Beware of Bible studies!

  • Thread starter Thread starter cestusdei
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
40.png
Lamb100:
It’s very clearly spelled out in Scripture that we’re not supposed to invoke the dead (necromancy)…
Click to expand...
Necromancy is contacting the dead for the purpose of telling the future. The Catholic Church forbids this. This is not the same as asking someone in heaven to pray for you. You can ask anyone to pray for you. Those who would not be able to do so are those who are in hell and completely separated from everyone and everything for all eternity.
 
Nancy thank yu for your reply. I have tried everything, even getting a bible study started in my own home. Till this day there is still a flyer out there but no response. In Canada I feel perhaps even narrowing it down to where I live in the city of Stoney Creek NO ONE want to read the bible and people that know me sometimes call me a nun to joke around. I am so tempted to leave the faith. I am born Catholic and I tried so hard the them but can’t cut through. I know some other people that are much kinder and more excepting to bible studies. Bible studies are a part of their life. I don’t know what else to do.Loretta
 
40.png
angelictouch:
Nancy thank yu for your reply. I have tried everything, even getting a bible study started in my own home. Till this day there is still a flyer out there but no response. In Canada I feel perhaps even narrowing it down to where I live in the city of Stoney Creek NO ONE want to read the bible and people that know me sometimes call me a nun to joke around. I am so tempted to leave the faith. I am born Catholic and I tried so hard the them but can’t cut through. I know some other people that are much kinder and more excepting to bible studies. Bible studies are a part of their life. I don’t know what else to do.Loretta
Click to expand...
Hi Loretta!

To leave the faith is to leave the truth. What good is changing to a place that has bible studies if there is no guarentee that what you learn there is truth? A bible study for the sake of a bible study is useless. We study the bible for the truth because it’s the truth the sets us free, not bible studies.

I’m on the adult education committee at my parish and we were talking at our last meeting about how we can light a flame under people to study scripture and work on their relationship with the Lord. I truly understand what you’re feeling, but leaving the Church isn’t the answer. Pray about it. Ask God to lead you to a place where you can be active in your faith. It may take awhile, but the Lord will surprise you. Don’t give up hope and don’t jump ship.

I’m going to put you in my prayer journal!!! Please let me know when God gives you the answer!!

In Christ,
Nancy 🙂
 
40.png
angelictouch:
Nancy thank yu for your reply. I have tried everything, even getting a bible study started in my own home. Till this day there is still a flyer out there but no response. In Canada I feel perhaps even narrowing it down to where I live in the city of Stoney Creek NO ONE want to read the bible and people that know me sometimes call me a nun to joke around. I am so tempted to leave the faith. I am born Catholic and I tried so hard the them but can’t cut through. I know some other people that are much kinder and more excepting to bible studies. Bible studies are a part of their life. I don’t know what else to do.Loretta
Click to expand...
Surely you don’t mean you would leave the faith because you can’t find other Catholics to do a Bible study! Have you approached your parish priest? Also, remember that as important to Catholics as Bible studies is the study of our Cathechism which derives directly from the Bible. If you don’t have a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, you should get one. It is a phenomenal work. I find it beautiful and inspiring to read the CCC and find the citations (that support the doctrine) in the Bible.
 
donna always nice to hear from you. i personally sometimes ask my granma to pray for god to help me when i have a problem. i know she is not a saint but for me she was a special granma so i pray to her. i know she is in heaven. iam not scared of dead people iam more scared of the living, although i have a friend who tell me many years ago that she was driving alone in the car one nite an that the angel of death appear to her an that she started praying to god an the saints an after awhile the angel went away. very spookie:eek: well take care hope didn’t scared ya.god bless. mayra
 
40.png
Catholic4aReasn:
I have no military background, but do different divisions within the same company conflict with and contradict one another in vital ways?

