Refuting Mike Gendron’s ‘Another Jesus?”

[Church Militant]

In a recent thread we were discussing another of Mike Gendron's anti-Catholic e-newsletters when I came across a tract on his site that I decided to refute for my blog.

Please feel free to check it out and use it as you are led by the Holy Spirit if you should encounter this or similar propaganda.
Refuting Mike Gendron’s ‘Another Jesus?”
God's peace,

[Zooey]

That's awfully good, Michael.

Thanks!!

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Originally Posted by Church Militant

In a recent thread we were discussing another of Mike Gendron's anti-Catholic e-newsletters when I came across a tract on his site that I decided to refute for my blog.

Please feel free to check it out and use it as you are led by the Holy Spirit if you should encounter this or similar propaganda.
Refuting Mike Gendron’s ‘Another Jesus?”
God's peace,

I read a little bit but..no patience for Mike Gendron, whom I knew today and will forget tomorrow...

[JonNC]

Originally Posted by Church Militant

In a recent thread we were discussing another of Mike Gendron's anti-Catholic e-newsletters when I came across a tract on his site that I decided to refute for my blog.

Please feel free to check it out and use it as you are led by the Holy Spirit if you should encounter this or similar propaganda.
Refuting Mike Gendron’s ‘Another Jesus?”
God's peace,

Roman Catholicism denies this fundamental teaching and deceives its people into believing that the sacrifice of the Mass satisfied God's wrath not only for the sins of the living but also for the sins of the dead (Canon 3, Council of Trent).

So why does the Roman Catholic Church hide the real Jesus from its followers? Because the real Jesus sets people free! In contrast, the Roman Catholic Church maintains control of its people through legalistic rituals, sacraments and threats of anathema's. The biblical Jesus saves believers from the bondage of sin, deception and religion.

Michael,
While our two communions have differences regarding the sacrifice of the Mass, I don't believe the CC deceives Catholics. The CC teaches what it believes!

My real problem with these two quotes, the parts which I've bolded, is the implication of a motive, and ulterior motive, on the part of the CC. I find that a contradiction of the 8th Commandment. We can have differences without questioning motives.

Just my thoughts.

Jon

[Church Militant]

Originally Posted by JonNC

Michael,
While our two communions have differences regarding the sacrifice of the Mass, I don't believe the CC deceives Catholics. The CC teaches what it believes!

My real problem with these two quotes, the parts which I've bolded, is the implication of a motive, and ulterior motive, on the part of the CC. I find that a contradiction of the 8th Commandment. We can have differences without questioning motives.

Just my thoughts.

Jon

Well said Jon, and as always, I appreciate your input. At least, when it comes to our differences, you and I can actually dialog about it with civility and rationality and Christian charity, unlike this guy.

It's a sort of conspiracy theorist mindset I guess which makes allegations that have no basis in fact. We see this a lot in the writings of E.G. White (SDA) and many other virulent a-Cs and it's often a stumper for Catholics because there really is no response except to say "prove it" and when they can't, let that stand as refutation.

Your point about false witness is well taken too, but as I have noted, Mike Gendron makes his livelihood off of spreading this kind of propaganda, and, as most tabloid publishers well know, nothing sells like controversy and conspiracy, whether real or fabricated.

[JustaServant]

Originally Posted by Church Militant

Your point about false witness is well taken too, but as I have noted, Mike Gendron makes his livelihood off of spreading this kind of propaganda, and, as most tabloid publishers well know, nothing sells like controversy and conspiracy, whether real or fabricated.

Propaganda can be useful in controlling the easily controlled.
Not to bring politics into this, but there was a good example in the news recently. The Washington Post did a hit piece on Mitt Romney about an alleged 'bullying' of a supposed gay kid back in high school. The story fell apart quickly as the kid is now dead, and the source denies everything. The Fox news talking heads were trying to figure out why the WP would even publish a story that fell to pieces so quickly.
Because the story was not for people who fact check.
A lie makes its way across the world while the truth is still putting on its pants.
Gendron isn't preaching to people who will check his facts.
He's preaching to people who are too lazy to check his facts and will believe what he says because....well...he said it.

[JonNC]

=Church Militant;9290572][font=Garamond][size=4][color=Navy]Well said Jon, and as always, I appreciate your input. At least, when it comes to our differences, you and I can actually dialog about it with civility and rationality and Christian charity, unlike this guy.

Agreed. One of things I've noticed here is that, for the most part, threads that feature primarily Lutherans and Catholics seem to be the most charitable threads. We tend to dialogue on doctrine and belief, without polemics and accusations (there are exceptions, of course). But its the reason I choose to spend time here and not at some of the other sites, such as the one you mention in your blog.
It seems if we are to strive for the unity christ calls us to, it starts with charity, a recognition of the Spirit within each other, and a rejection of the kind of language we see in this article by this individual.

It's a sort of conspiracy theorist mindset I guess which makes allegations that have no basis in fact. We see this a lot in the writings of E.G. White (SDA) and many other virulent a-Cs and it's often a stumper for Catholics because there really is no response except to say "prove it" and when they can't, let that stand as refutation.

Your blog entry does a great job of defending your faith in this way, and I'd encourage Catholics to read it.

Your point about false witness is well taken too, but as I have noted, Mike Gendron makes his livelihood off of spreading this kind of propaganda, and, as most tabloid publishers well know, nothing sells like controversy and conspiracy, whether real or fabricated.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.

Jon

[Church Militant]

Thanks Jon! Again I appreciate your input and insights.

Zooey,
Thanks for reading my humble efforts, such as they are.

JaServant,
Always the voice of experience, from someone who knows. You're a good brother!

Note to all:
One thing that I have discovered.

When explaining and/or defending our most holy faith, always go to the source. If someone says the Church teaches something that they disagree with or attack, go look in the authentic and authoritative Church documents for context to see what is really what. As you've seen in this case and in the case of many other refutations of a-C material, most times quotes are pulled out of context and then used to misrepresent Catholic beliefs. By locating the source documents, you will find that what is alleged is not at all what was meant when taken in context.

Like Bishop Sheen said:
“Few people in America hate the Catholic religion,
but there are many who hate
what they mistakenly believe is the Catholic religion
—and if what they hate really were the Catholic religion,
Catholics would hate it too.”

[Zooey]

Originally Posted by Church Militant

(snip)
Note to all:
One thing that I have discovered.

When explaining and/or defending our most holy faith, always go to the source. If someone says the Church teaches something that they disagree with or attack, go look in the authentic and authoritative Church documents for context to see what is really what. As you've seen in this case and in the case of many other refutations of a-C material, most times quotes are pulled out of context and then used to misrepresent Catholic beliefs. By locating the source documents, you will find that what is alleged is not at all what was meant when taken in context.(snip)

Michael, my mother was a high school English teacher for many years, & she was the advisor for the speech & debate club at school. And she said this same thing over & over: that you should always go to the source, not simply accept what someone said that somebody else said....and then she would have us play that old children's game of "telephone gossip"....& just like when we were kids, the changes were crazy.

She would then repeat it: "Go to the source!!"
There is enough accidental change; add an agenda, & you have a set-up for the Gendrons of the world to make stuff sound anyway they please....

[Church Militant]

Yep Zooey that's the way it is when one is seeking truth. One generally doesn't go to a ditch digger for info on rocket science. That's one reason I love CAF.