Well, here we go. I’ll deposit my two cents. Every revealed religion has been split into “schools” of thought. Most of the time, the individual schools believe they are right (why else would there be different schools). The core of this problem, I believe, lies in the fact that we are 'fractured". In the Christian faith, we say that humans are sinful. Being sinful, we are not whole. We are not perfect. We have problems. We cannot see the truth sometimes.
Catholicism is the way to find the fullness of faith. Some non-catholics are closer than others, but only Catholics have the chance to experience “fullness.”
What do you mean “do we seclude ourselves or are we truly open to the thoughts and ideas of other people”? First, I don’t think Catholics seclude themselves and I don’t understand how anyone could say that we do. (Unless they misunderstand something Catholic–such as only Catholics receiving the Eucharist.) And I don’t think Catholics should be “truly open to the thoughts and ideas of other people” if by that you mean be open to being like Protestants. Catholicism, unlike other Christian denominations, is not, never has been, and never will be a democracy. Thank God for that!
I agree that we should watch what we are being “open” to. We are not to compromise to be social acceptable. But before we judge protestants too harshly, we need to keep in mind that most of them have no idea that they have no idea. I mean that they don’t know some of what they believe is in error. Some are trying hard to live what they have been taught, and don’t realize what is wrong with it. We need to teach with love and prayer, and not judge…lest we be judged.
Agreed.
The Catholic church has the fulliness of the Faith. Our seperated Christian brothers and sisters have some of the truths of the faith, but only the one Church established by Christ has the fullness of truth.
One reason is Sola Scriptura, that’s all they have but we have scripture, magisterum, and tradition.
TarAshly…I think that you misunderstood my post a little. Personally for me I didn’t/couldn’t find the fullness of faith that I found in the Catholic Church because mostly I found this opportunity through the Sacraments not offered by other denominations. So based on my experience I wish that I could bring my Protestant brothers and sisters to the fullness of faith that I found…but only God can call them to that.
I beg to differ. You are the one who is saying that “we are so intimidating and cold to anyone or anything different”. My parish has lots of converts every year so Catholicism must not be that intimidating. What you describe is a very Protestant approach–social “fellowship”. But that is why so many members of the same congregation don’t necessarily agree with the doctrine of that denomination or why so many congregations are just loose groups of people in fellowship but not in agreement theologically. I sense that you are a convert who has not fully embraced what your new faith stands for. I do hope you grow in our Catholic faith and learn to love it for what it is.
If there ideas contradict the teachings of the church we reject them because the church is the truth in every way and does not teach error. You can’t expect us to change because the protestants came along and they have a different view. We must keep the faith consistent in every way.
Exactly.