Priest refused to absolve me :-(

[Buddha Dharma]

Ultimately God acting, and priest is the intermediary.

Yes, I have a further point to make to the OP if he acknowledges this.

 

[shunyadragon]

Yes, I have a further point to make to the OP if he acknowledges this.

go for it.

 

[Spiderman]

Yes, I have a further point to make to the OP if he acknowledges this.

I'm listening intently

 

[Katzpur]

The priest literally refused to grant me absolution

So what does that actually mean for you? I don't believe you can receive communion without prior absolution, correct? Could you go to another parish and confess there? If you simply did not receive communion at any time in the future, what would that mean in terms of your salvation? (IOW, is your salvation your priest's call, or God's?)

 

[Spiderman]

So what does that actually mean for you? I don't believe you can receive communion without prior absolution, correct? Could you go to another parish and confess there? If you simply did not receive communion at any time in the future, what would that mean in terms of your salvation? (IOW, is your salvation your priest's call, or God's?)

I personally believe God absolved me, but I will go to confession to a different priest. My salvation is in God's hands and God's call.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

I'm listening intently

Well it's only that I know the Anglican reason for not requiring absolution by a priest is because of acknowledgement that God actually forgives the sin. Rather you confess to a priest or not- and some Anglicans would choose to do so.

I think Eastern Orthodox are also less stringent on when confession is mandatory. I remember reading an article that many Orthodox Christians only get recommended confession if they've departed from the church and wish to be reconciled.

I was thinking that if your objection to Anglicanism or Eastern Orthodoxy was about confession and belief in a priest> doesn't it follow that if a priest only declares absolution on God's behalf> presumably you wouldn't need the declaration. You could just ask God, which seems to be the Anglican understanding.

 

[Spiderman]

Well it's only that I know the Anglican reason for not requiring absolution by a priest is because of acknowledgement that God actually forgives the sin. Rather you confess to a priest or not- and some Anglicans would choose to do so.

I think Eastern Orthodox are also less stringent on when confession is mandatory. I remember reading an article that many Orthodox Christians only get recommended confession if they've departed from the church and wish to be reconciled.

I was thinking that if your objection to Anglicanism or Eastern Orthodoxy was about confession and belief in a priest> doesn't it follow that if a priest only declares absolution on God's behalf> presumably you wouldn't need the declaration. You could just ask God, which seems to be the Anglican understanding.

Yes, I believe God absolved me. Catholicism teaches that A Sacrament can be given by God without the help of a priest.

 

[Jainarayan]

Can you find me anyone in the scriptures but Jesus Christ who was authorised to forgive sins?

He gave Peter that authority. And the authority to pass that authority down the line to his successors. Y'know... the "bound on Earth bound in Heaven; loosed on Earth loosed in Heaven; whose sins you forgive... whose sins you retain... " business. Y'know, all that.

 

[David1967]

The priest literally refused to grant me absolution

Go back and throw your spider on him.

 

[Deeje]

He gave Peter that authority. And the authority to pass that authority down the line to his successors. Y'know... the "bound on Earth bound in Heaven; loosed on Earth loosed in Heaven; whose sins you forgive... whose sins you retain... " business. Y'know, all that.

In Matthew 16:19 Jesus said to Peter...."I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will already be bound in the heavens, and whatever you may loosen on earth will already be loosened in the heavens.”

Please read this again. Jesus was telling Peter that whatever was either bound or loosened by him would already be what was pre-determined in heaven. Peter, by means of God's spirit would Be given the knowledge so as to know what to do in any given circumstance.

Take for example, the conversion of Cornelius and his household.
As a Gentile, it was not permissible for Jews to associate with Gentiles unless they became procelytes (Jewish converts) but Peter was given a strange vision in which unclean animals were placed before him. He was ordered to slaughter and eat them. Peter found such a thing to be completely abhorrent! Yet three times he was presented with the same request. A short time later, it was apparent why Peter received that vision. He was asked to come to the house of an (unclean) Gentile because this man and his family wanted to follow Jesus.

Peter then said..."Now I truly understand that God is not partial, 35 but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."

Read the account and get a feel for what was happening. (Acts 10:1- 11:18) Peter was binding and loosening what was already pre-determined in heaven. He was not being given permission to forgive sins because only Jesus has authority to do that.

Peter's role has been completely corrupted by Catholic teachings.
He was one of the 12 but entrusted with more responsibility is all. Jesus' illustrations highlighted that he knew the capabilities of all 12 of the apostles, and only gave them what they could individually manage. (Parable of the talents, Matthew 25:14-15)
There is no apostolic succession. All 12 form the foundations of God's Kingdom, yet many of them are hardly mentioned, nor did they contribute to what became the Christian scriptures. Only Matthew, John and Peter wrote books and letters contained in the Bible. Paul and other disciples wrote the rest, but they were not part of the 12.

 

[Spiderman]

In Matthew 16:19 Jesus said to Peter...."I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will already be bound in the heavens, and whatever you may loosen on earth will already be loosened in the heavens.”

