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Greetings UK student!

You mentioned that you were reading history. Could you tell us more what kind of history you have read and what sort of history you enjoy the most? I tend to love pre-modern history. I’m a convert to Catholicism (from a sort of cynicism/skepticism). One thing that really helped me was studying history.

Other posters have already talked about looking at the history of Jesus and the early Christians, and that’s very important I think. One other interesting thing may be to look at the history of Catholicism in your own country. One thing that convinced me to believe that Jesus is who he says he is and that the Catholic Church is what it say it is, was “The History of the English Church and People” by Saint Bede (though I think he is commonly called "The Venerable Bede in the UK?). His history is really interesting. Though a lot of the Christian conduct can be rightfully criticized, and some of the “miracles” sound a bit odd (though some also seemed very believable to me), his work shows the sincerity and honest striving that the British (is that the right term? I’m from the US and I studied this on my own, so my apologies if I’m getting the terms wrong) made to understand Christianity and to live Christian lives. I think “A Man for all Seasons”, about Saint Thomas More might also be interesting.

I think there are a lot of wonderful sources from people from your own backyard. C.S. Lewis was already mentioned, but G.K. Chesterton is also great (lots of his work is free on the internet!). Tolkien was a devout Catholic and his works show a lot of what we believe and why it makes sense.

The most important thing though is to look for truth and to pray, in my opinion. Good luck and we will be praying for you!
Peace in Christ,
Frank
 
Hello All,

I remember vividly when my teacher from Grade School told us, (his students) that a former student of him challenged God"s existence, by stepping out of the classroom.He then, looked up, gazed at the sky and shouted,“If You really do exist,let me see you!” All of a sudden,he became totally blind.My teacher and many of his students witnessed the whole incident. It became the talk of the town then.
 
Okay, I apologise for my late response - I have two nights a week with pressing engagements, and perhaps it was somewhat foolish of me to start a topic I would be needed to respond to on the day before.

Dhgray - I believe a lot of things, though I expect the thing you would like to know is if I believe in a higher purpose.

This I am forced to do, and so do willingly (would be stupid to do otherwise - would also be depressing). This revelatio came to me while I explored my own philosophies and finally came out with the statement - written down without thinking - that Humanity is eventually futile.

However, with this view, I have to take it that it does not matter what I do, as eventually Humanity will be destroyed in one way or another (infinite universe, infinite possibilities of other stronger civilisations) and so may as well just kill everyone I can, then kill myself…

Coming to the conclusion that this would not be terribly constructive, I decided there must be some higher purpose, and am currently searching for some sort of help in defining it.

Other things (abortion etc) it would probably be best to ask me if I agree with and believe in.

Is that satisfactory? (Sorry for the length and the rambling I was just typing what felt right)

Silvano - I think that is probably an urban legend… Or the Sun was very bright.

GKB - I am only 15, so am as yet not into the deep stuff - we cannot take philosophy until 6th Form (next year) and I didn’t like the RE I was taught when I was younger, so I dropped it.

Again, sorry for the length!
 
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UKStudent:
Um, I was wondering…

I’d like to understand more about Catholicism, and this probably isn’t the right forum, but still I’ll put it here unless someone corrects me.

I am from the UK, and I’ve always thought it would be good to be part of a religion. Now, simply from my brief delves into History and fiction and the like, I’ve decided that Christianity probably serves as the most believable.

Then, looking at some other things, I have decided that Catholicism as quite a lot of interesting factors - Confession, Rosary Beads, Politics. In fact, it seems to be the only church to get directly involved with politics - especially in America.

Now, I was wondering, what things would attract me to Catholicism? How would you go about ‘converting’ me? I would like to find a faith, and maybe it could be Catholicism.
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What really helps me is to read the bible. You will find hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 HOPE is the seed of Faith. Just read, hope, and prey that God will take all the junk that you have and replace it with his holy spirit. God is everywhere and I believe the Catholic church has the foundation starting with Jesus, the apostles the first pope being Saint Peter.
 
