what they learned about God. Such documents are limited by their knowledge and language. We need to interpret those documents more intelligently as time and our knowledge of the past grows. This interpretation always has to contain the essence of LOVE otherwise it is not the Holy Spirit. He who claims to be the "depositor of faith" through the force of authority and confrontation is not guided by the Holy Spirit. It is in UNITY and LOVE that the HOLY SPIRIT expresses God's will.
Was it not so long ago, that we read, (and it was part of teh “deposit of faith”) that the earth was the center of teh universe? yet as science evolved we learned that this was not so, and this was not something which had to do with the faith. There were a lot of angry people back then, whose sole purpose was to "protect the deposit of faith"; meanwhile the true saints, held back in patience, and waited for the Holy Spirit to guide our scientists to the FACTS, guess where we ended up at? The protectors of teh "deposit of faith" were wrong.
Bishop Strickland is evident has committed a very large error, His views on "protecting teh deposit of faith" reflect a man, who denies dialogue with science. However, this is not the reason why he is being removed. He also has very bad views on teh problems with race, which at teh very least lacks empathy. It is very good for his political landscape, but it is not a catholic position. He has spoken strongly in “obedience to the church” and demanded priests' obedience to himself; yet today, he does not like what the Holy Spirit sends his way via the Pope, so he starts speaking against the Pope. Either Strickland is not a Catholic, which warrants his dismissal, or he is only a Catholic when he likes what the Pope in union with his Bishops is saying. With this, I conclude Bishop Strickland has become a Full-time Politician and should state so, because his actions are not those of a true Saint, nor catholic. Just for one quick Example, St. Francis of Assisi was not always in agreement with the Pope, but he was always obedient to him.
Tell me did Jesus change his mind, and is no longer guiding teh church? Now the holder of the “faith” is Strickland?
I would recommend to those following Strickland to read a few lives of saints, the history of the church, and the gospels. I have very intimate knowledge of the catholic church and how it works, this man has fallen to his own hubris and has determined It is he who must save something because he is certainly not saving the church. Nor is he being guided by teh Holy Spirit, at best, when you disagree strongly with the Pope, you silently fade away or start your own thing, but you don't call teh Pope an antichrist, nor do you use your megaphone within teh catholic church, to scandalize and confuse others, whose only hope in life might be the church.
It is only in losing his faith that Bishop Strickland feels he must act this way or that because he doesn't believe that God can act, if God can't act, then, what is he doing praying in mass? Jesus rightfully said, “ Oh ye of little faith”. If you're Catholic, you must acknowledge my arguments are true, and Strickland is acting outside the realm of the “deposit of faith” he claims to support, faith that he preached, and now is willing to tear apart. To himself his point of view is held as if it was God's own words. Strickland obviously acknowledges and knows that the “deposit of faith” has changed through the centuries. However now that he doesn't like, what ahs changed, he acts AS IF HE WAS GOD HIMSELF, or as if God would only speak to him. Bishop Strickland and those who have pilled up against the Pope and his bishops, are promoting the demise of teh church. Holding hostage their obedience in exchange for power. They have indeed claimed “I WILL NOT SERVE” just like satan did a long time ago. Maybe they no longer believe what they preach. Either way, they are acting outside teh REALM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
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