Friday, October 30, 2009

9/8/07, Hambarr wrote:
Cardinal John Henry Newman on

The Corruption of the Church.

Taken from: Newman on Being a Christian
by Jan Ker
University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN

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The Creed proclaims belief in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. And so the Church also possesses what Newman called "the great Note of the Church" namely sanctity. But if holiness is an essential mark of the Church, then how is it that sin seems also to be a distinctly marked characteristic as well? The difficulty led Newman to develop a veritable theology of the corruption of the Church. . . .

The simplest answer is to point to the Gospels. "Even among the Apostles themselves, one was a 'Devil,'" remarks Newman: "No wonder then that ever since, whether among rulers or the subjects of the Church, sin has abounded." But in a much less dramatic way the Church in its sinful human members cannot help but seem sinful, and more sinful than holy:

Even supposing there were a society of men influential individually by Christian motives, still this society, viewed as a whole, would be a worldly one; I mean a society holding and maintaining many errors, and countenancing many bad practices. Evil ever floats at the top. And if we inquire why it is that the good in Christians is seen less than the bad? I answer, first, because there is less of it; and secondly, because evil forces itself upon general notice; and good does not. And so, Newman argues, there is an important sense in which the real holiness of the Church is hidden from view:

It is only the actions of others which we see for the most part . . . God only sees the circumstances under which a man acts, and why he acts in this way and not in that. God only sees perfectly the train of thought which preceded his action, the motive, and the reasons . . . Think for a moment, how many hours in the day every man is left wholly to himself and his God, or rather how few minutes he is in intercourse with others — consider this, and you will perceive how it is that the life of the Church is hid with God, and how it is that the outward conduct of the Church must necessarily look like the world, even far more than it really is like it.

Three are words of warning against judging people by their outward behavior, which ought to make us more cautious in our criticisms of the Church, especially perhaps of its leaders:

Consider, moreover, how much there is, while we are in the body, to stand in the way of one mind communicating with another. We are imprisoned in the body, and our intercourse is by means of words, which feebly represent our real feelings. Hence the best motives and truest opinions are misunderstood. However, genuine corruptions in the Church should be no surprise as they were clearly predicted by Christ himself in the Gospels. Newman thought that such prophecies had been visibly fulfilled in the corruptions particularly of the papacy. Later, as a Catholic, he came to see these same corruptions not as evidence that the Church of Rome was the Church of the Antichrist but rather almost as notes of the true Church! For corruption is now seen as inseparable from a living true Church: "Things that do not admit of abuse have very little life in them." And it is this very quality of "life" which Newman insists on as an especial note of the Church: "the Church is emphatically a living body . . . . she alone revives even if she declines; heretical and schismatical bodies cannot keep life."

No only did Christ predict scandals, but in the parable of the tares and the wheat, for example, he spoke of the Church "as in its very constitution made up of good and bad." The corruption of the Church has existed from the time of Judas Iscariot and indeed is so "bound up with the very idea of Christianity" as to be "almost dogma." Given that world is sinful, once "it has poured into the Church, it has insulted and blasphemed the religion which it professed, in a special way, in which heathenism cannot insult it." One would expect, Newman adds, to find greater corruption in the Catholic Church than in the Protestant Church, for "a Protestant world cannot commit that sin which a Catholic world can." When ordinary human weaknesses are "coupled with that intense absolute faith which Catholics have, and Protestants have not," one finds "acts of inconsistency, of superstition, violence etc. which are not to be looked for external to the Catholic Church. In other words, on the old principle that the corruption of the best is the worst, if the claims of the Catholic Church are anything to go by, one would expect to find in it the greatest scandals. In particular, in regard to the papacy, "where you have power, you will have the abuse of power — and the more absolute, the stronger, the more sacred the power, the greater and more certain will be its abuse." Because, too, the Church is a visible polity, it is also "necessarily a political power, and to touch politics is to touch pitch."

