Sola Scriptura discussion in #CathApol

September 10, 2003:
<BigScott> Jason, have you seen my article on sola scriptura?
<BigScott> I wrote it earlier this year...
<BigScott> http://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com/articles/sola.htm
<Jason1646> No I have not
<BigScott> If you have comments, I'd post a rebuttal.
<BigScott> of course, I'd likely have a response to the rebuttal, but I'd post your rebuttal uneditted first.
<Jason1646> No thanks
<BigScott> OK, just offering...
<BigScott> it's a pretty strong argument against SS
<BigScott> IMHO of course :-)
<Jason1646> You missed the WCF's argument for Sola Scriptura (correctly appreciated and understood, which has been your biggest obstacle to date)
<Jason1646> It's in the first section of the first chapter
<Jason1646> Particularly:
<Jason1646> those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.[6]
<BigScott> it has been my goal to present the correctly appreciated and understood position(s) of the Protestant confessions.
<Jason1646> Well, I don't see anything new here from you, sorry.
<BigScott> there is nothing new, other than the doctrine of sola scriptura.
<BigScott> I am checking what you say I missed....
<BigScott> where do we find, in scripture, that God has ceased revealing his Will to His people?
<Jason1646> Ask your Catholic Bible teachers, since your communion holds to the same principle
<BigScott> we don't disagree that the Canon of Scripture has been closed - but we accept that the Holy Spirit was sent to His Church to guide His Church to all truth, and the only "time limit" on that was "until He Himself returns in glory."
<Jason1646> Yes I know that
<Jason1646> But even your communion does not call that revelation
<BigScott> not "public" revelation
<Jason1646> and since we deny it, we are left with revelation
<Jason1646> correct
<Jason1646> nothing that belongs to the deposit of faith
<BigScott> private revelation still exists, and some have been authenticated as true
<Jason1646> I know, but they don't belong to the deposit of faith
<BigScott> though, as you say, not made part of "the deposit of faith" (or Articles of Faith, as we call them)
<Jason1646> charismatic protestants believe similar thigns
<BigScott> but, just because something is not part of the Articles of Faith does not make it untrue or false.
<BigScott> and once the Church has authenticated a private revelation, we can accept it as truth - even if it has no bearing on our salvation, it is still an acceptable belief.
<BigScott> and the Church has the authority to authenticate such private revelations.
<BigScott> and takes said authority from the Scriptures themselves.
<BigScott> so, is that comment about leaving out that statement from section 1 the only flaw you see?
<Jason1646> lol
<Jason1646> The only one I cared to point out ;-)
<BigScott> I will add that
<BigScott> <BigScott> where do we find, in scripture, that God has ceased revealing his Will to His people?
<BigScott> you answered, to the effect, that further revelations were not a matter of an Article of Faith - but does that mean God no longer speaks to His People?
<BigScott> Is His Will not continually revealed to His People through the instrument He established/built for His People? (the Church)
<BigScott> what is God's Will regarding artificial fertilization of human embryos? Of cloning? Of birth control?
<BigScott> are these not moral issues that affect God's People, here and now?
<BigScott> Yet, the Scriptures are silent on such issues.
<BigScott> with regard to birth control, many forms can be considered abortificants, thus equivalent to murder, but several other forms (barrier methods) are not abortificants.
<BigScott> btw- 100 years ago, virtually ALL of Protestantism stood side-by-side with Catholicism on birth control and abortion - but many/most Protestant communities now accept some forms of abortion and nearly all forms of birth control.
<BigScott> interesting, eh? Has God's Will "changed" in the last 100 years?
<BigScott> (added comment here, after about 20 minutes of silence)
Jason1646 [Jason1646@h0007e9d38ec0.ne.client2.attbi.com] has quit IRC (The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul (Ps. 19:7))
<BigScott> hmmm
<BigScott> silence speaks volumes


On March 18, 2004, Jason was back in channel and restarted this discussion again:

