Anonymous Lutheran

Spiritually speaking, isn't the media's uproar over Michele Bachmann's past church affiliations a bit hypocritical? Not to mention silly given the reality of today's Protestant landscape?

Does that scripture have any bearing on the following prayer?

I confess to almighty God,

and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have sinned through my own fault,

in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done,

and in what I have failed to do;

and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,

all the angels and saints,

and you, my brothers and sisters,

to pray for me to the Lord, our God.

What is the Church's answer to this dilemma?

...an analogy for things that may be beyond our experience and vocabulary?

And would it have happened before jet air travel?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Goretti#Beatifi...

What do other non-Catholics think about this incredible public outpouring in the Catholic Church? I find it very moving, and very thought-provoking.

I will give two examples that are both fairly well-known. In addition to any definitive information on whether these specific practices are considered faithful to Church teaching (I have my own suspicions but would like to hear a Catholic point of view), I would also like to know what reliable/authoritative source exists on a practical day-to-day level for checking such things out.

The first example, which I personally perceive as being a somewhat extreme fringe case, is the practice of burying a statue of Joseph in the yard, often accompanied by prayers that seem almost threatening, declaring that he will suffer there until the house sells.

The second example, my gut instinct tells me is a bit less "out-there," but the point of it still seems quite a mystery to me personally. That is the practice of using blessed salt to ward off evil.

Like I said, I'm interested in principles here: How does a faithful Catholic evaluate these things?

I have little doubt that Catholic-bashing will now ensue. Not that I can stop it, but it will get nothing from me but a thumbs down (or a report if it's abusive).

Or do you believe St. John's words when he said that anyone who hates is a murderer? Have you ever hated anyone?

Are you a sinner, in just as great a need of God's forgiveness as bin Laden was?

I'm talking about reactors of the type that's in trouble in Japan. It seems that they're usually built next to a reliable body of water. Why aren't they built below the water level so that in a crisis situation like this, they have gravity working for them and can keep water flowing into the reactor indefinitely and without external power? I must be missing something, because it seems so obvious....

They seem to live within a couple hours' drive of each other.

I mean, if I want to actually follow this advice, how do I go about it?

Ephesians 2:1 - we were dead in our trespasses and sins

Colossians 2:13 - you...were dead in your trespasses

Can dead people make moral choices? Can dead people understand and accept God's offer of salvation?

I am a Lutheran.

* I believe that Holy Communion is actually Jesus' real body and blood.

* I believe that when I confess my sins to my pastor and he gives me absolution, the words that he speaks are real forgiveness.

* If you ask me how I know that I am a Christian, my answer will be, "I know because I am baptized."

* If you ask me if I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I will say, "I don't use that kind of language; but Jesus has made me His, and that's far better than depending on any actions or choices of my own."

If not, then how do you account for Luke 1:41-43?

If a child must reach the age of accountability first, then I guess Peter really blew it on his first big sermon and altar call, huh? With *three thousand* people (v.41) being baptized that day, it must have been pandemonium. I hope there weren't any young children who managed to get baptized by mistake and got a false promise of salvation. =(

Don't misunderstand me: I do think there is biblical basis for infant baptism. But if the Bible doesn't specifically talk about an age of accountability, why is the practice of infant baptism held to a higher standard?

Children don't suddenly discover right and wrong at some mysterious age between 7 and 12: Any parent knows full well that babies are learning right and wrong from the very start, as they discover the world around them. They learn what their parents expect of them, and it doesn't take long for them to start asserting their own will.

Isn't this disobedience? Isn't it sin?

There seems to be a common theme among those who reject infant baptism, that baptism is supposed to be a way that the person being baptized declares or demonstrates something about his belief/commitment/etc. The problem is, I can't seem to come up with any scriptures that indicate this. Can anyone help me out here?