Can you answer my "issues" to becoming a Catholic? SPLIT: Part 2)

[Timi_Celcer]

Thank you all so much for taking your time on answering my questions. But i have some more questions. When i said if atheist can be saved, i was thinking if they can go to heaven. Sorry for my mistake. Alot of people around me are atheists and they don’t believe because i think for them it is logical that there is no God. I will probably try to debate them on their terms(science) in hopes of convincing them that there is a God but if i fail is there any chance that they will go to heaven?

Also why do Catholics build statues to Mary and saints?

And how can you respond for some people claims that RCC is the biggest sect on the world? Do the bishops and the pope really have so many secrets?

And again thank you so much for your answers, catholicsm is beginning to getting closer and closer to me.

Two extra question: Can mortal sins be forgiven by going directly to the Lord or only in confession? What if you forgot your previous mortal sin, can you just say to a priest i forgot my mortal sin but the Lord knows what it was and im sorry for it?

 

[JRKH]

Thank you all so much for taking your time on answering my questions. But i have some more questions. When i said if atheist can be saved, i was thinking if they can go to heaven. Sorry for my mistake. Alot of people around me are atheists and they don’t believe because i think for them it is logical that there is no God. I will probably try to debate them on their terms(science) in hopes of convincing them that there is a God but if i fail is there any chance that they will go to heaven?

Again - this is a highly complex question. The simplest answer I can give is this…The person who rejects God’s existence also rejects God’s offer of salvation. Such a person has, by their own choice, refused to enter heaven.
The problem is that in this world there are many shades of “a-theism” and not all involve an outright rejection of some higher power.
Considering how many questions you have, I would suggest that you not enter into debate with any atheists or agnostics for the time being.
Instead continue to study the faith.

Also why do Catholics build statues to Mary and saints?

Because we like them…To the Catholic a statue of this nature is like a “picture” of a loved one.

And how can you respond for some people claims that RCC is the biggest sect on the world?

Personally I would just agree with them

Do the bishops and the pope really have so many secrets?

Everybody has secrets…Why should bishops be any different?

Seriously - it sounds to me like you are listening to a lot of anti-Catholic rhetoric.

Two extra question: Can mortal sins be forgiven by going directly to the Lord or only in confession?

Under normal circumstances confession is necessary. Under abnormal circumstances (sudden death before you are able to confess) you can make hour confession directly to the Lord at Judgement.

What if you forgot your previous mortal sin, can you just say to a priest i forgot my mortal sin but the Lord knows what it was and im sorry for it?

Yes you can do this…but I hardly see this happening…Mortal sin is serious and should be remembered.
However - if you DO forget one and later remember it, confess it the next time you go to confession…

Peace
James

 

[L_Marshall]

When i said if atheist can be saved, i was thinking if they can go to heaven.

Atheists do not meet the requirements of salvation by faith or works. That being said, if a person is ignorant of the Gospel, but not by their own fault, they can be saved.

Also why do Catholics build statues to Mary and saints?

The same reason Americans build statues of George Washington and Brits build statues of the Queen. The saints (Mary included) are wonderful examples of virtue. While Americans build statues of Washington to remember his bravery and importance to their country; Catholics build statues of saints to remember their example of holiness, and their importance to Christ’s Church.

And how can you respond for some people claims that RCC is the biggest sect on the world? Do the bishops and the pope really have so many secrets?

I don’t like the word “sect,” but the Catholic Church is the largest church in the world. We believe that we are a true Church, not a sect, because we were founded by Christ himself.
I don’t think that bishops or popes have many secrets. Knowing a few bishops, there’s little room in their schedules for a personal life, let alone a secret one.

Can mortal sins be forgiven by going directly to the Lord or only in confession?

Confession is the way the Christ intended it to be. If you recall, near the end of the Gospel of John, he breathed upon the Apostles and said “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them,” (20:23). Another way to look at it is: Absolution reconciles the sinner with Christ and His Church. One cannot only be reconciled with both, because of the ontological relationship between the two. If you were to confess your sins to God alone, you would not be reconciled with the Church. By confessing your sins to the priest, en persona Christe, you are reconciling yourself with Christ directly, and His Church through one of Her representatives.

