Wondering about Catholics

[jacksonmayhem]

I've scored over countless threads of self proclaimed christians unscrupulously bashing a faith that is by it's very definition "christian". It's a religion that fathered every christian religion there is today. I myself was born catholic and went to catholic school and yes true catholics study the bible, I would know.

Catholics worship God, not mary or saints or whatever collaberation of nonsense people seem to come up with. To pray to saints or to pray to mary is not worship, it is an act of veneration. Saints are respected to be the closest thing someone can come to living their life in the teachings of christ and hence their canonization. It's a way of saying you wish to live your life more christlike. Although I could see where one would get the picture blurred, as worship states it is reveration for a divine being. Saints, mary, all of them are not a divine being that true Catholics worship, that place is held for God and God alone, anything spoken otherwise is through ignorance.

If you ask your priests questions about your faith and they respond with some of the stories I've read on here, they're not good priests. Just like there aren't good many of things. Priests should also be teachers as should ministers and so on. People are people, and there are people in this world who aren't good at certain things. Just there are members of congregations that can not explain to you why they believe what they believe in a fashion you would understand.

I'm not trying to start a fight in this thread, and would actually like responses kept positive. But I won't lie, it infuriated me to see people bash a denomination so freely and call themselves a true christian. Feel free to objectively discuss your view with me.

[Buzzardhut]

I've scored over countless threads of self proclaimed christians unscrupulously bashing a faith that is by it's very definition "christian".

If you have perused our catholic threads you would have quickly realized their theology proves they are not really Christianity

It's a religion that fathered every christian religion there is today. I myself was born catholic and went to catholic school and yes true catholics study the bible, I would know.

We favor true Christianity here and reject religion

Catholics worship God, not mary or saints or whatever collaberation of nonsense people seem to come up with.

Look at what they do, not say, then you will find lots of idolatry including Mary worship

To pray to saints or to pray to mary is not worship, it is an act of veneration.

Nice doublespeak here, it's really worship, admit it, confession is good for the soul

Saints are respected to be the closest thing someone can come to living their life in the teachings of christ and hence their canonization. It's a way of saying you wish to live your life more christlike.

Catholic saints are not really saved, otherwise they would not be considered saints by Rome

Although I could see where one would get the picture blurred, as worship states it is reveration for a divine being. Saints, mary, all of them are not a divine being that true Catholics worship, that place is held for God and God alone, anything spoken otherwise is through ignorance.

I'm sorry but you do have it very blurry

If you ask your priests questions about your faith and they respond with some of the stories I've read on here, they're not good priests.

If/when a catholic priest does get saved, he would leave catholicism as quickly as possible

Just like there aren't good many of things. Priests should also be teachers as should ministers and so on. People are people, and there are people in this world who aren't good at certain things. Just there are members of congregations that can not explain to you why they believe what they believe in a fashion you would understand.

People need to be saved by the real Jesus, not stay trapped in cults and religions

I'm not trying to start a fight in this thread, and would actually like responses kept positive. But I won't lie, it infuriated me to see people bash a denomination so freely and call themselves a true christian. Feel free to objectively discuss your view with me.

Catholicism is not true christianity, it does not have to be refuted in this thread, we have countless of catholic research documented all over this board

[iSong6:3]

Are you saved? Do you know Jesus Christ? What can you tell us about that?

[Buzzardhut]

I like how you try to contradict me with "I say so"

It's not my sayso, it's countless documents from numerous people all over the board
you obviously have not even attempted to read them
we are used to the catholic mantra "do as I say, not as i really do"

[iSong6:3]

Please enlighten me on your definition of "saved". And I mean yours.

A form of the word "salvation".

[LookingUplinda]

I grew up catholic too. Saw all the things catholics did as just honoring Mary, saints, sign of the cross, etc. One day my sister asks me if I "felt something when I made the sign of the cross". Well, I said, we shouldn't 'feel' anymore than when we just think about the Holy Trinity. Trying to say, those are not the 'things' we need to do to 'feel' the divinity of the Holy Trinity, it is one of those things that 'make us feel holy', if that makes sense to you. Also, when my dad died, his sister was all upset because he wasn't buried with a rosary wrapped in his hands. So my question would be, is it in the outward 'things' we do? No is the answer. I came out of it with alot of guilt over things I didn't do that had nothing to do with the 'feeling'.

Personally, I know my dad didn't always live the best christian life, but he LOVED JESUS, this I know without a doubt, but the priest that spoke at the funeral said he was now in purgatory! If priests read the bible, I'd think they should know there is nothing in the bible about going to purgatory til he is perfected

[Buzzardhut]

Please enlighten me on your definition of "saved". And I mean yours.

You do need enlightenment but will you really receive it?
Our research has proven the differences between true Christianity and the false Christianity of Catholicism
We have countlessly proven how the roman catholic christ is a false jesus of another gospel

Will you escape the forest to look at the trees?

[OnceWasLost]

It's a religion that fathered every christian religion there is today.

Not at all, the church in Acts is nothing like the catholic religion.

