Aunt Insinuating My Father will be Damned

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skigirl1689

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I honestly don’t know if this would be better posted in another forum but it is family-centered but thought it might be more appropriate here seeing I am not Catholic. Yes and I am aware of Catholic theology but I don’t think that’s the issue as you will probably see.

My mom raised us Lutheran, and my dad doesn’t attend church but his was raised Catholic…I do not know the entire story but I know he believes in Christ and knows the Scriptures better than most people I know. The pastor we had growing up thought my dad was horrible for not going to church, even though my dad’s not Lutheran, and basically told my sister and I when we were 13/14 that our parents’ marriage was a mistake (they were married in the Lutheran church my mom attended as a child). Right or wrong in the eyes of the RCC, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to put that onto the consciences of the children.

Anyways, the next pastor and our newest pastor have been very kind to my dad and don’t make any of us feel guilty about my dad’s choices.

But after 25 years of my parents being married my aunt (my mom’s sister) very recently insinuated my dad will be damned because he doesn’t attend church and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church.

I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.

I guess I am just looking for some support or just a chance to get this off of my shoulders.

God Bless!
 
Who gave these Protestant ministers any authority to pronounce damnation on people who choose not to follow them? Maybe your dad considers himself his own pastor in his own church. There is no objective standard of authority in nearly all branches of Protestantism.
 
Most importantly, we never substitute ourselves for God in judging someones soul!

What we can do, and are even led by the Holy Spirit to do, is judge wheather our actions and faith are in accordance with the Gospel of Christ. When we do this to ourselves first, then out of the love we have commited ourselves to walk in His way and He will guide us in counceling our brothers in the faith. If someone claims to be a Christian, we have a Christian right to judge wheather or not they are walking in the Christian faith. The whole purpose is to build up to a healthy faith!

There is a landslide of Christians who are unable to muster their faith towards receiving the Eucharist.we can encourage and witness to them why God has compelled us to that Sacrament, and why it is a source of grace in our life. But if we do not produce the fruits of that grace, then how will another person be compelled to follow? This is our duty; to receive worthily and offer back to the Lord the life that He gave to us in the flesh of Jesus Christ!

Peace
Michael
 
skigirl1689 said:
I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.
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skigirl you are more wise than you give yourself credit and the above bolded statement attests to this. Be at peace dear sister!!! :angel1:
 
As former Lutheran, I don’t recall any teaching that taking communion in a Lutheran church was necessary of salvation, but then again, I was in the rather librul ELCA wing. How is that not a work?

Anyway, it sounds like the aunt is inventing Do-it-Yourself Lutheranism. More likely, she’s indulging the kind of ideological bluster that comes from lack of confidence in one’s own creeds.
 
Scott_Waddell said:
Anyway, it sounds like the aunt is inventing Do-it-Yourself Lutheranism. More likely, she’s indulging the kind of ideological bluster that comes from lack of confidence in one’s own creeds.
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^this^

Sometimes it seems like you just can’t make it plain and simple enough - the Eucharist is God’s work FOR us - we receive His grace through the Sacrament. It’s better to be spiritually full than starving, but only God can judge the life in us.
 
skigirl1689 said:
I honestly don’t know if this would be better posted in another forum but it is family-centered but thought it might be more appropriate here seeing I am not Catholic. Yes and I am aware of Catholic theology but I don’t think that’s the issue as you will probably see.

My mom raised us Lutheran, and my dad doesn’t attend church but his was raised Catholic…I do not know the entire story but I know he believes in Christ and knows the Scriptures better than most people I know. The pastor we had growing up thought my dad was horrible for not going to church, even though my dad’s not Lutheran, and basically told my sister and I when we were 13/14 that our parents’ marriage was a mistake (they were married in the Lutheran church my mom attended as a child). Right or wrong in the eyes of the RCC, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to put that onto the consciences of the children.

Anyways, the next pastor and our newest pastor have been very kind to my dad and don’t make any of us feel guilty about my dad’s choices.

But after 25 years of my parents being married my aunt (my mom’s sister) very recently insinuated my dad will be damned because he doesn’t attend church and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church.

I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.

I guess I am just looking for some support or just a chance to get this off of my shoulders.

God Bless!
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Quite frankly I’m disgusted by attacks that Catholics and protestants make against each other, in both directions. (I don’t even participate on protestant forums; and although I spend a lot of time on Catholic forums, I try to avoid reading posts that just seek to bash Protestants.)
 
