Catholic vs Islam ?? From an agnostic

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Adamski

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My father who was raised catholic but seems to have had a negative experice and has fallen away from te faith asked me a question yesterday. I believe his negative experices came out of being raised while Vatican 2 was goIng on and being taught controdictary things in school from the sisters some out of line conservative and others out of line liberal

One story that is repeated in my family is how a sister said because my grandfather wasn’t catholic but Lutheran he was going to hell (we all know that isn’t the teaching only
God knows)

What is the difference between the catholic church and radical Islam, *they have all the rules you are fourced to follow ( I think the " rules" have freed me)

Some simple answers I gave him were*

The catholic church has always believed in free will where Islam thinks forced conversion is ok

Islam has unforgivable sins where the catholic church forgives all and has the beauty of confession

The catholic church was founded by God and puts faith first were islam puts works first *

I am going to show my father this link if anyone could add anything that would be great*
 
Adamski said:
My father who was raised catholic but seems to have had a negative experice and has fallen away from te faith asked me a question yesterday. I believe his negative experices came out of being raised while Vatican 2 was goIng on and being taught controdictary things in school from the sisters some out of line conservative and others out of line liberal

One story that is repeated in my family is how a sister said because my grandfather wasn’t catholic but Lutheran he was going to hell (we all know that isn’t the teaching only
God knows)

What is the difference between the catholic church and radical Islam, *they have all the rules you are fourced to follow ( I think the " rules" have freed me)

Some simple answers I gave him were*

The catholic church has always believed in free will where Islam thinks forced conversion is ok

Islam has unforgivable sins where the catholic church forgives all and has the beauty of confession

The catholic church was founded by God and puts faith first were islam puts works first *

I am going to show my father this link if anyone could add anything that would be great*
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Adamski, you need to dedicate more time to studying both Catholicism and Islam as you have posted quite a few misleading facts or inaccuracies about both religions. For one, both Islam and Catholicism value faith and deeds for salvation.

As you discuss religion with your father, keep in mind that we are to honour our parents and make your case respectfully.
 
Or try who would you believe Jesus who died to save your sins backed up by prophets or an Arab 600 years later from a werid Christian tribe/cult who got iffy into about god and Jesus from the start said stuff that didn’t match up to anything the other prophets have said Alters the true nature of God he revealed the world Made No miricles or phrophecys had epilepsy so that’s where he got his visions from .didn’t pass the prophet test god sent and who Jesus warned us about and theology that doesn’t make any sense so your basically looking at one guys opinions on what god is like and the koran is historically and scientifically inaccurate and there aren’t any manuscript evidencd after mohammud untill 100 years after his death and there contradictions aswell and the revelation of god that wasn’t needed as Jesus already revealed for us so it was pointless so Mohammed didn’t know that so I think it’s a complete joke if u ask me And Mohammudlmorality like he has been called into question and said the opposite to what Jesus said with some biblical truth but mostly a confused version etc

Do I really have to explain how it vs the Catholic Church
I think it’s obvious which one is the word of god
 
Chuck1 said:
Or try who would you believe Jesus who died to save your sins backed up by prophets or an Arab 600 years later from a werid Christian tribe/cult who got iffy into about god and Jesus from the start said stuff that didn’t match up to anything the other prophets have said Alters the true nature of God he revealed the world Made No miricles or phrophecys had epilepsy so that’s where he got his visions from .didn’t pass the prophet test god sent and who Jesus warned us about and theology that doesn’t make any sense so your basically looking at one guys opinions on what god is like and the koran is historically and scientifically inaccurate and there aren’t any manuscript evidencd after mohammud untill 100 years after his death and there contradictions aswell and the revelation of god that wasn’t needed as Jesus already revealed for us so it was pointless so Mohammed didn’t know that so I think it’s a complete joke if u ask me And Mohammudlmorality like he has been called into question and said the opposite to what Jesus said with some biblical truth but mostly a confused version etc

Do I really have to explain how it vs the Catholic Church . I think it’s obvious which one is the word of god
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If the choice between Catholicism and Islam was so obvious, there would be no merit for faith.
 
