 | Father Richard James Cleary was born and reared in Wichita. After graduation from Cathedral High School in 1947, he attended the seminary operated by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey in Northwestern Missouri. There he came to appreciate the life of the monks and, having obtained the permission of Bishop Mark Carroll of Wichita, he became a monk of that monastery. After being ordained a priest in 1955, his superiors sent him to get his master’s degree at the University of Ottawa, Canada, then to study in Athens, Greece, and then in Rome, Italy, where he obtained his doctor’s degree in Theology. Finally, he spent a year of study at Harvard University. Later, Fr. Cleary was assigned to teach for many years in Rome. In 1998, he returned to Wichita, where he served in parish ministry at St. Mary’s Cathedral and at Blessed Sacrament parishes. In 2001, his abbot (superior) transferred him to Arkansas, where he served as chaplain of the Benedictine Sisters of Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro, and helped in the parishes of northeast Arkansas. In March 2010, he was re-assigned to his monastery, Conception Abbey, Conception, in Missouri 64433. He can be contacted there at, 660-944-2877, or by email: rjcleary@juno.com. |
Religion
2002-06-01 14:17:00
Why would God allow so many different religions?
Answer: The human mind can ask any number of similar questions regarding God and his activity or non-intervention in this world created by Him. Why did God allow Hitler and Stalin and similar devils to murder and injure so many innocent people? Why didn't God intervene last September 11 to prevent the terrorists from the catastrophes they perpetrated on New York and Washington? Where was God when the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi were killing one another? In the Old Testament the Book of Job wrestles with similar questions about God and the problems of life in this world, and comes up with the answer: we really don't understand much about God and his purposes. As his creatures, subject to error and sickness and all kinds of evils, we have a brief time of life, during which we ought to do the best we can to honor God and to help our neighbor. For reasons of his own, God has chosen to reveal to us only a part of his plans for the destiny of human beings, and his Will for our salvation. But it behooves us to pay attention to that part which he has revealed!Also, God creates human persons with the gift of free-will: meaning each person is able to choose his/her manner of action in accordance with God's revealed Will, or to act in defiance of that Will, or to neglect and ignore God completely. His revelation promises eternal happiness to those who obey his Will. That same revelation also promises eternal punishment with total frustration to those who defy his Will, or deliberately ignore and neglect him during their life.Therefore each person is free to accept or reject God's revelation. We believe that God does reveal his Will, first of all, in the law of nature impressed in each person's mind and heart. In addition, to this natural law, God has provided us with his revelation in the Bible. Further, God instituted the Jewish religion and completed it in Christianity: to instruct and guide people to salvation. To help people avoid making errors about so important a matter as salvation, he established his Church, with authority to interpret the Bible and to teach in his Name. With all these helps for salvation, it ought to be easy for a person to know God's Will and to do it. But the multiplicity of conflicting religions in this world evidences that it is not easy to achieve salvation. Each religion reflects its proper history. Some of these religions possess much truth of God's revelation, while other religions were invented by charlatans or charismatic leaders or pseudo-prophets: to deceive people into promoting a particular political agenda. Other religions are devised to make people feel comfortable in this life, without reference to God, or to support the extravagance of a privileged few. Almost every week a new religion springs-up somewhere in the world; usually the founder(s) pick and choose what they like from established religions, and discard what they don't like. The followers of such religions exercise their free will in choosing and adapting their religion. God respects their choice, and will The apostle, St. Peter warns (2 Peter 2:1-3): "There were false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will bring in destructive, untrue doctrines, and even deny the Master who redeemed them, bringing sudden destruction on themselves. Even so, many will follow their immoral ways; and because of what they do, others will speak evil of the Way of truth. In their greed these false teachers will exploit you with fabrications; but for a long time now they stand condemned." St. Peter goes on to describe various man-made religions and cults: "They promise freedom, though they themselves are slaves of corruption; for a person is a slave of whatever overcomes him" (2:19). The brief epistle of St. Jude is also a warning about false religions. Note particularly verses 18-19: "In the final times people will appear who will make fun of you, people who follow their own godless desires. These are the people who cause divisions, who are controlled by their natural desires, who do not have the Spirit."As for those who claim that "it will be sufficient just to know God and desire to be with him in heaven," the apostle St. James (Jesus' cousin) wrote: "You believe in God? Good! The devils also believe, and tremble with fear" (James 2:19).Having given human beings all that is necessary for salvation, God does not intervene ordinarily to prevent the abuse or misuse of human freedom. When each individual dies - and no one can escape death - he or she is judged very exactly by God: on the choices they made in this life and especially on their final choice. Those who freely chose to be friends of God and followed his revelation will be saved, i.e. happy forever in heaven. Those who freely chose to ignore God and his revelation will not be saved, i.e. they will suffer forever in hell. Among those, who will be in hell, are those who have caused confusion with respect to salvation.
