eahaddix
06-22-2006, 04:20 AM
http://www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/smiling4.jpg
As I was "channel surfing," I came across a movie about "Mother" Teresa (http://www.tbn.org/index.php/2/4/p/568.html) on TBN. As one would predict, this dramatic movie portrayed "Mother" Teresa as absolutely virtuous. In fact, after watching this movie without discernment, how could the viewer not admire her?
Along with the media, the Roman Catholic Church praises "Mother" Teresa for her "Christian work." In fact, most people refuse to tolerate any criticism of "Mother" Teresa. However, should "Mother" Teresa receive praise? Let us briefly survey the issue.
Q. What do you think of Hinduism?
A. I love all religions, but I am in love with my own.
Q. And they should love Jesus too?
A. Naturally, if they want peace, if they want joy, let them find Jesus. If people become better Hindus, better Muslims, better Buddhists by our acts of love, then there is something else growing there. They come closer and closer to God. When they come closer, they have to choose.
Source: "A Pencil in the Hand of God," by Edward W. Desmond @ Time.com, 12/4/1989 (http://www.time.com/time/reports/motherteresa/t891204.html)
NAVIN CHAWLA: The first time I asked her, I said, "Mother, the great accusation amongst your critics here is that you convert, and your organization does." And she said, "Yes, I do convert. I convert you to a better Hindu or a better Protestant, or a better Jew, better Sikh, and then it's for you to what you want with God."
Source: "Continuing Mission [Transcript]," by Fred De Sam Lazaro @ Online NewsHour, PBS.org, 10/25/1999 (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/religion/july-dec99/motherteresa_10-25.html)
Listen to Mother Teresa speaking about Conversion to her biographer, Desmond Doig. "What we are all trying to do by our work, by serving the people, is to come closer to God. If in coming face to face with God we accept Him in our lives, then we are converting. We become a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Catholic, a better whatever we are, and then by being better we come closer and closer to Him. If we accept Him fully in our lives, then that is conversion. What approach would I use? For me, naturally, it would be a Catholic one, for you it may be Hindu, for someone else, Buddhist, according to one's conscience. What God is in your mind you must accept." [Desmond Doig, "Mother Teresa: Her People and Her Work", William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glascow, 1976, page 136, as quoted by Constance [C]umbey, in "A Planned Deception: The Staging of a New Age Messiah", Pointe Publishers, East Detroit, Michigan, ISBN 0-935897-00-3, page 108] [Emphasis ours]
Source: "The Entire World Says 'Goodbye' and 'Godspeed' to Mother Teresa," by The Cutting Edge (http://www.cuttingedge.org/News/n1109.cfm)
At the Home for the Dying in Calcutta, Mother Teresa often cared for the residents as they approached the end. As she was ministering to one illness-ravaged man, a visitor overheard her whisper a few words to him. These few words embody some of Mother Teresa's most wonderful wisdom. This is what she said:
"You say a prayer in your religion, and I will say a prayer as I know it. Together we will say this prayer and it will be something beautiful for God."
Source: "Everything Starts From Prayer (HC); Mother Teresa's Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths," by White Cloud Press (http://www.caveatpress.com/product.asp?specific=jnoornf4) [Amazon.com's Image of Cover (ref. Back Cover)] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-1459802-1132645?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=1883991374)
For other questionable quotations by "Mother Teresa," see this source: "Her Words," by EWTN.com (http://www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/words.htm) [Main Mother Teresa Page] (http://www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/index.htm)
As noticed by many people, these quotations imply the advocacy of Univeralistic doctrine. Specifically, "Mother" Teresa worshipped an ambiguous form of "love," which "transcended" all religious boundaries. Hence, she advocated an extreme form of charity, which involved helping non-Christians through their religious beliefs.
But how can love be love, if love applies to everything and nothing? Moreover, how does comforting non-Christians as they enter hell express love?
There is no question that there are "problems" with Mother Theresa's theology, and it has become common knowledge.
Source: "Question 5: Do Mother Teresa's Theological Problems Bar Her from Sainthood?," by Robert Sungenis, President @ Catholic Apologetics International (http://www.catholicintl.com/qa/2004/qa-nov-04.htm#Question%205)
However, despite these overt theological problems, many Roman Catholics dogmatically defend "Mother" Teresa. Specifically, they invoke the following paragraphs of the CCC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism_of_the_Catholic_Church) to defend her. Now, while these quotations beg the question, they illustrate a fundamental problem within official Roman Catholic doctrine.
843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."
Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 843 @ Scborromeo.org (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/843.htm)
846 (http://javascript<b></b>:openWindow('cr/846.htm');) How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:
Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336
847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:
Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337
Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part One, Section Two, Chapter Three, Article 9, Paragraph 3, Section 3, under "Outside the Church There is No Salvation" @ Scborromeo.org (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm#846)
How do Roman Catholics interpret these paragraphs? Many Roman Catholics assert that different non-Christian religions possess varying degrees of truth, which represent different attempts to follow God. Hence, in many cases, these different religions are preparatory steps, which lead certain people to the fullness of truth, which is Roman Catholicism. However, certain people do not move beyond these predatory steps, by no fault of their own.
However, this explanation leaves significant loopholes. What does the phrase "no fault of their own" mean? How does one define "sincerely seeking God"? Can a "sincere heart" obtain "eternal salvation," if a "sincere heart's" sincerity hinders "seeking God"?
