Comments for Why We Should Call Ourselves Christian at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 6 out of 6 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Tue, 21 May 2013 03:19:50 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/why-we-should-call-ourselves-christian.html#comment-9056 An unregenerated heart cannot seek God. By itself is enemy to the things of God. In the sixth chapter of the book of Saint John, John quotes our Lord in the following, "43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. " This tells us that our fellow Grump cannot seek, or find, or knock unless our Father in heaven draws him to the Son. Only a regenerated heart seeks, finds and knocks at the door. Saint Matthew tells us in the seventh chapter of the book named after him, 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" Now with its full context, fellow Br. Timothy, one can see that it is indeed the Father who gives to His children. Thus, a child we must first be. Soli Deo Gloria - Juan Carlos Siegel Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:49:50 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/why-we-should-call-ourselves-christian.html#comment-9013 Dear Grump, Do take heart! "Those who seek, find; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened!" - Br. Timothy Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:13:57 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/why-we-should-call-ourselves-christian.html#comment-9001 As a fellow non-believer who nonetheless continues to search for meaning in life, I look forward to reading Pera's book. Perhaps Benedict sees him as a prodigal son, like me, longing to return to the faith I once embraced. - Grump Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:52:03 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/why-we-should-call-ourselves-christian.html#comment-8998 In a time when so many anticipate some kind of apocalyptic disaster, or worse, hope for it, it is very helpful indeed to see a secular philosopher grasp that the solutions to our current malaise lie in a return to the principles that created Western civilization. Thank you, Mr. Wood, for bringing to our attention such important work -- in additions to the many homely blessings for which we give thanks today, your article is a real motive of hope. Best wishes to all. - Dave Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:36:52 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/why-we-should-call-ourselves-christian.html#comment-8996 A fascinating detail of the foundation of the EU was that its main architects were all Catholics from marginal German-speaking areas: Adenauer (Rhineland), Schumann (Alsace), De Gasperi (Trentino Alto Adige). De Gasperi actually sat in the Vienna parliament pre-1914 - Michael Paterson-Seymour Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:42:35 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/why-we-should-call-ourselves-christian.html#comment-8995 So Dr. Pera indentifies himself as a non-believer. I take that to mean that he is an athiest, or at best an agnostic. If the the cosmos, along with the pehnonenon of human consciouness, just exists rather than being the result of an act of Creation by God it has no ultimate meaning and the deeds of humans are almost without meaning of ultimate consequence. Unless people believe in God and the eternity, they will contue to make gods of themselves re-create the horrors brought about by the antiChristians idologies of the 20th Century. Per's love sentimental attraction for chrsitian civizlization is touching, but absent real Faith it is not likely to move anyone. We can only hope that His Holiness is using thier collaboration to bring him back to the Faith and that Per's connection witha Catholic institute of higher learning will benefir him rather than contaminate his students. Sadly, the latter consequnece seems to be the more common of the two. - Thomas C. Coleman, Jr. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:46:01 +0100