Dare I Ask?

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**1st. Tim. 2: 1-5 **“I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men: For kings, and for all that are in high station: that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: BUT THIS IS CONDITIONAL: Luke 11:28 “But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it… Matthew 18:17 “And if he will not hear them: tell the church. [SINGULAR] And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican”

WHAT’S YOU’RE EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING CATHOLIC?

**Luke 14:15-24 **“When one of them that sat at table with him, had heard these things, he said to him: Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. But he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. And he sent his servant at the hour of supper to say to them that were invited, that they should come, for now all things are ready. And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. And the servant returning, told these things to his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the feeble, and the blind, and the lame. And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said to the servant: Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. But I [JESUS] say unto you, that none of those men that were invited, shall taste of my supper"

Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” … **Matthew 7:13 ** “Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat” … Matthew 7:14 “How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!”
 
WHAT’S YOU’RE EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING CATHOLIC?

I became a Christian twelve years ago…when I was invited to attend a Church service…I guess I was already seeking without really knowing or understanding it,I listened , I learnt, I read the Bible and I became a devoted Christian

.why did I not become a Catholic? simple…I was not invited to attend a Catholic church, but I was invited to a Church of Scotland church.
And that is the only reason I became Presbyterian instead of Catholic.

Heather
 
Good point Heather.

We really need to be a more welcoming and evangelising community.

When I wanted to investigate Christianity I first went to a Catholic church but didn’t know what was going on or how to find out what was going on. There were no groups to join and no info displayed anywhere. The place just seemed totally disinterested in anyone who was not already a knowledgeable Catholic.

I ended up in a Protestant church for a year after that.

When I joined the Catholic church a year later I set up a group, and made sure there were notices around advertising it, for new people to join.
 
I’m not Catholic because I don’t believe the Catholic church IS THE ONE AND ONLY Church spoken of in scripture. I belong to the One Church spoken of in scripture. I was baptized by the Holy Spirit into this One Church. The Catholic church is just another “denomination” that men call themselves…but it’s not the One Church. The One Church is made up of those redeemed and washed in the blood of the Lamb. It is made up of those who have “put on Christ” and “walk in newness of life”. It is made up of those who have joined themselves with God by grace thru faith.

I need be a member of no other Church, it is He that makes us One Church…not the name on the sign outside the meetinghouse.
 
Hi,

What you have done sounds like a good idea, without meaning ANY disrespect at all…I do think that the Catholic church needs to reach out to people, I live in a tiny community so it wouldn’t have been any harder for the priest to say hi … come and learn about the faith…than it was for the Minister.

I have a new co -worker who is Catholic and she introduced me to her priest, At the moment I am debating Catholicism versus protestantism with him …( don’t tell him…but I am afraid he is winning )

Heather
 
Hi Heather
When I was an Evangelical I wrote down all the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism (infant baptism, praying to saints, using relics, apostolic succession, the pope, mariology, the mass, eucharist as true presence) and, because the Evangelicals were always going on about them being like the early Christians, went to the early Church Fathers to find out what they believed.

Lo and behold, the early Church was fully, 100% Catholic.

In fact, and this can also be a reply to our Quaker friend above, if you took an 1st or 2nd century Christian in a time machine to today, it is very unlikely that they would consider Protestants as Christians. Their view on the eucharist alone would be enough for them to consider Protestants heathens or apostates.
 
I’m episcopalian because that’s what I was baptized and confirmed. I went to Catholic HS and it was stamped on my ID NOT CATHOLIC, so I figured that was it, I’m permanently NOT CATHOLIC. I’m Episcopalian and that’s that… I inquired once about converting, around the time I started at a Catholic University, my academic advisor and I were chit chatting and it came up that NOT CATHOLIC was also stamped on my HS transcripts. I felt it’s on my permanent record there is no way I could ever be Catholic. I know it sounds weird but having that “Stamp” in my mind meant I can never be a Catholic. I’m ok with what I got. I’ve recently been questioning faith and religion in general.
 
Hi again,

I have become totally convinced that the Catholic Church is right about how to celebrate the Eucharist.
Which is causing me problems, as an Elder in my church I am supposed to help serve Communion .I know I won’t be able to take part because I no longer believe it is the right to celebrate it the way we do.

I like your idea about writing all the differences down…think I will try that myself…thanks

Heather
 
is “church” an institution or a community?

I don’t argue that “Catholic” is and always will be first and at the top of the pecking order.

The triumphalism tone…though needs to go IMHO if one is truly sincere in inviting others who are not Catholic to consider joining what you believe is the only way. They will come if they see your life flowing with the Fruits of the Spirit.🙂
 
PJM said:
WHAT’S YOU’RE EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING CATHOLIC?
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Presented in this manner, your question is quite offensive. If someday I’m convinced that your particular ecclesial community is all it claims to be, and I still don’t convert, that will be the time I’ll need an excuse.
 
masuwerte, you have the funniest location name, hands down!😛
 
Publisher said:
I’m not Catholic because I don’t believe the Catholic church IS THE ONE AND ONLY Church spoken of in scripture. I belong to the One Church spoken of in scripture. I was baptized by the Holy Spirit into this One Church.
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Wikipedia references that there are 38,000 “one churches”. To believe Christ set up that many churches all believing different things on faith and morals is to believe he was a very poor teacher and the author of confusion. “Those who hear you (38,000 churches), hear me”. :confused: You are right though, you were baptized into the Catholic Church.👍

You are reading into the text a message that is not there and ignore the history of the Church.

“See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles. Do ye also reverence the deacons, as those that carry out the appointment of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrneans, 8:2 (c. A.D. 110).