Toward the end of his life, Newman tackled the sensitive problem of corruption in a more profoundly theological manner. The Church, he points out, is the mystical body of Christ, who "is Prophet, Priest and King; and after His pattern, and in human measure, Holy Church has a triple office too; not the Prophetical alone and in isolation . . . but three offices, which are indivisible, though diverse, viz, teaching, rule, and sacred ministry." It follows that Christianity "is at once a philosophy, a political power, and a religious rite: as a religion, it is Holy; as a philosophy, it is Apostolic; as a political power, it is imperial, that is, One and Catholic. As a religion, its special center of action is pastor and flock; as a philosopher, the Schools; as a rule, the Papacy and its Curia." These three different offices are based on different principles, use different means, and are liable to different corruptions:

Truth is the guiding principle of theology and theological inquires; devotion and edification, of worship, our emotional nature; of rule, command and coercion. Further, in man as he is, reasoning tends to rationalism; devotion to superstition and enthusiasm; and power to ambition and tyranny.

The difficulty of combining all three offices is well illustrated by the question: "What line of conduct, except on the long, the very long run, is at once edifying, expedient, and true?" Certainly, the charism of infallibility protects the Catholic Church from error not only directly in teaching but also "indirectly" in "worship and political action also;" however, "nothing but the gift of impeccability granted to her authorities would secure them from all liability to mistake in their conduct, policy, words and decisions." The problem of exercising these three very different functions "supplies the staple of those energetic charges and vivid pictures of inconsistency, double-dealing, and deceit of the Church of Rome."

Far from blaming the corruptions to be found in the Church on Catholic theology, he observes that "ambition, craft, cruelty, and superstition are not commonly the characteristic of theologians," whereas the alleged corruptions in fact "bear on their face the marks of having a popular or a political origin," and "theology, so far from encouraging them, has restrained and corrected such extravagances as have been committed, through human infirmity, in the exercise of the regal, and sacerdotal powers." Indeed, he adds dramatically, religion is never "in greater trouble than when, in consequence of national or international troubles, the Schools of theology have been broken up and ceased to be." He then gives the reason for this in some of the weightiest words he ever wrote:

I say, then Theology is the fundamental and regulating principle of the whole Church system. It is commensurate with Revelation, and Revelation is the initial and essential idea of Christianity. It is the subject-matter, the formal cause, the expression, of the Prophetical Office, and, as being such, has created in a certain sense a power of jurisdiction over those offices, as being its own creations, theologians being ever in request and in employment in keeping within bounds both the political and popular elements in the Church's constitution — elements which are far more congenial than itself to the human mind, are far more liable to excess and corruption. . .

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

ALI YUSUPOV WA DAGESTAN, RUSSIA NA MAAJABU YA MUNGU

Mtoto wa Ajabu wa Urusi Anayetoka Maandishi ya Quran Azidi Kuwa Maarufu


Imetoka HTTP://NIFAHAMISHE.COM Wednesday, October 21, 2009 8:33
Mtoto wa jabu wa nchini Urusi ambaye mwili wake unatoa maandishi ya kiarabu yanayonukuu vipande vya aya za Quran amekuwa gumzo dunia nzima na mamia ya watu toka kona mbali mbali duniani wanamiminika nyumbani kwao kumuona na kuomba dua.
Mtoto Ali Yakubov mwenye umri wa miezi tisa amepata umaarufu mkubwa na amekuwa gumzo dunia nzima baada ya taarifa za miujiza yake ambapo maneno tofauti tofauti ya kiarabu kuanza kutokea kwenye mwili wake.

Maandishi ya kiarabu yanayonukuu aya za Quran yamekuwa yakitokea kwenye mikono yake, miguu na tumboni na kisha kutoweka baada ya siku kadhaa na kisha maandishi mengine ya kiarabu yanayonukuu vipande tofauti vya aya za Quran hujitokeza upya.

Madaktari nchini Urusi hadi leo bado hawajui nini kinaendelea kwenye mwili wa mtoto huyo ambaye maandishi ya kwanza ya kiarabu yanayosema neno "Allah" yalijitokeza kwenye kidevu chake ndani ya wiki moja baada ya kuzaliwa.

