Catholicism, Christianity

Hi Eileen, I know that you are a devote and conscientious Catholic and very knowledgeable of biblical principals. Your posts give you away, lol. Just to clarify, are you saying that while Catholicism is Christianity, the born again or protestants are non Christian sects. There are many cults in the world and the Philippines has their share, and of course these are always non Christian because , like you say, they usually distort the role of Jesus in the God head. Are you saying that all, apart form Catholicism are non Christian sects or cults.

The Protestants such as the Pentecostals and the Baptists are Christians. They do believe that Jesus is God. They do not, however, believe in the sacraments and the saints as the Catholics do. The Iglesia ni Cristo, founded by a Filipino a hundred years back, does not believe in Jesus as God but as a mere leader. I honestly do not study their beliefs.

I thought that the Salvation Army was a group of people who distribute old clothes to the deprived. In the 90's, when my mother used to send me Forex boxes from LA, she would call long distance first and say "Eileen, I did not put the sweaters and the jogging pants in the box. I gave them to the Salvation Army for distribution." So, the Salvation Army is a religious sect. I think I am a fan. And grape juice is good. Nick, I am a believer but I am not a saint. Absolutely far from it. But I do wish I could be like Francis of Assisi. Have you seen that old movie Brother Sun Sister Moon? Francis bared his all for God! Or maybe like Therese of the Child Jesus. I am truly indolent and if only I could be like Therese who found joy in scrubbing the floor... Saints are people who lived exemplary lives. As to the images, do you know that I have boxes full of photo albums? My auntie and my friend has shelves full of these albums, not to mention walls and consoles loaded with picture frames. People like to look at photos to remember someone they love. I also look at the face of Jesus, even if it is only an artist's manifestation, to rekindle my longing for Him every moment of my life. Oh yes, I do see Him in the silhouette of the mountain range when I drive up the bridge, and the white majestic cumulus clouds, and the flight of the birds in V formation. But when I am in my home, I just like to look at Him and talk to Him. It is not as if I am worshiping that picture. We know better than that. With the transubstantiation, no matter how you peruse the literature, you won't find it. It lies in the heart on one who believes. A mystery is beyond human intelligence. And the Blessed Mother was taken by her Son. No question about it. With the Bible, the more books, the merrier. I love reading. Sorry Nick, I can only speak two languages. I leave the speaking in tongues to the apostles. I was awed by some of our older priests here translating the Latin Vatican Homily in English for our benefit. But I think that speaking in tongues have an all new meaning for the millenium man. I think that the mission of the priest is not only to reach out to the unbelievers up to the ends of the earth but to reinvigorate the faith of those who had gone astray. Nick, please don't ask me to explain again. I get so hungry.

Sorry, I have to add some more. As stipulated in my last sentence, that all who believed in Christ as Lord and Saviour, including non-Catholics (Protestants for this matter) are called Christians, there are those claiming to be "Christians" yet what they are doing is far from that of being a Christian. Here in the Philippines they are propagated significantly. We have, the INC (Iglesia ni Kristo) who believes that Jesus is only a MAN; ADD who believes that Jesus is God but not in equity with the Father, and many others. These sects/denominations/cults are not to be considered as Christians but heretics. However, we still do respect them and treat them as brothers and sisters in the Lord.