Joe Mizzi's

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

Somehow I got on Dr. Joe Mizzi's email list from JustForCatholics.org (probably for emailing him at some point). Anyway, this email is ridiculous. You'd think a man of his self-pride would at least make a half-way decent effort to disprove Catholicism. Anyway, have at this:
[quote]Gospel E-letter - August 2004

ONE MEDIATOR


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Apart from the mediation of Christ, God could not look upon us but as sinful rebels deserving wrath and hell; nor could we look upon Him but as an angry judge and a consuming fire. Jesus Christ is the ‘go-between’ who reconciles man to God. The Bible says:

‘For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all’ (1 Timothy 2:5, 6).

The Bible explicitly declares that there is one mediator. Just as there is one God, there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. He is qualified to perform this momentous task because the Son of God became human to give His life as a ransom for all, shedding His blood on the cross to pay for and secure our freedom from sin. Jesus is mediator because He is the redeemer; He is the only mediator because He is the only redeemer.

Sadly, religious tradition blinds millions of Catholics to this simple and glorious reality. They are taught to look upon Mary, the saints and the Church as additional mediators. When asked for an explanation, Catholic apologists respond something like this: “Aren’t we also mediators since we often intercede for one another in prayer?”

No, we are not mediators simply because we pray for each other. Looking at the context (1 Timothy 2:1-4), the apostle Paul exhorts Christians to pray for everyone and yet he does not conclude that all Christians are mediators. On the contrary, he states plainly that there is one mediator!

Christians would not allow anyone to add other gods to the one true and living God, even if we are assured that they are lesser gods. We believe in one God; all other gods are false. In the same manner, we would not permit anyone to introduce other mediators even though we are assured that they are lesser than Christ. We believe in one mediator; all other mediators are false.

Jesus Christ alone shed His blood to purchase our freedom. The one true mediator is recognized by the marks of the nails on His hands and feet. No-one else is able to save; He alone can bring us safely home to His Father.

There is one mediator. His name is Jesus. There is no other.

Shalom,
Joe Mizzi[/quote]

[amarkich]

Did you ask him if we are allowed to pray to God the Father directly or does that surpass the Mediator? Also, can we not pray to the Holy Ghost at all? If we can pray to Him, can we pray to Him directly? I always enjoy their answers to those questions. Maybe you will find his to be entertaining. God bless.

[M.SIGGA]

If he wants to successfully trick vulnerable people, he should stick with traditional anti-Catholic arguments instead of making up his own. I really don't know the focus of the argument; is he dissing confession or intercessory prayer or what?

THis Bible tidbit is my favorite because we heathens must OBVIOUSLY have skimmed over this part for 2000 years and think this is false.

[quote]‘For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all’ (1 Timothy 2:5, 6).[/quote]

Mizzi sounds so compassionate lol.

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

amarkich,
I actually haven't emailed him in a while. I just get his monthly newsletter because he signed me up himself. I'de put him under the fruitless dialogue catagory.

[Guest JeffCR07]

its funny how he fundamentally proves the catholic position, even though he doesn't know it:

[quote]Looking at the context (1 Timothy 2:1-4), the apostle Paul exhorts Christians to pray for everyone and yet he does not conclude that all Christians are mediators. On the contrary, he states plainly that there is one mediator![/quote]

So lets get this straight: Paul knows that Christ is the only mediator. Paul acknowledges that intercession is not the same as being a mediator. It seems to me that the only thing a protestant could possibly argue is the title of "Mediatrix" for Mary, and anyone who knows Church teaching knows that we mean something completely different when we call her "Mediatrix" than when we talk of Christ as the only mediator.

sometimes your enemies really do make your case the best...

[cmotherofpirl]

I suppose the guy also refuses to pray for people and tells them to pray to jesus themselves, correct?

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

I don't know. He is all over the place. Ever had an e-mail conversion with him?

[thicke]

[quote name='amarkich' date='Aug 2 2004, 04:49 PM'] Did you ask him if we are allowed to pray to God the Father directly or does that surpass the Mediator? [/quote]
That's a good point. If that is the case, then isn't the Lord's Prayer forgetting that Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between man and God?