BOOKS: The Purpose Driven Life

[catsrus]

originally posted by Pensees
Your husband is an agnostic? Aren’t Catholics who marry non-Christians excommunicated?

Though the question was not asked of me…
I am a Catholic married to an agnostic too. The reason is that when DH and I married, we were both agnostic. I had a conversion and joined the Church 8/02. DH is still agnostic, though to give him credit, he did agree to have our marriage convalidated, which we did.
Now, though I am bound to an agnostic, my marriage is sacramental.
Hope this helped.

 

[Pensees]

catsrus:

Now, though I am bound to an agnostic, my marriage is sacramental.

I do not mean to judge. Your marriage is sacramental if and only if your intention is to help lead your husband to Christ. The purpose of Christian marriage is to lead your spouse to salvation.

 

[tamccrackine]

Pensees:

I do not mean to judge. Your marriage is sacramental if and only if your intention is to help lead your husband to Christ. The purpose of Christian marriage is to lead your spouse to salvation.

I agree with your last statement, and we can do this only through our works and a bunch of prayer. For those of us married to agnostics, we can’t force our husbands to convert to anything they don’t agree with. And no, I’m not excommunicated… the blessing of the Sacrament of Reconcilliation and I’ve had my marriage Convalidated. If this were a practiced thing (excommunicating people that marry agnostics) then people would leave the Church. Abortion is also excommunicatable but you know as well as I do that it doesn’t occur thanks to the Sac. of Reconcil. Yes, my DH had to get a Dispensation done and we had to do alot of paperwork. We also agreed to raise our children as Catholics so they are all baptised as such. So yes, my marriage is very much sacramental and it’s a Sacrament of Matrimony so I can receive communion.

I found the sinner’s prayer in the back of the book but it was within the last 20 pages… I would look for the book but we just moved and all our books are still in boxes. I was lucky I found Catholicism for Dummies the other night. Maybe there is other versions out, as this book was given to my DH two years ago.

I was just asking if the book would be worth looking into based off others opinions of the book. Thanks to those that posted (and the OP for asking) as I’ve learned a bit… maybe when I finally get off my duff and open more boxes to unpack the books, I’ll pull it out and set it aside to look through a bit more.

 

[catsrus]

originally posted by Pensees
Your marriage is sacramental if and only if your intention is to help lead your husband to Christ. The purpose of Christian marriage is to lead your spouse to salvation

My marriage is sacramental because we were married in The Church by a priest after several weeks of counseling with him.
If the priest says my marriage was sanctified, it is.
As far as my DH, you can lead the horse to water in every way possible, but you cannot make him drink.

 

[Pensees]

tamccrackine:

I was just asking if the book would be worth looking into based off others opinions of the book.

The book is worth reading if and only if you are able to discern between its truths and its untruths. But doing so can become quite tiresome so I’d recommend a much better book as an alternative, The Way of a Pilgrim.

 

[the_phoenix]

I’ve read the Purpose Driven Life. Mostly because the Protestants I know really talk it up and I wanted to be able to hold a decent conversation with them about its contents … Plus okay, the curiosity got to me. Also there was the news story about the woman who was kidnapped but talked her way out of it partially by reading from the Purpose Driven Life to her kidnapper.

Like others in this thread, I feel that for a knowledgeable Catholic strong enough in his or her faith to recognize the bits of Protestant doctrine for what they are, the book has some positive aspects but leaves you with a feeling that it is shallow in comparison with well-written Catholic works.

So if you’re looking for some day-brightening reminders on living your life for God rather than for yourself, this is a handy book to pick up for a quick glance during the day.

If you’re looking for depth, you can turn to tried-and-true writings such as the Bible, papal encyclicals written by the likes of John Paul II the Great, writings of canonized saints including those who have been named Doctors of the Church, and lives of the saints. Such Catholic writings provide an in-depth view of the heroic virtue that goes into a purpose-driven life.

~~ the phoenix

 

[tamccrackine]

Pensees:

The book is worth reading if and only if you are able to discern between its truths and its untruths. But doing so can become quite tiresome so I’d recommend a much better book as an alternative, The Way of a Pilgrim.

Thank you abundantly!!! I just found this book and it’s companion book on ebay for a good price. I appreciate the suggestion!
Theresa

 

[Pensees]

tamccrackine:

Thank you abundantly!!! I just found this book and it’s companion book on ebay for a good price. I appreciate the suggestion!
Theresa

You are welcome. It is a profoundly spiritual and purposeful book that teaches how to have a prayerful, Christian life.

