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Before somebody can put their faith in God, they first have to believe there is a God. By her own admissions, in private letters written to spiritual counselors; Teresa was never quite sure there really is a God out there.
"I am told God loves me; and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul."
"The damned of Hell suffer eternal punishment because they experiment with the loss of God. In my own soul, I feel the terrible pain of this loss. I feel that God does not want me, that God is not God; and that He does not really exist."
"If there be God-- please forgive me."
"When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul. How painful is this unknown pain-- I have no faith."
"The place of God in my soul is blank-- There is no God in me"
James wrote that faith without works is dead. Well; the reverse is just as true: works without faith are dead.
It's not uncommon to encounter numbers of Teresa's admirers who are so blinded by her accomplishments and her public image that they cannot see past them to her deplorable spiritual condition.
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It's easy to assume that only really bad people are in hell. But according to Matt 7:23-27, John 3:3-8, John 3:14-20, John 3:36, and Rev 20:11-15, anybody can be there; the humane and the inhumane; the good, the bad, and the not so bad,-- bikers, bakers, lawyers, welders, actors and actresses, housewives, bankers, heavy equipment operators, loggers, convicts, celebrities, homeless bums, clergy, prostitutes, drug lords, postmen, Presidents, Kings, statesmen, astronauts, school teachers, scientists, nurses, doctors, chemists, machinists, carpenters, waiters, hotel managers, cops, judges, nuns, priests, Popes, deacons, salesmen, Miss Americas, news anchors, weathermen, and birdwatchers, et al --people from every path, every career, every religion, every culture, every language, every ethnic, every craft, and every status: they're all down there.
Because when you strip away their gender, their race, their titles, their distinctions, their accomplishments, their greatness, their admirers, their privileges, and their entitlements; and stand them before God naked; people are only human; and humans are intrinsically sinful creatures.
†. Gen 8:21 . . Man's thoughts and actions are bent toward evil from childhood.
†. Ps 58:3 . . Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.
†. Eph 2:3 . .We were by nature objects of wrath.
Works cannot get creatures into heaven whose thoughts and actions are bent towards evil from childhood. Works cannot get creatures into heaven who start telling lies practically as soon as they can speak. Works cannot get creatures into heaven who by nature are objects of wrath rather than objects of kindness.
James said that belief in the existence of God is insufficient to save people. Well; just imagine the chances of someone like Teresa being saved who, behind the scenes, was never sure that there is a God and who, at times, seriously doubted God even existed. Demons have a better chance than people like that no matter how charitable and/or philanthropic they may seem to the rest of us.
†. Heb 11:6 . .Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists.
Can you appreciate the irony and the futility of bestowing sainthood upon someone who, during virtually five decades of missionary service, failed to please God?!! And if Teresa failed to please God; then she certainly failed to please His son.
"I and my Father are one." (John 10:30 and John 17:22)
People who know the Bible backwards and forwards, can quote from every book in the bible, and who are the best of orthodox believers will be in hell, too. Just look at what Jesus promised the Pharisees. Faith is now equated with "believing," but that is not what it meant originally nor solely. The first christians understood it to be something one did with their LIFE, not just with intellectual assent.
The "works" of Mother Theresa are right in line with what Jesus taught. Her faith was of a different order which drove her onward even with the numerous personal doubts she had. Without faith it is impossible to please God. But without doubt Jesus becomes just another idol to be worshiped. In the midst of faith, there must be doubt to keep driving questions about one's own faith. Mother Theresa had that, even if her schooling and training sometimes failed to live up to our 21st century ideas of sanitation, hygiene, or charity. No, she is no saint--none of us are. But she was a heck of a lot better person than most. And that means much in the eyes of a God who chooses to see us through the lens of Jesus.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
10,202 posts, read 7,922,771 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wardendresden
People who know the Bible backwards and forwards, can quote from every book in the bible, and who are the best of orthodox believers will be in hell, too. Just look at what Jesus promised the Pharisees. Faith is now equated with "believing," but that is not what it meant originally nor solely. The first christians understood it to be something one did with their LIFE, not just with intellectual assent.
The "works" of Mother Theresa are right in line with what Jesus taught. Her faith was of a different order which drove her onward even with the numerous personal doubts she had. Without faith it is impossible to please God. But without doubt Jesus becomes just another idol to be worshiped. In the midst of faith, there must be doubt to keep driving questions about one's own faith. Mother Theresa had that, even if her schooling and training sometimes failed to live up to our 21st century ideas of sanitation, hygiene, or charity. No, she is no saint--none of us are. But she was a heck of a lot better person than most. And that means much in the eyes of a God who chooses to see us through the lens of Jesus.
She was all faith, with works that were horrendous, cruel, caused tremendous suffering, and she reveled in her charges because it was "good to suffer, like Jesus". She was a heinous, wretched little creature who had a great PR machine, one which continues to bamboozle the vast majority of the western world.
She is the living example that if you tell a lie loud enough and often enough, people will believe it, even if all the evidence shows otherwise.
But she was a heck of a lot better person than most.
A nun who admitted to spiritual counselors that she was unable to solidly believe in the existence of God is NOT better than most. She's deplorable.
You know what I'm seeing a lot of on this thread? Too many people standing up for Teresa without first doing some background on her. In reality they're not standing up for Teresa, they're standing up for her public image, because if they knew the real Teresa, they'd be ashamed to associate themselves with her.
Teresa was devoid of faith; and admitted so to her spiritual counselors.
"I am told God loves me; and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul."
"The damned of Hell suffer eternal punishment because they experiment with the loss of God. In my own soul, I feel the terrible pain of this loss. I feel that God does not want me, that God is not God; and that He does not really exist."
"If there be God-- please forgive me."
"When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul. How painful is this unknown pain-- I have no faith."
"The place of God in my soul is blank-- There is no God in me"
She was all faith, with works that were horrendous, cruel, caused tremendous suffering, and she reveled in her charges because it was "good to suffer, like Jesus". She was a heinous, wretched little creature who had a great PR machine, one which continues to bamboozle the vast majority of the western world.
She is the living example that if you tell a lie loud enough and often enough, people will believe it, even if all the evidence shows otherwise.
A despicable being.
Why don't you try to settle down before you have an attack. Your hate will take you to hell you know. Even Hitchens backed off from his comments before he died.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
10,202 posts, read 7,922,771 times
Reputation: 4561
Quote:
Originally Posted by DewDropInn
Throwing stones at the dead.
I can think of all sorts of people who are dead who should not be respected. Teresa of Calcutta is one of them.
NyawehNyoh said it correctly when he said:
Quote:
You know what I'm seeing a lot of on this thread? Too many people standing up for Teresa without first doing some background on her. In reality they're not standing up for Teresa, they're standing up for her public image, because if they knew the real Teresa, they'd be ashamed to associate themselves with her.
I can think of all sorts of people who are dead who should not be respected. Teresa of Calcutta is one of them.
NyawehNyoh said it correctly when he said:
Not surprising that you and Nyaweh agree.
You, he, Eusie and Gldn have a lot in common.
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