Indulgences are back-You have got to be kidding me!

Yep, I had heard rumors for a while (really hoped it wasn't true) and then the local fish wrap confirmed it. The Catholic Church is again in the Indulgence business. Once more, the Roman Catholic Church has run a muck and has gone kicking and screaming back towards the middle ages. In the mean time, Catholics in America leave the church in droves. In the language of our day-they call Bullshit!

More and more Catholics are taking on a very protestant view of Christianity. Some of this is good-The just living by faith, and maybe more importantly the justified LIVING OUT THEIR FAITH. Catholic Churches are also taking a very protestant view of how the church is run, namely by the laity, since there is a shortage of priests to go around. Some one must make decisions, namely the Church board. This involves the Catholic laity with their own parish congregation. Again , a wonderful idea.

But this article is not a bash on the Catholic Church, far from it. In fact the idea of penance is biblical and beneficial for the believer, but not for the blatantly silly idea of indulgences. Originally, the reason for penance was viewed as a way to show contrition. What it turned into was punishment. What it was really meant for by Christ was a way to teach new behavior.

If God remembers our sins no more when we confess our sins, then why penance? God already forgive and forgot the sins. Why live with the guilt? If God does not hold on to our sins, does anyone else really matter?

Notice how Christ handled sinners-he told them to go and sin no more. Great but how do you do that? You teach the sinner not to sin by giving him or her something else to think about and a check list to see if its going well. St. Paul gives us some vital clues: the fruit of the Spirit:love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. St Paul also tells to not be weary in well doing because we will receive if we do not fail (Galatians 6:9). So many focus on the promise, but the key is the journey! There is a resounding need for Christians to go to penance. All Christians, Roman Catholic, Protestant, this writer, and you. It allows our professional clergy to guide us into truth. It allows the Holy Spirit to speak directly to us. It can guide us into Christ like behavior so we don't sin in the first place!!!!!

As for indulgences, puleese! I don't need one; I don't want one. However teaching me to be more like Christ, that's a winner! THAT will help me get to heaven, and help me bring my little bit of Christ to my fellow person. That will bring me closer to My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,and as the title of the blog states-I certainly need it.

Well time to put this message in a bottle and toss it out to sea. For now good reader Gods Speed.

Big D