Catholics: Can you explain why God does this?

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Annie_B

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I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
 
Annie_B said:
I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
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Thank you for this post. I have wondered the same question over and over. I know that God answers prayers regardless of who you are.
 
Valid question.

If God sees past denominational boundaries in answering prayers, then surely he must apply the same magnanimity to the matters of salvation, forgiveness, sainthood, etc.

The alternative, of course, is alluded to in your post: if the Catholic church is the one true Church, then all others are in serious, soul-endangering error–not just “mild error” or some kind of “tolerable error”, but damnation, pure and simple. Those who never have a chance to experience the truth of the Catholic Church might have mitigating circumstances in their quest for salvation, but the genuinely resistant, heretical, and apostate types are in grave danger.
 
Easy. God plays no favorites…both Old and New Testaments refer to that.

Catholic means universal…for all people…a Greek word that was used in time because the Hellenistic culture was the international culture in Israel and that part of the world, in spite of the growing Roman expansion.

You may be reacting to the outward form. The Catholic Church has the full deposit of faith.

But other denominations and other religions have aspects of true religion in it…

Perhaps the better topic is ‘What is Truth and how do we find it?’ I personally like John Paul II’s ‘Veritatis Splendor’…have quiet time today and see if I can review it and share later here.

You can all download it on the internet…but his is the most contemporary understanding of what is truth, how it applies to the Church and to all mankind today.
 
Annie_B said:
I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
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Dear Annie,

Just because Catholics believe our Church to be the true Church does not mean that all Catholics are in the good graces of God. One is reponsible for what they believe according to the words of Jesus. No two people are on the same spiritual level with God whatever faith one is. Just as in school no two people know the same amount about any class they take even if they make the identical grades on tests and if one goes to a better school one ‘should’ learn more about each subject than if one went to a less prestigious school.

WE, as Catholics, state that we have the fullness of God’s word. Not every Catholic knows the exact same as each other on anything. God’s knows each one’s heart just as it says in Romans 2 about interior law.

If one knows and turns away he/she is in much worse condition than one who never knew.

Catholics should be more understanding since our Church of and from Jesus is given all the necessary tools to love and help each other stay on the path of righteousness. Please don’t feel that Catholics as a whole are judgmental because that most certainly would not be true.

God loves all His children.

jpaul1953
 
What would be the LDS answer? Am I correct in saying that they too believe to be the one true Church?

My answer would be that He is sovereign. He does what He wants.

God bless
 
Annie_B said:
I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
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I get a sense from your post that you do not correctly understand the Catholic understanding of Ecuminism.

You use the words, “…so wrong…”, what is your understanding of how the Catholic Church sees non-Catholics as “so wrong”?
 
I just started with the Mormons within a week.

I think they need to take a foundational class on Catholicism that has no ties to LDS so they can understand better. Taking out 1800 years of history, may be more, is too much.

You have the early Church fathers, the bishops, deacons, priests, saints…documents, history…too much.

Better take a class. Any answer I give is always not the full one. Historical documents…and seeing the universality of the church…all the different dioceses, countries, languages, cultures…and how they all work through time to become universal with the same message.
 
Why does God allow bad people to become wealthy and care free?

Life is about discovering in what rules to place ones faith. Nothing at all happens anywhere without God’s permission. Our job is to find out who to believe, who to follow, and to where they will lead, even if it is only ourselves.

The consequence of doing something that mostly works, is that you gain the benefits from what was almost right. But “What can go wrong, WILL” and “What cannot go wrong, WON’T”.

God, in every instant of time allows only what is right. No matter who you are, no matter where, when you do something that is actually right, you gain what such a right action brings. But seeing through God’s eyes as to exactly what will lead to distant consequences is not so easy. Thus faith is a choice, your choice of within whom to place your soul and spirit. Where it ends up, is the consequence of your choice.
 
James_S_Saint said:
Why does God allow bad people to become wealthy and care free?

Life is about discovering in what rules to place ones faith. Nothing at all happens anywhere without God’s permission. Our job is to find out who to believe, who to follow, and to where they will lead, even if it is only ourselves.

The consequence of doing something that mostly works, is that you gain the benefits from what was almost right. But “What can go wrong, WILL” and “What cannot go wrong, WON’T”.

God, in every instant of time allows only what is right. No matter who you are, no matter where, when you do something that is actually right, you gain what such a right action brings. But seeing through God’s eyes as to exactly what will lead to distant consequences is not so easy. Thus faith is a choice, your choice of within whom to place your soul and spirit. Where it ends up, is the consequence of your choice.
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James S Saint,

What are you talking about? It seems obvious that you are somewhere in time trying to find something that fits you. Life is not a clothing store but you can make it one if you so desire.

I am confused about where you are at this time. To me you sound like an ‘anything goes type of person’. Keep knocking and someday the door will be answered, just don’t stop knocking.

May God show you the truth necessary for eternal life.

