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Originally posted by Consider
Some of these things I have no knowledge about, but morph, let me ask:
With respect to confession : to us this seems to go against the direct relationship with God. Why do you need to confess to a priest, when God can hear you? What is the relavance of putting up an intermediary between yourself and God?
With respect to there being no temple or church in Islaam: there is no need to really see this as a contradiction. After all, all are places of worship.
Some companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi was sallam even prayed in a church when the time for prayer was due (when they were away from their original homelands I believe, and in a church which did not contain statues)
And Muslims are commanded to wage jihad; and one of the reasons is so that we can protect places of worship; even churches and synagogues [Quran 10:22]
The only authority we have is an imaam; but he is not like the priest in that he hears confessions etc. but he is the one who is knowledgeable, and that others can look to for advice etc.
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With respect to confession : to us this seems to go against the direct relationship with God. Why do you need to confess to a priest, when God can hear you? What is the relavance of putting up an intermediary between yourself and God?
The Priest is not a mediator, he is a tool of God for which you show your true sorrow for sin, in action. It is easy to kneel next to your bed, say God forgive me for I have sinned, its another thing to confess it to a man of God, of apostolic tradition.
Here are a few verses:
I. Jesus Christ Granted the Apostles His Authority to Forgive Sins
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John 20:21 - before He grants them the authority to forgive sins, Jesus says to the apostles, "as the Father sent me, so I send you." As Christ was sent by the Father to forgive sins, so Christ sends the apostles and their successors forgive sins.
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John 20:22 - the Lord "breathes" on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins.
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John 20:23 - Jesus says, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained." In order for the apostles to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them because the apostles are not mind readers. The text makes this very clear.
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Matt. 9:8 - this verse shows that God has given the authority to forgive sins to "men." Hence, those Protestants who acknowledge that the apostles had the authority to forgive sins (which this verse demonstrates) must prove that this gift ended with the apostles. Otherwise, the apostles' successors still possess this gift. Where in Scripture is the gift of authority to forgive sins taken away from the apostles or their successors?
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Matt. 18:18 - the apostles are given authority to bind and loose. The authority to bind and loose includes administering and removing the temporal penalties due to sin. The Jews understood this since the birth of the Church.
II. The Necessity and Practice of Orally Confessing Sins
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James 5:16 - James clearly teaches us that we must confess our sins to one another (to our confessors), not just privately to God.
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Acts 19:18 - many came to orally confess sins and divulge their sinful practices. Oral confession was the practice of the early Church just as it is today.
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Matt. 3:6; Mark 1:5 - again, this shows people confessing their sins before others as an historical practice (here to John the Baptist).
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1 Tim. 6:12 - this verse also refers to the historical practice of confessing both faith and sins in the presence of many witnesses.
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1 John 1:9 - if we confess are sins, God is faithful to us and forgives us and cleanse us. But we must confess our sins to one another.
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Num. 5:7 - this shows the historical practice of publicly confessing sins, and making public restitution.
FACT: In the first centuries of Christianity, people actually confessed their sin in Church infront of the people and the Priest/s.
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2 Sam. 12:14 - even though the sin is forgiven, there is punishment due for the forgiven sin. David is forgiven but his child was still taken (the consequence of his sin).
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Why do you need to confess to a priest, when God can hear you?
You are in a sense confessing them to the Priest, but your also confessing to God. Thats why at the start when a Catholic goes into confession he or she says:
Forgive me Father [God & Priest] for I have sinned
At this you are recognizing to God you have sinned, you are also recognizing to God that you belief in confession as from Jesus thru to the apostolic tradition.
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What is the relavance of putting up an intermediary between yourself and God?
He aint a intermediary, the Priest again I saw is a tool of God, used by God on earth.
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Some companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi was sallam even prayed in a church when the time for prayer was due (when they were away from their original homelands I believe, and in a church which did not contain statues)
Never heard it, but i seriously doubt it thou.
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And Muslims are commanded to wage jihad; and one of the reasons is so that we can protect places of worship; even churches and synagogues
Jihad isnt about war with people. It is a personal struggle against sin and satan. The second but lower rated meaning is a holy war, AGAINST Agressors.
You really think Muslims would protect Synods and Churches? Come on Bro.
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The only authority we have is an imaam; but he is not like the priest in that he hears confessions etc. but he is the one who is knowledgeable, and that others can look to for advice etc.
Ok. But there is their ONE SOLE Authority like the Papacy in Islam that defines everything for the followers?