Defining the Status of Those Who Claim to be Christian!

[tericared]

 Conservative – Traditionalist – Liberal – Lukewarm – Orthodox – Catholic

Conservatives are those who believe that the whole truth and nothing but the truth was contained in what they had been taught by parents, relatives, friends, and other instructors during their formative years. They believe whatever they learned whether it was fact, personal opinion, or error that had been commonly accepted for various periods of time, even centuries. They tend to be narrowly focused and accept the content of what they had been taught as being unchangeable and irrefutable truths.
        Conservatives are often narrowly focused and have difficulty in accepting theological growth. As with the other groups they have little concept of a hierarchical order of truth and its relevance to Church leadership. This group has a degree of similarity to the Pharisees of Jesus' era. Most in this group erroneously treat the person filling the office of pope as an infallible being.

A Traditionalist is a variant of the conservative mentality who focuses on some point in the Church's history as being authentic and dependable. This applies to both teachings and liturgical practices. Commonly these people are focused upon pre Vatican II worship and theology. As a whole they have closed their minds to the development of theology. They could be likened to the Sadducees of Jesus' time. This group tends to narrowly focus upon particular teachings of past popes regarding disciplinary matters –unrelated to the teachings of Jesus or to doctrines concerning faith and morals– as though they could not be changed at some future time. While commonly sincere they often become at least quasi schismatic.

Liberal: One who begins with an open mind but has been indoctrinated with deceptive and erroneous opinions presented as beliefs. He sees problems, has concerns, and wants to resolve them. He associates with Church teachings that suit his purposes and considers the rest as being too improbable to believe. Since he is without a systematic of belief he is open to accept whatever is personally fulfilling. He commonly has a grasp of what pleases people and develops as a humanist. A liberal has departed from faith in the authentic teachings of the Church or has rejected one or more teachings of the Church as not being worthy of belief. He has more concern for the values of this life than for the values of eternal life.

Middle-of-the-Roader [Lukewarm:  "If you remain indifferent in time of adversity, your strength will depart from you." Proverbs 24:10]:  The Middle of the Roaders are those who accept any and all positions even if in conflict. He believes what he wants and is indifferent to everything else. They do not care for any philosophy or theology strongly enough to be concerned with what has been presented them. These are ready candidates for deceptive organizations such as freemasonry, communism, Nazism, socialism, fascism, or any form of belief focused on personal humanistic welfare.

Orthodoxy is a term most will try to apply to themselves but very few succeed in doing unless they adhere to the parameters set forth for true Catholics. It should be kept in mind that some may well be orthodox by intent but are not so in fact. Those acting in faith who truly make an effort to follow the teachings of the Church are orthodox by intent. Those who actually know the true teachings of the Church, by hierarchial order, are subject to them in faith, and properly understand love are orthodox in fact.

True Catholics are those who believe in the teachings of God and His Church and understand that authentic teachings on faith and morals are not diminishable, terminable, and do not change direction. This group accepts rational growth concerning the Word of God and keeps an open mind to development of faith principles and practices. They put into practice the teachings of God and His Church and recognize that good deeds serve the Kingdom. As evidence of faith good deeds are necessary for salvation. Due to lack of training in the systematics of truth and practice this group lacks the cohesiveness that is necessary to effectively oppose the evils within the Church.
        Catholics are people of faith who truly love God and are sensitive to His will apart from written law. They act with justice and mercy because they are God's will, not because such acts are in agreement with law. True Catholics, through faith, have a desire and instinct for right and wrong that keeps them from acting offensively during periods of time when solid leadership in faith is lacking. This group does not deny their sinful nature and quickly accepts their sins for what they are — offenses against God that are normally carried out against man. Desiring not to remain in sin longer than necessary they do not delay going to confession to receive God's forgiveness imparted through the successors of the apostles (His ordained priests).

 

[tericared]

Aug. 26, 2009 at 11:16 PM

Father David C. Trosch
August 15, 2002
Feast of the Assumption of Mary

http://www.trosch.org/the/true-christians.html

(Original Poster)

[Lb128f]

Aug. 26, 2009 at 11:48 PM

Thanks! :-)

[Vampee_Mom]

Aug. 27, 2009 at 2:53 AM

Nice!!  

Great definitions.. Will anyone admit to where the fit........

I will.. Liberal...........   lol

 

[Gretchen2876]

Aug. 27, 2009 at 7:55 AM

Liberal, working on becoming a True Catholic.

[mamak57]

Aug. 31, 2009 at 1:39 PM

i am very conservative in my belief in what it takes to be a Christian and that is believe that Jesus was the Christ who came to show us the way God wants peole to act toward each other and that we should follow those teaching. 

I am very liberal in that I believe Christians will not be the only people up in heaven. I was raised very conservative rigidly fundamental in that if it came from the preacher's mouth it was the gospel and right. I learned that was a crock of  male bovine droppings, when the church shunned my friend who got preggy at 16 but did nothing to the boy who got her that way except to tell him she was wrong to let him have his way with her.

I learned from that and other issues that although i believe that Christ Jesus was sent to show us the way to fellowship with God he was not the only messenger that God sent to Earth

[Bloom4Christ]

Aug. 31, 2009 at 8:20 PM

I'll bite... am a bit confused about where I would fit so I'd love for you to point me in the right direction (honestly and not sarcastically... I know this could come out sounding that way but this intrigues me.)

I was raised by strict parents who had us in Catholic schools, active in our parish, active with the sacraments.  I left the church in college and tried other faiths.  What brought me back was when people would make really outlandish claims about Catholicism or people with no knowledge would ask me questions and I would research church teaching and scripture to give them an informed answer.  Doing so led me back to teh church because I understood why.  Today I fully support church teaching and the marriage of tradition and scripture within Catholicism.  I have many friends of other faiths that I don't feel the need to try and convert by words but by deeds if I can and if I cannot, oh well, all in God's time... what would this make me?