M
MaryT777
Guest
LOL… Just cut a nickel in half!~That ought to raise some eyebrows for those that count the money.I always have trouble tithing one and a half nickles. Evenly.
GKC
Mary.
LOL… Just cut a nickel in half!~That ought to raise some eyebrows for those that count the money.I always have trouble tithing one and a half nickles. Evenly.
GKC
It’s harder than that. I need to come up with 10% of 7.5 cents.LOL… Just cut a nickel in half!~That ought to raise some eyebrows for those that count the money.
Mary.
Oh I see…now that IS a dilemma!It’s harder than that. I need to come up with 10% of 7.5 cents.
GKC
=Kliska;11733324]lol No, not one particular issue.
GOD WILLING THIS WILL HELP YOU SEE GOD’S TRUTHHowever, I will say, as I’ve said in many many threads, if I believed in transubstantiation, I’d be much more drawn to the RCC. I’ve studied, read, prayed, absorbed scripture, thus far no “light bulb” moment except a more stalwart belief against transubstantiation.
=Tomyris;11735171]There are a number of issues, but probably the biggest is the spectacular refusal of the bishops and priests to teach, or model, the Catholic faith to the people. In particular is my RCIA instructor who rejected the Trinity, taught us Muslim prayers (in front of the priest) and said we really have no way of knowing what happened with “the Jesus events” because the records are untrustworthy and were written centuries after those events. He thought there was no way we could know if someone named Jesus ever lived. He is the director of religious instruction. I looked at the parish paper recently and he wrote an article in which he discussed Jesus having demons in him.
I heard a homily once on how to make bread, another on the places in the sanctuary where the bishop anointed the place.
My DEAR friend in Christ;I have repeatedly run into Catholics who know much less about Catholicism than I do, even on CAF, and Catholics who, by their lifestyle, testify that the Church is not to be believed. In our church we have many people who have left the Catholic church and repeatedly say that the reason they left was the lack of teaching. I know a woman who went to parish school with the children of the mafia - everyone knew what the parents did - but it was ok, there was no call for repentance or holy living. One could be a good Catholic and be in the mafia, too. That’s what she grew up with. Another woman I know said what she likes about being a practicing Catholic is that there is a loophole for everything, so you can do whatever you want without ever worrying about sin. This is the testimony of Catholics I know, and CAF is a small voice in a roaring river of this kind of stuff.
This is what holds me back, also.I should clarify. Not Mary herself, just the quantity and exhuberance with which focus is placed on her by many. I have no problem with Mary or any other member of the Communion of Saints, nor asking their assistance in prayer.
Originally Posted by PJM
Dear friend, Is there one issue in particular that is holding you back from the Catholic Church?
God Bless you, Patrick
Tomyris;11735171] There are a number of issues, but probably the biggest is the spectacular refusal of the bishops and priests to teach, or model, the Catholic faith to the people. In particular is my RCIA instructor who rejected the Trinity, taught us Muslim prayers (in front of the priest) and said we really have no way of knowing what happened with “the Jesus events” because the records are untrustworthy and were written centuries after those events. He thought there was no way we could know if someone named Jesus ever lived. He is the director of religious instruction. I looked at the parish paper recently and he wrote an article in which he discussed Jesus having demons in him.
I heard a homily once on how to make bread, another on the places in the sanctuary where the bishop anointed the place.
Such a miscellany of diverse comments in answer to the OP’s question,I have repeatedly run into Catholics who know much less about Catholicism than I do, even on CAF, and Catholics who, by their lifestyle, testify that the Church is not to be believed. In our church we have many people who have left the Catholic church and repeatedly say that the reason they left was the lack of teaching. I know a woman who went to parish school with the children of the mafia - everyone knew what the parents did - but it was ok, there was no call for repentance or holy living. One could be a good Catholic and be in the mafia, too. That’s what she grew up with. Another woman I know said what she likes about being a practicing Catholic is that there is a loophole for everything, so you can do whatever you want without ever worrying about sin. This is the testimony of Catholics I know, and CAF is a small voice in a roaring river of this kind of stuff.
It begs the question, is it the intention of the OP, or any other person to submit the final list (if there could be envisioned such a thing) to a higher authority with a view to its being used to narrow the gap between Roman Catholics, and Non-Roman Catholics?**“Is there one issue in particular that is holding you back from the Catholic Church?” **
I heard it from the highest authority; “Love one another as I have Loved you”.Such a miscellany of diverse comments in answer to the OP’s question,
It begs the question, is it the intention of the OP, or any other person to submit the final list (if there could be envisioned such a thing) to a higher authority with a view to its being used to narrow the gap between Roman Catholics, and Non-Roman Catholics?
Protector.
The ONLY issue that is holding me back from the Catholic Church is the personages of the Bab and Baha’u’llahDear friend,
Is there one issue in particular that is holding you back from the Catholic Church?
God Bless you,
Patrick
I don’t see ECF in that list.Patrick, I feel honored you picked my point to discuss, but I can assure you I’ve read the scriptures multiple times, the catechism, RC Apologists, Lutheran Apologists, Orthodox Apologists, Anglican Apologists… still not seein’ it.
The problems I have with the Church are endemic to Christianity as a whole. If i was Christian I would be Catholic.Dear friend,
Is there one issue in particular that is holding you back from the Catholic Church?
God Bless you,
Patrick
I pray, then, that the Holy Spirit move you in that way.The problems I have with the Church are endemic to Christianity as a whole. If i was Christian I would be Catholic.