In Christ,
Nancy 🙂
Click to expand...
I meant company in the business sense of the word (I don’t have any military background either 🙂 ). I probably should have used the word “departments” instead of divisions. Often times, different departments in a company will step on each other’s toes in their work towards the fullfillment of their firm’s Vision Statement.

Take the Information Technology and Finance/Accounting groups. Both are trying to do their best to make the company successful, but come budget time, they are usually at odds.
 
40.png
pacersFan:
I meant company in the business sense of the word (I don’t have any military background either 🙂 ). I probably should have used the word “departments” instead of divisions. Often times, different departments in a company will step on each other’s toes in their work towards the fullfillment of their firm’s Vision Statement.

Take the Information Technology and Finance/Accounting groups. Both are trying to do their best to make the company successful, but come budget time, they are usually at odds.
Click to expand...
I understand what you are saying, but within the Body of Christ is this conflict even possible? Can the holy Spirit really be telling one group that “A” is true and another that “not A” is true? That’s what Protestantism would have us believe.

In Christ,
Nancy 🙂
 
40.png
cestusdei:
While they are Christians that doesn’t mean they cannot or do not “steal”. That is a fair description of their tactics.
Click to expand...
I don’t condone the tatics you mentioned they employ, nor can I understand why someone would want switch to another church (I am proud to call The Catholic Church my home). I can understand how frustrating it may be for you, as you obviously care greatly for these people.

That said, who it is that they are stealing from, God or your parish? Doesn’t stealing mean that something is taken from it’s rightful owner? The people ultimately belong to God, the Churches are just the stewards to help guide them during their brief stay in this World.
 
40.png
Catholic4aReasn:
I understand what you are saying, but within the Body of Christ is this conflict even possible? Can the holy Spirit really be telling one group that “A” is true and another that “not A” is true? That’s what Protestantism would have us believe.

In Christ,
Nancy 🙂
Click to expand...
I see what you are saying, and I have no good answer as to why this is happening, other than maybe that the decentralized and divided structure of the Protestantism movement is slowing down their churches’ spiritual growth. It took the Catholic Church until around 397 to finally decide which books of the New Testament were cannonical, and I believe that the concept of the Trinity was not with the church from the beginning as well. I hope that eventually they will evolve to the point that the Catholic Church is at.
 
Thanks to everyone for answering my questions–it’s so comforting to know it’s ok to pray to the dead (who aren’t dead–I know). 🙂 Thank you all so much.
Matt–much to think on in your replies–I’m still confused, but maybe on a higher level of confusion! 😉

Mayra–that is spooky–so glad prayers took care of that evil spirit in the car. Personally, I pray the St. Michael prayer a whole lot…

Loretta–a few months ago when I was tempted to jump ship because I missed my Baptist Bible studies, God and faithful Catholics reminded me that nothing is worth leaving the Blessed Sacrament–even if I end up being lonely the rest of my life. I honestly love Him so much I can’t believe I lived for 50 years without even realizing this existed! I’d never leave the Eucharist, even though the Catholic Church has sorely annoyed me at times. Anyway–hope this helps. Besides, we won’t end up being lonely–keep praying–I’m sure there’s at least one other person near you who must feel the same, and if not–study on your own–somewhere on these boards someone listed all the great Catholic Bible studies out there. One that interests me is through catholic exchange online–Catholic Scripture Studies, by the likes of Mark Shea, Jeff Cavins and Scott Hahn. I’m about to start the one on Galatians. It references both the Bible and the Catechism, and quotes from the Pope. It looks really good–they’re designed for individual or group study–check it out! And Mayra was talking about one of several on Scott Hahn’s site–at savationhistory dot com. There’s so much out there, so I know that at least somewhere in this world there are lots of other Scripture-starved Catholics!

Oh–and see if your priest is interested in Christ Renews His Parish–it’s been around for almost 60 years, I just heard, and it’s brought me in contact with like-minded people in my parish, who love the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother, and Scripture–just at the point when I was at my lowest and felt like you do, our assistant pastor, bless his heart, told me about a retreat coming up. It took awhile, because I was depressed and resistant–but God really answered my prayer for Christian friends in this way. I know in Texas (Austin diocese) they have something similar called A.C.T.S.

