A Catholic's rant

[GoldEagle]

I don't think that there is a passage about Purgatory. But there is one in The Catechism

And the Catechism is man-made laws, written years and years after the bible was. It was not divinely inspired, IIRC, and thus can not be true if it tries to add anything to the Bible. Talk about corruption...

 

[Sidhe]

Of course, the main reason they think Christians are polytheists is the whole Trinity doctrine.

The funny thing is that sects within Buddhism that are, to the external observer, more different from one another than are Shiism and Lutheranism tend to go along amiably. It's been said that the ancient Greeks had a "genius for disunity" - the same is just as true for the "Abrahamitic"* religions.

* I don't like the term, but I can't think of a better one ATM. I'm, of course, refering to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, with their various offshoots and cousins.

Well I haven't been pedantic in ages it's Abrahamic religions btw

Unless anyone is delusional there are reasons to speak out against all the Abrahamic faiths in all their denominations, they all sew seeds of dispute, the sad thing is they all believe in the same God so logically the source of dispute is mankind, God is very displeased with all the faiths I suspect, suck it in follow Jesus and his message and you can all get along, don't let me warn you again your all on borrowed time, God's patience is not infinite.

Patently obvious to the point of being patronising too, that's my quota done for the month.

You guys are funny, if you only realised there's more in common between you than there is in division, the world would be a truly peaceful place, oh no I can't help myself, perhaps I should found a branch based on unity? Na would never work, Jesus can you help out here? No? just a thought... I guess he was right, my mesage will always be true but there will come after me many liars. I'm paraphrasing, but he's right.

 

[Shylock]

We must follow the shoe!

No we must follow the gord!

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

I recently attended Jewish services for a naming ceremony for a friend of mine's baby. The Rabbi went out on a tangent, speaking about abortion, and how a fetus is not a life, and it is the woman's choice. I think that he even used the term "Catholic view" and criticized it. It offended me greatly that one of the leaders of another religion would make such a blatant attack on another religion's opinion.

You think that's offensive? The rabbi who married my wife and I told us that the 9/11 victims had it coming! I should've *****-slapped that guy right there.

 

[Tycoon101]

Stop blaming the Catholics for everything!

*To the tune of "Go Tell It On The Mountain"*

"Go, blame it on the Commies,
It is always the--eir fault!
Go, blame it on the Commies,
for they have started this war!"

I'm sorry, this is just degrading into a very stupid Catholic bashing thread, please give them respect. They are Christians, and they are monotheistic.

 

[Archbob]

In the end its about respecting other people's beliefs. You can't blame others for thinking catholicism for what it is if you can't accept that your moralities on things like gay marriage, abortion, etc as just as biased.

Secularism feeds us its values and the church feeds us its values. I may side with the church on alot of things, but that doesn't mean I'm going to condemn people for not thinking the same way.

And saying "I don't care about what the bible says about lying" is not that great either because it seems that you do care alot about alot of the other things the bible says. No one is perfect but you can't just flat out ignore some parts of the scripture and adhere to the parts you like.

To really accept other's beliefs isn't
"bending over backwards to accept them". Thats just "I don't like it but I'll let you get away with it for now." Your still assuming moral high-ground, this is a no-no. To really give effort is to say "I don't agree with your beliefs but I respect the values you have." There is no bending over, just plain respect and acceptance. Just because your religion says something and someone else disagrees, doesn't automatically give you some kind of moral high standing. If your going to debate morals and values at all, you have realize this point.

 

[Pokurcz]

"No one is perfect but you can't just flat out ignore some parts of the scripture and adhere to the parts you like."

But that is exactly why there are so many christian churches, people like different parts of the scripture. It's the christian way.

The bible clearly states that we are not to eat pork, that men can have several wives and that there is a limit of 144 thousand people who get in to heaven, the rest are really cool.

Moderator Action: Just because the censor is there does not mean you get to use it. Warned for profanity. Offending word removed. - The Yankee
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

Just pick your flavour!

