Michael Liccione
I am Catholic because I believe that “Rome’s claims are true.”...Aside from that epistemological issue, even if I were to become a Protestant, Calvinism is the last version of it I would consider. As I see it, TULIP depicts God as an arbitrary ogre and men as misshapen puppets.
http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/solo-scriptura-sola-scriptura-and-the-question-of-interpretive-authority/#comment-13873
Harry Emerson Fosdick
Nevertheless, if you were in charge of the universe, would you dare to take from man his freedom of choice and make him a mere puppet, a marionette mechanically pulled by the strings of circumstance, with no liberty to shape his own conduct, no power to make decisions? Well, when I think of Gene Neely and millions like him, I am sure that I would take the calculated risk which the Creator took when he gave man power to choose between good and evil.
http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=583&C=789
Instead of realizing that because of his sinful rebellion and high treason against the One true and living God man has plunged himself into utter, wretched sinfulness - and thereby becoming the slave to sin - who apart from divine grace will always and everywhere choose sin in all cases; and against this black backdrop of depravity seeing the One true and living God so infinitely gracious, merciful, and loving as to send His One and Only Son into the world to live a perfectly righteous and meritorious life, and to die a perfectly sacrificial and atoning death - sealing an eternal covenant with all those who will believe with His own blood - and then to rise again on the third day to confirm His claims and promises; and being absolutely amazed that the One true and living God would undertake such an incredible search and rescue mission for even one single rebellious, hell-deserving sinner - much less for multitude no man can number - instead haughty, prideful, sinful men see the One true and living God as an ugly ogre controlling poor hapless men like puppets on strings.
ReplyDeleteThey have things completely backwards and upside down!
In my opinion it's blasphemous statements like those quoted that highlight the depths of the absolute depravity of sinful man better than the very worst crimes committed by man against man.
In Christ,
CD
Wow, those are great quotes. Thanks for posting them!
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