Posted by Doug Showalter on January 20, 1998 at 14:28:31:
In Reply to: Forgiveness for Luther's Forgery of Bible posted by Rafael Brom on January 19, 1998 at 21:06:19:
Dear Rafael,
Respecting the sincere religious views of others is important on this web site--as I believe it is in life.
Your use of inflammatory words like "forgery" and your casting aspersions on the religious motives of others [i.e. alleging a selfish decision, merely to suit one's life style] is provocative, and not helpful to building better bridges of understanding among people of different religious groups. If you wish to promote your personal religious views and your favorite links, then I suggest you do it in a way which is respectful of others' beliefs. That will get you much further in the long run.
The historical fact is that there were two ancient Jewish canons of the Old Testament--one in Palestine and a somewhat larger one in the Diaspora [where Jews had settled in the Greco-Roman world outside Palestine]. Roman Catholicism accepted the OT canon of Diaspora Jews as holy scripture, whereas Protestantism accepted the smaller canon used by Jews in Palestine. The difference is that collection of books which is sometimes referred to as the "Apocrypha."
You are right that King Henry VIII was no saint. But I would say this. Anyone who dredges up religious events from the historical past, should be prepared to discover the truth, that no one's religious tradition is so completely pure and free from episodes of sin that they are qualified to throw the first stone at others. Better that we all seek God's forgiveness in humility, and work to see that the sins of the past are not repeated in our own lifetimes. I think the Apostle Paul's words are right on the mark, "For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." [Romans 3:13]
Doug Showalter