As a Catholic working in a Muslim country, I can tell you there is nobody trying to force me to convert from my Faith. In fact, my overseas parish is the most vibrant to which I have belonged. It is important to separate the Islamist terrorists, so often shown on the news, from the everyday Muslim who goes about his/her daily business much as you or I.
My brother saw one of the best things coming out of Vatican II was knowing that his “Presbyterian Shinto friends were not doomed to hell.” As military dependents, we spent much of our childhoods living overseas where Christians are a minority.
What none of us knows is how God is working in another person’s life. In the same way that Christians and Jews trace their heritage to Israel, Muslims trace their heritage to his brother Ishmael. Genesis 17 tells us that God promised Abraham that He would bless Ismael as He blessed Israel. Both received the circumcision of the flesh. But God’s covenant remained with Israel.
In the meantime, we are all called to live by the Golden Rule, variations of which can be found in the major religions of the world. When our parish celebrates Family Day, we pause the celebration during the prayer times of the local mosques so as not to bring offense.
Muslim taxi drivers ask me to pray for them as they let me off for Mass. We greet one another with "Salaam Alikim" (God’s Peace) and talk about God’s Will (En shallal), and give God the praise when things go well.
 
DebChris said:
As a Catholic working in a Muslim country, I can tell you there is nobody trying to force me to convert from my Faith…
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Curious why you didn’t mention your Muslim country. Can you tell me the Muslim country where you live?
 
Is that the only comparison he can find? They both have rules? I’m pretty sure if he dug deep enough he would find that he even lives by rules himself (ask him if he thinks its wrong for a person to cheat on his wife, if he says yes, which hopefully he will, ask him why) Every single institution or organization has rules to follow, it’s just common sense, human beings being human and all. Now I am no expert in Islam, but I have studied my own faith. and what I’ve come to see is literally all the “rules” in Catholicism come down to love! Real love that is.

Seriously, I actually had that revelation a few months ago, and suddenly the entire moral code opened up for me. Think about it, if you had love, full self-giving, sacrificing love, would you steal? Would you kill? Would you lie? Chastity especially comes alive with this truth because if you had love for a person, you would wait until you had fully committed yourself to him or her before giving your body to them, you love them so much that you would wait and sacrifice your own immediate pleasure so that they will know you really mean what you’re saying with your body, “I give myself entirely to you and no one else, not just part of me, not just until I get bored, but until I die.”

Ask him which rule he is talking about when he says that. There’s a good solid reason for each of the teachings of our faith, they are there to ultimately show us how to love God and our neighbor, and lead us to heaven.

Also Catholicism was founded by Jesus Christ, who we believe to be God. That’s a pretty big difference from Islam. 😃 I don’t know where he is at spiritually, but he doesn’t necessarily have to believe that Jesus is God to at least see the difference in where the two religions claim their origins.

Hope that was a little help at least.
 
DebChris said:
As a Catholic working in a Muslim country, I can tell you there is nobody trying to force me to convert from my Faith. In fact, my overseas parish is the most vibrant to which I have belonged. It is important to separate the Islamist terrorists, so often shown on the news, from the everyday Muslim who goes about his/her daily business much as you or I.
My brother saw one of the best things coming out of Vatican II was knowing that his “Presbyterian Shinto friends were not doomed to hell.” As military dependents, we spent much of our childhoods living overseas where Christians are a minority.
What none of us knows is how God is working in another person’s life. In the same way that Christians and Jews trace their heritage to Israel, Muslims trace their heritage to his brother Ishmael. Genesis 17 tells us that God promised Abraham that He would bless Ismael as He blessed Israel. Both received the circumcision of the flesh. But God’s covenant remained with Israel.
In the meantime, we are all called to live by the Golden Rule, variations of which can be found in the major religions of the world. When our parish celebrates Family Day, we pause the celebration during the prayer times of the local mosques so as not to bring offense.
Muslim taxi drivers ask me to pray for them as they let me off for Mass. We greet one another with "Salaam Alikim" (God’s Peace) and talk about God’s Will (En shallal), and give God the praise when things go well.
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Well said, DebChris, I’m so tired of trying to counter the so strongly held belief that radical Islam represents every Muslim. My Muslim colleagues are truly grateful when I say I’ll be praying for them/their family in times of trouble - and I appreciate the same from them.
Ecoclimber said:
Curious why you didn’t mention your Muslim country. Can you tell me the Muslim country where you live?
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Not sure where DebChris is, Ecoclimber, but I’m in the United Arab Emirates.

