Proof that the Catholic Church is the one true church and all others are pretenders...

[Blackrook]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

The Catholic Church makes good people believe that the process of sanctification--which belongs solely to the Holy Spirit--has been farmed out to humans via rituals.

I've heard all this before.

Your Protestant pastors have no more authority to teach the Gospel or administer the sacraments than anyone else, so it makes sense you resent the Catholic priesthood.

I don't need a human mediator, and neither do you.

Christ is the High Priest, blackrook. That's why the curtain was torn in two. There is no separation. And believe me, there is no "resentment". I do not look at the Catholic Church and say, gosh golly, I wish I had what THEY have. No way.

The Protestant heaven is so empty, with only God and a few angels to greet you when you arrive.

Catholic heaven is filled with God, Jesus, Mary, all the Saints and angels, thousands of friends who are watching you and will pray for you whenever you ask.

The Saints are Catholic heroes. The stories of their lives inspire us, show us the way.

My name Saint is Sir Thomas More, who died rather than swear an oath that King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn was valid. He is a lawyer, like me, and his life of personal courage and unquestionable ethics gives me a role model to imitate.

 

[Blackrook]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

Absolutely.

My husband's Catholic grandmother did not understand, until we showed her, that Mary mother of Jesus did not have other children. In the 'Catholic' Bible of course that is whitewashed into "cousins" which is completely insupportable. The perpetual virginity just makes her into an idol and is not necessary.

The Protestant attitude towards Mary is very disrespectful, in my opinion. It's like they're determined to hate her out of spite for how much Catholics love her.

Not at all. She was chosen to be the mother of Jesus--an honorable position. But she was human, and not to be worshiped and certainly not to be prayed for. When Jesus was delivered she was a virgin. After that she was not. Everything about her life after: her perpetual virginity, her ascension into heaven, is a fiction of the Catholic Church.

You threw "disrespectful" at me because you really cannot argue the facts. I do not hate her. But she should not be made into an idol. It's a violation of the Ten Commandments, Commandment 1

You're entitled to your wrong opinions about Mary.

I think Mary's role in the Catholic Church is important, especially to Catholic women. Her prominent position as God's mother more than makes up for the fact that the Catholic Church is a male-dominated religion.

It's not my "opinion" about Mary. Based on the Bible--and not Catholic fiction--she was not a perpetual virgin. She was married to Joseph and she had other children, one of them being James, you know. Who wrote the Book of James. I can't speak for Catholic women. I don't know what it's like to be in that kind of a system frankly, with the history of long-standing problems and everything else. NOT that every church doesn't have issues, because oh, we do, and I know it.

Every Protestant church has the same problem -- their inability to hold up against the winds of public opinion. When the world says it's time to have gay priests, the Protestants have gay priests. When the world says marriage is not really for life, the Protestants say that marriage is not really for life. Decisions are decided by majority vote, and if the change in doctrine isn't agreed to by everyone, there is a division and the church splits into two. The situation is uncertain and chaotic and I have no idea how Protestants put up with it. There are now 20,000 denominations of Protestantism.

 

[SweetSue92]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

The Catholic Church makes good people believe that the process of sanctification--which belongs solely to the Holy Spirit--has been farmed out to humans via rituals.

I've heard all this before.

Your Protestant pastors have no more authority to teach the Gospel or administer the sacraments than anyone else, so it makes sense you resent the Catholic priesthood.

I don't need a human mediator, and neither do you.

Christ is the High Priest, blackrook. That's why the curtain was torn in two. There is no separation. And believe me, there is no "resentment". I do not look at the Catholic Church and say, gosh golly, I wish I had what THEY have. No way.

The Protestant heaven is so empty, with only God and a few angels to greet you when you arrive.

Catholic heaven is filled with God, Jesus, Mary, all the Saints and angels, thousands of friends who are watching you and will pray for you whenever you ask.

The Saints are Catholic heroes. The stories of their lives inspire us, show us the way.

My name Saint is Sir Thomas More, who died rather than swear an oath that King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn was valid. He is a lawyer, like me, and his life of personal courage and unquestionable ethics gives me a role model to imitate.

Okay so you're not making great arguments, and I think you know it. You're making empty assertions. You have called me "disrespectful" and etc, and made empty assertions, a sure sign that you really have no argument to stand on.

