Stop telling me what I believe--because what you think I believe is NOT what I believe. When you do this your discussion is not with me, but in your head with an imaginary someone.
Then do me the courtesy of not telling me what I believe.
My understanding comes from detailed talks with friends and family members. They all agree most Catholic Sacraments are unnecessary; missing church on Sunday is no big deal; Catholics give too much attention to Mary and the Saints; too much guilt and so on. Their understanding of indulgences and Galileo...so far out in left field, it's in the parking lot. In fact, there is no clear understanding of almost anything Catholics do or why they do it.
And when I talk with you, I find a lot of ignorance about what non-Catholics believe, an almost deliberate misstating of what they believe that allows you to minimize or ignore it.
Then there seems to be this holy need for some (definitely not all) non-Catholic Christian Protestant ministers and laity to try to tear down, mock--to the point of spreading lies--about the Catholic faith.
And I see a similar desire from the Catholic posters on this board. Indeed, your earlier post contains your own opinion that your Catholic faith is rich while others are poor. It's sad that you would insult others like that.
The minute one has to tear down another faith to give another faith credibility one has lost the argument.
Such as proclaiming your faith to be rich while that of others are poor?
When one has to find excuses for why one doesn't do something, the argument is lost. I am Catholic because it is scriptural;
And other denominations are as well.
I am well aware of that. Unfortunately, it also seems unable to revisit those traditions. Once one is set, it is followed for eternity, thus placing it out of God's reach to change if He wants us to do something different.
it makes first the value of participating in the Mass weekly;
We place value on gathering with other believers as well, because we're admonished to not neglect it. You find comfort and strength by going to Mass regularly, good. Those who do not gather with other believers often find themselves in a bind spiritually, unable to resist temptation and falling into depression and spiritual oppression because they are weakened. There are valid reasons to step aside for a season, but it is not to be routine.
humbling oneself to confess sins (faults and wrong-doings);
We do that as well, especially in a small group setting where believers trust each other and can be vulnerable.
valuing members who have passed on;
We do as well. We do not need to pray for them because they are already in the presence of Christ, nor do we ask them to pray for us because they have other things they are attending to.
working out salvation (a gift given to us) through love of God and neighbor.
We express our faith and salvation through our works. We do not, as you continue to insinuate, believe such works do anything to finish the work He began in us, a work He, not we, promised to complete.
Recognizing we owe God everything and He deserves first place instead of some excuse for not gathering for worship, celebrating the life, death, resurrection, salvation of/by Christ.
Of course, we owe Him everything because He did everything for us. We are called then to love others as He loved us.
Don't feel you have to do any of this. Some people seem to find all this a burden and become discouraged. Others (Catholics) find strength, blessings, and grace--freedom. In other words, no burden, no discouragement for Christ's yoke is easy, the burden light.
Not just Catholics. Stop acting like you have it figured out while everyone else is floundering around in the dark. Many find comfort in routine and tradition, even in rote prayers, and to the extent such things help them to throw off the things of the world and focus on Him, they are valuabel. That does not in any way destroy the value of a relationship with Christ that is built on trust, love and obedience outside tradition.
