Yes, I think these things will be helpful. But initially, I only knew the question. I did not know the answer, or what form it would take. In one sense, I guess I was looking for personal testimonies, because I am not sure how I can sort out all the arguments for and against in my own mind.
Heh, that’s kinda funny. Usually personal testimonies are the least-accepted form of evidence XD.
I’m not expecting anything from you. I simply asked the question, and I would hope you would answer it in the way that you think is most appropriate. I did not mandate how you should do that. But all you are doing is judging me and insulting me by telling me that my question is not serious.
The problem is that, to us, your question doesn’t really make sense. You are asking for historical evidence while seemingly rejecting historical evidence. We tell you what the evidence is, but then you say that’s not what you’re looking for.
I never rejected the sources specified. I just asked what evidence those source provided?
That is probably true. I just asked the question. I don’t know how it is best answered. “How” was the operative word in my question. I was hoping you would tell me.
I think that someone saying “no” does not mean that they are not searching.
I realize that, that’s why I was trying to link you to it. The issue is that, in a sense, you seem to be asking us to do your homework for you. We’re happy to do a bit and get you started but this is a personal journey you’re going to have to take. It’s a life-long journey, really an eternal one if you’re doing it right.
I recommend picking up that book about the ECFs if you’re trying to start back at the beginning. The Vatican website also has some of these writings, and are working on digitizing more of them.It’s hard to answer the “how” for someone else. For me, the history of the Church is clear evidence, as are the Eucharistic miracles. I don’t really need much more than that. I have a lot more, but I don’t need it. I don’t know what you need, I can’t really know how to help, so I’m doing the best I can by you. My best advice is to ask the Holy Spirit to give you what you need. It might take a while, you’ll have to be persistent, but I guarantee you’ll get your answer.
It tends to mean that when they give no further explanation, no clarification, or just go back to repeating their initial premise without considering anything that’s been said. I’m not accusing you of that, there have just been a few poster in the history of the forums that fit that label. Eventually people tend to stop responding to them because they never even consider what’s said to them, they just repeat themselves over and over again no matter what. They actually strike me as sadly similar to some of the character’s in C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce," people who, no matter how blindly obvious the answer is, can’t seem to see it.I think that someone saying “no” does not mean that they are not searching.
Glenn:
If the answer requires homework on my part, that is all I needed to know. But as I said before, I don’t know what will turn the lights on for me. It may be something simple that someone says, an experience that they share, or a prayer.
I would not expect you to answer for me. You can only answer for yourself. But I can listen to your “how” and learn from that. Ultimately, it has to be the Holy Spirit. I have to admit that I have been wrestling with this question, and I don’t know if I will be able to sort it all out intellectually. I’m just asking God to show me the truth.
Oh yeah, it requires homework. Tons and tons and tons of it. Sorry, not exactly the most reassuring answer, but we’re talking about the most important question in human history. There’s no way answering it wouldn’t require a bit of homework
I’ll just help you out here and say that you probably won’t be able to. There are very, very few people who have been led to the Truth purely by intellect. The intellect can lead us there, it can even provide overwhelming evidence, but eventually you’ll still have to make a choice about what to believe. It wouldn’t matter if we laid out every possible reason to believe, if a person doesn’t want to believe then nothing can convince them.
Then for that, I direct you to one of my favorite people in the whole Bible.
This is the example we should all follow, even the most faithful among us, because in the end we can all be lead to a deeper faith in God.
Does anyone understand what I was saying?
I think I understand. I can see how you were interpreted my question as disputing the evidence, but that was not my intent. I assumed that the historical sources had something to say that was pertinent to my question. I just want to know what that was.
Christian Church has been called “Catholic” at least since A.D. 110.
Because we can trace our history back to Peter, the rock on which Christ would build His Church.
Just a community of believers who are sharing their thoughts…