In Him,
Donna
 
Until 2 years ago (this is the 3rd year) the only catholic study in my area was a lenten study, it was 7 weeks and our parish used the Little Rock (I only attended one…I just wasnt’ comfortable with that book).

In the meantime, the catholics I knew and met were at an interdenominational study. I have to say it is great and it’s my 4th year. Like I said, my 2nd year there, the catholic study started, so I began doing both. In the catholic study, we use the “Come and See” workbooks (are they what you are talking about Father?) I have to say they are a wonderful study of scriptures and the CCC.

In the meantime, I do still attend the interdenominational…but I do feel strong enough in my faith to attend. As a matter of fact, over the years, the woman “in charge” so to speak, the main teaching director is a Catholic woman!! (a practicing catholic).

Mind you, I prayed long and hard before decided what to do about both studies, and I feel God called me, along with a handful of other faithful Catholics to stay, to defend our Church, to spread the gospel, to be an example of Christ.
 
40.png
all4life:
Until 2 years ago (this is the 3rd year) the only catholic study in my area was a lenten study, it was 7 weeks and our parish used the Little Rock (I only attended one…I just wasnt’ comfortable with that book).

In the meantime, the catholics I knew and met were at an interdenominational study. I have to say it is great and it’s my 4th year. Like I said, my 2nd year there, the catholic study started, so I began doing both. In the catholic study, we use the “Come and See” workbooks (are they what you are talking about Father?) I have to say they are a wonderful study of scriptures and the CCC.

In the meantime, I do still attend the interdenominational…but I do feel strong enough in my faith to attend. As a matter of fact, over the years, the woman “in charge” so to speak, the main teaching director is a Catholic woman!! (a practicing catholic).

Mind you, I prayed long and hard before decided what to do about both studies, and I feel God called me, along with a handful of other faithful Catholics to stay, to defend our Church, to spread the gospel, to be an example of Christ.
Click to expand...
But when you say “interdenominational” do you mean the leadership includes Catholics? My parish priest says that “interdenominational” like “ecumenical” involve Catholics in the leadership of an activity, while “non-denominational” means “non-denominational Protestant”. So does your interdenominational Bible study actually address differences between Catholic teaching and non-Catholic Christian beliefs? If there were discussions like that, then I would be more comfortable with that kind of Bible study.
 
i was wondering why it is ok for a fundamentalist to ask a catholic to their bible studies, but when you as a catholic invite them to one bible study their answer is no:tsktsk: . my friend told me a big noooo when i ask her to join me in the bible study iam doing now of scott hahn. i imagine is they are so sure of the things they know why they are affraid of?god bless all
 
mayra hart:
i was wondering why it is ok for a fundamentalist to ask a catholic to their bible studies, but when you as a catholic invite them to one bible study their answer is no:tsktsk: . my friend told me a big noooo when i ask her to join me in the bible study iam doing now of scott hahn. i imagine is they are so sure of the things they know why they are affraid of?god bless all
Click to expand...
Very good point, Mayra. And the reason is because fundamentalist Protestants invite Catholics to their Bible studies because they want to convert us. But they don’t want to go to your Bible study because they fear that Catholics will try to do the same thing–ie, try to convert them. And that is why cestus dei started this thread and labeled it “Beware of Bible Studies”. Most Catholics are naive and assume an invitation to a Bible study is really meant to share. Instead, an invitation to a non-Catholic “non-denominational Christian” Bible study is meant to evangelize with the final purpose of converting.
 
to la chiara : thank you i imagine is what that an maybe they are affraid of what they going to find:eek:. iam doing the bible study of scott hahn the beginner one my question is. do fundamentalist study the bible the same way or how different they are. if you compare the way scott hahn does his to a fundamentalist one what are the differences? do they accepted the existence of parallels between books, when they find authority an baptism in the scriptures what they do do they ignore them? an with the eucharistic? god bless
 
