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Mannyfit75
Guest
It has. The number of converts is impressive.
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Lost_Found
Guest
This does not answer your question directly but should give you an idea. 68 million growing at .85% per year is quite high in absolute terms.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=107317
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=107317
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Sabda
Guest
ROFL
That made me laugh. Our area seems to be growing slowly but steadly. I have noticed out here (diocese of Tulsa) that it seems to be a toss up between the Baptist and the Penecostals. Third would be the Non-Denoms. It seems you can not drive anywere without running into one of those three. The Penecostals and Non-Denoms really seem to be popping up.
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clmowry
Guest
Does the Church put out any numbers? In my TX Parish we are currently reporting 1,138 registered families with 3,980 members. Every 2-3 years the list is purged of “inactive members”.
It’s pretty difficult to get an accurate tally as we have allot of relocations in and out of the Parish.
In any case the percentage of active parisoners is certainly not small. At east 60% of the Parish is active in one or more ministries and over 50% are using their contribution envelopes.
What’s most encouraging to me is the rapidly growing number of active teens (and the 3 seniors that are discerning the seminary.)
I can’t speak for the Church as a whole, but Catholicism is alive and well in my Parish.
Now if we can just raise the money we need to expand the Church and School, we’ll have some room to grow.
Chuck
It’s pretty difficult to get an accurate tally as we have allot of relocations in and out of the Parish.
In any case the percentage of active parisoners is certainly not small. At east 60% of the Parish is active in one or more ministries and over 50% are using their contribution envelopes.
What’s most encouraging to me is the rapidly growing number of active teens (and the 3 seniors that are discerning the seminary.)
I can’t speak for the Church as a whole, but Catholicism is alive and well in my Parish.
Now if we can just raise the money we need to expand the Church and School, we’ll have some room to grow.
Chuck
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ALLFORHIM
Guest
Hi,
I think when it comes to those mega-churches- there are some that do teach easy believism, but most do get to the nitty gritty. Then of course we cant judge the hearts of the individuals either. As far as worship style, it is the same as the different learning styles. We all have different ways in which we like to worship. I personally dont like hymns too much but it is not the content but just the music style doesnt appeal to me. I like fast moving music. I like our praise band. Our church does both. I also tend to be very conservative in how I personally worship. I do not raise hands–actually I am pretty stiff in church. Does that make me any less able to love God and worship him? No. Style really doesnt matter in God’s eyes. He is looking at our hearts.
If someone needs a show to bring them to our Lord Jesus Christ then I say AMEN!!I think it simply depends on where you live. In my state we dont have any mega churches. Even though my church is growing I wouldnt consider it one of the Mega churches. As far as other denoms popping up, I dont know details about that but they are probably just churches that already have a denom they just have their own building now.
I think that is great. I just hope that the CC will focus on the cafeteria catholics who probably cant even be counted as true believers, in the RCC anyway.
I think if a study was done on true believers in Christ that had nothing to do with what church you went to, the numbers would be astonishingly small
Much Much Smaller then the amount of people who belong to a church. That is the real number we should be looking at
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latin_rite
Guest
Um those so called “pagan translators” are where we got the bible.
Its the same bible you read (well at least i think it is). And though i’m no bible guru it does say Jesus mentioned something about people going to hell. that is if you read the same bible…Or are you saying you have had a revelation? Last i heard when Jesus comes back for the second time “EVERYONE” will know… So who gave you this revelation? If it wasn’t Christ then who? The prince of lies perhaps? useing your ego. LOL. You seem to like to lie. You know lies about God being the God of the dead. you lie about Churchs forcing people to tihte,You lie about Jesus. I would like to know where you got your translations or your “bible” from or maybe you do use Jesus’s bible, and you use some kind of fundie Glasses that allows you to tell the difference between the pagan lies " and what God actually meant? I bet those glasses come in handy when your at your jack chick i’ll take out and replace what ever i want in the bible . Bible study classes.
O and P.S
I don’t think it’s a case of him/her calling you a liar. Just a case of you being too stupid to realize what you’re saying.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
I don’t know about anywhere else. I live in the Bible Belt, and around here, anyway, you don’t often see anyone leave the Church. When you see it, it usually has to do with divorcing the wife and marrying the younger girlfriend. I would say that for every Catholic who leaves, somewhere between 5 and 10 protestants join the Church.
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calchiquita
Guest
I am a recent convert to the Catholic church and I will tell you what drew me in.
- Watching a faithful Catholic and his devotion to our Lord.
- Testimonies of converts in Surprised by Truth.
- I could find no scriptures contradicting.
