XPost: alt.bible, alt.religion.christian.biblestudy, alt.religion.christianity   
   XPost: alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic   
   From: novalidemail@ymail.com   
      
   On 6/23/2023 7:02 AM, James wrote:   
   >   Confession before a priest. A Bible docrtrine?   
   >   
   > No one went to a confessional by the first century Christians. A   
   > common opening statement is:   
   >   
   > "Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been (length of time) since   
   > my last confession. My sins are:   
   >   
   > Notice what the confessioner calls the priest; "Father".   
   > Yet Jesus said at Mt 23:9 in a religious context:   
   >   
   > -- Revised Standard   
   > Matthew 23:9  And call no man your father on earth, for you have one   
   > Father, who is in heaven.   
   >   
   > When a person goes before a priest in a confessional, the supposed end   
   > result is the forgiveness of his sins. Thus apparently no matter what   
   > sins were committed, they are forgiven. (I've never heard of a case   
   > yet where a priest would not allow forgiveness of the persons' sins)   
   > And "The Catholic Encyclopedia" agrees with this and says, "   
   >   
   > The Church has always taught that every sin, no matter how serious,   
   > can be forgiven."   
   >   
   > Yet the Bible talks about a sins that are not forgiven. Notice Jesus'   
   > own words at Mt 12:31,32,   
   >   
   > "31.  And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,   
   > but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.   
   >   32.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be   
   > forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be   
   > forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." (NIV)   
   >   
   > Also at the end of it, the priest usually gives out so many "Our   
   > Father's" and "Hail Mary's" for penance. Yet said said,   
   >   
   > -- Living Bible   
   > Matthew 6:7  ``Don't recite the same prayer over and over as the   
   > heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them   
   > again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need   
   > even before you ask him!   
   >   
   > If that isn't enough, there is more.   
   >   
   > Jesus did give his apostles then the gift to forgive sins. (John   
   > 20:21-23)   
   >   
   > But there is no accounts stating that any of the apostles heard a   
   > 'confession' from someone and forgave their sins. God had His rules on   
   > forgiving sin. The apostles by means of the Holy Spirit could discern   
   > whether they qualified for God's forgiveness or not. Notice Acts   
   > 5:1-11.   
   >   
   > But when did the confessional begin? The Catholic Encyliopedia p. 56   
   > reads:   
   >   
   > "Since the fourth century auricular [hearing] confession has been the   
   > accepted method"..[brackets mine]   
   >   
   > Sincerely James   
      
      Hi my friend..   
      
      James_5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for   
   another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a   
   righteous man availeth much.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)