The truth is that people are damned and don’t spend eternity with God.
Maybe he will be one of them. Maybe we who are reading this thread will be.
Rather than trying to soften this reality, use it to strengthen your resolve to pray and do penance during Lent for your sins and the sins of the world, as our blessed Mother asked us to do at Fatima.

Frankly, all of us fall short of the mark. As long as we have breath, we can turn to God, or turn away from him. The final chapter hasn’t been written for us, yet.
 
Scott_Waddell said:
As former Lutheran, I don’t recall any teaching that taking communion in a Lutheran church was necessary of salvation, but then again, I was in the rather librul ELCA wing. How is that not a work?

Anyway, it sounds like the aunt is inventing Do-it-Yourself Lutheranism. More likely, she’s indulging the kind of ideological bluster that comes from lack of confidence in one’s own creeds.
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Is there any other kind of Lutheranism? 😉
 
skigirl1689 said:
I honestly don’t know if this would be better posted in another forum but it is family-centered but thought it might be more appropriate here seeing I am not Catholic. Yes and I am aware of Catholic theology but I don’t think that’s the issue as you will probably see.

My mom raised us Lutheran, and my dad doesn’t attend church but his was raised Catholic…I do not know the entire story but I know he believes in Christ and knows the Scriptures better than most people I know. The pastor we had growing up thought my dad was horrible for not going to church, even though my dad’s not Lutheran, and basically told my sister and I when we were 13/14 that our parents’ marriage was a mistake (they were married in the Lutheran church my mom attended as a child). Right or wrong in the eyes of the RCC, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to put that onto the consciences of the children.

Anyways, the next pastor and our newest pastor have been very kind to my dad and don’t make any of us feel guilty about my dad’s choices.

But after 25 years of my parents being married my aunt (my mom’s sister) very recently insinuated my dad will be damned because he doesn’t attend church and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church.

I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.

I guess I am just looking for some support or just a chance to get this off of my shoulders.

God Bless!
Click to expand...
Missing one’s Sunday obligation, for a Catholic as your dad is, is (under normal circumstances) a mortal sin, i.e. one that leads to eternal damnation. Whether or not your dad in particular will be damned is beyond the ability of me, your aunt, or anyone shot of God to know, but objectively speaking missing Mass is something very serious (although missing Lutheran service is meaningless). Pray for your dad, your aunt, and hope in the Lord.
 
skigirl1689 said:
I honestly don’t know if this would be better posted in another forum but it is family-centered but thought it might be more appropriate here seeing I am not Catholic. Yes and I am aware of Catholic theology but I don’t think that’s the issue as you will probably see.

My mom raised us Lutheran, and my dad doesn’t attend church but his was raised Catholic…I do not know the entire story but I know he believes in Christ and knows the Scriptures better than most people I know. The pastor we had growing up thought my dad was horrible for not going to church, even though my dad’s not Lutheran, and basically told my sister and I when we were 13/14 that our parents’ marriage was a mistake (they were married in the Lutheran church my mom attended as a child). Right or wrong in the eyes of the RCC, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to put that onto the consciences of the children.

Anyways, the next pastor and our newest pastor have been very kind to my dad and don’t make any of us feel guilty about my dad’s choices.

But after 25 years of my parents being married my aunt (my mom’s sister) very recently insinuated my dad will be damned because he doesn’t attend church and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church.

I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.

I guess I am just looking for some support or just a chance to get this off of my shoulders.

God Bless!
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Your aunt is wrong, your cousin is wrong and so were the pastors that told you and your sister that your parents marriage was a mistake. Neither of my parents were Catholic. My mom was Baptist and so is my dad officially. He does not attend church however. Still he helps people more than any man I know, would sacrifice his life to save you if need be, and does believe in God.

His conversion is something I pray for and I trust in God to accomplish. It is not up to me to ban him from my life to accomplish that conversion. That does just the opposite. People are being self righteous when they do that sort of thing.
 
adf417 said:
skigirl you are more wise than you give yourself credit and the above bolded statement attests to this. Be at peace dear sister!!! :angel1:
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Thank you for your kind words! It’s just difficult to think it is still an issue in my family and indicates a lack of respect for my father and our family unit as a whole. It works for us; we grew up encouraged to follow the Lord.
Scott_Waddell said:
As former Lutheran, I don’t recall any teaching that taking communion in a Lutheran church was necessary of salvation, but then again, I was in the rather librul ELCA wing. How is that not a work?