My husband grew up in the Catholic faith, went to Catholic Jr. High and High school, and was raised by a Catholic stepfather who, I'm not kidding, used to be a Franciscan Monk. So yeah, really Catholic. His faith is a million times stronger since leaving, though he has respect for individual Catholics, as do I. Simply put, most of what Catholics believe is not in the Bible. It's fiction. It's "history", or control methods, or "doctrine", or who knows what. You have the right to believe it, but it's not Christian. I don't know what it is.

 

[SweetSue92]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

Absolutely.

My husband's Catholic grandmother did not understand, until we showed her, that Mary mother of Jesus did not have other children. In the 'Catholic' Bible of course that is whitewashed into "cousins" which is completely insupportable. The perpetual virginity just makes her into an idol and is not necessary.

The Protestant attitude towards Mary is very disrespectful, in my opinion. It's like they're determined to hate her out of spite for how much Catholics love her.

Not at all. She was chosen to be the mother of Jesus--an honorable position. But she was human, and not to be worshiped and certainly not to be prayed for. When Jesus was delivered she was a virgin. After that she was not. Everything about her life after: her perpetual virginity, her ascension into heaven, is a fiction of the Catholic Church.

You threw "disrespectful" at me because you really cannot argue the facts. I do not hate her. But she should not be made into an idol. It's a violation of the Ten Commandments, Commandment 1

You're entitled to your wrong opinions about Mary.

I think Mary's role in the Catholic Church is important, especially to Catholic women. Her prominent position as God's mother more than makes up for the fact that the Catholic Church is a male-dominated religion.

It's not my "opinion" about Mary. Based on the Bible--and not Catholic fiction--she was not a perpetual virgin. She was married to Joseph and she had other children, one of them being James, you know. Who wrote the Book of James. I can't speak for Catholic women. I don't know what it's like to be in that kind of a system frankly, with the history of long-standing problems and everything else. NOT that every church doesn't have issues, because oh, we do, and I know it.

Every Protestant church has the same problem -- their inability to hold up against the winds of public opinion. When the world says it's time to have gay priests, the Protestants have gay priests. When the world says marriage is not really for life, the Protestants say that marriage is not really for life. Decisions are decided by majority vote, and if the change in doctrine isn't agreed to by everyone, there is a division and the church splits into two. The situation is uncertain and chaotic and I have no idea how Protestants put up with it. There are now 20,000 denominations of Protestantism.

I agree that is a problem. Not in my church, but it is a problem.

The problem the Catholic Church has is that YOU have had poor teaching for about, oh, nearly 1500 years now. Purgatory--not Biblical. The perpetual virginity of Mary--not Biblical. Praying to saints--not Biblical. I mean I'll give you credit: when you all have bad teachings, you just dig right in there. You're persistent, I'll give you that.

 

[Andylusion]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

Mathew 23:9
"And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven."

Pope....
The word pope derives from Greek πάππας (páppas), meaning 'father'.

There are actually many reasons I am not Catholic, and this is one of the largest, because the Catholic belief system directly violates scripture. It is one of the most clear and undeniable violations of scripture there is.

You are not call anyone on Earth "father". We have one "father" and he is in Heaven. There is only one Pope... one Father... our Heavenly Father.

As for Catholics not divorcing... They do it all the time. And as for Catholics not remarrying... they do it all the time. I know Catholics that have divorced and remarried.

So... not sure that's entirely true.

As for women pastors/priests, yes Catholics have held the Biblical stance... but you are wrong that they are the only ones. There are large number of denominations that still hold that stance, from Pentecostals, to Evangelicals, to Lutherans, and I would estimate most non-denominationals.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.
Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

Eh.... The pope has said some rather unbelievable stuff. If you go look up some of the statements by the current pope, there is no way some of it is even remotely Biblical.

 

[Blackrook]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

Absolutely.

My husband's Catholic grandmother did not understand, until we showed her, that Mary mother of Jesus did not have other children. In the 'Catholic' Bible of course that is whitewashed into "cousins" which is completely insupportable. The perpetual virginity just makes her into an idol and is not necessary.

The Protestant attitude towards Mary is very disrespectful, in my opinion. It's like they're determined to hate her out of spite for how much Catholics love her.

