Confused, and I guess I am not a real Catholic..

[Tantum_ergo]

People on this forum seem very unshakable and stubborn about their beliefs and automatically say things like “you’ll go to hell if you have an abortion even if you were raped by your family member and it endangers your life!” People this stubborn, no matter what their beliefs in religion or politics, seem brainwashed. These people never think “I could be wrong…” or the church can be wrong…

As Christians, we should be more accepting of other people and stop quoting encyclicals old men have said in a chair in Rome. Our belief in Purgatory means that all are able to witness in Christ and be healed from a state of sin in the afterlife. I don’t think God sends people to hell for premarital sex or missing church a few Sundays. I also think that good people are saved through Jesus Christ, so it could be possible for Buddhist monks to go to heaven after going to Purgatory.

Unless you think you are really an evil person, and you sin without feeling guilt or being sorry, I wouldn’t worry about it. Catholics have made too many doctrines anyways, just follow the commandments.

BTW you can have a personal confession to God you know… you don’t need to go see a priest if you aren’t confused or don’t need any guidance lectures.

With the greatest of respect: Kindly refrain from giving your personal opinion as a member of the Byzantine (obviously not in communion with the Latin Church) to a Catholic as being valid teaching for said Catholic. While much of your teaching is the same as the Catholic teaching, some is not–and the last bit about ‘personal confession to God alone’ is not authentic Catholic teaching.

Would you like us to come to a Byzantine forum and tell y’all that of COURSE you should be submitting yourself to Rome? I think not.

 

[CMatt25]

People on this forum seem very unshakable and stubborn about their beliefs and automatically say things like “you’ll go to hell if you have an abortion even if you were raped by your family member and it endangers your life!” People this stubborn, no matter what their beliefs in religion or politics, seem brainwashed. These people never think “I could be wrong…” or the church can be wrong…

As Christians, we should be more accepting of other people and stop quoting encyclicals old men have said in a chair in Rome. Our belief in Purgatory means that all are able to witness in Christ and be healed from a state of sin in the afterlife. I don’t think God sends people to hell for premarital sex or missing church a few Sundays. I also think that good people are saved through Jesus Christ, so it could be possible for Buddhist monks to go to heaven after going to Purgatory.

Unless you think you are really an evil person, and you sin without feeling guilt or being sorry, I wouldn’t worry about it. Catholics have made too many doctrines anyways, just follow the commandments.

BTW you can have a personal confession to God you know… you don’t need to go see a priest if you aren’t confused or don’t need any guidance lectures.

:clapping:

 

[jmcrae]

And I rest my case to ID Catholic! :clapping: :yup: :tiphat: THANK YOU! :dancing: :extrahappy: And I trust those who have said I am not will now refrain from doing so.

You still don’t get to present heretical ideas as if they were the official teachings of the Catholic Church, however. Especially as a Catholic, you are required to present what the Catholic Church actually teaches, when answering questions on the Catholic Answers fora, and not what you dearly wish it would teach, instead.

Same as how, at work, when a customer asks you what your company can do for her, you give her the list of things that your company actually does for people, rather than saying what you wish your company would do, instead.

 

[jmcrae]

People on this forum seem very unshakable and stubborn about their beliefs and automatically say things like “you’ll go to hell if you have an abortion even if you were raped by your family member and it endangers your life!”

This is a simple statement of fact. The blood from the direct killing of an innocent human being cries out to God for justice from the ground. Anybody who has ever read the Book of Genesis knows this. Everyone who murders always has what they consider to be a “good reason.”

As Christians, we should be more accepting of other people and stop quoting encyclicals old men have said in a chair in Rome.

Are you prejudiced against old men? They have wisdom and experience. They are hard-headed and realistic. Who better to do this work? Would you want teenage girls doing it, instead?

I don’t think God sends people to hell for premarital sex or missing church a few Sundays.

Neither do I. What they go to Hell for is making false promises and taking advantage of young naives, and for setting the things of this earth up as being more important than God. It is only an accidental side-effect that making false promises leads to premarital sex, and that setting your eyes on the passing treasures of this world causes you to schedule things that conflict with Sunday Mass, thus making it impossible for you to attend Mass.

