Catholics Don't Exemplify Christianity...

[Disir]

Ignorant nonsense.

Catholics are just as much Christian as any other sect.

Do you know how many people are turned off to Christianity because of the Catholic church?
Non believers that KNOW it's wrong! Like going to a Priest for forgiveness of sins!?
All the "rituals" that are not Biblical or necessary???
I'm not saying there are no Christian Catholics, I'm saying don't use their doctrine because it is not the way Jesus intended the church to be.

I'd wager that more people are turned off to Christianity because of people like you.

I hope not, but if so I will answer to God.
I want people to realize they can have a relationship with God and it's not dependent upon any Church.
A life with purpose, not rules and rituals.

So, you attack Catholicism? I don't think that you realize this but when you attack another Christian sect based on the "one true way" the only thing that you have demonstrated is what you don't have. In order for your relationship to exist it is necessary to attack the Catholics or any other Christian sect. It's not based on what you have.

I don't want people to "hate" Christianity because of Catholic "rules and regulations" or to make assumptions about Christianity BASED on Catholic rules and regulations that are NOT Biblical!

If that is attacking so be it. I think of it as pointing out a false teaching and doctrine.

They don't. Christianity is not new. If you were talking to people that have never encountered any form of Christianity then you might have a valid defense. But, you don't have that. Catholics gave all other Christian sects what they have now. You aren't showing me your personal relationship with your God. Your showing me that your relationship with your god revolves around denouncing someone else.

 

[Bonzi]

Do you know how many people are turned off to Christianity because of the Catholic church?
Non believers that KNOW it's wrong! Like going to a Priest for forgiveness of sins!?
All the "rituals" that are not Biblical or necessary???
I'm not saying there are no Christian Catholics, I'm saying don't use their doctrine because it is not the way Jesus intended the church to be.

I'd wager that more people are turned off to Christianity because of people like you.

I hope not, but if so I will answer to God.
I want people to realize they can have a relationship with God and it's not dependent upon any Church.
A life with purpose, not rules and rituals.

So, you attack Catholicism? I don't think that you realize this but when you attack another Christian sect based on the "one true way" the only thing that you have demonstrated is what you don't have. In order for your relationship to exist it is necessary to attack the Catholics or any other Christian sect. It's not based on what you have.

I don't want people to "hate" Christianity because of Catholic "rules and regulations" or to make assumptions about Christianity BASED on Catholic rules and regulations that are NOT Biblical!

If that is attacking so be it. I think of it as pointing out a false teaching and doctrine.

They don't. Christianity is not new. If you were talking to people that have never encountered any form of Christianity then you might have a valid defense. But, you don't have that. Catholics gave all other Christian sects what they have now. You aren't showing me your personal relationship with your God. Your showing me that your relationship with your god revolves around denouncing someone else.

There are many people in the world that don't know about Jesus. Missionaries are out there making sure they do.

Many people know about Christ, but not what the Bible says about salvation.

There are many stories of salvation and reconciliation with God that would blow your mind.
We need to be out there shining the light of Jesus to others that are lost.

 

[Disir]

I'd wager that more people are turned off to Christianity because of people like you.

I hope not, but if so I will answer to God.
I want people to realize they can have a relationship with God and it's not dependent upon any Church.
A life with purpose, not rules and rituals.

So, you attack Catholicism? I don't think that you realize this but when you attack another Christian sect based on the "one true way" the only thing that you have demonstrated is what you don't have. In order for your relationship to exist it is necessary to attack the Catholics or any other Christian sect. It's not based on what you have.

I don't want people to "hate" Christianity because of Catholic "rules and regulations" or to make assumptions about Christianity BASED on Catholic rules and regulations that are NOT Biblical!

If that is attacking so be it. I think of it as pointing out a false teaching and doctrine.

They don't. Christianity is not new. If you were talking to people that have never encountered any form of Christianity then you might have a valid defense. But, you don't have that. Catholics gave all other Christian sects what they have now. You aren't showing me your personal relationship with your God. Your showing me that your relationship with your god revolves around denouncing someone else.

There are many people in the world that don't know about Jesus. Missionaries are out there making sure they do.

Many people know about Christ, but not what the Bible says about salvation.

There are many stories of salvation and reconciliation with God that would blow your mind.
We need to be out there shining the light of Jesus to others that are lost.

Sure they know.

 

[mdk]

There sure seems to be a lot of anti-Catholic claptrap floating around these forums lately. Good grief.

 

[Meriweather]

No one in the Bible prays to anyone but God. Period.

Then you do not believe in asking others to pray for you?

Sins should never be confessed to a Priest. They have NO authority (Biblically) to absolve you of sins.

First, absolution occurs in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The priest speaks the words. Are you saying the words, "I absolve you" should never be spoken aloud?