Awali watu wanaopinga miujiza ya mtoto huyo walianza kuvumisha kuwa wazazi wa mtoto huyo ndio wanaomuandika maneno hayo mtoto huyo lakini madaktari wamepinga uvumi huo na kusema kwamba maandishi hayo si maandishi ya mtu kuandika juu ya ngozi kwani yanatokea toka ndani ya ngozi ya mtoto huyo.

Mama wa mtoto huyo, Madina alisema kwamba yeye na mumewe walikuwa si watu wa dini mpaka maandishi hayo yalipoanza kutokea.

Awali maandishi hayo yalipotokea hawakutaka kumuonyesha mtu yoyote mpaka walipomuonyesha daktari wao na baadae imamu wa mji wao kuitwa kuangalia maandishi hayo.

Hivi sasa mtoto huyo ameufanya mji wa Dagestan, kusini mwa Urusi uwe maarufu sana kwani mamia ya watu kutoka kona mbali mbali duniani wanamiminika kwenye mji huo kumuona na kuomba dua mbele ya mtoto huyo.

"Huyu mtoto ni dalili tosha ya kuwepo kwa Mungu", alisema mbunge wa mji huo Akhmedpasha Amiralaev na kuongeza "Mungu amemleta Dagestan ili kusaidia kuiokoa jamii yetu".

Mama wa mtoto huyo alisema kwamba kawaida maandishi hayo hutokea mara mbili katika kila wiki, siku ya jumatatu na usiku wa kuamkia ijumaa.

"Ali husikia maumivu makali wakati maandishi haya yanapoanza kujitokeza, hulia sana na joto la mwili wake huwa juu sana, ni vigumu kumshikilia wakati maandishi hayo yanapokuwa yakitokea kwahiyo huwa tunamuacha kwenye kiti chake", alisema mama wa mtoto huyo.

Mama huyo aliendelea kusema kuwa aya tofauti hujitokeza kila maandishi mapya yanapotokea.

Imamu wa mji huo Imamu Abdullah amekuwa akiwaambia watu wanaoshangazwa na mtoto huyo kwamba Quran ilishatabiri kuwa kabla ya kiama watatokea watu wenye maandishi ya quran kwenye miili yao.

Mojawapo ya maandishi yaliyojitokeza kwenye mwili wa mtoto huyo ni yale yanayosema "Usizifiche dalili hizi kwa watu".

Chini ni Video ya mtoto huyo katika lugha ya kirusi.
Ubuguvu atatutafsiria kirusi kwenye video hiyo.

Monday, October 19, 2009

MTOTO WA AJABU AZALIWA MJINI DAGESTAN, URUSI

Imedakwa kutoka http://nifahamishe.com, tarehe 19/10/2009.



Wanasayansi na madaktari nchini Urusi wamestaajabishwa na mtoto mwenye umri wa miezi tisa ambaye mwili wake umekuwa ukitoa maandishi katika lugha ya kiarabu yakinukuu vipande vya maneno katika Quran.
Wanasayansi nchini Urusi wameshindwa kujua ni nini kinapelekea mtoto anayeitwa Ali mwenye umri wa miezi tisa, mwili wake uwe unatoa maandishi tofauti tofauti ya kiarabu mara kwa mara.

Televisheni ya Vesti news ya nchini Urusi ilionyesha video ya mtoto huyo na picha ambazo wazazi wake wamekuwa wakimpiga kila maandishi mapya yanapotokea.

Kwa mujibu wa wazazi wake wanaoishi kwenye mji wa Dagestan, siku mbili baada ya Ali kuzaliwa herufi za kiarabu zilianza kujitokeza kwenye miguu yake na baada ya siku kadhaa zilianza kutengeneza maneno kamili.Maandishi tofauti tofauti ya kiarabu hutokea zaidi kila siku ya jumatatu na ijumaa kwenye sehemu mbalimbali za mwili wake.

Awali kulikuwa na alama za maandishi yaliyofifia kwenye kidevu chake na baadae maandishi hayo yalijitokeza wazi yakisomeka "Allah", alisema mama wa mtoto huyo Madina Yakubova.