 

[GenMarshall]

"No one is perfect but you can't just flat out ignore some parts of the scripture and adhere to the parts you like."

But that is exactly why there are so many christian churches, people like different parts of the scripture. It's the christian way.

The bible clearly states that we are not to eat pork, that men can have several wives and that there is a limit of 144 thousand people who get in to heaven, the rest are realy cool.

Just pick your flavour!

As I have said many of times before in regards to the dietary laws on not eating pork is what was done during the Old Covenant during the time when Judaism is the only monotheistic religion in the area. Jesus came and he even said that when he did the last supper that this is the New Covenant and were not bound to Jewish dietary laws as well as many Hebrew laws since we are in a New Covenant.

The books in the old testiment only provides a background of Christianity's Jewish roots and how people lived back then as well as predictions and prophecies of the comming of the Christian Messiah.

 

[Oerdin]

OK, I know this is strange, but this occurred last year:

Several acquaintances of mine at high school were talking religion and stuff at lunch. We were about to do something on the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent. So this girl, right, she usually does better than me at history, et al, she says that the Reformation was Christians against Catholics. I say to her, ‘Okay, Frances*, Catholics are as Christian as anyone else. The main common belief for any Christian is a belief in Christ’s divinity’ But she says, “No they’re not.” I say, “Well, you are talking to one, young lady, and he says he is Christian.” She then replies, “Well, you people worship Mary and the Pope.” I ask, “Who in creation told you such nonsense?” She responds, “My minister.”

Now, I found that hard to believe, since I know her minister is a rather intelligent man, having heard him speak of theology once. Myself, I think it’s her parents who fed her this wonderful information, which is so rather ironic, since they’re Mexican, and id’ estimate her grandparents were Catholic.

It really gets on my nerves when people can’t get the facts straight, and instead rely on the ignorant wonderful information spewed by their parents.

Moderator Action: Just because the word got by the autocensor doesn't mean it's allowed. Warned for profanity. - The Yankee
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

It's true. There are some really backwards Protestants who have stuck to the propaganda of 500 years ago. I recall my best friend's brother's wife tried to claim "Protestants are Christians while Catholics aren't because they worship the saints as sub gods and try to replace Jesus with the Pope". I'm not a Catholic but I still couldn't help but laugh at what an ignorant statement that was and then proceeded to tear her argument apart.

 

[puglover]

@ CivG, Curt, Tycoon, etc: Wow. Many of the posters in this thread have said they don't like listening to other people's opinions. Why don't you find it worthwhile to keep an open mind? I've found that listening to what other people have to say is perhaps the greatest way to self-improvement, wisdom, and growth. Open-mindedness is worth bending over backward for, even if people don't like what you have to say. In my experience, the growth that you recieve is extremely valuable.

 

[Pokurcz]

Civ General

Did CHrist mention the 144 thousand limit that jehovas witneses seem to promote?

What ever, my point was that you have to prefere a part of the bible and not pay heed to an other one for churches do be dissimilar.


I am Catholic myself (dough I havent had a wafer for a decade (them sins are piling up)).
I once asked an Orthodox chick what was the main thing that set orthodox christians apart from catholics. She said that the orthodox churche does not allow you to get your sins absolved by paying money.

I bet it was her priest who told her that gem.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Remeber that we have to interact with other people constantly, and that other people tend to have very different opinions from us. It is not just helpful but necessary to have an open mind and be willing to respect, if not agree with, other people's views. Otherwise you will constantly be thinking that everyone else is inferior to you and that is no good for anyone.

 

[puglover]

I once asked an Orthodox chick what was the main thing that set orthodox christians apart from catholics. She said that the orthodox churche does not allow you to get your sins absolved by paying money.

I bet it was her priest who told her that gem.

Believe it or not, My dad has actually seen a Protestant Christian bookstore selling indulgences to lessen your pain in Purgatory. He asked the cashier about it and he said he'd talk to the manager. Right.