- and most important… the Holy Spirit grabbing hold of me while reading John 6 and convicting me of the truth of the Eucharist… after that I had no choice really but to become Catholic
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clmowry
Guest
Does the Church put out any numbers? In my TX Parish we are currently reporting 1,138 registered families with 3,980 members. Every 2-3 years the list is purged of “inactive members”.
It’s pretty difficult to get an accurate tally as we have allot of relocations in and out of the Parish.
In any case the percentage of active parisoners is certainly not small. At east 60% of the Parish is active in one or more ministries and over 50% are using their contribution envelopes.
What’s most encouraging to me is the rapidly growing number of active teens (and the 3 seniors that are discerning the seminary.)
I can’t speak for the Church as a whole, but Catholicism is alive and well in my Parish.
Now if we can just raise the money we need to expand the Church and School, we’ll have some room to grow.
Chuck
It’s pretty difficult to get an accurate tally as we have allot of relocations in and out of the Parish.
In any case the percentage of active parisoners is certainly not small. At east 60% of the Parish is active in one or more ministries and over 50% are using their contribution envelopes.
What’s most encouraging to me is the rapidly growing number of active teens (and the 3 seniors that are discerning the seminary.)
I can’t speak for the Church as a whole, but Catholicism is alive and well in my Parish.
Now if we can just raise the money we need to expand the Church and School, we’ll have some room to grow.
Chuck
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M_Oliver
Guest
Well, well latin_rite. Shall we examine some of your false beliefs?
**First **you ADMIT {by the way, this contrary to your “church”} that we got our “bible” from pagans. That is not totally true. God allowed pagans to translate Scripture incorrectly to create the “bible”. Scripture however has retained all the truth that God wants us to know as of this date.
Your kind uses the “bible” to teach lies. My kind uses the “bible” to see the Scriptures and teach the truth.
Second. I read MANY “bibles” during my studies. It is not necessarily the same one you read.
Third. So Jesus “mentioned” something about going to “hell”. Whoopy friggin’ do! Have you ever examined the Greek word translated to “hell”? Have you ever examined the original meaning of the english word “hell”? I’ll post about it sometime soon. The bottom line is it DOES NOT mean what the “churches”, including yours, say. Not even close.
Fourth. You ask if I’ve had some “revelation”. Of course in your world it is ok for a common man to see an evil spirit and call it an apparition. Afterall it helps keep all the sheep under control, right?
Fifth. You say I am a liar. If I am a liar because I understand that God’s plan for man DOES NOT include eternal torture in a literal fire for those who “don’t believe” then so be it. You just defined a true martyr. It isn’t what the lieing world says it is
. It isn’t what your “church” falsely teaches that it is.
Sixth. The rest of your post proves your ignorance.
The bottom line is you are hell bent on defending an organization while you could care less about the truth.
**First **you ADMIT {by the way, this contrary to your “church”} that we got our “bible” from pagans. That is not totally true. God allowed pagans to translate Scripture incorrectly to create the “bible”. Scripture however has retained all the truth that God wants us to know as of this date.
Your kind uses the “bible” to teach lies. My kind uses the “bible” to see the Scriptures and teach the truth.
Second. I read MANY “bibles” during my studies. It is not necessarily the same one you read.
Third. So Jesus “mentioned” something about going to “hell”. Whoopy friggin’ do! Have you ever examined the Greek word translated to “hell”? Have you ever examined the original meaning of the english word “hell”? I’ll post about it sometime soon. The bottom line is it DOES NOT mean what the “churches”, including yours, say. Not even close.
Fourth. You ask if I’ve had some “revelation”. Of course in your world it is ok for a common man to see an evil spirit and call it an apparition. Afterall it helps keep all the sheep under control, right?
Fifth. You say I am a liar. If I am a liar because I understand that God’s plan for man DOES NOT include eternal torture in a literal fire for those who “don’t believe” then so be it. You just defined a true martyr. It isn’t what the lieing world says it is
. It isn’t what your “church” falsely teaches that it is.Sixth. The rest of your post proves your ignorance.
The bottom line is you are hell bent on defending an organization while you could care less about the truth.
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havemercy
Guest
Dearest Oliver,
You have yet to back up what you say and the claims you make for Christ. Until then, I don’t think many here would be inclined to take you too seriously.
Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia! Ubi ecclesia, ibi Christus!
In Christ, in Truth, in the Church,
Tony
You have yet to back up what you say and the claims you make for Christ. Until then, I don’t think many here would be inclined to take you too seriously.
Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia! Ubi ecclesia, ibi Christus!