The Come and See series is a good one I think. My Bible studies are open, but no Protestant has ever come to one. Yet they invite my people to theirs. Hence my suspicions.
 
mayra hart:
to la chiara : thank you i imagine is what that an maybe they are affraid of what they going to find:eek:. iam doing the bible study of scott hahn the beginner one my question is. do fundamentalist study the bible the same way or how different they are. if you compare the way scott hahn does his to a fundamentalist one what are the differences? do they accepted the existence of parallels between books, when they find authority an baptism in the scriptures what they do do they ignore them? an with the eucharistic? god bless
Click to expand...
Mayra–I know of Scott Hahn but I am not familiar with his Bible studies. Since he was a Presbyterian minister before he converted to Catholicism, his Catholic Bible study is probably modeled after Protestant Bible study.

I have been in “non-denominational Christian” women’s Bible studies and amazingly, none have really been Bible studies. We always got a book, usually written by a “Christian” (read Protestant) woman author. Never have any of the books or group leaders in this very large non-denominational Bible study ever been Catholic. That all the books’ authors were Protestant was one of the things that made me realize that it wasn’t truly “non-denominational Christian” but rather “non-denominational PROTESTANT Christian”. I guess they just “forgot” to include the Protestant part! :rolleyes:

We always brought a Bible and the book usually had citations to the Bible. But it was not like it was about studying the Bible. The study topics were about “Prayer” or “Fellowship to other Christian Women” or “Christian Wives”. And we would read a chapter in the book (usually line by line) and refer to the Bible where it was cited (because the book was talking about Ruth in the Old Testament, for example, as an example of an older woman’s relationship with her daughter in law).

Since we adhered very closely to the book, there were no differences of opinions raised. The authors, as I said, were always Protestant. So there would be references to how we are saved by faith alone and not by works–a Protestant doctrine. The very few Catholics would have had to object and point out the differences between our faiths. And usually, the few times we Catholics said anything, we were told that it was a “non-denominational” Bible study so we really shouldn’t talk about our denominational differences!
 
you are right the one i was doing was the beth moore breaking free, she is baptist. overall is not such a bad one because she is a woman that have gone through a lot, she was abused as a child, an also she loss her son. so there is a lot of situations that people can related too, specially woman. it will be good if i can do it with a catholic instead of fundamentalist. and yes she only make you read some of the scriptures an then she related them to the theme she is discussing. the thing that is not fun is when you do this with fundamentalist, an you don’t answer the questions of the workbook using the bible, then they question you about why are you there? they can not respect other people points of view, specially catholics. in the other hand scott hahn bible study is very different because he make you read the bible an answer question related to the topic an the answers are all in the bible or his explanation on the topic. if you have a chance take a pick on them they are good. god bless
 
Mayra–One of the Bible studies that I did was written by Beth Moore. Not the same one that you mentioned but she talked about her son’s death in the one I did too. Sounds like the Scott Hahn Bible study is truly a Bible study–focusing on the Bible. The Protestant women’s Bible studies are more based on a theme (almost like a “self-help” book) and then make references to Bible passages, almost as an aside. Live and learn.

The “non-denominational Christian” (Protestant) Bible studies that I did caused me to learn more about Catholicism and also about the other religions. One of the best books that I found which addressed the differences that I was observing at the Protestant Bible study was Karl Keating’s book “Catholicism and Fundamentalism.” If you haven’t read it, you should.
 
iam reading one call born fundamentalist born again catholic by david currie. is amazing but all that he write in that book is the same things that my friend told me. to bad you are not in killeen we will do this bible study together an also do the beth moore again. at the moment iam doing the scott hahn bible study with mr copland he is part of the forum, he is a baptist but he is converting to catholic. is good to have him available for questions, the studies are good but questions come as is nice to have someone to help you with them. god bless;)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top