Not at all. She was chosen to be the mother of Jesus--an honorable position. But she was human, and not to be worshiped and certainly not to be prayed for. When Jesus was delivered she was a virgin. After that she was not. Everything about her life after: her perpetual virginity, her ascension into heaven, is a fiction of the Catholic Church.

You threw "disrespectful" at me because you really cannot argue the facts. I do not hate her. But she should not be made into an idol. It's a violation of the Ten Commandments, Commandment 1

You're entitled to your wrong opinions about Mary.

I think Mary's role in the Catholic Church is important, especially to Catholic women. Her prominent position as God's mother more than makes up for the fact that the Catholic Church is a male-dominated religion.

It's not my "opinion" about Mary. Based on the Bible--and not Catholic fiction--she was not a perpetual virgin. She was married to Joseph and she had other children, one of them being James, you know. Who wrote the Book of James. I can't speak for Catholic women. I don't know what it's like to be in that kind of a system frankly, with the history of long-standing problems and everything else. NOT that every church doesn't have issues, because oh, we do, and I know it.

Every Protestant church has the same problem -- their inability to hold up against the winds of public opinion. When the world says it's time to have gay priests, the Protestants have gay priests. When the world says marriage is not really for life, the Protestants say that marriage is not really for life. Decisions are decided by majority vote, and if the change in doctrine isn't agreed to by everyone, there is a division and the church splits into two. The situation is uncertain and chaotic and I have no idea how Protestants put up with it. There are now 20,000 denominations of Protestantism.

I agree that is a problem. Not in my church, but it is a problem.

The problem the Catholic Church has is that YOU have had poor teaching for about, oh, nearly 1500 years now. Purgatory--not Biblical. The perpetual virginity of Mary--not Biblical. Praying to saints--not Biblical. I mean I'll give you credit: when you all have bad teachings, you just dig right in there. You're persistent, I'll give you that.

Purgatory is supported by Maccabees, which is not in the Protestant Bible. That's why you can't find it, you threw out a bunch of books of the Bible with no real authority to do so.

The perpetual virginity of Mary is admittedly not in the Bible, but there is nothing in the Bible contradicting it either. "Brothers" was a word the Jews use for cousins -- so there's that argument that James and John were not Mary's sons.

Praying to Saints is asking them to pray to God on your behalf. The Bible neither supports or opposes praying to Saints -- so your opposition to the practice is based on your own prejudice, not fact.

I don't often talk to Saints, but when I did I talked often to St. Joseph, since he is a family man who understands my problems. He had to support a wife and son on his earnings running his own business. When I was self-employed I turned to Joseph often for comfort.

I don't see why you condemn men talking to Joseph.

 

[Blackrook]

To clear it up, when the Pope talks to a reporter and makes some stupid comment he is not changing Catholic doctrine.

Only if he speaks "ex cathedra" is he setting forth Catholic doctrine.

 

[buttercup]

The assertion here couldn't be further from the truth if you tried. And I say that as someone who is familiar with Catholicism, as I grew up going to Catholic church. That experience is was what led me away from all religion (and unfortunately, God) for many, many years.

 

[Blackrook]

The assertion here couldn't be further from the truth if you tried. And I say that as someone who is familiar with Catholicism, as I grew up going to Catholic church. That experience is was what led me away from all religion (and unfortunately, God) for many, many years.

I don't think your status as a lapsed Catholic makes you a superior authority on what Catholicism is to me, a person who is a Catholic now and still believes in it.

 

[SweetSue92]

The assertion here couldn't be further from the truth if you tried. And I say that as someone who is familiar with Catholicism, as I grew up going to Catholic church. That experience is was what led me away from all religion (and unfortunately, God) for many, many years.

Again I have nothing against Catholic people. Most that I know are good, decent folks. It's the church teaching I have a problem with.

 

[BULLDOG]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

The Catholic Church makes good people believe that the process of sanctification--which belongs solely to the Holy Spirit--has been farmed out to humans via rituals.

I've heard all this before.

Your Protestant pastors have no more authority to teach the Gospel or administer the sacraments than anyone else, so it makes sense you resent the Catholic priesthood.

I don't need a human mediator, and neither do you.

Christ is the High Priest, blackrook. That's why the curtain was torn in two. There is no separation. And believe me, there is no "resentment". I do not look at the Catholic Church and say, gosh golly, I wish I had what THEY have. No way.

The Protestant heaven is so empty, with only God and a few angels to greet you when you arrive.