Anyway, it sounds like the aunt is inventing Do-it-Yourself Lutheranism. More likely, she’s indulging the kind of ideological bluster that comes from lack of confidence in one’s own creeds.
Click to expand...
I am in a more conservative Lutheran synod, and while the Sacrament is important, we don’t automatically condemn other denominations as where the Gospel is present, it can always be effective.
PietroPaolo said:
Missing one’s Sunday obligation, for a Catholic as your dad is, is (under normal circumstances) a mortal sin, i.e. one that leads to eternal damnation. Whether or not your dad in particular will be damned is beyond the ability of me, your aunt, or anyone shot of God to know, but objectively speaking missing Mass is something very serious (although missing Lutheran service is meaningless). Pray for your dad, your aunt, and hope in the Lord.
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Yes, I understand this is the belief of the RCC. I do not wish to debate theology, I know my dad read the Bible, and found it did not align with what he was taught as a child. I know the Catholic Church says he basically left the Church and is in mortal sin, and as a Lutheran I don’t get where this pronouncement upon his soul reflects anything Christ said. I guess I have to be thankful most of my family is not judging his eternal destination and accepts my parents’ marriage.
 
skigirl1689 said:
I honestly don’t know if this would be better posted in another forum but it is family-centered but thought it might be more appropriate here seeing I am not Catholic. Yes and I am aware of Catholic theology but I don’t think that’s the issue as you will probably see.

My mom raised us Lutheran, and my dad doesn’t attend church but his was raised Catholic…I do not know the entire story but I know he believes in Christ and knows the Scriptures better than most people I know. The pastor we had growing up thought my dad was horrible for not going to church, even though my dad’s not Lutheran, and basically told my sister and I when we were 13/14 that our parents’ marriage was a mistake (they were married in the Lutheran church my mom attended as a child). Right or wrong in the eyes of the RCC, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to put that onto the consciences of the children.

Anyways, the next pastor and our newest pastor have been very kind to my dad and don’t make any of us feel guilty about my dad’s choices.

But after 25 years of my parents being married my aunt (my mom’s sister) very recently insinuated my dad will be damned because he doesn’t attend church and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church.

I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.

I guess I am just looking for some support or just a chance to get this off of my shoulders.

God Bless!
Click to expand...
You can choose your friends, not your family. 😉
If you aunt something like that again, I would confront her. Don’t let her get away with such a thing. You might want to ask her how she knows what only God know.
 
You know, if you look at risk management, he definitely is in the red zone.

Do you know the scripture, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood, you have no life within you”. As Catholics, we understand the Jesus indeed gave us his very flesh and blood in the Eucharist and what can we say about Catholics who leave the Church? Their risk management is in the red zone.

What do we say to Lutherans that say “Jesus didn’t mean that”. Jesus lost many disciples over this very thing, because it was a ‘hard saying’. They understood what he meant, and couldn’t believe it. Jesus didn’t run after them and say, “Wait! You misunderstood what I meant”, because they did understand what he meant. “My flesh is food indeed, and my blood drink indeed”. What can we say about anyone who “knows the Bible”, yet doesn’t do everything they can to ‘have life within them’ and Christ Himself set up for us, for all ages? They are in the red zone of risk management.

I don’t know where your family members will be at the end of their life, or what my situation will be at the end of mine. Pray and offer sacrifices to God that those people, who are approaching their last day on this earth and are about to come before the Judgement Seat of God, reach to God and have sorrow for their sins. May God pour out His mercy on them, and on us as well. The road is narrow and not many find it, and it’s sobering to think of it. God bless.
 
=skigirl1689;11785796]I honestly don’t know if this would be better posted in another forum but it is family-centered but thought it might be more appropriate here seeing I am not Catholic. Yes and I am aware of Catholic theology but I don’t think that’s the issue as you will probably see.
Click to expand...
My mom raised us Lutheran, and my dad doesn’t attend church but his was raised Catholic…I do not know the entire story but I know he believes in Christ and knows the Scriptures better than most people I know. The pastor we had growing up thought my dad was horrible for not going to church, even though my dad’s not Lutheran, and basically told my sister and I when we were 13/14 that our parents’ marriage was a mistake (they were married in the Lutheran church my mom attended as a child). Right or wrong in the eyes of the RCC, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to put that onto the consciences of the children.
Click to expand...
Anyways, the next pastor and our newest pastor have been very kind to my dad and don’t make any of us feel guilty about my dad’s choices.
Click to expand...
But after 25 years of my parents being married my aunt (my mom’s sister) very recently insinuated my dad will be damned because he doesn’t attend church and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church.
Click to expand...
I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.
Click to expand...
I guess I am just looking for some support or just a chance to get this off of my shoulders.
Click to expand...
God Bless!
Click to expand...
Thanks for asking:

Because there is but One true God; that OTG can and DOES have only one set of faith beliefs and founded, following OT tradition of One Chosen people; only One Church [Eph 4:4-8]

The problem common to all Protestant denominations is they usurp God’s exclusive Authority by demanding God effect salvation the way THEY want it or determine it to be.
God does not work like that.

