President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Visits LDS Church HQ

[smac97]

Here:

Quote

 

LDS AND CATHOLICS ARE PROMOTING “THE GIFT OF FAMILY” AND “SAFEGUARDING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.”

The Most Reverend Joseph Kurtz, the Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky, and the President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, visited the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) located in Salt Lake City, on May 4, 2016. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen the relationship between the two faiths. According to Reverend Kurtz, it is important that the two religions stand together on issues like the “gift of family” and “safeguarding religious freedom,” for the ultimate good of America.

Accepting the invitation extended to him by the LDS leaders, Reverend Kurtz also met with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric, and the Presidency of the Seventy. According to John Taylor, the LDS director of interfaith relations, meeting with the Archbishop has been a delight, and it was enlightening to hear his views on faith, family, and religious freedom. The relationship between the two faiths has grown over the past couple of years, and the Archbishop's visit has definitely served to strengthen that relationship.

 

Read the whole thing.

I am pleased to see the LDS and Catholic Churches strengthening their relationship with each other.

Thanks,

-Smac

[saemo]

Well good.

I hope he swung by the Diocese of Salt Lake to discuss appointing us a new Bishop!! 😍

[Kenngo1969]

Given society's general continued tilt toward secularism, along with forces that are antipathetic toward religion in general, I'm of the opinion that, eventually (though it will probably take quite awhile), even our most ardent countercult critics eventually will come to the realization that the real concern is not differences among people of faith, but, rather, those who are ardently hostile toward faith in general.  While much opposition to the Church of Jesus Christ comes from Protestant quarters, not all of it does (some of it comes from Catholic quarters, as well).  In the current secular, religiously antipathetic climate, any effort at bridge-building between and among faiths is a good thing.

Bravo.  

[The Nehor]

Does no one remember the glorious first edition of Mormon Doctrine anymore? Oh how far we have fallen.....

[Kenngo1969]

9 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Does no one remember the glorious first edition of Mormon Doctrine anymore? Oh how far we have fallen.....

There's a reason why that's subtitled The Book of Bruce.  

[Storm Rider]

Elder McConkie was so good at many things; however, he was just a man.  I appreciated the remarkable change in him as he grew in his apostleship and the strength of his testimony.  I also recognize that he was mistaken about some things.  Fallen?  Not at all.

We will stand with and invite all those who seek to follow Christ to stand with us.  This is going to be a very bumpy ride.

[stemelbow]

15 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Given society's general continued tilt toward secularism, along with forces that are antipathetic toward religion in general, I'm of the opinion that, eventually (though it will probably take quite awhile), even our most ardent countercult critics eventually will come to the realization that the real concern is not differences among people of faith, but, rather, those who are ardently hostile toward faith in general.  While much opposition to the Church of Jesus Christ comes from Protestant quarters, not all of it does (some of it comes from Catholic quarters, as well).  In the current secular, religiously antipathetic climate, any effort at bridge-building between and among faiths is a good thing.

Bravo.  

Well it's not like predictions like this aren't going to help further the divisive cause.  Them non-believers need to be battled, else they try and destroy us. 

[Kenngo1969]

57 minutes ago, stemelbow said:

Well it's not like predictions like this aren't going to help further the divisive cause.  Them non-believers need to be battled, else they try and destroy us. 

Oh, I'm so very, deeply sorry that I have offended you.  You're right: I don't know what I was thinking/drinking.  There is as much societal acceptance of religion, of the religious, and of overt expressions of faith now as ever there was.  No creeping (if not raging, depending on where one looks) secularism; no antipathy toward religion; no hostility; no persecution. Nobody in the world ever has been, or is being, killed, or otherwise singled out, or otherwise persecuted, for his or her religion.  Nothing to see here, folks!  Move along!  "These [waves hand] aren't the droids you're looking for."  (Don't get me wrong: while I don't think paranoia is a particularly useful thing, neither is burying one's head in the sand.  With due respect, while you may comfort yourself with accusations that I'm simply indulging the former, your skepticism is causing you to do the latter.)

Sorry; my bad.  We now return you to your regularly-scheduled, on-topic programming.

[Damien the Leper]

1 hour ago, Storm Rider said:

Elder McConkie was so good at many things; however, he was just a man.  I appreciated the remarkable change in him as he grew in his apostleship and the strength of his testimony.  I also recognize that he was mistaken about some things.  Fallen?  Not at all.

We will stand with and invite all those who seek to follow Christ to stand with us.  This is going to be a very bumpy ride.

Can churches that bless SSM stand with you, as well? 

[stemelbow]

53 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Oh, I'm so very, deeply sorry that I have offended you.  You're right: I don't know what I was thinking/drinking.  There is as much societal acceptance of religion, of the religious, and of overt expressions of faith now as ever there was.  No creeping (if not raging, depending on where one looks) secularism; no antipathy toward religion; no hostility; no persecution. Nobody in the world ever has been, or is being, killed, or otherwise singled out, or otherwise persecuted, for his or her religion.  Nothing to see here, folks!  Move along!  "These [waves hand] aren't the droids you're looking for."  (Don't get me wrong: while I don't think paranoia is a particularly useful thing, neither is burying one's head in the sand.  With due respect, while you may comfort yourself with accusations that I'm simply indulging the former, your skepticism is causing you to do the latter.)

Sorry; my bad.  We now return you to your regularly-scheduled, on-topic programming.

I don't think I'm burying my head int he sand.  I'd prefer to see any attempts at division to go away. 

[Storm Rider]

3 hours ago, Valentinus said:

Can churches that bless SSM stand with you, as well? 