Would you mind sending me the Parish’s name by PM?There are a number of issues, but probably the biggest is the spectacular refusal of the bishops and priests to teach, or model, the Catholic faith to the people. In particular is my RCIA instructor who rejected the Trinity, taught us Muslim prayers (in front of the priest) and said we really have no way of knowing what happened with “the Jesus events” because the records are untrustworthy and were written centuries after those events. He thought there was no way we could know if someone named Jesus ever lived. He is the director of religious instruction. I looked at the parish paper recently and he wrote an article in which he discussed Jesus having demons in him.
I heard a homily once on how to make bread, another on the places in the sanctuary where the bishop anointed the place.
I have repeatedly run into Catholics who know much less about Catholicism than I do, even on CAF, and Catholics who, by their lifestyle, testify that the Church is not to be believed. In our church we have many people who have left the Catholic church and repeatedly say that the reason they left was the lack of teaching. I know a woman who went to parish school with the children of the mafia - everyone knew what the parents did - but it was ok, there was no call for repentance or holy living. One could be a good Catholic and be in the mafia, too. That’s what she grew up with. Another woman I know said what she likes about being a practicing Catholic is that there is a loophole for everything, so you can do whatever you want without ever worrying about sin. This is the testimony of Catholics I know, and CAF is a small voice in a roaring river of this kind of stuff.
It’s harder than that. I need to come up with 10% of 7.5 cents.
GKC
Not at all, all you need to do is find the right foreign currencyOh I see…now that IS a dilemma!
Mary.
Just to clarify, I have read many of the ECF’s that are cited on each side of this issue (I’m certainly not claiming to have read them all), and this is causing some of my thoughts on the topic to be solidified. Meaning that, as I’ve discussed in other threads, that they are going to talk about the Lord’s Supper in a very particular way because of the prevailing philosophical culture of the day. There is going to be an element of Platonic thought, and as they express those thoughts in the philosophical manner (unfortunately) for us that we are not used to in modern times. So while I do believe some ECF’s and some early Christian writers do hold to a literal somatic presence, I also feel that some don’t, and it’s not a majority vs. minority.I don’t see ECF in that list.
One thing I have noticed when it comes to a dogma, is that there is usually a relationship to other dogmas. ie Since I know this this and this, those other “fact” are therefore going to influence and possibly impede my observation of the point under consideration. Since those other beliefs are not being questioned but, as it were, set in concrete, they do not become part of the question, and therefore they directly influence the evaluation of the point being looked at, often without realizing it.
I see this particularly in the huge shift from Catholic teaching, a gradual shift, beginning at the protestant. Since one belief was changed slightly, this eventually lead to a second belief being changed, which eventually lead to a third belief being changed. At some point in that progression the original belief of the real presence changed to symbology. It required a certain amount of change of other beliefs before that particular belief was able to change without conflicting the other beliefs.
So I ask the question are there any other things you belief which are influencing in a preventative manner, your acceptance of the real presence?
So it is the prevailing philosophical culture of today (materialist) that is influencing your understanding then?Just to clarify, I have read many of the ECF’s that are cited on each side of this issue (I’m certainly not claiming to have read them all), and this is causing some of my thoughts on the topic to be solidified. Meaning that, as I’ve discussed in other threads, that they are going to talk about the Lord’s Supper in a very particular way because of the prevailing philosophical culture of the day. There is going to be an element of Platonic thought, and as they express those thoughts in the philosophical manner (unfortunately) for us that we are not used to in modern times. So while I do believe some ECF’s and some early Christian writers do hold to a literal somatic presence, I also feel that some don’t, and it’s not a majority vs. minority.
Your question to me is very profound and I’ve thought about it, and no, I don’t think there is any other barrier to my belief. I truly and humbly want to know the Truth, Jesus is my focus, I am intensely Christian, even the thought of Jesus being literal doesn’t bother me; there are actually people groups that eat flesh, drink blood so if that is what He wanted of me, that is what I’d do. Putting the whole matter into the context of Israelite culture and teachings, of their fest days and practices, of what other passages in the Bible seem to point to, I can’t “see” it being a somatic real presence.
There are just many many things in scripture that lead me to the conclusion that I rest on; which is not really a common one (I can agree with bits of Zwingli, Calvin, Luther, Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, etc…) but I can say I don’t believe in transubstantiation the way that idea is taught in the RCC, and I don’t believe in the somatic presence exactly as taught by rest. Now, I am in position to fully understand the ideas presented by the varying groups; I understand transubstantiation and why the RCC teaches it, I just don’t agree with it. Obviously, as a protestant, I don’t believe that the RCC is infallible nor has the corner on truth, so that route to belief at this point is cut off from me.
No, it is the understanding of the way things would have been communicated 1) in the Israelite/Jewish cultural frame of the OT/NT and 2) the platonic/cultural frame of many of the ECF’s. Taking those into account, I don’t see either supporting transubstantiation of the Eucharist. At most, I could say some ECF’s or early Christian writers supported the idea of transubstantiation.So it is the prevailing philosophical culture of today (materialist) that is influencing your understanding then?
Then here is the GOOD news=MarinerFan;11737110]This is what holds me back, also.
Yes, actually. I made a lot of noise there leaving and I wrote the bishop - I would probably be quickly identifiable, which is a no-no in my agreement with my husband on posting here.Would you mind sending me the Parish’s name by PM?
Thanks,