 

[SirThomasMore]

I was raised in a Catholic/Christian household. To this day I accept Christ as my savior and my redeemer. Being on this forums I have seen a lot of things that I never encountered in my days. All this talk of the “one true church” and going over how we have to abide by all things in Canon Law and the Catechism to be Catholic.

That was never brought up to me. I even went to Catholic School for about 3 years when I was younger and it was never like this. My mother, priests, nuns, etc, they never really brought up a lot of what I have read on here. It kind of startles me. In reality, I guess I am not a Catholic then, because I don’t agree with certain doctrines. Maybe its ignorance. I am certainly not REJECTING it, and down right saying its wrong, but it just doesn’t click with me.

Like confession, I am almost 22 years old. I have been to confession maybe 3-4 times my whole life. In the Bible it claims that… For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). So If I am truly sorry for my sins and ask for forgiveness, it’s futile? I just go to hell if i don’t go to confession…?

Moreover, I understand the concept or mortal and venial sins, but it just doesn’t hit me. Let’s say I go to confession and right after I see a woman and have lustful thoughts, If I die, I just automatically go to Hell? I cant be going to confession every single day because in reality I probably commit mortal sins every day; At least in my thoughts. I lose my salvation in the blink of an eye? Christ only died for venial sins??? Okay…

Also, the Apostles were sinners they weren’t perfect beings. When they were at the last supper, did they go to a priest and confess before receiving the body/blood of Christ? As I have read, we must confess mortal sins before receiving the Eucharist. I am sure the Apostles had a few of them under their belt. What about the good thief (Dismas) he accepted Christ right on the spot and was received in Heaven. He never went to confession. I know the CC says he was “baptized” with desire, but still he didn’t go to confession. Maybe I am just a bit crazy, I don’t know. What shall I do?

Honestly, I know I am a sinner and accept Christ and plead for his forgiveness, but that’s not good enough I guess.

So I really don’t know where I stand? Am I going to Hell? I am sure lots of you think so.

First, no one has the right to say you are going to hell. It is not our call. That decision is above our pay grade.

Next, Jesus told the Apostles to go out and whose sins they forgive, they are forgiven. So, though Christ mediates for us, He designated people on earth who could absolve based on confession.

Another point…the thief on the cross did NOT, in my opinion, go to heaven. Jesus said that the thief would, that night, be with Jesus in paradise. Is that heaven? I do not believe so. On Easter, Jesus advised Mary not to touch Him, for Jesus had “not yet ascended to the Father”. So, wherever Paradise is, it is not where the Father is.

Having said all of that, I believe that to be Catholic, one must accept all the the Catholic Doctrine and teachings. If someone cannot do that, they are not Catholic. That does not mean they automatically go to hell, that is for God to decide. What it DOES mean is that one will not receive all the blessings that go with being a Catholic and, if they attend a protestant church, they will not be taught with anyone who has the full authority.

 

[crazzeto]

With the greatest of respect: Kindly refrain from giving your personal opinion as a member of the Byzantine (obviously not in communion with the Latin Church) to a Catholic as being valid teaching for said Catholic. While much of your teaching is the same as the Catholic teaching, some is not–and the last bit about ‘personal confession to God alone’ is not authentic Catholic teaching.

Would you like us to come to a Byzantine forum and tell y’all that of COURSE you should be submitting yourself to Rome? I think not.

It’s worth noting that not only does his posting not repersent authentic Catholic teaching, indeed niether does it represent authentic Orthodox teaching…

 

[Tantum_ergo]

It’s worth noting that not only does his posting not repersent authentic Catholic teaching, indeed niether does it represent authentic Orthodox teaching…

I had noted that; curious, isn’t it? Of course people do tend to use words like “Catholic” and “Byzantine” and even “Christian” but their definitions of those words don’t ‘match’ the ones that the majority of people have; instead, they reflect what the user has ‘determined’ them to be. Sometimes they do so maliciously, other times not. I have the greatest respect for JWs as individuals, for example, but they call themselves "Christian’ and the majority of Christians would not recognize them as Christian by the authoritative definition of the word (though as I said, they are mostly lovely people and often act in a very Christian way).