In Christ, in Truth, in the Church,
Tony
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Ridgerunner
Guest
Well, M Oliver, the kind of vicious bile you spew is one of the reason why conversions to Catholicism in my BIBLE BELT part of the country far outweigh the conversions to your kind of thinking.
Your hatred will destroy your soul, and you should pray to be delivered from it.
Your hatred will destroy your soul, and you should pray to be delivered from it.
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Mannyfit75
Guest
You know he hasn’t prove anything and use assaults than prove his case. I have not meet one Protestant who disprove Catholicism teaches false doctrine. Most of the time, they are misunderstood and many times they are refuted.
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Mannyfit75
Guest
After his remarks about Catholic Church as the harlot. I lost any respect nor do I think his posts are worthy of reading…
You know I think ALLFORHIM and other veteran Non-Catholic Christians here are worth reading over.
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corvidae
Guest
M oliver- I just want to point out in some of your post that you are using logical fallicies. That means, that using reason, you cannot prove what you say you are proving
The first fallacy is post hoc ergo propter hoc- after therefore because of- This means that you see something, and you see something that comes after it and you draw a connection where one may not be. An example would be that many churches seem to fit your description of the whore of babylon, therefore they are, it isn’t neccesarily so
The second is similis hoc ergo propter hoc- similar to therefore becaue of- You used this one to try and explain away purgatory, the egyptians had something similar, therefore you got your idea from them
The third is non sequiter- it does not follow- this one is drawing a connection when no connection can be made. You say there is no greek word for eternity and therefore the bible cannot talk about eternity. There are 37 eskimo words for snow, yet in english we can describe snow. We can say it is wet, or dry, or powdery, it does not mean we can never talk about wet snow. It does not follow that because a language has no specific word, they have no concept and cannot talk about something.
Just letting you know, if you want your arguments to hold weight, they better be able to hold up to logic 101
A lone Raven
The first fallacy is post hoc ergo propter hoc- after therefore because of- This means that you see something, and you see something that comes after it and you draw a connection where one may not be. An example would be that many churches seem to fit your description of the whore of babylon, therefore they are, it isn’t neccesarily so
The second is similis hoc ergo propter hoc- similar to therefore becaue of- You used this one to try and explain away purgatory, the egyptians had something similar, therefore you got your idea from them
The third is non sequiter- it does not follow- this one is drawing a connection when no connection can be made. You say there is no greek word for eternity and therefore the bible cannot talk about eternity. There are 37 eskimo words for snow, yet in english we can describe snow. We can say it is wet, or dry, or powdery, it does not mean we can never talk about wet snow. It does not follow that because a language has no specific word, they have no concept and cannot talk about something.
Just letting you know, if you want your arguments to hold weight, they better be able to hold up to logic 101
A lone Raven
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JoeyWarren
Guest
One of the newsletters I get from the coming home network said that 469 Protestant Pastors converted last Easter, 700 are expected to convert this Easter. The number has been going up each year. In 2001 it was 212.
This should cause some Protestants to pause and wonder.
This should cause some Protestants to pause and wonder.
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M_Oliver
Guest
I am running out of “one of the most ridiculous” but I have to say that is one of the 10 most ridiculous posts I have ever read.
QUOTE: The second is similis hoc ergo propter hoc- similar to therefore becaue of- You used this one to try and explain away purgatory, the egyptians had something similar, therefore you got your idea from them.
PURGATORY is ROOTED in Egyptian paganism. How CAN YOU say my refuting of purgatory is rooted in Egypt??? Did you READ what you wrote before you posted it.??
You know lone raven, many, many, many people on this board have TRIED to to twist my words to show me a liar. Not one single person has been able to do it. Keep trying but please do it with Scripture.
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Mannyfit75
Guest
PURGATORY is ROOTED in Egyptian paganism. How CAN YOU say my refuting of purgatory is rooted in Egypt??? Did you READ what you wrote before you posted it.??
Cite your source to include the author. No it is not. The word purgatory was not use because it was not challenge.
2 Macc. 12:43-45. the prayers for the dead help free them from sin and help them to the reward of heaven. Those in heaven have no sin, and those in hell can no longer be freed from sin. They are in purgatory. Luther was particularly troubled with these verses because he rejected the age-old teaching of purgatory. As a result, he removed Maccabees from the canon of the Bible.
Citation of from 2 Macc 12:43-45
Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen.
((continue))
Cite your source to include the author. No it is not. The word purgatory was not use because it was not challenge.
2 Macc. 12:43-45. the prayers for the dead help free them from sin and help them to the reward of heaven. Those in heaven have no sin, and those in hell can no longer be freed from sin. They are in purgatory. Luther was particularly troubled with these verses because he rejected the age-old teaching of purgatory. As a result, he removed Maccabees from the canon of the Bible.