Miongoni mwa maneno ambayo yamesomeka wazi ni yale yanayosema "Waonyesheni watu dalili za kuwepo kwangu".Kwa kushangaza zaidi kwenye mguu mmoja wa Ali yalijitokeza maandishi yaliyosemeka "Allah (Mungu) ndiye muumba wa vitu vyote".

Ali alipozaliwa aligundulika kuwa na matatizo makubwa ya moyo wake na ugonjwa unaoathiri zaidi ubongo unaoitwa "cerebral paralysis" lakini alipopimwa tena baada ya maandishi hayo ya kiarabu yalipoanza kujitokeza aligundulika hana matatizo yoyote na afya njema.

Madaktari nchini Urusi hawajui ni nini kinaendelea kwenye mwili wa mtoto huyo na wamekiri hawajawahi kwamba hawana jibu la kutoa kwa taaluma za kisayansi.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

PROPAGANDA ZA KIDINI PIA ZIMO !

Link: http://www.freemedia.co.tz/daima/habari.php?id=9159

Sheikh Matongo: Sijabadili dini
na Chalila Kibuda,
Imetoka: Tanzania Daima, 4 Oktoba, 2009.



SHEIKH Shariff Mikidadi Matongo, amekanusha taarifa iliyotolewa na chombo cha habari kinachomilikiwa na dhehebu moja la dini ya Kikristo kuwa ameokoka na kuacha dini yake ya Kiislamu.
Akizungumza na waandishi habari kwenye Ukumbi wa Idara ya Habari (Maelezo), Msemaji wa sheikh huyo, Ally Mohamed, alisema taarifa hiyo inataka kuwabadilisha Waislamu kutoka kwenye imani yao licha ya sheikh huyo kuanza kazi yake akiwa na umri wa miezi tisa akitangza Uislamu .
Alisema taarifa hiyo iliandikwa na kuambatanishwa na picha ya sheikh huyo na nyuma yake kuwa na mchungaji wa dini hiyo ya kilokole akiwa anambatiza, jambo ambalo anasema hakulifanya.
Aliendelea kusema kama yeye alibatizwa katika dini hiyo wathibitishe na tukio hilo lilifanyikia wapi na huyo mchungaji aliyempa upako huo.
Aidha, alisema gazeti hakuweza kulitja kutokana na imani aliyonayo sheikh huyo kwa kutofanya maamuzi ya haraka ya kuwachukulia hatua za kisheria wamiliki wa chombo hicho.
Mohamed alisema taratibu zinafuatwa za kukaa chini na mmiliki wa gazeti hilo kuthibitisha kwake kuwa aliokoka, vinginevyo aombe radhi ili kurudisha imani ya Waislamu dhidi ya sheikh huyo.
“Sisi Waislamu pamoja na dini za Kikristo tunaheshimiana, kutokana na hili tukae chini tuombane radhi ili tusiweze kuvuruga imani yetu na hasa huwa tunashirikiana vizuri sana katika shughuli za kiimani, kwa hili tumefika pabaya,” alisema Sheikh Mohamed.
Alisema taarifa hizo zilimfikia Sheikh Matongo akiwa nchini Comoro, alipokuwa ameitwa na Rais wa nchi hiyo, Abdallah Sambi, kwa ajili ya masuala mbalimbali yakiwamo ya dini ya Kiislamu.
Sheikh huyo alisema kutokana na taarifa hiyo, imemsababishia kuulizwa maswali na watu wengi, jambo ambalo linamsababishia mkanganyiko usiokuwa na maana.
Naye Sheikh Matongo alisema ana hamu ya kukutana na Watanzania ili kufanya nao mihadhara ya kidini kutokana na muda mrefu kuwa nje ya nchi.
Alisema hivi sasa anajiandaa kwa safari katika nchi za Ufaransa, Sudan na visiwa vya Reunion kwa mialiko ya wakuu wa nchi hizo.


Source: Tanzania Daima 4th Oktoba 2009
http://www.freemedia.co.tz/daima/habari.php?id=9159