Great question.  I believe that there is a sole qualifier for being a member of the body of Christ, a Christian, and that is a belief or teaching in God the Father, his Son, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Ghost.  That Christ was crucified, died, and rose again and that through him is the only way we may return to God.  I believe that these simple teachings are so great that they overcome all other teachings true or false.

I believe that holiness and righteousness should be the pursuit of all those who call themselves Christians.  The more holy and righteous we become the stronger our desire for truth increases and the Holy Spirit will open more truths to us.  

In heaven there are many mansions, glories, and kingdoms.  The more truth we find and live the more glory God opens to us.  

[Ahab]

4 hours ago, Valentinus said:

Can churches that bless SSM stand with you, as well? 

No, or at least not very close to us.

They are definitely of the "them" that is not "us".

[Kenngo1969]

3 hours ago, stemelbow said:

I don't think I'm burying my head int he sand.  I'd prefer to see any attempts at division to go away. 

As long as they involve people of faith sacrificing that faith rather than seeking to be accepted on their own terms as people of faith?  Yes, exhibiting "zeal without knowledge," some, perhaps many, of the religiously devout have engaged in the bridge-burning between themselves and the irreligious, and between themselves and other people of faith, that you so decry.  But they are greatly outnumbered by those who, differences among religions notwithstanding, have little, if any, use for religious devotion or for those who strive to adhere to it.  Yet you perceive even the mere observation that, eventually, the biggest threats to religion and to those who practice it will come, not from other people of faith, but, rather, from those who are antipathetic toward religion as some kind of an exhortation to rise up, to scorch the earth, and to be done with all but the faithful.  

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has bent over backward in an attempt to emphasize that, its core doctrine on the family notwithstanding, it does not support efforts to marginalize, to ostracize, and to depersonalize gays and lesbians (by, for example, denying them employment, denying them access to education generally, denying them insurance and other benefits, and so on).  Yet, because the core doctrine remains, such recognitions fail to mollify the most virulent, most malevolent critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: to borrow and to slightly alter a slogan favored by another protest movement which demands that the Church remake itself in the group's image, "Nothing but full, unconditional acceptance of gay marriage will suffice."

[Damien the Leper]

5 minutes ago, Ahab said:

No, or at least not very close to us.

They are definitely of the "them" that is not "us".

They are part of God's creation and worship him just as much as the conservative churches do. God isn't going to pick between an "us" or "them". He's going to choose those who choose him despite their flaws. Only ignorant creation draws a line in the sand between believers.

[Damien the Leper]

29 minutes ago, Storm Rider said:

Great question.  I believe that there is a sole qualifier for being a member of the body of Christ, a Christian, and that is a belief or teaching in God the Father, his Son, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Ghost.  That Christ was crucified, died, and rose again and that through him is the only way we may return to God.  I believe that these simple teachings are so great that they overcome all other teachings true or false.

I believe that holiness and righteousness should be the pursuit of all those who call themselves Christians.  The more holy and righteous we become the stronger our desire for truth increases and the Holy Spirit will open more truths to us.  

In heaven there are many mansions, glories, and kingdoms.  The more truth we find and live the more glory God opens to us.  

A simple yes or no will suffice.

[Ahab]

4 minutes ago, Valentinus said:

They are part of God's creation and worship him just as much as the conservative churches do. God isn't going to pick between an "us" or "them". He's going to choose those who choose him despite their flaws. Only ignorant creation draws a line in the sand between believers.

Says you.  And you are wrong as usual. 

[Damien the Leper]

5 minutes ago, Ahab said:

Says you.  And you are wrong as usual. 

Typical, Ahab. Everyone is more wrong than the LDS paradigm. So sad.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Valentinus

[Ahab]

3 minutes ago, Valentinus said:

Typical, Ahab. Everyone is more wrong than the LDS paradigm. So sad.

Hey, that was a true statement! 

Let's see how long you can keep that up.

[Storm Rider]

1 hour ago, Valentinus said:

A simple yes or no will suffice.

Yes.  

[The Nehor]

7 hours ago, Ahab said:

No, or at least not very close to us.

They are definitely of the "them" that is not "us".

 Everyone is the "them" that is not "us" unless some of "them" are also "us".

Sounds like a tautology to me.

[The Nehor]

7 hours ago, Valentinus said:

They are part of God's creation and worship him just as much as the conservative churches do. God isn't going to pick between an "us" or "them". He's going to choose those who choose him despite their flaws. Only ignorant creation draws a line in the sand between believers.

God supports those going the right way not those that join the right party so I agree to a point. Unfortunately the right path is narrow and few there be that find it.

[theplains]

On 17/05/2016 at 4:34 PM, smac97 said:

I am pleased to see the LDS and Catholic Churches strengthening their relationship with each other.

I wonder if this means ecumenism is gathering steam in the LDS hierarchy at the cost of truth.

Jim

[carbon dioxide]

On 5/18/2016 at 11:05 AM, Valentinus said:

Can churches that bless SSM stand with you, as well? 

I don't see why not.  Standing with someone does not mean you have to agree with them or do exactly what they do.  

[carbon dioxide]

On 5/18/2016 at 3:10 PM, Ahab said:

No, or at least not very close to us.

They are definitely of the "them" that is not "us".

We can stand with people even if we have major issues with them.  If my neighbor was a porn star, I can still stand with him on areas we can agree with in society or politics.  Standing with someone does not mean you must endorse everything they do or believe.

[Kenngo1969]

On 5/18/2016 at 0:57 PM, stemelbow said:

I don't think I'm burying my head int he sand.  I'd prefer to see any attempts at division religion, the religious, and overt expressions of religious faith go away. 

All fixed!