Devout Catholics: Do you lack understanding and/or acceptance of some Church teaching?

[estesbob]

I want to ask this question of those who follow the Church teachings diligently… but find themselves not understanding and/or disagreeing with some aspect of it or another…

thanks…

Yes-I have problems with their prohibition of barrier methods of birth control and disagree with them that there can ever be circumstances where capital punishment is appropriate.

 

[CatsAndDogs]

Quote:
Originally Posted by CatsAndDogs

Hell is the condition of of men whose final choice is not-God, and that final and irrevocable choice is torment because we are eternally separated from God. God does not send us to hell. We choose it of our own free will.

I understand what you mean, and I’m not looking for an argument, just to have this explained.

When you say, “We choose if of our own free will,” you mean that we choose it while we are alive, i.e. we choose not to sin, or not to repent, etc. So am I right in thinking that we don’t have a choice once we are dead?

Some “time” between when we die and when we “go” to our chosen destination, WE choose to hang onto non-God things and forsake God, or we choose to hang onto God and forsake non-God things.

Once that choice is made, it can not be revoked, and in that “destination” we spend eternity.

When we die and stand before him, we aren’t able to reverse or affect anything, right? He does judge us at the end, so he does in one sense send us to hell? I’m not really well-versed in this. I was understood that once we die, that’s it, as far as repentance goes, and after that, the judgment. Am I correct?

He allows us to choose Him, or not-Him, and respects our free choice. He doesn’t send us to hell. He allows us our hell.

 

[EasterJoy]

I understand what you mean, and I’m not looking for an argument, just to have this explained.

When you say, “We choose if of our own free will,” you mean that we choose it while we are alive, i.e. we choose not to sin, or not to repent, etc. So am I right in thinking that we don’t have a choice once we are dead? When we die and stand before him, we aren’t able to reverse or affect anything, right? He does judge us at the end, so he does in one sense send us to hell? I’m not really well-versed in this. I was understood that once we die, that’s it, as far as repentance goes, and after that, the judgment. Am I correct?

If there is a way for God to offer a suicide a change to repent, then repentance is possible after your friends standing around watching think you are dead.

Make every choice as if it is a real choice, because it is. Be very certain that the final judgement will lack neither compassion nor justice. You may trust God’s justice and mercy entirely. We must, however, also trust that God will respect our choices, and we should act accordingly.

Remember the smoker, alcoholic, or drug addict who insists “I can quit any time I want.” AA teaches that the ability to depend on God instead of our disordered desires is an ongoing work. Whether or not we have a disorde a psychiatrist would diagnose, to choose God as our master, and not our own disordered desires, this is the work of a lifetime.

 

[EasterJoy]

He allows us to choose Him, or not-Him, and respects our free choice. He doesn’t send us to hell. He allows us our hell.

That is well put!

 

[iamrefreshed]

I want to ask this question of those who follow the Church teachings diligently… but find themselves not understanding and/or disagreeing with some aspect of it or another…

thanks…

It’s really quite simple…

Obedience brings about understanding.

I don’t ‘understand’ gravity but guess what? I obey it!

I’ve also found that obedience brings about faith!

Jesus, I believe, help my unbelief!

 

[KestrelRose]

One thing I don’t quite understand is why non-Catholics are not allowed to share communion with Catholics.

Here is my take on this question:

Protestants and Catholics have an entirely different concept of what the Eucharist is. Even the word communion with lower case letters can explain the difference.

For Protestants, communion is a wonderful fellowship in which the bread and wine are symbols of the love of Christ.

For Catholics the Eurcharist IS the Body and Blood of Christ.

For Protestants, this is a beautiful banquet.

For Catholics it is entering into a Mystery that must never be taken lightly.

Protestants often believe that they are being excluded from a celebration.

Catholics believe that we must be in one accord to truly receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

It isn’t a matter of exclusion so much a matter of understanding what the Euchurist means to Catholics.

 

[rogerh_57]

Yes, certainly. For me growing in the Catholic Faith has been an ongoing journey.

When I first converted to Catholism there were many things that I did not understand.

For instance, the Eucharist, I loved Mass but still had a more or less Protestant view point of just what Communion was. The true meaning of the Eucharist has been a slow and beautiful dawning for me.

The more I study, the more I begin to understand and accept. That is the beauty of this wonderful Church. You think you have explored one room completely then you find another door that opens into another beautiful vista.

It has been a journey of discovery.