Second, you know the scripture that gives the authority to forgive. Also, tradition began before the Gospels were written. There is no Chicken and the Egg here, about which came first. Tradition came first, the New Testament followed.

Of course, those taught Catholic "tradition" will have their arguments, I'm just here to tell others it's BUNK!

The early Church set up practices that emulated the life of Jesus and what Jesus did here on earth. He was baptized. He announced the forgiveness of sins. He instituted the Last Supper in remembrance of him. He healed the sick. He sent the Holy Spirit. He taught God's true intent for marriage. He anointed others to work with him and to continue his work after his ascension. All these things the early Church continued to do because these are what Christ did. They were sacred to the life of the Church and eventually, from the word sacred, came to be called Sacraments because through each of them God bestows grace. They are the visible sign of the invisible reality. They are prayers. If not through prayer, how do you believe God's grace is bestowed?

Christ said, when two or more are gathered in his name, he is there in their midst. Confession is an example of Christ being present, because two are gathered in his name. The two are in prayer and Christ is with them.

These prayers are for Catholics/Orthodox. I'm a little puzzled why you are either asking Catholics to stop praying, or insisting that Catholics pray as you do. Speaking of authority, where is your authority to announce people must stop one manner of prayer and take up a new manner of prayer?

 

[Meriweather]

The origin of Christianity is the Apostles after Christ's death. The Way.

People that consider a Christian life should look elsewhere than the Catholic church for proper Biblical teaching and doctrine.

I prefer The Way that was set up by Christ and His Apostles and was followed by the early Church--not the way that Protestants set up fifteen hundred years later. At that time original meanings were taken and given entirely different definitions.

 

[DGS49]

I'm sure the Roman Catholic Church is horrified that some little inconsequential piss-ant, typing in his mother's basement, thinks that Catholicism is bunk.

Psychologically speaking, the RC Church paints a target on its back by professing openly and proudly that it is the one, true Apostolic Christianity. People just can't stand that certitude - especially other Christians.

But EVERYTHING taught by the Catholic Church is Bible-based, and filtered through the traditions of the early Church. To say that one can understand the fullness of Christianity just by sitting at home and reading the Bible is a conceit of monumental proportions. The Bible is full of apparent contradictions and statements that must be read and understood in a context that is not obvious. For example, the Book of Genesis cannot rationally or correctly be understood to claim that the universe was created in six "days," even though that is what it says.

Catholics do not pray TO Mary or the saints; they ask those personages to intercede with God to provide what is prayed for.

Many times in my adult life I have spoken to people who have converted to Catholicism from other faiths, and the process in usually the same: They think that the Church is full of beans for one belief or another, then when they actually do the research (often consulting with RC "Apologetics" sites), they realize that the belief in question is actually based not only on the Bible itself, but also on early Church traditions.

What other Christian church has been as steadfast in (a) protecting traditional marriage and rejecting re-marriage as adulterous - as clearly stated in the NT, (b) rejecting abortion as a matter of "choice," (c) fighting the practice of euthanasia, (d) supporting with money and services, feeding, clothing, and housing the poor; reaching out to prisoners, drug addicts, unwed mothers, alcoholics, and others in need of help?

What other Church rejects the notion of "people are gonna do it anyway" and refuses to give in to the popular culture of artificial birth control as a means of population control (based on a fair and reasonable interpretation of Biblical teaching)?

The whole "world" of Protestantism is a logical absurdity. Christ promised that the Holy Spirit would guide His Church for all time. Unless Christ was lying, how is it possible, therefore, for a dozen "Christian" churches to have wildly different beliefs? How can one "Christian" church have gay marriages while other Christian Churches teach that homosexual sodomy is morally abominable? Even if you think that the RC Church is a fraud, you cannot possibly conclude that God wants everyone to read the Bible and draw their own conclusions.

The Church has armies of lifelong theologians who constantly examine the Bible and all of the new evidence that is brought out at any time regarding, translations, related historical information, and other insights to ensure that the Church's teachings are as close as possible to what was intended by Christ. No other Church can say the same. And in fact, the Lutheran Church, the Anglican Church and others have in recent years conceded that the RC Church is basically the best source of Christian theology.

As a lifelong Catholic, I can say there are a lot of things I don't like about the church, and even some areas of morality where I disagree (e.g., the death penalty). I don't like Pope Frank one little bit. But theologically, the RC Church is the "gold standard" of Christianity.

 

[defcon4]

Missionaries are out there making sure they do.

I could never understand this missionary thing nowadays. Protestant (mainly Baptists) "missionaries" are "sent" from here to such countries as France. WTF? France has the Church, Catholic or not, who cares? The established Church already proclaims the Gospel. Why don't you go to China, North Korea and places like that where the Church is not established? They send "missionaries" to Latin America… the Church is well established over there too, what are these people doing there? Making a good living on the money of the gullible who buys into their "call to missionary work." Give me a break. It's a racket. Protestants should spend that money to help the poor here.