Yes but as I have already pointed out, I don’t understand some parts of the bible!

For instance, why would an all-forgiving God kill everybody in a flood? And let innocent children die… at the command of a president apparently faithful to Him.
 
U K Student,

Some the very best Roman Catholic Apologists started out as curious but nonbelieving teenagers. Your countryman G.K. Chesterton was one of them. He finally converted to Catholocism at about 38 years of age. Google him up.

You are asking questions many others have asked. When you get your answers you will be staunch in your beliefs. I commend you in your quest. But remember if you are looking for some “secret” formula, there is none. The secret is …there is no secret. It all laid out in the open, just waiting for you. The next time you go outside, look at the birds and the clouds. Then ask yourself," Can a man make those?" Oh yes, who made all the atoms of which we are made? May God Bless You,
JMJ
 
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UKStudent:
Yes but as I have already pointed out, I don’t understand some parts of the bible!

For instance, why would an all-forgiving God kill everybody in a flood? And let innocent children die… at the command of a president apparently faithful to Him.
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If this life was all there was then you would be right in thinking How could an all-forgiving God allow this.God allows us free will, and Adam and Eve chose against God at the request of satan who conned them,and that brought death,sickness and evil in the world.The tsunami is a horrible thing,there is no doubt.We are so unable to to comprehendGods ways.For instance what if at the moment the wave was coming Jesus let them know who he was and gave them the oppertunity to repent and be with him,what if the children that died would have been enslaved and brutilised so bad that if they were taken at any other time they might have rejected Him.On September 11th there should have been at least 10 times more people in those buildings,people ran late including my cousin who had one diversion after another that kept her from getting ther on time.People who were suppose to be on the planes would get last minute change of plans or simply get bad feelings and not get on.We don’t know,but we do believe God is merciful and just and wants us to choose Him and be with Him forever where ther will be no more of these terrible things.God Bless
 
Look, it’s all very well telling me to look around and accept that God made everything - that there is somethign like a higher purpse is obvious!

But why is Catholicism right, and, say, Anglican, wrong?
 
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UKStudent:
Look, it’s all very well telling me to look around and accept that God made everything - that there is somethign like a higher purpse is obvious!

But why is Catholicism right, and, say, Anglican, wrong?
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I’ll be brief. Peter is why Catholicism is right. You may want to read a book called Jesus, Peter and The Keys. I think that is what it is called. It is about the Papacy. You want to follow the church that was founded by Jesus. Read the scriptures.

Jesus talks the Church. I hope you are ready to read and learn. Believing in God is the first step though, I would think. I used to be an atheist.
 
Hello UKStudent:

Remember that Christianity is an historical religion. Jesus came in “the fullness of time”, fulfilling all the prophecies in the Old Testament and being Himself the sum of all Revelation. He prepared the Apostles and commissioned them to convert all nations and to teach everything that He had commanded. These Apostles did go into the whole world and they and their successors the bishops have ruled Christ’s followers ever since, and one of these, the Bishop of Rome, is the Successor of Peter, Christ’s Chief Apostle. There is thus an historical continuity from Christ and His Apostles down to the present day Catholic hierarchy. The Catholic Church is thus the very same Church that Jesus founded, and the same one that Jesus promised to keep from doctrinal error.

The Anglican Church only dates to 1534, the various Eastern Orthodox churches only to about 862 or later, the Oriental Orthodox to 451, and most Protestant churches are less than 200 years old! So you see that nobody besides the Catholic Church has the necessary pedigree, and no one else even has any inerrant doctrinal organ to ensure its doctrinal inerrancy. That’s why you should be a Catholic.

Regards,
Joannes
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UKStudent:
Look, it’s all very well telling me to look around and accept that God made everything - that there is somethign like a higher purpse is obvious!

But why is Catholicism right, and, say, Anglican, wrong?
Click to expand...
 
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