Then you get the wiseacres who call themselves “Catholic” but don’t mean members of the Latin Church in communion with Rome but rather claim for themselves some kind of ‘universal’ belief and say since Catholic means ‘universal’ it obviously means THEM.

And finally you get the people who just like the sound of a word, or the fantastic (and usually fantastically wrong) legends that surround it --like people who call themselves “Atlanteans” and claim to follow the teachings of that ‘vanished’ continent’, or the ones who call themselves Albigenseans or Jedi. . .

Sometimes they are speaking ‘tongue in cheek’, but sometimes you get some very ‘interesting’ 'people. . .

 

[CMatt25]

I believe that to be Catholic, one must accept all the the Catholic Doctrine and teachings. If someone cannot do that, they are not Catholic.

STM, I’m sure you’ve heard that even excommunicated Catholics are Catholics. They are barred from the Sacraments, from holding parish positions or from serving, But still are Catholics. So you apparently then don’t believe you are Catholic since you don’t accept all Church teaching on who is a Catholic. Peace.

 

[CMatt25]

You still don’t get to present heretical ideas as if they were the official teachings of the Catholic Church

I don’t. I simply discuss my beliefs (heretical ideas as you call them) in discussion. I never claim all of the beliefs I espouse are official teaching. Peace.

 

[SirThomasMore]

STM, I’m sure you’ve heard that even excommunicated Catholics are Catholics. They are barred from the Sacraments, from holding parish positions or from serving, But still are Catholics. So you apparently then don’t believe you are Catholic since you don’t accept all Church teaching on who is a Catholic. Peace.

maybe I am not. But to be a TRUE Catholic, one must accept all Catholic Doctrine. Even excommunicated Catholics can accept all the doctrine…I knew a guy who was exd for adultry. He still believed and accepted ALL doctrine, he just broke the rules. So your point is not valid and mixes apples and oranges

 

[agent_grey]

If you believe that true communion is the literal body and blood of Christ. If you believe anything less is offensive to God and is sin.

Then you my friend are Catholic.

 

[crazzeto]

maybe I am not. But to be a TRUE Catholic, one must accept all Catholic Doctrine. Even excommunicated Catholics can accept all the doctrine…I knew a guy who was exd for adultry. He still believed and accepted ALL doctrine, he just broke the rules. So your point is not valid and mixes apples and oranges

Peole do have questions from time to time, and even struggles. That’s OK, I think the point at which you cross the line is when you intellectually reject the doctrines of the faith. It’s at this point which you cross the line from Catholic in good standing to heritic…

Now the OP, is not at this point… The OP has struggles, and that’s fine. The fact is he’s never been catichised, at least certainly not properly. So he has struggles, that is fine and good.

What’s not fine and good, is pretending that this person has no issue what so ever… Pretending that they can reject the doctrines of the church and that this is no issue. That is a very serious problem indeed.

 

[jmcrae]

I don’t. I simply discuss my beliefs (heretical ideas as you call them) in discussion. I never claim all of the beliefs I espouse are official teaching. Peace.

When it says “Catholic” on your label, people have the right to assume that what is contained in your answer is Catholic teaching. This is, after all, a question and answer forum. You are the Catholic, giving the Catholic Answers that are advertised as being available on this Forum.

 

[CMatt25]

When it says “Catholic” on your label, people have the right to assume that what is contained in your answer is Catholic teaching. This is, after all, a question and answer forum. You are the Catholic, giving the Catholic Answers that are advertised as being available on this Forum.

This is not Apologetics or Liturgy and Sacraments where folks dish out Catholic thought verbatim.

Non-Catholic Religions (49 Viewing)
Comparing and contrasting beliefs

That aside, I think there are ppl who are in tune enough with reality to understand Catholics do not speak in a monolithic voice. Have you not seen the polls suggesting how many US Catholics for example dissent from contraception teaching alone? The numbers who actually attend Mass each wk? Yet the Church claims one and all as Catholics. Surely if the Church does, CAF can. And I assuredly can’t ID with another as I do not maintain membership in any other but the Catholic Church. You and some others do a fine job nonetheless Jmcrae in pointing out where my beliefs are not to be assumed. Peace.

