This "Good deeds" vs "saved by grace" argument is mostly moot because I can't think of anyone who was "saved by grace" and wasn't doing good deeds.
Additionally, a Catholic doing good deeds is probably already saved by grace. The only time this comes into play is when an Atheist or pagan does "good deeds". Here we have a paradox. It will be up to God to decide what he does with that person. Or another example is a miserable person who attends weekly services, then resumes his miserable ways. what constitutes a "good deed"? Having an abortion, then volunteering at a soup kitchen doesn't seem to have any redeming value, unless that person has asked God's forgiveness for the abortion. We know that every evil man has probably done good deeds. Mafia bosses donating large sums of stolen money to the church are doing evil deeds and good deeds. They aren't fooling anybody, not even themselves. Homosexual priests who are molesting alter boys have little chance of getting into heaven unless they too are saved and stop molesting little boys. --- Charlie Coleman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > At 03:18 PM 1/25/2007 -0500, David Crooks wrote: > > > >First, wouldn't you agree that in general > everyone that has beliefs view > > others with opposing > > >beliefs as wrong? The Hindus, Muslims, ancient > Greeks, etc would all > > view my beliefs as wrong > > >just as I view their beliefs as wrong. That is > essentially the nature of > > a 'belief' in my > > >opinion. So if you're implying I'm being > unreasonable by thinking others > > are wrong, I don't > > >agree. > > > ><snipped> > > > >If you really study the religions, I think you > would find that they have > >more in common than not. I think religions is all > about control. I also > >think a religion that is based on a belief system > that we are right and > >everyone is wrong is very screwed up! > > In a general sense, a lot of religions describe > similar 'good deeds' that > should be done by the believers. That's about it > where the similarity ends. > Some of them call for forced conversion of > non-believers, others say simply > to speak the message and let things end up where > they may. Some > specifically target other religions as the 'enemy', > etc. A while back, my > Sunday School class studied different religions for > several months. We even > went and talked with people of other religions to > make sure our > understanding of their beliefs was correct. > > One thing we found that sets Christianity apart is > that it teaches the > "good deeds" or doing the "right deeds" are not what > will save you. > > I'd like to discuss your last sentence. You think > it's "screwed up" to have > a belief system that where some believe they're > right and others are wrong. > I'll say it MUST be that way if you accept there is > an ultimate TRUTH. Here > is a rough comparison: back in the day of Columbus, > some thought the Earth > was flat, but others thought it was a round. Both > thought the others were > wrong. Eventually one of them turned out to be wrong > because there was an > ultimate Truth to the matter. The problem at this > point is religion is in a > realm other than the physical. We don't KNOW what's > really there. Just like > in Columbus's day, until someone was able to find a > way to prove it, they > didn't know for sure. So, assuming there is an > ultimate spiritual Truth, > things will end up that one (and maybe more) > religions were "right" and > other religions were "wrong". > > -Charlie > > > > _______________________________________________ > Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com > Subscription Maintenance: > http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox > OT-free version of this list: > http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech > ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, > are the opinions of the author, and do not > constitute legal or medical advice. This statement > is added to the messages for those lawyers who are > too stupid to see the obvious. > _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
