I do not feel a heavy load in my Catholic faith. Since I returned to Catholicism 3 and a half years ago, after being away 40 years, I feel lighter than ever. I feel peace and love I never felt before. I love my faith in Christ and His Church. There is NO BURDEN ONLY THANKFULLNESS FOR GOD’S GRACE WHICH I DID NOT ASK FOR.
That is where, my friend, you are incorrect. I have studied two years on my own and have gone to RCIA so I am very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church. I am still Protestant, and that is due to family issues. The reason I still uphold my Protestant brothers is because some Catholics don’t disagree with us nicely. I believe 100% of what the Church teaches, but I also believe that God uses ministries of non-Catholics and to say or imply that non-Catholics cannot have valid ministries is incorrect…and goes against tangible evidence.
How do you know you are one of the sheep? Remember, the path is narrow and many will say they belong to him and will do great works but Jesus will tell them that He never knew them.
The Church teaches that no one is more powerful than God, and that no one can take a child of God away from the Father. That would imply a lack of free will.
This would probably apply to another thread. However, is there such a thing as free will if we do not have grace operating within us? It is grace that begins the process of maturation. Grace gave me the the knowledge of God’s existence and His Love for us. Until His Grace helped me to a certain point of maturity my free will only operated within a limited set of choices based on my level of maturation. Free will is limited and is determined by the quality of our early relationships with those who are given the immense responsibility of being examples of God’s Love. Unfortunately, most of the time we have been given poor examples of God’s Love and consequently there is no love experienced and only the rule of law. Free will in this particular scenario is exercised by looking for that perfect love we are created for. That is why many leave Catholicism. I returned because of God’s Grace and not someone telling me that I was wrong and that I exercised my free will to rebel against God. I was looking for God while I was away and found that God is Love before I ever returned to Catholicism. God’s Grace brought me home and now free will is truly free will because I have been given much and would be absolutely insane to leave.
You don’t!
She has no power. Tell me where in the Bible does God give her power. Really, I want to know. But the catholics do make her out to be more than God. Do you pray to our Heavenly Father? No you don’t. You pray to Mary and the Saints. You ask for their help, instead of God’s help.
I respectfully disagree with you. If you claim I do not know what I am talking about, PM me and we can discuss this. In the meantime, please don’t make blanket statements without facts about what another person knows and does not know.
Here I will defend Catholic doctrine. Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints to ask them to intercede for us, just like we ask a friend to pray for us. Catholics most certainly ask God for help! I see sola scriptura rearing its head again!!
If He did, then he would’ve told us so in the Holy Bible. But, He doesn’t.
I suggest that you read everything about Mary in the Gospels and consider asking God to show you the significance about her being the Mother of God and what it means to be carrying God in her womb.
No, he is not preaching a false doctrine. What he teaches lines up with the Word of God. If it lines up with the Word of God, then it’s not false doctrine. You’re looking like a fool here.
We don’t need the teachings from the catholic church. That’s what you’re misunderstanding. All you need to know is what the Word of God says, meaning the Holy Bible and not some other books that you’ve collected in your library that teach a false doctrine.
They can’t intercede for you, except for the living ones down here. You can ask for other people to pray for you, just not the ones who are in Heaven, except for Jesus Christ.Here I will defend Catholic doctrine. Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints to ask them to intercede for us, just like we ask a friend to pray for us. Catholics most certainly ask God for help! I see sola scriptura rearing its head again!!
The teaching of the Church is that the Holy Spirit works through these persons and communities to bring people to God.
So then what is the big deal with you? You must then hold to your own words, and reject ANYTHING that Graham or Stanley have to preach or teach.
The two are not incompatible. the Holy Father can be polite and cordial to his brethren in Christ, yet recognize that they are not teaching the fullness of the faith.
The Catholic Church teaches that man is made in the image an likeness of God. That means we have free choice. We can choose to JUMP out of His hand, to bite the hand that feeds, and run from that hand.
How do you know what the souls in heaven with God are capable of doing? The saints in heaven are closest to God and certainly have more knowledge about God than we do and also have a direct relationship with God that is not contaminated by an bias or prejudice. Where is it written that the saints in heaven do not pray for us?