[20:37] <Jason1646> Hey Scott, you find interesting things doing google searches. I came across this today:
[20:37] <Jason1646> http://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com/articles/jason1646_ss_silence.htm
[20:37] <Apollos> Sounds like an article in which some gets silenced
[20:38] <Jason1646> Which was linked from another article:
[20:38] <Duke77> hard to tell what happened there... since that log did not include the timestamps
[20:38] <Jason1646> http://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com/articles/sola.htm
[20:38] <Jason1646> At the end of the link to the chat you write:
[20:39] <Jason1646> After about 20 minutes of silence, Jason parted the channel, with no response to this
[20:39] <Jason1646> Do you really take my 'silence' to be an indication of anything?
[20:39] <Apollos> I think it is a clear sign that you did not say anything
[20:39] <Duke77> oic, yes, I did clarify the time span
[20:39] * Jason1646 slaps Apollos
[20:40] <Apollos> thank you sir may I have another
[20:40] <Jason1646> That does not really answer my question
[20:40] <Jason1646> Do you really take my 'silence' to be an indication of anything?
[20:40] <Duke77> I was using a line often used by someone else... re: "silence speaks volumes."
[20:41] <Duke77> well, at least it used to be often used by him... (White)... I haven't had many dealings with him lately.
[20:41] <Jason1646> Is this the kind of self addulation you need to keep yourself going?
[20:41] <Duke77> lol
[20:42] <Jason1646> <BigScott> of course, I'd likely have a response to the rebuttal, but I'd post your rebuttal uneditted first.
[20:42] <Jason1646> <Jason1646> No thanks
[20:42] <Duke77> if you'd like to add something to that discussion, I'd be happy to amend it.
[20:43] <Duke77> <BigScott> Is His Will not continually revealed to His People through the instrument He established/built for His People? (the Church)
[20:43] <Duke77> <BigScott> what is God's Will regarding artificial fertilization of human embryos? Of cloning? Of birth control?
[20:43] <Duke77> <BigScott> are these not moral issues that affect God's People, here and now?
[20:43] <Jason1646> I told you I was not interested in getting into it, then I actually try to help you, and you draw self-congratulations from my disinterest in dealing with you
[20:43] <Duke77> <BigScott> Yet, the Scriptures are silent on such issues.
[20:44] <Duke77> <BigScott> with regard to birth control, many forms can be considered abortificants, thus equivalent to murder, but several other forms (barrier methods) are not abortificants.
[20:44] <Duke77> <BigScott> btw- 100 years ago, virtually ALL of Protestantism stood side-by-side with Catholicism on birth control and abortion - but many/most Protestant communities now accept some forms of abortion and nearly all forms of birth control.
[20:44] <Duke77> <BigScott> interesting, eh? Has God's Will "changed" in the last 100 years?
[20:44] <Apollos> Duke: You think contraception is a modern issue ?
[20:44] <Duke77> I pointed out a glaring inconsistency in Protestant thought/teaching - and you went silent.
[20:44] <Jason1646> Perhaps the 20 minutes of silence is because I was doing something else, and had little interest in debating you on this subject because I find you incapable of rational dialogue?
[20:45] <Duke77> oh, now the personal attacks?

[Added comment, after making a personal attack, Jason offers the following:]

[20:45] <Jason1646> If you would like to add my comment, I'll let Augustine speak for me here Scott:
[20:45] <Jason1646> Now, if we were to propose to confute their objections as often as they with brazen face chose to disregard our arguments, and so often as they could by any means contradict our statements, you see how endless, and fruitless, and painful a task we should be undertaking." (City of God, Book 2, Chapter 1)
[20:46] <Duke77> I don't see how that answers or addresses the question at hand.
[20:47] <Jason1646> I'm giving you my honest reason as to why you got the silence. You can receive it however you like
[20:48] <Duke77> the fact remains, I presented a completely valid argument, and you did not respond.
[20:49] <Jason1646> I'm sure you'll receive it in the manner that most compliments you
[20:49] <Duke77> still, there was an issue here that Jason resurrected from a past discussion...
[20:51] * Duke77 repeats the subject that Jason resurrected (and still refuses to respond to):
[20:51] <Duke77> <BigScott> btw- 100 years ago, virtually ALL of Protestantism stood side-by-side with Catholicism on birth control and abortion - but many/most Protestant communities now accept some forms of abortion and nearly all forms of birth control.
[20:51] <Duke77> <BigScott> interesting, eh? Has God's Will "changed" in the last 100 years?
[20:51] <Duke77> <BigScott> (added comment here, after about 20 minutes of silence)
[20:51] <Duke77> Jason1646 [Jason1646@h0007e9d38ec0.ne.client2.attbi.com] has quit IRC
[20:51] <Jason1646> In any event, I've said my piece. Best of providence, Scott.
[20:51] * Parts: Jason1646 (Jason1646@h0007e9d38ec0.ne.client2.attbi.com)
[20:52] <Duke77> OK, I will add Jason's NON-response to that logfile, at his request.

After the fact, let me add this thought... Jason quotes (St.) Augustine, whom he feels is making his point for him. The problem is, I have not ignored his arguments, and in fact the article he referred to presents the classic Protestant arguments for sola scriptura before responding to them. Then, we must consider that in THIS discussion, it was ME who was raising arguments, not Jason. When, on September 10, 2003, I asked him a valid question regarding the will of God, Jason went silent. When I raised the issue again on March 18, 2004 - after HE brought it up again, he still refused to give a comment. So, Jason - if you read this, I invite you (again) to answer the challenge. Has God's Will changed in the last 100 years?

In JMJ,
Scott<<<