 

[jmcrae]

This is not Apologetics or Liturgy and Sacraments where folks dish out Catholic thought verbatim.

Non-Catholic Religions (49 Viewing)
Comparing and contrasting beliefs

Right. So, if you are a Mormon, you present the official Mormon teaching on the subject in question. Not your individual opinion, if you are a dissenter from Mormon teaching, on the issue. Likewise, if you are a Baptist, you present the official teaching of the Baptist church - rather than your personal opinion, if it differs. And the same for the Catholics, and for everyone else.

It would be very confusing if members of the UCC were presenting the Mormon beliefs, and the Mormons were presenting the Baptist beliefs, etc. There would be nothing to contrast and compare - it would just be a group of people who might as well not represent any group in particular, sharing their personal opinions together.

There are tea parties for that - we don’t need a formal Internet Forum for it.

That aside, I think there are ppl who are in tune enough with reality to understand Catholics do not speak in a monolithic voice. Have you not seen the polls suggesting how many US Catholics for example dissent from contraception teaching alone?

And a lot of them are teaching Religion in our Catholic schools. Does that mean we should continue to perpetuate the same error, here on the Forum?

 

[MarieaGrace]

MarieaGrace I am sorry to hear that people on this forum have told you that you are going to hell. It is not any of our place to say who goes to hell. Please don’t hold this against your Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ. Like I told laneo, the people on this forum just want you to experience the fullness of Truth, which the Catholic Church has. The Catechism does NOT say you MUST be a baptized Catholic to go to heaven. Some of the most incredible men and women of God that I know are protestant. They were brought up that way, or converted from a life of sin.

So if why be Catholic? Because it is the Church that Jesus founded on Earth.

The Church has the fullness of Truth, and I don’t know about you, but I want to be where the Truth is.

Praying for you!

I would like to thank you for being so very nice and understanding to me, you are very nice i have never herd catholics say much good about Protestants on any forum.I am actually moved by this, i even felt a closeness with you and i don’t even know you. It must be Jesus ha! It is true what you say if you don’t sin no matter who you are or from what ever why would God put you in fire and brimstone? That makes sense to me you can’t be a mose they are dumb animals and you are neither dumb or an animal but a real Chriatian. Thank you again. I give you Psalms 91 marieagrace

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

And I rest my case to ID Catholic! :clapping: :yup: :tiphat: THANK YOU! :dancing: :extrahappy: And I trust those who have said I am not will now refrain from doing so.

ok–you’re Catholic…just not a FAITHFUL Catholic…

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

The difference between you Mat25 and other people who struggle with some of the teachings of the Catholic church…They at least try to work through the issues that they have. And they don’t go around telling everyone it’s ok not to follow all of the teachings of the Church.

 

[CMatt25]

Right. So, if you are a Mormon, you present the official Mormon teaching on the subject in question. Not your individual opinion, if you are a dissenter from Mormon teaching, on the issue. Likewise, if you are a Baptist, you present the official teaching of the Baptist church - rather than your personal opinion, if it differs. And the same for the Catholics, and for everyone else.

It would be very confusing if members of the UCC were presenting the Mormon beliefs, and the Mormons were presenting the Baptist beliefs, etc. There would be nothing to contrast and compare - it would just be a group of people who might as well not represent any group in particular, sharing their personal opinions together.:

Sure there is. Compare and contrast people’s various beliefs. The Non Catholic section is not only for groups. I present official Catholic teaching on who is a Catholic. Carry on. :coffeeread:

 

[CMatt25]

The difference between you Mat25 and other people who struggle with some of the teachings of the Catholic church…They at least try to work through the issues that they have. And they don’t go around telling everyone it’s ok not to follow all of the teachings of the Church.

Annabelle Marie, you don’t know that I haven’t tried. I don’t tell ppl not to inform their consciences. And I never tell anyone the Church says it’s ok unless you mean when I quote CCC about the conscience.

1782 Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. "He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters.

1790 A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. If he were deliberately to act against it, he would condemn himself. Yet it can happen that moral conscience remains in ignorance and makes erroneous judgments about acts to be performed or already committed.

Peace.