Please read this again. Jesus was telling Peter that whatever was either bound or loosened by him would already be what was pre-determined in heaven. Peter, by means of God's spirit would Be given the knowledge so as to know what to do in any given circumstance.

Take for example, the conversion of Cornelius and his household.
As a Gentile, it was not permissible for Jews to associate with Gentiles unless they became procelytes (Jewish converts) but Peter was given a strange vision in which unclean animals were placed before him. He was ordered to slaughter and eat them. Peter found such a thing to be completely abhorrent! Yet three times he was presented with the same request. A short time later, it was apparent why Peter received that vision. He was asked to come to the house of an (unclean) Gentile because this man and his family wanted to follow Jesus.

Peter then said..."Now I truly understand that God is not partial, 35 but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."

Read the account and get a feel for what was happening. (Acts 10:1- 11:18) Peter was binding and loosening what was already pre-determined in heaven. He was not being given permission to forgive sins because only Jesus has authority to do that.

Peter's role has been completely corrupted by Catholic teachings.
He was one of the 12 but entrusted with more responsibility is all. Jesus' illustrations highlighted that he knew the capabilities of all 12 of the apostles, and only gave them what they could individually manage. (Parable of the talents, Matthew 25:14-15)
There is no apostolic succession. All 12 form the foundations of God's Kingdom, yet many of them are hardly mentioned, nor did they contribute to what became the Christian scriptures. Only Matthew, John and Peter wrote books and letters contained in the Bible. Paul and other disciples wrote the rest, but they were not part of the 12.

Jesus breathed on the apostles and said receive the Holy Spirit those whose sins you forgive are forgiven those whose sins you retain are retained

 

[zenobia]

[Q It is because God refuses to guide those who seek the truth. But I'm sorry for my sins".

Acts 17:26,27
Says that God wants us to seek him and that he is there to be found.
Isaiah 48:17,18 is one of many verses that guide those who would seek the truth.
"Sorry for your sins" is very broad, real sorrow includes a willingness to not practice 'sin'.
Something else some fail to understand is that we have also inherited 'adamic sin' which is the basis of what Jesus gave his life as a ransom for...perfect life (his) for perfect life lost (Adam). The truth is out there...
Another factor that needs to be considered is that, it is God who reveals truth...so not everyone (with insincere motives) will find it..

 

[Jainarayan]

Jesus was telling Peter that whatever was either bound or loosened by him would already be what was pre-determined in heaven.

Yeah, uh, no.

Good made-up-on-the-fly interpretation.

No, wait... it’s not.

 

[Deeje]

Jesus breathed on the apostles and said receive the Holy Spirit those whose sins you forgive are forgiven those whose sins you retain are retained

There is no record in the Bible of a single instance in which an apostle listened to a private confession and then pronounced absolution. But the requirements for being forgiven by God are set out in the Bible. The apostles, under the direction of holy spirit, could discern whether individuals were meeting such requirements and could on this basis declare that God had either forgiven them or not forgiven them.

(For examples, see Acts 5:1-11, also 1 Corinthians 5:1-5)

 

[JacobK]

So, I went into the confession booth and confessed my sins and said, "Father, I believe God is responsible for all the evil in our world because he gives the devil permission to deceive, torment, and possess people. God is responsible for confusion because he refuses to speak clearly and guide people, which is why muslims, Mormons, protestants, Catholics, and Heretics all think they have the truth. It is because God refuses to guide those who seek the truth. But I'm sorry for my sins".

The priest responded, "You accuse God of evil, I cannot absolve you of your sins".

So, it made me feel like a bad guy, but I was just being honest. Anyway, the Church teaches that God can provide all of the sacraments without the help of a priest. I hope that God absolved me lol.

Any thoughts?

I would love to point out some scriptures that may help you. A priest cannot forgive sins. the Bible says that no one can come to the father (God) for forgiveness unless we go directly through Jesus. I humbly implore you to seek God first, and the Bible, before any church denomination

 

[David1967]

Jesus breathed on the apostles and said receive the Holy Spirit those whose sins you forgive are forgiven those whose sins you retain are retained

Do you think this power was specific to the apostles or that it applies to today as well?

 

[columbus]

The priest literally refused to grant me absolution

He couldn't, according to RCC teachings.
If you simply want someone to give you absolution, I will do it. No problem.
But if you want it from the RCC you have to play by their rules. What you said disqualified you from absolution.
Tom

 

[Spiderman]

Do you think this power was specific to the apostles or that it applies to today as well?

It applies to today

 

[David1967]

It applies to today

I thought an apostle was one who had seen Christ as Paul claimed or one of the disciples. If that is the case (which I believe) then no one today has that power. The only sin any man today has the power to forgive is a wrong someone does to him. IMHO I still say you should throw your spider on him.

 

[Spiderman]

I thought an apostle was one who had seen Christ as Paul claimed or one of the disciples. If that is the case (which I believe) then no one today has that power. The only sin any man today has the power to forgive is a wrong someone does to him. IMHO I still say you should throw your spider on him.

The Catholic hierarchy traces itself back to the apostles