Rezspectfully,

jpaul1953
 
Annie_B said:
I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
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Annie, Jesus told the Pharisee, “…man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man.” - parapharse. Likewise, man was not made for religion, but religion for man.
Look at all the organized religions in the word, Catholicism, Protestant, Muslim, DLS, Jewish, Hindu etc etc.
Then look at all those who founded those religions, God the Father formed the Jewish religion and Jesus His son, through the Last Supper offered a very personal and intimate relationship with the believers, which many Jewish people rejected and therefore Jesus offered it to the gentiles and it has spread througout the world.
Luther, Calvin, King Henry VIII created protestant religions. Brigham Young formed the LDS, and the list of “men” who have defined their own brand and created all other religions.
You are correct, God will save whom God will save as He is not limited by religion in offering His saving graces. However, if in reading the bible (Matthew Chapter 16) you can see the roots of the Catholic faith - as founded by God in His personal selection of Peter - “. . .Blessed are you Simon . . . no mere man has revealed this to you, but My heavenly Father.” And as decared by Jesus “…I for My part declare to you, you are ‘Rock’ and on this rock I will build My Church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it.”

Therefore, why would you chose to belong to a Church formed by a man/men to pursue the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of God, when you can belong to the Church organized by God the Father through His Son Jesus?
 
It is hard for people to understand the Catholic Church because it is so big and so old.

They do not understand how much the Church made the framework of faith and how today it helps us understand Scripture in today’s time, and I know that every understanding I have ever received in my life helps me to integrate my faith in peace in the world around me.

People who make such claims do not trust, because our culture is so individualistic.
 
Annie_B said:
I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
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The RCC is the One True Chruch, but it also teaches that non-Catholics can still be saved by the love that leads them to love and seek God. Look at Matt 7:7-10

*7 Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8 For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone? 10 Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent? *

Surely, if you can be saved, your prayers can be answered since God is infinite in Love and Perfection. God answers all prayers made to him. If your children are not acting as your expectations, you’ll still grant them what they wish, or continue loving them. So Faith and love in God would lead one to the conclusion that if a human parent can still love an erring child, God of course, would be the perfect example of a perfect parent with imperfect children (of all faiths).
 
Annie_B said:
I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
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How do you know he does?
 
Christ only has one Church. Humans have fragmented that Church. The Holy Catholic Church contains the fullness of the message of Christ…but that doesn’t mean those in other denominations are not Christian. God answers their prayers…the prayers of Jews too.
 
jpaul1953 said:
James S Saint,

What are you talking about? It seems obvious that you are somewhere in time trying to find something that fits you. Life is not a clothing store but you can make it one if you so desire.

I am confused about where you are at this time. To me you sound like an ‘anything goes type of person’. Keep knocking and someday the door will be answered, just don’t stop knocking.

May God show you the truth necessary for eternal life.

Rezspectfully,

jpaul1953
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Well thank you for the blessing, but perhaps if you do not concern yourself quite so much with “where I am coming from”, my motives, or condition, but rather take what it is said on its own basis, you might someday discover where I stand, my motives, and “come from”. 😃
 
James_S_Saint said:
God, in every instant of time allows only what is right. No matter who you are, no matter where, when you do something that is actually right, you gain what such a right action brings. But seeing through God’s eyes as to exactly what will lead to distant consequences is not so easy. Thus faith is a choice, your choice of within whom to place your soul and spirit. Where it ends up, is the consequence of your choice.
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I am having trouble following you.

God does not in every instant only allow for what is right. He allows us to make dreadful decisions that are not right at all. He gave us the freedom to choose. Right or wrong. And there is a wrong.

Yes doing something right gains you something right, only with the right intention, remember it is not necessarily the action itself that is good.

People have forgotten the greatest virtue, Love. They have replaced it with the virtue of unselfishness. Do you understand the difference and the danger? With love one self-sacrifices for the happiness of the other. With unselfishness one takes out the other person from the equation and just leaves self-sacrifice = good. Who is closer to God, whose heart is in the right place, one who sacrifices for the good of another or one who sacrifices just for the sake of sacrificing?

Also doing something wrong can still gain something good. The old “God makes all thing new” comes into play, it happens a lot.

I didn’t follow your reasoning behind Faith is a choice, I do agree with it though. Not sure how not being able to see like God and be omnipotent led to faith is a choice. Unless by not knowing we acknowledge our dependency on *something *since we can’t rely on ourselves. I can see that.

I agree wholeheartedly that choices on matters of the spirit, as they do with the physical, do indeed have consequences.
 
James_S_Saint said:
Well thank you for the blessing, but perhaps if you do not concern yourself quite so much with “where I am coming from”, my motives, or condition, but rather take what it is said on its own basis, you might someday discover where I stand, my motives, and “come from”. 😃
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I guess me and jpaul are just trying to follow your quote in your signature. By Verifying and Clarifying. That can only happen with dialogue.
 
Annie_B said:
I am just wondering what the Catholics here think of God answering the prayers of people in other denominations and religions? If the RCC is the one true church, then why would He see fit to answer the prayers of those of other churches and religions? If everyone outside of the RCC is so wrong, why does God bless them? Maybe He sees past the lines of division of faiths and chooses to bless His children because they are His children! Do we only bless our children if the love us? NO! We bless them and care for them because they are our children and it is our place in life to care for them:)
Annie
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Probably none of us as individuals understand the gospel perfectly in all of its fullness. But, as the Catholic gospel explains, God responds to faith-faith pleases Him. And we’re not saved by the gospel per se, we’re saved by Him, by His love. The Church’s role is to direct us to Him and that’s the purpose He established her for. But if someone is directed to Him in some other way, their understanding may be less perfect than that of a Catholic, but they’re nonetheless exercising the grace He gives all men to enlighten them internally as to His reality. He does the drawing and the Church’s role is necessarily secondary to that fact.
 
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