Acts did not espouse:

* Praying to saints, or Mary. (Nobody dead for that matter)
* It did not recognize a priesthood.
* It did not recognize a pope.
* It did not set up an all powerful church hierarchy.
* It did not blur the lines on the simple Gospel of salvation by Grace alone through Faith alone.
* It did not challenge the unquestionable doctrine of Sola Scriptura.
* It did not teach sacraments and acts of contrition in order to be in good standing.
* It had One mediator, Jesus Christ.

Those are just a few glaring differences. Aside from that catholics are just the same as the Acts church of Protestantism.

[yogi3939]

WOW, you guys are quick. I started this response and walked away from the computer for a few minutes before i came back to finish it and you guys were already all over it,


1 - Are you saved? Have you accepted Jesus offer of salvation through believing in him as the only way to go to heaven as the bible clearly states? (BTW - you claim to study the bible so much I will leave it for you to find the actual verses that back up what I am going to post)

2 - Do you believe in the utter infalibility of the Pope as taught by the Catholic church? Then how do you explain celibacy and the plethora of problems it has brought on the church when nothing in the bible states that a "man of the cloth" should remain unmarried and forego any idea of raising a family?

3 - How do you reconcile the merging of pagan rituals and holidays with those of the "Catholic Church" to create the now recognized "Roman Catholic Church" by emporer Constantine?

4 - Back to the innerancy of the Pope. How does the Pope get the power of absolute accuracy and truth that is reserved for GOD?

I will stop here and let others who have more knowledge of the Catholic Church than me take over.

BTW - I too was raised a catholic in first through sixth grades. Even at that early age I was able to discern some of the falacies of the Catholic Church's teachings. It got me into trouble with the Nun teachers in the Catholic school I attended on more than one occasion.

[Buzzardhut]

no, you misunderstand. I'm not asking you to tell me what english definition of saved means. I'm asking YOU what it means to you to be "saved"

for you, what it means to be saved is turning from rome and the catholic christ and turning to the authentic historical Jesus of scripture and trusting fully in His blood sacrifice for your sin(s)

If you cannot do that then you are not ready for true salvation

[Buzzardhut]

but I also know God can work thru them, He did it for me, and I do know many others too.

God works through those who are truly saved by the blood of Christ

I could apply that mantra to many christian's in general of all denominations.

yes you can, but we are specifically talking about Romanism

[OnceWasLost]

no, you misunderstand. I'm not asking you to tell me what english definition of saved means. I'm asking YOU what it means to you to be "saved"

Here is a simple question. Can a person, who never knew Jesus, ask Him to forgive and cleanse them of their sin one day, and the next day die unexpectedly and go to heaven, even though:

* They never received a single sacrament?
* Didn't have a rosary prayed over them?
* Never received last rites?
* Never went to confession?
* Never acknowledged catholic doctrines regarding "Salvation"?

[iSong6:3]

Well I'm done listening to you, because you obviously have no idea what you're talking about.

That was quick. Before you go, please read this - http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=42 It explains salvation, and all this Catholicism garbage aside, that's what we want for you, because God wants it for you.

[Buzzardhut]

I never stated I was still catholic for one, but so many of you are quick to pass judgement, and I do believe that's a sin isn't it?

Saying catholic isn't a christian religion is absolutely ridiculous has been my point. Without it your version of "christianity" wouldn't exist. You shouldn't pass judgement on it, or tell someone else they're wrong or right. Teach, but do not force.

heard that one too

Our Christianity exists because of Jesus and his disciples, Catholicism tried to kill and stop true Christianity but Jesus' kingdom cannot be overcome

[OnceWasLost]

I never stated I was still catholic for one, but so many of you are quick to pass judgement, and I do believe that's a sin isn't it?

That is a complete misappropriation of that passage, and is totally out of context. I don't care if you are catholic, but you defend them here, so I am curious what you think. You seem to assume that catholic belief is compatible with modern traditional Christianity.

Saying catholic isn't a christian religion is absolutely ridiculous has been my point. Without it your version of "christianity" wouldn't exist. You shouldn't pass judgement on it, or tell someone else they're wrong or right. Teach, but do not force.

We have never needed catholicism since we can take what we believe directly from Scripture, which pre dates catholicism. What say you about all of the doctrines I pointed out that have no standing in Scripture?

[Buzzardhut]

[iSong6:3]

Oh, there's doctorines I don't believe or I think aren't needed.

Hope "saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone" isn't one of them.

[cocopea9052]

I know we have quite a few former Catholics here, but isn't there a thread also where former Catholics have given some remarkable testimony to the fact that they came to realize their "own religion" was flawed and became Christian?

Maybe it would be helpful to the OP if he could view that? Right now he has a long way to go in understanding and realizing, but he can certainly get there as many others did.

[Zerozx]

Buzzard you can quote things all day, but Catholicism is christianity. Anyone who says otherwise is reaching.

OnceWasLost has given you some posts that show you the traditions in Catholicism are not biblical...

and Buzzardhut just posted a ton of information for you.

[OnceWasLost]

So far in this thread we have shown things taught by Rome that are completely incompatible with Scripture. You insist that we are all the same, yet you do not address the dangerously unscriptural differences between orthodoxy and catholicism.

Why do you avoid specifics and not address the obvious differences?