Catholic heaven is filled with God, Jesus, Mary, all the Saints and angels, thousands of friends who are watching you and will pray for you whenever you ask.

The Saints are Catholic heroes. The stories of their lives inspire us, show us the way.

My name Saint is Sir Thomas More, who died rather than swear an oath that King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn was valid. He is a lawyer, like me, and his life of personal courage and unquestionable ethics gives me a role model to imitate.

Just to be clear, if there are separate heavens for each brand of religion, doesn't that throw your theory of one God judging whether you go to heaven or hell out the window?

 

[SweetSue92]

The assertion here couldn't be further from the truth if you tried. And I say that as someone who is familiar with Catholicism, as I grew up going to Catholic church. That experience is was what led me away from all religion (and unfortunately, God) for many, many years.

I don't think your status as a lapsed Catholic makes you a superior authority on what Catholicism is to me, a person who is a Catholic now and still believes in it.

If you feel it brings you close to God and Jesus, then I'm grateful for it. Better than not. I do believe individual Catholics can be saved.

 

[Blackrook]

The assertion here couldn't be further from the truth if you tried. And I say that as someone who is familiar with Catholicism, as I grew up going to Catholic church. That experience is was what led me away from all religion (and unfortunately, God) for many, many years.

Again I have nothing against Catholic people. Most that I know are good, decent folks. It's the church teaching I have a problem with.

The reason Catholics tend to be good decent folks is because the Catholic Church teaches us to be that way. It's drilled into us every Mass at Sunday that showing love to people is the best witness we can give that we are Christians.

 

[Blackrook]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

The Catholic Church makes good people believe that the process of sanctification--which belongs solely to the Holy Spirit--has been farmed out to humans via rituals.

I've heard all this before.

Your Protestant pastors have no more authority to teach the Gospel or administer the sacraments than anyone else, so it makes sense you resent the Catholic priesthood.

I don't need a human mediator, and neither do you.

Christ is the High Priest, blackrook. That's why the curtain was torn in two. There is no separation. And believe me, there is no "resentment". I do not look at the Catholic Church and say, gosh golly, I wish I had what THEY have. No way.

The Protestant heaven is so empty, with only God and a few angels to greet you when you arrive.

Catholic heaven is filled with God, Jesus, Mary, all the Saints and angels, thousands of friends who are watching you and will pray for you whenever you ask.

The Saints are Catholic heroes. The stories of their lives inspire us, show us the way.

My name Saint is Sir Thomas More, who died rather than swear an oath that King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn was valid. He is a lawyer, like me, and his life of personal courage and unquestionable ethics gives me a role model to imitate.

Just to be clear, if there are separate heavens for each brand of religion, doesn't that throw your theory of one God judging whether you go to heaven or hell out the window?

I was not being literal.

 

[buttercup]

The assertion here couldn't be further from the truth if you tried. And I say that as someone who is familiar with Catholicism, as I grew up going to Catholic church. That experience is was what led me away from all religion (and unfortunately, God) for many, many years.

Again I have nothing against Catholic people. Most that I know are good, decent folks. It's the church teaching I have a problem with.

I never thought otherwise. Did you think my post was about you? Just in case there was any confusion, my statement was about Blackrook's original post.

I agree with you, btw. I know good Catholic folks. It's the church itself that I have a problem with, to put it mildly.

 

[BULLDOG]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

The Catholic Church makes good people believe that the process of sanctification--which belongs solely to the Holy Spirit--has been farmed out to humans via rituals.

I've heard all this before.

Your Protestant pastors have no more authority to teach the Gospel or administer the sacraments than anyone else, so it makes sense you resent the Catholic priesthood.

I don't need a human mediator, and neither do you.

Christ is the High Priest, blackrook. That's why the curtain was torn in two. There is no separation. And believe me, there is no "resentment". I do not look at the Catholic Church and say, gosh golly, I wish I had what THEY have. No way.

The Protestant heaven is so empty, with only God and a few angels to greet you when you arrive.

Catholic heaven is filled with God, Jesus, Mary, all the Saints and angels, thousands of friends who are watching you and will pray for you whenever you ask.

The Saints are Catholic heroes. The stories of their lives inspire us, show us the way.

My name Saint is Sir Thomas More, who died rather than swear an oath that King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn was valid. He is a lawyer, like me, and his life of personal courage and unquestionable ethics gives me a role model to imitate.

