Can I still be catholic if i dont believe everything the church teaches?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Adrian169
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Adrian169

Guest
Noahs ark makes no sense to me, niether does the time when god killed the man for gathering sticks. I don’t see those things as something useful to believe in, but i still like going to mass and confession. Will the church see this as heresy ?
 
Adrian169 said:
but i still like going to mass and confession
Click to expand...
Being Catholic means you Like being with an Authority sent By Jesus Officially to tell you what is what, so you are then believing what this Authority is Authorized to give you.
Believing private opinion is what people do when they do not accept authority.
The word “Heresey” refers to holding to opinion rather than “Orthodoxy” which is following an Authority.
Do you like Mass and Confession because you analyzed them and you believe they are good things to do and make you feel good, or do you like Mass and Confession because the Authority from Jesus called you to Take and Eat, promising you his Body and Blood, and because the Authority from Jesus was given the power to forgive you ‘in persona Christi’?
 
There are points on which I, too, question the Church. I’m willing to set those aside and stay in line with my obligations.
 
Adrian169 said:
Will the church see this as heresy ?
Click to expand...
No. Your not really even in the same ballpark as heresy.

The Church doesn’t have official/definitive exegesis on something like 99% or more of the Bible. So, you’re comparing apples and oranges here.
 
Last edited:
Noahs ark makes no sense because why would he build a wooden boat that cannot contain all the animals god told him to bring in, and why would god drown the earth if it can severely damage the planet for hundreds of years that would lead all the animals noah saved to die off with no food left on the planet. And with the other story, why is death the fitting punishment for gathering sticks on the sabbath. These things make no sense to me
 
I like mass because it feels nice and confession is good for your mind. I think its servile to go with everything the church authorities tell you to believe to do.
 
Adrian169 said:
Noahs ark makes no sense because why would he build a wooden boat that cannot contain all the animals god told him to bring in, and why would god drown the earth if it can severely damage the planet for hundreds of years that would lead all the animals noah saved to die off with no food left on the planet.
Click to expand...
Can you cite something that states that is the doctrinal understanding of Noah’s Ark according to the Church?
Adrian169 said:
And with the other story, why is death the fitting punishment for gathering sticks on the sabbath. These things make no sense to me
Click to expand...
What does the Church say about this story in Numbers that you disagree with?
Adrian169 said:
I think its servile to go with everything the church authorities tell you to believe to do.
Click to expand...
What’s wrong with having a servile attitude? Surely you don’t think you’re not supposed to be obedient to those God has put in charge when they rightfully use their God-given authority?
 
Last edited:
Those precepts sounds good to me, the best catholic you can be is an honest one. Its the bible stories that make no rational sense without invoking gods act in them. But since they mention no requirement to believe in them, i can still be a catholic.
 
With the noahs ark, i dont have one rn, you can find tons of articles from protestant and catholic sources alike. Im saying that, that story makes no sense at all because its impossible to care for thousands of animal species with only 8 people in a wooden boat thats half the size of the titanic according to the dude from answers in genesis.
 
Adrian169 said:
Those precepts sounds good to me, the best catholic you can be is an honest one. Its the bible stories that make no rational sense without invoking gods act in them. But since they mention no requirement to believe in them, i can still be a catholic.
Click to expand...
I think you’re using “believe” too literally. You should believe 100% of the Bible to be true, but that doesn’t mean it should all be taken literally. It might use analogy or poetry to make a point. Jesus often did this explicitly.

For example, if I told you, “I have a ton of laundry to do this weekend” would you think I literally have 2000 pounds of dirty clothes in my hamper?
No, of course not. It’s a common expression that most people understand to mean “a lot.” You could still “believe” me, meaning that you understood I was trying to say that I had a lot of laundry to do, while not thinking I literally meant 2000 pounds.
 
Adrian169 said:
I think its servile to go with everything the church authorities tell you to believe to do.
Click to expand...
Yes, it is definitely Servile:
“Behold the Handmaid of the LORD; be it with me according to your word.”
“If possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, thy will be done.”
“He took on the form of a servant and became obedient unto death; even death on a cross.”

So, I say, “Behold, I am the servant of the LORD; I will do what you say, per your authoritative messengers directing me, conforming my activity to what you call for being done in the world, rather than what I think should be done because it would appeal to my thinking or feeling good.”
 
KevinK said:
It is what allows authoritarianism and horrible outcomes when people are obsequious.
Click to expand...
By this logic, I could also say: Eating is what allows overeating, which has horrible outcomes like heart problems, diabetes, and shorter lifespan. Therefore, eating is bad.
Adrian169 said:
Its the bible stories that make no rational sense without invoking gods act in them.
Click to expand...
And why is that a bad thing?
Adrian169 said:
Its makes you a slave
Click to expand...
How do you define “slave”?
 
Its a bad thing to believe in bible stories that make no rational sense because it breeds stupidity, and being servile makes a master-servant relationship rather than a genuine one with god
 
Thing is i don’t believe in the whole bible even in metaphorical sense, I dont agree with the morality god invokes his prophets to kill off whole villages because someone was gay or that somebody worked on the sabbath. I don’t agree with the servile attitude you have to be with god because it doesnt create a genuine relationship with him. I dont agree with the concept of hell even, why would you throw a finite being to infinite punishment because maybe he had sex before marriage? No human deserves hell because were not infinite beings, its a cruel punishment. Purgatory makes more sense than hell at least.
 
You are far, very far, from a deep understanding of Catholic teaching. God throws no one in hell, for one thing.
Please consider continuing to pray and study the Catholic faith. What you are expressing is a very surface understanding of the faith.
 
It seems you have much more problems with Jesus then your op would indicate re: the Creed, but I would still recommend getting that Catholic commentary on the OT.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top