As I was "channel surfing," I came across a movie about "Mother" Teresa (http://www.tbn.org/index.php/2/4/p/568.html) on TBN. As one would predict, this dramatic movie portrayed "Mother" Teresa as absolutely virtuous. In fact, after watching this movie without discernment, how could the viewer not admire her?
Along with the media, the Roman Catholic Church praises "Mother" Teresa for her "Christian work." In fact, most people refuse to tolerate any criticism of "Mother" Teresa. However, should "Mother" Teresa receive praise? Let us briefly survey the issue.
Q. What do you think of Hinduism?
A. I love all religions, but I am in love with my own.
Q. And they should love Jesus too?
A. Naturally, if they want peace, if they want joy, let them find Jesus. If people become better Hindus, better Muslims, better Buddhists by our acts of love, then there is something else growing there. They come closer and closer to God. When they come closer, they have to choose.
Source: "A Pencil in the Hand of God," by Edward W. Desmond @ Time.com, 12/4/1989 (http://www.time.com/time/reports/motherteresa/t891204.html)
NAVIN CHAWLA: The first time I asked her, I said, "Mother, the great accusation amongst your critics here is that you convert, and your organization does." And she said, "Yes, I do convert. I convert you to a better Hindu or a better Protestant, or a better Jew, better Sikh, and then it's for you to what you want with God."
Source: "Continuing Mission [Transcript]," by Fred De Sam Lazaro @ Online NewsHour, PBS.org, 10/25/1999 (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/religion/july-dec99/motherteresa_10-25.html)
Listen to Mother Teresa speaking about Conversion to her biographer, Desmond Doig. "What we are all trying to do by our work, by serving the people, is to come closer to God. If in coming face to face with God we accept Him in our lives, then we are converting. We become a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Catholic, a better whatever we are, and then by being better we come closer and closer to Him. If we accept Him fully in our lives, then that is conversion. What approach would I use? For me, naturally, it would be a Catholic one, for you it may be Hindu, for someone else, Buddhist, according to one's conscience. What God is in your mind you must accept." [Desmond Doig, "Mother Teresa: Her People and Her Work", William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., Glascow, 1976, page 136, as quoted by Constance [C]umbey, in "A Planned Deception: The Staging of a New Age Messiah", Pointe Publishers, East Detroit, Michigan, ISBN 0-935897-00-3, page 108] [Emphasis ours]
Source: "The Entire World Says 'Goodbye' and 'Godspeed' to Mother Teresa," by The Cutting Edge (http://www.cuttingedge.org/News/n1109.cfm)
At the Home for the Dying in Calcutta, Mother Teresa often cared for the residents as they approached the end. As she was ministering to one illness-ravaged man, a visitor overheard her whisper a few words to him. These few words embody some of Mother Teresa's most wonderful wisdom. This is what she said:
"You say a prayer in your religion, and I will say a prayer as I know it. Together we will say this prayer and it will be something beautiful for God."
Source: "Everything Starts From Prayer (HC); Mother Teresa's Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths," by White Cloud Press (http://www.caveatpress.com/product.asp?specific=jnoornf4) [Amazon.com's Image of Cover (ref. Back Cover)] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-1459802-1132645?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=1883991374)
For other questionable quotations by "Mother Teresa," see this source: "Her Words," by EWTN.com (http://www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/words.htm) [Main Mother Teresa Page] (http://www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/index.htm)
As noticed by many people, these quotations imply the advocacy of Univeralistic doctrine. Specifically, "Mother" Teresa worshipped an ambiguous form of "love," which "transcended" all religious boundaries. Hence, she advocated an extreme form of charity, which involved helping non-Christians through their religious beliefs.
But how can love be love, if love applies to everything and nothing? Moreover, how does comforting non-Christians as they enter hell express love?
There is no question that there are "problems" with Mother Theresa's theology, and it has become common knowledge.
Source: "Question 5: Do Mother Teresa's Theological Problems Bar Her from Sainthood?," by Robert Sungenis, President @ Catholic Apologetics International (http://www.catholicintl.com/qa/2004/qa-nov-04.htm#Question%205)
However, despite these overt theological problems, many Roman Catholics dogmatically defend "Mother" Teresa. Specifically, they invoke the following paragraphs of the CCC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism_of_the_Catholic_Church) to defend her. Now, while these quotations beg the question, they illustrate a fundamental problem within official Roman Catholic doctrine.
843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."
Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 843 @ Scborromeo.org (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/843.htm)
846 (http://javascript<b></b>:openWindow('cr/846.htm');) How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:
Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336
847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:
Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337
Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part One, Section Two, Chapter Three, Article 9, Paragraph 3, Section 3, under "Outside the Church There is No Salvation" @ Scborromeo.org (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm#846)
How do Roman Catholics interpret these paragraphs? Many Roman Catholics assert that different non-Christian religions possess varying degrees of truth, which represent different attempts to follow God. Hence, in many cases, these different religions are preparatory steps, which lead certain people to the fullness of truth, which is Roman Catholicism. However, certain people do not move beyond these predatory steps, by no fault of their own.
However, this explanation leaves significant loopholes. What does the phrase "no fault of their own" mean? How does one define "sincerely seeking God"? Can a "sincere heart" obtain "eternal salvation," if a "sincere heart's" sincerity hinders "seeking God"?