 

[Pokurcz]

Everyone should read "JOB a comedy of justice" by Heinlein.

Man! That is one fine book if your interested in God and the apocalypse, and it gives you a nice explanation for why there are other religions and such. Just a blast!

A lot of religious people suffer from tunnelvision. I guess it is this obsession they have with their religion or particular church is the only and single one that is right.

Such Egos!

 

[Pokurcz]

I saw this program on TV the other month interviewing a preacher of a protestant church in the USA proclaiming that that the size of your monetary wealth is the main measure of Gods love for you.

At least there is a church for everyone...

 

[GenMarshall]

Believe it or not, My dad has actually seen a Protestant Christian bookstore selling indulgences to lessen your pain in Purgatory. He asked the cashier about it and he said he'd talk to the manager. Right.

I thought Protestants dont believe in Purgatory?

@ CivG, Curt, Tycoon, etc: Wow. Many of the posters in this thread have said they don't like listening to other people's opinions. Why don't you find it worthwhile to keep an open mind? I've found that listening to what other people have to say is perhaps the greatest way to self-improvement, wisdom, and growth. Open-mindedness is worth bending over backward for, even if people don't like what you have to say. In my experience, the growth that you recieve is extremely valuable.

For me, I dont like to hear misconceptions about the Church I am in. Why I dont find it worthwile to keep an open mind is that having an open mind makes one more prone to have heretical thoughts about one's own faith.

 

[puglover]

I thought Protestants dont believe in Purgatory?

That's the humor, man. These people didn't know their own faith.

For me, I dont like to hear misconceptions about the Church I am in. Why I dont find it worthwile to keep an open mind is that having an open mind makes one more prone to have heretical thoughts about one's own faith.

It never hurts to ask questions. As long as you have reason behind what you believe, you can openly share ideas with anyone.

 

[Quasar1011]

To all: I can tell you a fact that Catholics do not worship Mary nor the Saints. We ask for their insercession for us (IE we ask them to pray on our behalf).

1. How can a dead person intercede for a living one?

2. Are the intercessions by Mary or saints, more powerful than that of Jesus?

 

[Taliesin]

1. How can a dead person intercede for a living one?

2. Are the intercessions by Mary or saints, more powerful than that of Jesus?

1. Because the Christian communion is a communion of all souls, living and dead.

2. Of course not. Nothing other than the Christ could bridge the gap between finite beings and infinite glory. But I think that you're not looking at Catholic devotions in the right way-- you're conflating two separate pictures. There are Catholics who pray to St. Stephen to cure their headaches and who carry St. Christopher medallions in their cars. That's superstitious nonsense, like as not, but some people-- of all groups-- put faith in it because it helps them get through the day, or because they sincerely believe it to be true. Some Protestants pray for God to make them rich, some atheists knock on wood. Fine, no real harm done, unless the signposts of truth should obscure truth and subvert faith in it. I think that believing in sacred relics, or praying for any change in reality for that matter, falls into that category (I could be wrong, but I think it unlikely).

The other picture of Catholic devotions is very different, and that is that one who prays to the Blessed Virgin, or to a saint, both invites closer communion between himself and a pure Christian soul, and asks that Christian soul to pray for him. I do not see that either is in principle idolatrous: a Catholic desires closer communion with the saints because they are devout, because they are nearer to the holy than most, because he knows that they are much farther along the road he walks than he himself is. Prayer to saints is really prayer to the Power which lies behind them, and faith in that Power, and recognition that the glory which blazes in the face of a saint is the same as the hidden fire in men's hearts, and active yearning for that glory.

 

[aussieboy]

For me, I dont like to hear misconceptions about the Church I am in. Why I dont find it worthwile to keep an open mind is that having an open mind makes one more prone to have heretical thoughts about one's own faith.

Ah, Civ General, the benefit of an open mind is that one can find more ways to promote your faith and attack heresies on theological grounds.

Rule number one in converting people: know thy enemy.