I believe you were reading my mind! This is just my thoughts also. Excellent reading, keep it up.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I accept all the teachings. No problem, the Holy Spirit guides the church to truth. I try to understand the teachings. Some things I wonder about. Why did the church define the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary? This is a problem for some people and what’s the difference to us? But I accept it is true and then gradually I can see the relevance. And some of the moral issues are counter intuitive. In an ectopic pregnancy in the fallopian tube why is it OK to remove the tube with the fetus in it but not OK to remove the fetus from the tube that is about to rupture? I understand the argument but it doesn’t make sense to me. But I accept it.

It’s harder to accept a teaching that something is sinful if the bible doesn’t directly address it and society is accepting of it. But if the church speaks for Christ, as I believe it does, then following the moral teachings means following Christ. So one has to form one’s conscience. Not easy sometimes.

 

[distracted]

Like, there’s a debate going on in a different forum about the exact status of Protestants, whether they are “Christians” or not. If forced to choose a yes or no answer, I have to choose no, but really it’s a semantical issue.

Yeah, i don’t like those Yes or No things… Actually, without thinking about it much, i would say more Yes to that question than No… but it depends (as you say) … it depends on what church they go to and /or what they believe. Jehovah W and Mormon - i would say NO, emphatically. then there are the lesser-known cults… that i would say No to also…

Anyway… I always thought i would never question anything the Church teaches… and actually, i don’t but i do question this one practice… of the recent popes… not to give dispensations to priests for marrige… they were/are both (far as i know about Benedict) virgins… so i feel, generally speaking, they don’t realize how hard it can be for a preist who is not a virgin… to stay celibate forever… (long story what all i am saying)… Details are in Non-Catholic Religions Forum (don’t ask why i put it there :doh2: -was in a hurry, not thinking): “Do You Think Priests Should Be Allowed To Marry?”

If you read those posts… i would like to know w hat you think of it all… (assuming you haven’t posted there already?? )…

 

[distracted]

The Catholic Church is not here to lead people to hell
SD

for sure… it is here to lead us on that narrow, rocky road to Heaven… As St. Faustina says, in one of her visions… she saw a road strewn with rocks and thorns… and saw people with tears in their eyes… and they fell… but they got back up…

Then she describes the not so narrow road: people walking on it, the soft sand, music, dancing and people enjoying themselves… to the end… not seeing the precipice they eventually fall off… into Hell…

So when the Church seems hard to people… they can remember that…

 

[distracted]

For instance, the Eucharist, I loved Mass but still had a more or less Protestant view point of just what Communion was. The true meaning of the Eucharist has been a slow and beautiful dawning for me.
.

have you spend any time at the Blessed Sacrament? That really helped me a lot… and i was raised Catholic… (though not taught the faith very well… )…

 

[distracted]

Conversion to the Catholic church was for me primarily about realising that it is the one true Church which one must belong and adhere to in order to gain salvation. .

so when did you first begin to suspect that may be true?

What religion were you raised in?

 

[distracted]

I understand why the church has the last say in what is considered sinful

I understand why we need and have a Pope…I understand that faith is a journey…

I am complete agreement with all of the things Holy Mother Chruch teaches

Then why did you come here? to make some of us feel bad??

God bless…

 

[distracted]

If one does not believe that, then why would it be so important to receive?

“For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.” (1 Corinthians 11:29)

That is the best reason… but there is also the reason of unity… The Church wants all those receiving to be of one mind about the Eucharist…

Only problem is… you have probably heard that a good percentage of Catholics don’t believe (30%?)…

 

[distracted]

While I accept that man is affected by original sin, I struggle with accepting that he receives the guilt of original sins.

i don’t think he does, does he?? Isthis what the Church officially teaches? Because i always thought it was just the stain of original sin that we inherit…

I struggle with accepting the literalness and eternalness of Satan and Hell.

Wow… i wsn’t even thinking ofthis when i started the thread… but i also struggle with this… St. Faustina says that the fire that burns the damned in hell is “lit by God’s anger”… I can understand that… but you would think God would “get over it”… or somethihg… after the soul had suffered for a long time… Why would God allow the ugliness and horror of Hell go on forever.? The only thing i can think of is that that is the nature of sin… We have an immortal soul that cannot die… and sin that is not washed clean off our souls by Christ’s blood… well… it doesn’t go away… so i guess that’s why hell doesn’t go away… but i still struggle with it…

I struggle with not finding Eucharistic Adoration either idolatry or improper use of a sacrament.

were you raised Catholic? a little background info would help me to understand… Also, do you spend much time in adoration?