 

[Bonzi]

Missionaries are out there making sure they do.

I could never understand this missionary thing nowadays. Protestant (mainly Baptists) "missionaries" are "sent" from here to such countries as France. WTF? France has the Church, Catholic or not, who cares? The established Church already proclaims the Gospel. Why don't you go to China, North Korea and places like that where the Church is not established? They send "missionaries" to Latin America… the Church is well established over there too, what are these people doing there? Making a good living on the money of the gullible who buys into their "call to missionary work." Give me a break. It's a racket. Protestants should spend that money to help the poor here.

They do go to places like that (China/North Korea) - it's very dangerous and it can't be publicized and the missionaries can't even be known.

It is important that people come to a genuine relationship with Christ. There are many Christian's that are not save and really have no clue what being a Christian is.

Jesus himself said "You must be born-again" - people hate hearing "born again" Christian, but guess what? You are not a Christian unless you are "born again"! Jesus said so himself!

We must die to self and live for God. It's not about works, going to church or being a good person.
You will WANT to do those things if you are saved, because you will love God and want to please Him.

 

[Meriweather]

Do you know how many people are turned off to Christianity because of the Catholic church?

Along with the Mormon faith, those who were raised Catholics have the highest percentage of remaining in the faith their entire life. The number of those raised in a non-Catholic faith and remain in that faith their entire life is much lower.

Talk to atheists. It is the Protestant interpretation of scripture that they cannot believe.

Non believers that KNOW it's wrong! Like going to a Priest for forgiveness of sins!?
All the "rituals" that are not Biblical or necessary???
I'm not saying there are no Christian Catholics, I'm saying don't use their doctrine because it is not the way Jesus intended the church to be.

During their daily prayers Catholics do go directly to God to confess sins. However, sin is never committed in a vacuum. It affects other individuals and the Body of Christ. Just as we ask forgiveness from individuals we have harmed and from God, we also ask forgiveness from the Body of Christ because our sinfulness affects the entire Body of Christ.

Do you baptize yourself, off by yourself, because you don't want a priest coming between you and God? Off by yourselves, do you pronounce yourselves husband and wife? Or, are these community celebrations, and are the spoken words by a Pastor or minister? So why, when your sins affects the community, do you go off by yourself and leave the community out of it? But mostly, why is it a problems when Catholics choose to reconcile with individuals, community, and God?

The Catholic Church models the life of Christ and all that he did. I'd say that is exactly The Way Christ intended.

 

[Bonzi]

Do you know how many people are turned off to Christianity because of the Catholic church?

Along with the Mormon faith, those who were raised Catholics have the highest percentage of remaining in the faith their entire life. The number of those raised in a non-Catholic faith and remain in that faith their entire life is much lower.

Talk to atheists. It is the Protestant interpretation of scripture that they cannot believe.

Non believers that KNOW it's wrong! Like going to a Priest for forgiveness of sins!?
All the "rituals" that are not Biblical or necessary???
I'm not saying there are no Christian Catholics, I'm saying don't use their doctrine because it is not the way Jesus intended the church to be.

During their daily prayers Catholics do go directly to God to confess sins. However, sin is never committed in a vacuum. It affects other individuals and the Body of Christ. Just as we ask forgiveness from individuals we have harmed and from God, we also ask forgiveness from the Body of Christ because our sinfulness affects the entire Body of Christ.

Do you baptize yourself, off by yourself, because you don't want a priest coming between you and God? Off by yourselves, do you pronounce yourselves husband and wife? Or, are these community celebrations, and are the spoken words by a Pastor or minister? So why, when your sins affects the community, do you go off by yourself and leave the community out of it? But mostly, why is it a problems when Catholics choose to reconcile with individuals, community, and God?

The Catholic Church models the life of Christ and all that he did. I'd say that is exactly The Way Christ intended.

Baptism should be done when you are saved.
Not sprinkled as a baby. That does not save you.
Also you do not need to be baptized at all to be saved.
You should tell everyone the Gospel. Only God knows who those are that are truly saved

 

[defcon4]

They do go to places like that (China/North Korea) - it's very dangerous

That's my point. Where danger is lurking, most so called "missionaries" avoid it. It is not true calling if one doesn't want to face the dangers of spreading the Gospel. It is easy to proclaim the Gospel in church friendly places. Proclaim the Gospel in Mohammedan territories. Very few dares to do that from here. There a some but we can diminish their numbers in comparison to the safe places.

 

[Bonzi]

They do go to places like that (China/North Korea) - it's very dangerous

That's my point. Where danger is lurking, most so called "missionaries" avoid it. It is not true calling if one doesn't want to face the dangers of spreading the Gospel. It is easy to proclaim the Gospel in church friendly places. Proclaim the Gospel in Mohammedan territories. Very few dares to do that from here. There a some but we can diminish their numbers in comparison to the safe places.