BTW I converted to Catholicism a few months after I started living here.
 
So if your an expert living in a Muslim country to an agnostic why be catholic and what is the difference between Islam and the catholic church
 
Well isnt it a wonderful opportunity to “re-learn” what the Church actually teaches being the Year of Faith"?

The problem is many people have an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of Catholicism. First understand your own Faith before talking about another which came later.

I have an Anglican friend who also tells me Catholicism is like Islam; ergo a rules based religion therefore neither one should be trusted plus the complaint of what happened to Galileo etc

I doubt my so called Anglican friend is properly informed of what Anglicanism even teaches. The point I’m getting at is without understanding ones own Faith don’t make too many accusations.

So my advice to the OP is be patient and strengthened in what needs to be known show that you have the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit and pray for guidance. Lastly admit if you are not sure about a particular points in which you are asked for respect of your dad. Revert to them after you get the answer.

Blessings,

MJ
 
Ecoclimber said:
Curious why you didn’t mention your Muslim country. Can you tell me the Muslim country where you live?
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Hi. Not advisable. Some posters don’t disclose their country of origin, especially if they are staying in an Islamic country or due to the nature of their work situation, et al. It is the poster’s discretion to being anonymous as in some cases it may be dangerous to reveal too much about themselves.
 
Bezant said:
Adamski, you need to dedicate more time to studying both Catholicism and Islam as you have posted quite a few misleading facts or inaccuracies about both religions. For one, both Islam and Catholicism value faith and deeds for salvation.

As you discuss religion with your father, keep in mind that we are to honour our parents and make your case respectfully.
Click to expand...
I disagree. There is no reason to study Islam just for comparison purposes. Catholics only need to study the Catholic Faith -and judge the trees by their fruits.

…the fruits of the Catholuc Church are the Saints.
 
MartinJordan said:
So my advice to the OP is be patient and strengthened in what needs to be known show that you have the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit and pray for guidance. …
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Or go to church and attend seminar, apologetic, Bible study or something. Get that knowledge from the right people. The investment spent is worthwhile and may resolve many doubts. :)😉

To the OP: Spending time to know more about the Church of God and to know more about God Himself is always time well spent because it is a generosity on our part. The beautiful thing is you can never out-give God in generosity. He will always respond to yours.🙂

God bless.
 
Bezant said:
If the choice between Catholicism and Islam was so obvious, there would be no merit for faith.
Click to expand...
It’s not like those are the only two choices… Faith is judging between good and evil, and loving that which is good.

…What is ‘good’ in Islam? Where did St Francis worship? Judge the trees by their fruits.

(oh, and the rotten apples don’t count -they’ve “fallen away”)
 
Reuben_J said:
Or go to church and attend seminar, apologetic, Bible study or something. Get that knowledge from the right people. The investment spent is worthwhile and may resolve many doubts. :)😉

To the OP: Spending time to know more about the Church of God and to know more about God Himself is always time well spent because it is a generosity on our part. The beautiful thing is you can never out-give God in generosity. He will always respond to yours.🙂

God bless.
Click to expand...
I was about to get to this. 👍

MJ
 
TEPO said:
The Martyrs

Quite a few…? I’d say almost all, and that includes the Saints.

The difference is that the Saints are Holy Catholics, while fallen away Catholics are not in a state of grace -therefore, they’re not the fruits of the Church but the fruits of the world.
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I’m afraid I don’t follow you.
 
I think at the level at which your father is equating the two, there really isn’t any difference since, yes, they both do have rules. But, as another person has written here, that’s not a very basis for comparison. It would help if you could get a little more information out of your father to see what particular things he has a problem with.
 
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