, I struggle with the idea that Native Americans who practice Native American rituals (or Indians practicing Hindu rituals, and any indigenous person practicing any indigenous ritual) is somehow worshiping demons,

I don’t believe that. I believe they worshipped (worship) God… the only problem is, we need more than an awareness of God to get us to heaven… We need Jesus… (atonement)… If the N. American rejects Christ, his rituals will probalby not save him… unless he is truly ignorant of his need for Christ?? God knows… He is the judge…

[RCC] adopted Pagan Roman customs, this was okay. ."

i don’t know as much about this as i would like but it is my understanding that the RCC accepted certain “pagan rituals” only because thye had some common theme with Christianity and in order to help people to accept certain Christian truths… I heard that Christmas was set on Dec 25 because … well, never mind… i don’ think i understand that issue totally… Do you??

 

[distracted]

, I don’t understand why God exists, but I accept the Church’s teaching that God dose exist.

i can easily understand why God exists… I can’t figure out why WE exist… I guess so He can have something to play with … Sorry… just my thoughts sometimes…

 

[distracted]

Accept, yes.
Understand, no.

Yeah, that’s ME totally…

I do not fully agree with all that the Church teaches, but this is due to:
a) My lack of fully understanding various Church teachings (I’m working on it, God, I’m working on it)

which ones??
b) My sinful pride and arrogance in listening to the Church but not really hearing Her (Yeah, that’s a work in progress also) could you give an example??

 

[distracted]

this “communion” service was wrong – although people took it seriously, it was like kids playing “Mass,” but with adults who knew enough to know better. I felt it was just a dangerous thing to do: be Catholic and mock the Eucharist like that.

Actually, i think you are being a little harsh on Protestants here. they read in the bible abut how we are to “do this in memory of [Him]” and that is why they do that, not to mock the Catholic faith… (at least i am speaking for most of them…)

.

The biggest hurdle for me was about Mary,

after being away from the Church, when i started on my way back, that was the big thing for me also… but then i read Fr. Schier (spelling?) story. That put an absolute END to all my questions… I am not so sure it woiuld with everyone but it did with me… but then, i , like you, were raised in the Faith…

I don’t deny what I don’t understand – don’t get me wrong – but neither am I easily one to say that I am guided by blind faith.

it is very dangerous to be blindly led by anything… even something as awesome as the Catholic religion… even though it is the Truth. What i mean is… if you do not fully believe in that Church… you should not just blindly follow it… or not totally blindly anyway… Actually, what i mean is that one should not follow a Catholic person who claims to be teaching the true faith… The Church can be trusted but its members cannot be (always)…

oh… i guess i should have read your entire post before replying… since you say that later…

… “Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves” (Matt. 10:16, Douay).

:

 

[distracted]

He does judge us at the end, so he does in one sense send us to hell? I’m not really well-versed in this. I was understood that once we die, that’s it, as far as repentance goes, and after that, the judgment. Am I correct?

i think it is more like this… that a person meeting God, with all his sins on his soul, un-atoned for by Christ… will be in such a “rotten” condition that he will not want (feel he wants) to enter into the holiness of God… he will probably be afraid of it (??) or repelled by it (?) and so, therefore, he makes his own decision to go away from the holiness of God… and therefore from God Himself…

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

One thing I don’t quite understand is why non-Catholics are not allowed to share communion with Catholics.

Here is my understanding. A person who receives the Body and Blood of the Lord unworthily brings judgment. Non-Catholics who do not believe that the Eucharist is the real Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord would be receiving in a state of unbelief and therefore unworthily. The Church is protecting those souls by not letting them receive. Don’t take this the wrong way— Catholics who receive unworthily receive the same judgment. Those who are in mortal sin or who believe that the Eucharist is symbolic are gravely sinning against the Lord when they receive Him. However, the Church cannot know the interior of their heart; as Catholics those folks have made a profession of faith in what the Church teaches and so Catholics are given the Eucharist with the presumption that they are worthy (the responsibility lies with each Catholic individually to make sure they receive worthily). Non-Catholics have not made a profession of faith that they believe what the Church teaches, therefore the Church will not make the same presumption.

Regarding the OP’s original question, I’m sure there are a great many things I don’t fully understand. However, it is not that I don’t believe what is taught, it is more that they mystery is so deep, I can’t wrap my mind around it. So I believe in the Incarnation, the Trinity, and the Eucharist, but I will never fully understand. As far as the teachings of the Church pertaining to Sacraments, I agree with them all, but again, I don’t understand the mysteries behind the Sacraments. With faith and morals, I have had to work harder at understanding. Abortion and divorce teachings are no-brainer’s for me, but birth control for married couples was harder for me to grasp. That took a lot of prayer, scripture study and discernment before I got on board. I accepted it as a true teaching before I understood it because of my unwavering acceptance of the Church’s authority given by Christ Himself to teach and tend the flock.