Which part of they DO go there didn't you see in my post?

 

[Meriweather]

I don't want people to "hate" Christianity because of Catholic "rules and regulations" or to make assumptions about Christianity BASED on Catholic rules and regulations that are NOT Biblical!

Sacraments are not "Catholic rules and regulations." They are Catholic practices, Catholic prayers.

Do you consider prayer and establishing a relationship with Christ rules/regulations, or are they better defined as a practice?

 

[irosie91]

Of course but we do not proselytize, the early church did and made it a law, but we do not and never have I've heard any Priest knock another form of or sect of Christianity.

catholics still proselytize in OTHER COUNTRIES-----like in Africa and India----it is amazing what you do not know----penny. Ever talk to a person from
India?. The technique is "take the kids into the catholic school"---and go
to work on their little minds

 

[defcon4]

Jesus himself said "You must be born-again" - people hate hearing "born again" Christian, but guess what? You are not a Christian unless you are "born again"! Jesus said so himself!

When one says "I am born again" I truly believe one is totally confused about the meaning of the verse. Same way as Creation took place in six days. Allegory is clearly not understood by the "born again" I am not accusing "born again Christians" of lying about their "convictions" It is the truth in their minds. I am saying that they do not have true understanding of the passage. I always thought that it was a hoax when people wrapped in bedsheets are thrown into a bath tub and emerging from it they are born again. Really? Then they go about "business as usual" ripping others off, divorcing, having kids out of wedlock, closet drinking because they are "born again" and are prohibited to have a cold one. I have no issues of consuming adult beverages and the Church of Rome has no problem with it either, nor do Lutherans or Calvinists.

 

[irosie91]

Please don't use Catholicism as an example of Christianity..
Their doctrine is flawed.

You pray to GOD and JESUS not Mary.
Your sins are forgiven by GOD, not a Priest.

It's CRAP!

Preaching to the choir sister! LOL I told my ex mother in law the same thing for years. She practiced it all her life and could still tell me a total of zero why she went every day and what any of it meant. Told me to ask a priest. I told her I didn't have to do ask a priest because there is a bible available to me and I can read. She told me I should not be reading it. She and I did not get along what so ever. She told her in laws who didn't convert that they were going to hell. Maybe if she read the bible instead of listening to a priest she would know better

Never in my over 5 decades of life did I ever say that or hear a RC say if they don't convert to RC they are going to hell. We are and were never taught that, unlike the Baptist who come to my door and tell me I'm not saved.

you do not know anything about Catholicism ---penny dear

 

[Bonzi]

I don't want people to "hate" Christianity because of Catholic "rules and regulations" or to make assumptions about Christianity BASED on Catholic rules and regulations that are NOT Biblical!

Sacraments are not "Catholic rules and regulations." They are Catholic practices, Catholic prayers.

Do you consider prayer and establishing a relationship with Christ rules/regulations, or are they better defined as a practice?

I have issue with Baptism specifically. Among other things. Catholic Sacraments does not = prayer. That is misleading. Let's take Baptism:

Two of the main sacraments specifically are said by the Roman Catholic Church to be necessary in order to gain eternal life: baptism and communion. Because of the Roman Catholic Church belief that baptism is required for salvation, Catholics maintain that it is important to baptize infants. But nowhere in Scripture can you find even a single example or command to do so.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Please don't use Catholicism as an example of Christianity..
Their doctrine is flawed.

You pray to GOD and JESUS not Mary.
Your sins are forgiven by GOD, not a Priest.

It's CRAP!

Think it exemplifies Christianity extremely well: if the religion as-is doesn't quite work for you, change it.

Sums up Christianity perfectly.

 

[Bonzi]

Jesus himself said "You must be born-again" - people hate hearing "born again" Christian, but guess what? You are not a Christian unless you are "born again"! Jesus said so himself!

When one says "I am born again" I truly believe one is totally confused about the meaning of the verse. Same way as Creation took place in six days. Allegory is clearly not understood by the "born again" I am not accusing "born again Christians" of lying about their "convictions" It is the truth in their minds. I am saying that they do not have true understanding of the passage. I always thought that it was a hoax when people wrapped in bedsheets are thrown into a bath tub and emerging from it they are born again. Really? Then they go about "business as usual" ripping others off, divorcing, having kids out of wedlock, closet drinking because they are "born again" and are prohibited to have a cold one. I have no issues of consuming adult beverages and the Church of Rome has no problem with it either, nor do Lutherans or Calvinists.

If you are "truly" born again, there will be a change.
You can't just "go through the motions" - it's about a HEART change.
If your heart is not broken for God, you most likely are NOT saved.
There are many that have "gone through the motions", just to avoid hell. That is NOT salvation.