Just to be clear, if there are separate heavens for each brand of religion, doesn't that throw your theory of one God judging whether you go to heaven or hell out the window?

I was not being literal.

As often as you spout bullshit, it's hard to tell when you are making an intentionally irrational claim or not.

 

[Blackrook]

I thought briefly of leaving the Catholic Church and converting to Episcopalianism. Let me tell you why I didn't:

I asked the Episcopalian priest whether his church taught that the Eucharist was the True Presence of Jesus's Body and Blood.

The priest said, he personally believed that, but many of his congregation did not believe it, and that's OK too.

Contrast that to the attitude of my Catholic priest, who told us during his homily that he had heard that many Catholics did not believe in the True Presence in the Eucharist. Well, he was downright pissed about this and told us, under no circumstances, that it was acceptable to disbelieve the Catholic teaching that the Eucharist was the True Presence.

So here's the difference:

The Protestant priest believes it's not really his concern whether or not his flock believes in a doctrine as central as the meaning of the Eucharist.

The Catholic priest believes it is his most important business to make sure Catholics believe Catholic teachings about the Eucharist.

It's like the difference between standing on a solid rock and standing on shifting sands that move with the tide.

 

[Crepitus]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

So, because they are primitive, anti-science, and misogynistic they are the "one true church"?

 

[Blackrook]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

1. There is nothing in the Bible about contraception.

2. Divorce is not exactly encouraged in many Christian churches

3. Women cannot be pastors in my church

4. The Catholic Church stating that the Holy Spirit preserves is from error is the ultimate "circular reasoning". Um, look at Pope Francis, sorry, he's just full of error

My husband was Catholic and my lovely in-laws (I mean that) are Catholic. I have no problem with Catholic people, but the Catholic CHURCH withholds Christian teaching from too many.

The Catholic Church withholds Christian teaching?

That's an obsolete accusation more credible before the printing press was invented and rare and expensive Catholic Bibles had to be locked to the pulpit so they wouldn't be stolen.

Make that accusation 500 years ago and you might have had a point.

The Catholic Church makes good people believe that the process of sanctification--which belongs solely to the Holy Spirit--has been farmed out to humans via rituals.

I've heard all this before.

Your Protestant pastors have no more authority to teach the Gospel or administer the sacraments than anyone else, so it makes sense you resent the Catholic priesthood.

I don't need a human mediator, and neither do you.

Christ is the High Priest, blackrook. That's why the curtain was torn in two. There is no separation. And believe me, there is no "resentment". I do not look at the Catholic Church and say, gosh golly, I wish I had what THEY have. No way.

The Protestant heaven is so empty, with only God and a few angels to greet you when you arrive.

Catholic heaven is filled with God, Jesus, Mary, all the Saints and angels, thousands of friends who are watching you and will pray for you whenever you ask.

The Saints are Catholic heroes. The stories of their lives inspire us, show us the way.

My name Saint is Sir Thomas More, who died rather than swear an oath that King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn was valid. He is a lawyer, like me, and his life of personal courage and unquestionable ethics gives me a role model to imitate.

Just to be clear, if there are separate heavens for each brand of religion, doesn't that throw your theory of one God judging whether you go to heaven or hell out the window?

I was not being literal.

As often as you spout bullshit, it's hard to tell when you are making an intentionally irrational claim or not.

You disagree with me, but I don't spout bullshit. I believe everything I say, and I've never deliberately said anything that was untrue.

 

[Blackrook]

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on artificial forms of birth control.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on Jesus' teaching that one should not divorce and remarry.

The Catholic Church is the only church that has held the line on women being excluded from the priesthood.

You may disagree with these positions, the whole world may disagree, but the Catholic Church's holding to unpopular positions is proof that the Catholic Church is not a creature of popular opinion but something more powerful and permanent.

The Catholic Church is the only church preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.

All other churches' holding of any doctrine can be changed by a vote of its leadership and/or membership.

Only the Pope can change a Catholic doctrine, but because the Holy Spirit guides him, doctrines that were true yesterday remain true today.

So, because they are primitive, anti-science, and misogynistic they are the "one true church"?

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The Catholic Church preserved the knowledge of the ancient world and brought Europe out of the dark ages. It is absurd to say we are "anti-science." Many of the best universities are Catholic.