Citation of from 2 Macc 12:43-45
Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen.
((continue))
M
Mannyfit75
Guest
Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59 – Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “opponent” (antidiko) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out until the last penny is paid.
Matt. 5:48 - Jesus says, “be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching, this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a transitional state we call purgatory.
Matt. 12:32 – Jesus says, “And anyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next.” Jesus thus clearly provides that there is forgiveness after death. The phrase “in the next” (from the Greek “en to mellonti”) generally refers to the afterlife (see, for example, Mark 10.30; Luke 18.30; 20.34-35; Eph. 1.21 for similar language). Forgiveness is not necessary in heaven, and there is no forgiveness in hell. This proves that there is another state after death, and the Church for 2,000 years has called this state purgatory.
Matt. 5:48 - Jesus says, “be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching, this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a transitional state we call purgatory.
Matt. 12:32 – Jesus says, “And anyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next.” Jesus thus clearly provides that there is forgiveness after death. The phrase “in the next” (from the Greek “en to mellonti”) generally refers to the afterlife (see, for example, Mark 10.30; Luke 18.30; 20.34-35; Eph. 1.21 for similar language). Forgiveness is not necessary in heaven, and there is no forgiveness in hell. This proves that there is another state after death, and the Church for 2,000 years has called this state purgatory.
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Mannyfit75
Guest
Rev. 21:27 - nothing unclean shall enter heaven. The word “unclean” comes from the Greek word “koinon” which refers to a spiritual corruption. Even the propensity to sin is spiritually corrupt, or considered unclean, and must be purified before entering heaven. It is amazing how many Protestants do not want to believe in purgatory. Purgatory exists because of the mercy of God. If there were no purgatory, this would also likely mean no salvation for most people. God is merciful indeed.
Luke 23:43 – many Protestants argue that, because Jesus sent the good thief right to heaven, there can be no purgatory. There are several rebuttals. First, when Jesus uses the word "paradise,” He did not mean heaven. Paradise, from the Hebrew “sheol,” meant the realm of the righteous dead. This was the place of the dead who were destined for heaven, but who were captive until the Lord’s resurrection. Second, since there was no punctuation in the original manuscript, Jesus’ statement “I say to you today you will be with me in paradise” does not mean there was a comma after the first word “you.” This means Jesus could have said, “I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise” (meaning, Jesus could have emphasized with exclamation his statement was “today” or “now,” and that some time in the future the good thief would go to heaven). Third, even if the thief went straight to heaven, this does not prove there is no purgatory (those who are fully sanctified in this life – perhaps by a bloody and repentant death – could be ready for admission in to heaven).
Gen. 50:10; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8 - here are some examples of ritual prayer and penitent mourning for the dead for specific periods of time. The Jewish understanding of these practices was that the prayers freed the souls from their painful state of purification, and expedited their journey to God.
Baruch 3:4 - Baruch asks the Lord to hear the prayers of the dead of Israel. Prayers for the dead are unnecessary in heaven and unnecessary in hell. These dead are in purgatory.
Zech. 9:11 - God, through the blood of His covenant, will set those free from the waterless pit, a spiritual abode of suffering which the Church calls purgatory.
Luke 23:43 – many Protestants argue that, because Jesus sent the good thief right to heaven, there can be no purgatory. There are several rebuttals. First, when Jesus uses the word "paradise,” He did not mean heaven. Paradise, from the Hebrew “sheol,” meant the realm of the righteous dead. This was the place of the dead who were destined for heaven, but who were captive until the Lord’s resurrection. Second, since there was no punctuation in the original manuscript, Jesus’ statement “I say to you today you will be with me in paradise” does not mean there was a comma after the first word “you.” This means Jesus could have said, “I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise” (meaning, Jesus could have emphasized with exclamation his statement was “today” or “now,” and that some time in the future the good thief would go to heaven). Third, even if the thief went straight to heaven, this does not prove there is no purgatory (those who are fully sanctified in this life – perhaps by a bloody and repentant death – could be ready for admission in to heaven).
Gen. 50:10; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8 - here are some examples of ritual prayer and penitent mourning for the dead for specific periods of time. The Jewish understanding of these practices was that the prayers freed the souls from their painful state of purification, and expedited their journey to God.
Baruch 3:4 - Baruch asks the Lord to hear the prayers of the dead of Israel. Prayers for the dead are unnecessary in heaven and unnecessary in hell. These dead are in purgatory.
Zech. 9:11 - God, through the blood of His covenant, will set those free from the waterless pit, a spiritual abode of suffering which the Church calls purgatory.
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