It was Divine perfection that choose to found only One New Faith in One New Church. When there is JUST ONE option; it has to be the correct one. So Christ wisely gave ALL of the Keys [things needed] to ONLY and directly too St Peter and the Catholic Church. so everyone COULD know the truth and where to find it.

Salvation outside the church is conditionally possible to those “who NO fault of there own do not know of christ and His One true church.” CCC 780, 845, 847, & 1260 fully express this truth.

Not practicing ones faith is the same as denying its truth and need.

Your Aunt is not living in this example true Christian Charity. BUT going to Mass is one of the Commandments. Serious stuff to disobey.:o

Pray much my friend!
Patrick
 
PennyinCanada said:
You know, if you look at risk management, he definitely is in the red zone.

Do you know the scripture, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood, you have no life within you”. As Catholics, we understand the Jesus indeed gave us his very flesh and blood in the Eucharist and what can we say about Catholics who leave the Church? Their risk management is in the red zone.

What do we say to Lutherans that say “Jesus didn’t mean that”. Jesus lost many disciples over this very thing, because it was a ‘hard saying’. They understood what he meant, and couldn’t believe it. Jesus didn’t run after them and say, “Wait! You misunderstood what I meant”, because they did understand what he meant. “My flesh is food indeed, and my blood drink indeed”. What can we say about anyone who “knows the Bible”, yet doesn’t do everything they can to ‘have life within them’ and Christ Himself set up for us, for all ages? They are in the red zone of risk management.

I don’t know where your family members will be at the end of their life, or what my situation will be at the end of mine. Pray and offer sacrifices to God that those people, who are approaching their last day on this earth and are about to come before the Judgement Seat of God, reach to God and have sorrow for their sins. May God pour out His mercy on them, and on us as well. The road is narrow and not many find it, and it’s sobering to think of it. God bless.
Click to expand...
Question is, do you take “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood, you have no life within you” literally?
 
skigirl1689 said:
I honestly don’t know if this would be better posted in another forum but it is family-centered but thought it might be more appropriate here seeing I am not Catholic. Yes and I am aware of Catholic theology but I don’t think that’s the issue as you will probably see.

My mom raised us Lutheran, and my dad doesn’t attend church but his was raised Catholic…I do not know the entire story but I know he believes in Christ and knows the Scriptures better than most people I know. The pastor we had growing up thought my dad was horrible for not going to church, even though my dad’s not Lutheran, and basically told my sister and I when we were 13/14 that our parents’ marriage was a mistake (they were married in the Lutheran church my mom attended as a child). Right or wrong in the eyes of the RCC, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to put that onto the consciences of the children.

Anyways, the next pastor and our newest pastor have been very kind to my dad and don’t make any of us feel guilty about my dad’s choices.

But after 25 years of my parents being married my aunt (my mom’s sister) very recently insinuated my dad will be damned because he doesn’t attend church and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church.

I’m really hurt by this, even though I know only God truly sees what my dad believes. I think it got brought up because my cousin is keeping her son’s father from knowing he exists because he does not attend church, among other reasons (I know, sounds like the lovely situation it is), and my aunt related that to my dad’s choices.

I guess I am just looking for some support or just a chance to get this off of my shoulders.

God Bless!
Click to expand...
With all due respect to all sides in this family drama, your dad does need to get back to church, but frankly he ought to be attending the local Catholic Church. He was brought up in it after all. If that puts him at odds with the rest of what appears to be a Lutheran family, well then, so be it.

Maybe God’s using your aunt as a blunt instrument to get him to do something about his church attendance.

I’m somewhat cynical though about Protestants saying their particular brand of Christianity is the only one. They inherited ALL of their main traditions from the Catholic Church, but picked and chose which ones they’d modify or ignore completely.

The Bible itself is a Catholic Scriptural tradition. It didn’t suddenly appear in the 16th Century. The Catholic Church kept it going in the West for well over 1000 years before Luther even existed. And the earliest church didn’t even have a Bible - it didn’t exist, not in the sense we know it.
 
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