 

[DiZent]

I read it last year. I recognized that it was written from a protestant perspective, but didn’t find it to be “shallow”, but a starting point for deeper reading. I looked for something similar written from a Catholic perspective, and found Life Work: Finding Your Purpose in Life, and the Drive Factor by Rick Sarkisian. While I certainly appreciated the Catholic focus, neither of these had the depth of Purpose Driven Life.

 

[ChicagoOrthodox]

Thanks for the info on that book.
And as far as abortion, yes, a woman is automatically excommunicated when she procures one. This can be lifted by a Bishop, or by some priests in the Confessional.

Canon Law:
Can. 1398 – A person who procures a successful abortion incurs an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication.

[The Latin original reads: Can. 1398 – Qui abortum procurat, effectu secuto, in excommunicationem latae sententiae incurrit.]

An excommunication is the heaviest spiritual sanction the Church can render. So long as it is in force, it bars the excommunicated person from the church community and from receiving most of the sacraments, as well as from all public associations affiliated with the Church. An automatic (or “latae sententiae”) excommunication is an especially severe penalty. The nine or so latae sententiae excommunications in the Code are reserved for use against certain things the Church particularly wants to deter, like assaulting the pope (can.1370) and priests divulging matters heard in the confessional (can.1388). Most excommunications can only follow a tribunal trial (can. 1425, §1, 2°). **But latae sententiae penalties operate like a bill of attainder in that there is no “process” for their imposition–the fact that the person voluntarily performed the proscribed act, in the absence of some exception provided in the law, means the penalty is incurred. An excommunication can usually be lifted by the local bishop (the “local ordinary”) and sometimes by a priest during confession (can. 1354-1357). **

 

[jimmy]

Pensees:

Your husband is an agnostic? Aren’t Catholics who marry non-Christians excommunicated? Please forgive me if I am mistaken.

For a truly spiritual book with a truly Christian message, I’d recommend The Way of a Pilgrim.

Peace.

I have heard that is a good book. I have also heard the “Art of Prayer” is another good book from the Eastern Orthodox perspective. You could also read the philokalia to get the eastern view of prayer.

From the Catholic perspective I would reccomend John of the cross’s writings. I would also reccomend Teresa of Avila, The Cloud of Unknowing, and every other spiritual writing that is written by a saint. There is a lot out there that can explain what prayer is.

 

[Ahimsa]

It’s a decent book.

 

[striving]

Pensees, can you explain the picture you post with your comments?

 

[ChicagoOrthodox]

Catsrus,
St. Monica will help bring your husband to the Church.
Talk to her.
She helped my husband see the light.
God bless.

 

[Toni]

catsrus:

If the priest says my marriage was sanctified, it is.
As far as my DH, you can lead the horse to water in every way possible, but you cannot make him drink.

How true all thats left is prayer, hope, and a deep faith that God will take care of it.
He always does in His own time and His own way. We just plant the seeds lovingly along the way.

 

[AmyS]

ChicagoOrthodox:

Catsrus,
St. Monica will help bring your husband to the Church.
Talk to her.
She helped my husband see the light.
God bless.

Mine too… And, my Dad…

 

[ridesawhitehors]

I read this book. Well, at least the first couple chapters, then I skimmed - fast.
I found it to be VERY light, scholastically speaking. And it’s spiritual value was equally light for anyone who is well catechised in any christian faith expression.
If it weren’t heretical in some of it’s christian teachings I would recommend it to people of no faith. But at least some non christians are trying to look at christian books. I sort of see the trendy popularity of this book the same way the ‘Kabala’ became popular recently.
Mostly the book is full of feel good pop culture psychology. Ho-hum. Thumbs down from this cowgirl.

 

[ridesawhitehors]

striving:

Pensees, can you explain the picture you post with your comments?

I believe that is an image of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ.

 

[Ana]

The book is “fluff”. I remember this same author claimed that God’s mouth is closed when the Bible is. AS IF we could limit God!!

 

[Peace-bwu]

Ana:

The book is “fluff”. I remember this same author claimed that God’s mouth is closed when the Bible is. AS IF we could limit God!!

From what I read anything interesting looks like it was copied from the Catholic Catechism and watered down a bit. IT’s like a very watered down catechism with all the truly profound teachings taken out for nondenominational protestants.

Jesus may not look very Jewish in the picture but it is a good reminder that Jesus probably looked more like Bob Marley than so many of the traditional Western portrayals with blue eyes and pale skin! He is thought to have had dark skin and hair textured very much like the painting. If you have ever seen the documentary about the skull and bones they found of of someone archaeologists think may have been from the same gene pool as Jesus and his disciples, The model actually looks very much like this portrayal of Jesus. I believe it is a documentary about St. Peter.