“[N]or does it consist in this, that he should again falsely imagine, as being above this [fancied being], a Pleroma at one time supposed to contain thirty, and at another time an innumerable tribe of Aeons, as these teachers who are destitute of truly divine wisdom maintain; while the Catholic Church possesses one and the same faith throughout the whole world, as we have already said.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 1:10,3 (A.D. 180).

”Whence you ought to know that the bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the bishop; and if any one be not with the bishop, that he is not in the Church, and that those flatter themselves in vain who creep in, not having peace with God’s priests, and think that they communicate secretly with some;** while the Church, which is Catholic and one is not cut nor divided, but is indeed connected and bound together** by the cement of priests who cohere with one another.” Cyprian, To Florentius, Epistle 66/67 (A.D. 254).
 
lonelypetunia said:
I’m episcopalian because that’s what I was baptized and confirmed. I went to Catholic HS and it was stamped on my ID NOT CATHOLIC, so I figured that was it, I’m permanently NOT CATHOLIC. I’m Episcopalian and that’s that… I inquired once about converting, around the time I started at a Catholic University, my academic advisor and I were chit chatting and it came up that NOT CATHOLIC was also stamped on my HS transcripts. I felt it’s on my permanent record there is no way I could ever be Catholic. I know it sounds weird but having that “Stamp” in my mind meant I can never be a Catholic. I’m ok with what I got. I’ve recently been questioning faith and religion in general.
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Perhaps there was a reason for the stamp? They might not have wanted to offend you by including you in certain things that were Catholic. Whatever, it was, I don’t think it was negative.

You are permanently a created, loved, child of God who has free will. 🙂
 
Porknpie said:
Wikipedia references that there are 38,000 “one churches”. To believe Christ set up that many churches all believing different things on faith and morals is to believe he was a very poor teacher and the author of confusion. “Those who hear you (38,000 churches), hear me”. :confused: You are right though, you were baptized into the Catholic Church.👍

You are reading into the text a message that is not there and ignore the history of the Church.

“See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles. Do ye also reverence the deacons, as those that carry out the appointment of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrneans, 8:2 (c. A.D. 110).

“[N]or does it consist in this, that he should again falsely imagine, as being above this [fancied being], a Pleroma at one time supposed to contain thirty, and at another time an innumerable tribe of Aeons, as these teachers who are destitute of truly divine wisdom maintain; while the Catholic Church possesses one and the same faith throughout the whole world, as we have already said.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 1:10,3 (A.D. 180).

”Whence you ought to know that the bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the bishop; and if any one be not with the bishop, that he is not in the Church, and that those flatter themselves in vain who creep in, not having peace with God’s priests, and think that they communicate secretly with some;** while the Church, which is Catholic and one is not cut nor divided, but is indeed connected and bound together** by the cement of priests who cohere with one another.” Cyprian, To Florentius, Epistle 66/67 (A.D. 254).
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Looks like I am not the only one who “reads into”…Wikipedia is not using “Church” like I am…the Body of Christ…the One Blood bought Church…they are using the word “church” as the Catholic would use the term “ecclesial community”…which the Catholic church is one among many “ecclesial communities”…but there is only One Church.

I don’t think any Catholic would believe, other than than those who believe the One Baptism is with the Holy Spirit that I was baptized into your church…I thought one had to under go a water baptism to be a member of your church? If you accept the One Baptism of the Holy Spirit as sufficient, then I’ll say…OK…I’ve been baptized into the Catholic church.🙂
 
57Bill said:
is “church” an institution or a community?

I don’t argue that “Catholic” is and always will be first and at the top of the pecking order.

The triumphalism tone…though needs to go IMHO if one is truly sincere in inviting others who are not Catholic to consider joining what you believe is the only way. They will come if they see your life flowing with the Fruits of the Spirit.🙂
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The Church is the body of Christ; it is filled with people all at different stages of their spiritual journey.

We do need to become holier so that Christ will be recognized in us.
 
Dorothy said:
Perhaps there was a reason for the stamp? They might not have wanted to offend you by including you in certain things that were Catholic. Whatever, it was, I don’t think it was negative.

You are permanently a created, loved, child of God who has free will. 🙂
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I thought I was Catholic, when I saw the stamp on my ID I went to our principal to get it corrected. That’s when Fr. explained to me the difference between Episcopalian and Catholic. Fr. is a very good man. I read for masses during my time in HS, he did that to include me and show the other girls to welcome me. Fr. McLaughin is truly a lovely man…

I still have a mental issue with being permanently defined… I can’t get over it being on my permanent record. I know it’s silly but for some reason I can’t get past that… I’m not angry or bitter, its just that whole you are not catholic and it’s on your record so you can’t change that.
 
lonelypetunia said:
I thought I was Catholic, when I saw the stamp on my ID I went to our principal to get it corrected. That’s when Fr. explained to me the difference between Episcopalian and Catholic. Fr. is a very good man. I read for masses during my time in HS, he did that to include me and show the other girls to welcome me. Fr. McLaughin is truly a lovely man…

I still have a mental issue with being permanently defined… I can’t get over it being on my permanent record. I know it’s silly but for some reason I can’t get past that… I’m not angry or bitter, its just that whole you are not catholic and it’s on your record so you can’t change that.
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🙂
 
From my view, I am a part of the Catholic (read universal) church. Any who profess faith the redemption offered freely by Christ are welcome to join in communion at my local church. We are all equal co-heirs with Christ even if we have minor doctrinal differences… It’s the Catholic church lead by the Holy See that has the more restrictive view of who belongs to the universal church.
 
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