What if you forgot your previous mortal sin, can you just say to a priest i forgot my mortal sin but the Lord knows what it was and im sorry for it?

If you honestly forgot it, it’s not held against you. God doesn’t ask the impossible, and takes into account our human flaws (like memory lapses). Oftentimes, at the end of a confession, the penitent will add “I am sorry for these, my sins, and any which may now escape my recollection,” or something like that.

 

[Dorothy]

The Catholic Church has a lot of anti-Catholic rhetoric spoken against it. There are twistings, half-truths, misunderstandings and lies by others who do not truly know or understand what the Church teaches.

Obviously Satan hates the whole truth in the Catholic Church, especially the Eucharist and the Mass, which is heaven on earth.

There are reasonable answers to every objection to the Catholic Church if people have ears to hear.

I pray that many will come to know the whole truth.

 

[Church_Militant]

Alot of people around me are atheists and they don’t believe because i think for them it is logical that there is no God. I will probably try to debate them on their terms(science) in hopes of convincing them that there is a God but if i fail is there any chance that they will go to heaven?

Always a chance. Remember, with man it is impossible but not with God. With God all things are possible.

However, debate is often less helpful than prayer. I suggest the Divine Mercy Chaplet

Also why do Catholics build statues to Mary and saints?

Iconoclasm: Or: Catholics Worship Graven Images NOT

And how can you respond for some people claims that RCC is the biggest sect on the world?

If, by sect they mean cult, they are crazy as well as ignorant since history shows that the Catholic Church has been here all along and is indeed the church that Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ founded. For instance, see What Was Authentic Early Christian Worship Really Like?

Do the bishops and the pope really have so many secrets?

Make the person provide proof of this allegation. We often see such baseless anti-Catholic propaganda that makes allegations but never offers any proof, which even when pinned down they cannot provide. That makes them just old fashioned lies…

And again thank you so much for your answers, Catholicism is beginning to getting closer and closer to me.

Happy to be of help.

Two extra question: Can mortal sins be forgiven by going directly to the Lord or only in confession? What if you forgot your previous mortal sin, can you just say to a priest i forgot my mortal sin but the Lord knows what it was and im sorry for it?

There is such a thing as perfect contrition, but the normative way is confession. My question is always, if it’s bad enough to be a mortal sin…how does one forget something like that? It would be nearly impossible for me, and confessions are being heard almost all the time somewhere and one can call and make an appointment.

See also:
Catholic Confession
Scriptures About Penance

 

[CarolNoel]

Timi Celcer are you coming back? Did your questions get answered.?

 

[Randy_Carson]

Also why do Catholics build statues to Mary and saints?

Do Catholics Worship Statues?
catholic.com/library/Do_Catholics_Worship_Statues.asp

 

[PRmerger]

Also why do Catholics build statues to Mary and saints?

This isn’t a correct way to explain it. We don’t build statues TO Mary and saints. We build statues OF Mary and saints.

And were you aware that in the OT God commanded people to build statues?

 

[thistle]

Again - this is a highly complex question. The simplest answer I can give is this…The person who rejects God’s existence also rejects God’s offer of salvation. Such a person has, by their own choice, refused to enter heaven.
The problem is that in this world there are many shades of “a-theism” and not all involve an outright rejection of some higher power.
Considering how many questions you have, I would suggest that you not enter into debate with any atheists or agnostics for the time being.
Instead continue to study the faith.

Because we like them…To the Catholic a statue of this nature is like a “picture” of a loved one.

Personally I would just agree with them

Everybody has secrets…Why should bishops be any different?

Seriously - it sounds to me like you are listening to a lot of anti-Catholic rhetoric.

**Under normal circumstances confession is necessary. Under abnormal circumstances (sudden death before you are able to confess) you can make hour confession directly to the Lord at Judgement. **

Yes you can do this…but I hardly see this happening…Mortal sin is serious and should be remembered.
However - if you DO forget one and later remember it, confess it the next time you go to confession…

Peace
James

Can you clarify what you mean because I don’t want to misunderstand you.
Once you are dead it is too late for Confession. There is no chance to repent after you die.
The state of your soul at death determines if you are saved or not.