Zone1 Justice vs Mercy

[Meriweather]

Even the Catholic Church used to tell it's prey - that even huge financial contributions to them are not a guarantee, but enhance a reduction of time spend in purgatory and/or hell. aka receiving God's MERCY.

Indulgences are--and have been--widely misunderstood. It was no help that some bishops misled and misused what was entrusted to them. Non-Catholic Christians who hold the belief that nothing more needs to be done because of their belief God sees only the blood of Christ, not any personal sin, because of the forgiveness of sins. Catholics see it a bit differently. First, indulgences are not for the forgiveness of sins, as sins are forgiven. Nor does it result in less consequences for the wrong-doing that was done. Indulgences may be best described as a debt of gratitude for all God has done in regard to a particular sin/s.

Think of the parable of the man who swept the demon from his house, leaving all clean and tidy--but empty. So the demon returned with seven friends. That's what might likely happen when we humans think we have cleaned house and taken care of everything, there is an emptiness that only God's presence can fill, and in receiving God's gifts, graces, an blessings, we are are bursting with praise and thanksgiving--and the desire to express this praise and thanks to God. That best describes an indulgence, that something extra, our gift to God. The tough thing about presenting a gift--or even thanksgiving--to God, is that he simply showers new gifts, graces, and blessings upon us.

 

[Kruska]

Jesus and his teaching of Mercy came many years before the Catholic church came about. The teaching of mercy came about from the days of Adam and Eve.

Obviously just a personal assumption of yours. There is no script or reference in the Bible, that God was merciful or granted God's mercy. On the contra - punishing and/or wiping out everyone who didn't please him. - see Adam&Eve, the Flood, Sodom&Gomorrah, Moses, etc. etc.

The concept of God's Mercy comes in with the NT (published by the Catholic Church!!) - in reference to a Jesus story, aka Jews writing-thus claiming, that Jesus was God's son and had the mission to sacrifice himself for humanities sins, to receive God's mercy. Thus manipulated by the RCC from around 300 AD onward to be extended onto every Catholic soul.

 

[Kruska]

Indulgences are--and have been--widely misunderstood. It was no help that some bishops misled and misused what was entrusted to them. Non-Catholic Christians who hold the belief that nothing more needs to be done because of their belief God sees only the blood of Christ, not any personal sin, because of the forgiveness of sins. Catholics see it a bit differently.

You need to be clear about one single major issue: before you keep on making "personal" statements.

The original and first "centralized and organized Christian" church - and thus it's recorded teaching's, are solely those of the Greek speaking Christians from around 70 AD onward. Not to be confused with the Eastern-Orthodox church from 650 AD onward.

Thus the "original" & first recorded (written) Christian teaching was that:
Jesus is fully human, aka a mere man. - therefore, NO God's Mercy concept existed.

In order to prevent losing continuously their followers to the their rival, the Roman Christians - they almost 400 years later (Fourth Ecumenical Council in 451 AD) amended it into; Jesus is not a “mere man,” but that He is the eternal, divine Son of God. Thus matching the teachings of the Roman Christians.

The Roman Christians started taking over the religious power and "claim of sole Christian representation" from the Greek Christians headquartered in Bizantine, (250 years later called Constantinople), and placed it's HQ in Rome from around 330 AD onward, due to their own Roman Christian congregation and teachings.

At around 650AD the now founded Roman Catholic Church offically split from the Greek Christian church (Pope Gregor I) - now officially instituting that Jesus was the original founder of the RCC and that therefore only the RCC in ROME provides the "true" teachings. And furthermore that "early" Christianity was therefore not a branch of Judaism. Thus publishing their "continiously amended/manipulated" New Testament (from 70AD to 650AD) upon creating the institution Roman Catholic Curch, and made God's Mercy the basis of their teachings. Whilst continuing to amend/manipuate the NT.

All other "Christian followers" where therefore deemed to be heretic religious cults, aka not accepted by the RCC as official representatives of God nor Jesus.

As such for a "true" Christian believer, ONLY the teachings of the RCC are valid. and the NT provided by the RCC is the only "valid&true" lecture. As such any other Christian interpretations or teachings are totally irrelevant. !!

That all these other "religious Roman Catholic offspring's", especially those from the 15th century onward, view this differently is understood. It is however extremely "amusing" (at least to me) to see/notice e.g. a Protestant and their countless offsprings, claiming Jesus to be God's son. (thus fully adhereing to the RCC invention) whilst denouncing other teachings and claims of the Roman Catholic Church.

Aka, picking out only, what suits their personal believes!!