Comments for Approaches to “Religion” at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 10 out of 10 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:23 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9248 I have the book "Truth and Tolerance" and if I recall correctly the essay referred to in this article was an early work about which Ratzinger notes he would no longer make a contrast between monotheism and mysticism, it is not a good use of words. In fact true mysticism is the love relationship between God and the soul which can be truly fulfilled only in union with God in Christ. Buddhist or Hindu "mysticism" is not true mysticism in the fully Catholic sense of the word. Of course, one can still find value in Ratzinger's essay and understand what he is trying to say about the different religions, and of course God is present to every person and every soul longs for Him, but this is a needed caution. To reiterate, Christianity or monotheism is not opposed to "mysticism", since ultimately the only true mysticism is Catholic. - Elizabeth D Sun, 18 Dec 2011 09:21:46 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9239 "As for the reasons behind the breaking away 'heretically' of the Protestant denominations, I refer you to the history of the Medieval papacy." . Rather than vague bugaboos such as "the Medieval papacy" as the origin of Protestantism, one would better look long and hard at Martin Luther's lack of faith in God's willingness to forgive sinners. Luther's persistent fear, rooted in a perverse form of pride, that he was so sinful that God couldn't forgive him is what drove the Augustinian monk away from the Church and toward creating a fractured world where what is true in Rome isn't true in Wittenberg. - Mark Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:44:11 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9234 Tom: Belloc said it best: "There is and always has been the Church, and various heresies proceeding from a rejection of some of the Church's doctrines by men who still desire to retain the rest of her teaching and morals. But there never has been and never can be or will be a general Christian religion professed by men who all accept some central important doctrines, while agreeing to differ about others. There has always been, from the beginning, and will always be, the Church, and sundry heresies either doomed to decay, or, like Mohammedanism, to grow into a separate religion. Of a common Christianity there has never been and never can be a definition, for it has never existed." (Belloc: The Great Heresies, Chapter 7, "The Modern Phase.") Available on line, free. And the lovely title of this site is also taken from Belloc, so he is held in high esteem. Our own Fr. Schall quotes Belloc in "The Regensburg Lecture." It's always a delight to find Bellocs lucid and profound words quoted. - Louise Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:28:07 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9233 Kevin, you are right. There may be one, or more, Protestant denominations claiming to be the 'one, true, catholic and apostolic faith' but most do not make any such claim. One could argue, I think that the Orthodox and the Anglican churches, at least, could make the claim if they were inclined to do so. Also the Old Catholic churches (which reject the doctrine of papal infallibility) can legitimately make the claim. As for the reasons behind the breaking away "heretically" of the Protestant denominations, I refer you to the history of the Medieval papacy. - tom Sat, 17 Dec 2011 12:47:27 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9232 Over at CNA, in an article about Hitchens, Cardinal Ravasi who recalls a conversation between Jean Guitton and the dying Francois Mitterand. Guitton says humanity has the choice between absurdity and mystery. Mitterand asks are they not the same. Guitton replies that absurdity is an impenetrable wall against which mankind commits suicide. Mystery beckons us upward to hope and understanding and God. I've been watching Prof. Brian Cox's fine documentaries on the universe and the word "strangeness" is spoken again and again. Also the fact that our robotic and telescopic explorations of the universe lead not only to answers but more questions, more mysteries, more of the unexpected. Science itself, whether its practioners want to admit it or not, continues to affirm the religious disposition. - Graham Combs Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:12:27 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9230 Re: Tom "I think the author conflates "Christianity" with "Roman Catholicism" seeming to imply that since the first (a religion) is 'true' then the second (a denomination) is likewise" Tom, the Catholic faith is the fullness of Christianity and was indeed the first (and only) denomination until 1066 A.D.,when the schism that led to the Orthodox religions of the East occurred. Then a number of centuries later, Luther, Calvin and their followers broke away heretically from Catholicism during the Protestant Reformation. Now the Protestant denominations run well over 30,000 in the U.S. alone, certainly belying any claim to being the one, true, catholic and apostolic faith, which Catholicism alone claims to be. - Kevin in DC Sat, 17 Dec 2011 09:28:39 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9228 Hitchens was a colossal hypocrite. He himself, for most of his adult life, was a member of a movement that promoted violence and destruction throughout the world. The only good thing one can say about Leon Trotsky, whom Hitchens adored, was that he might have fallen somewhat short of being as bloodthirsty as Stalin; which is something like saying that Tamerlane wasn't as horrible as Genghis Khan. Some things, alas, are too big to see. Hitchens didn't see. Malcolm Muggeridge, who also was raised as a Fabian socialist, did come to see -- he was humble enough and human enough to recognize the beauty of Mother Teresa. - Tony Esolen Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:18:09 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9227 I think we can recognize the limits of religious experience, whilst recognizing its limitations. Religious experience is like bathing in a fathomless ocean, or breathing an intangible and limitless air. It gives contact and certitude, but not understanding: as breathing or bathing give us certitude about the air and the ocean, but no information about their chemical constitution. In that way, it is not a rival to faith. - Michael PS Sat, 17 Dec 2011 07:17:23 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9222 I think the author conflates "Christianity" with "Roman Catholicism" seeming to imply that since the first (a religion) is 'true' then the second (a denomination) is likewise. I'm not sure that asking the then-Cardinal Ratzinger or the participants in Vatican II if Roman Catholicism is the 'one, true' faith is necessarily the best approach to get an objective answer. - tom Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:08:15 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/approaches-to-religion.html#comment-9220 Christopher Hitchens has already stood before Christ and he has been judged, as each of us in our turn will be also. We will know the disposition of his soul at the General Judgement. He has been judged by Truth and he will have eternity to reflect on whether he was correct or wrong. - Manfred Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:28:56 +0100