Digging into faith

[AlanFromWichita]

rwoehmke:

All I can say is wow! I tried to follow what you are all talking about on this thread and I still can’t understand what is so complicated about having Faith in God and His Church. Doubts? Who never has any? A sin? I doubt that. Reading the bible and picking isolated texts as proof texts can be very misleading. I guess Faith is Faith and once you know for sure, it isn’t Faith any longer, but it is Knowledge…

Dear rwoehmke,

Thanks for bringing this back around.

“A sin? I doubt that.”

I’m not doubting anything in your post, but I’m curious when you say “faith” what you mean.

You sound like you’re talking from experience when you say, “once you know for sure.” What is it that you know through faith? Is it a belief in God? A belief in the infallible teaching magisterium of the Church? A belief that you will be used according to His will? A belief in the second coming? A general feeling of peace and well-being? All or none of the above? (Btw I mean “belief” to be of the same strength as “know” in these contexts.)

Alan

 

[Gospel]

We are all human, and being human our faith is not perfect. However we are to try to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. This is a work in progress. As Father Corapi says you gain faith by God testing your faith.

What is your definition of faith?

 

[rheins2000]

AlanFromWichita:

It’s not surprising. I don’t necessarily try to “be Protestant” but often I have found myself in agreement with them.

That’s what Im praying to change.

AlanFromWichita:

Just that. They do not know the meaning of the word exactly. According to Fr. Pecht, they think it might have some musical or poetic connotation and frankly I forgot exactly what he said…

The only thing I know is that the Church IS the source of the Bible, and that it has translated all of the moral and dogmatic issues we are faced with in order to save our souls. That word has never been seen by me, nor do I know what the Church has declared about said word.

AlanFromWichita:

I understand that, but that isn’t what you said. .

Are you sure? I looked it over again, and I think its the same.

AlanFromWichita:

Yes, I knew exactly what you meant, but since it sounded like you were setting me up for blaspheming against the Spirit, like a cornered animal I pulled out the dirty tricks and got technical about your wording. …

Alan, I hope you dont think that I would try to set someone up to blaspheme the Spirit, I only intend to warn people against it.

AlanFromWichita:

Have you actually asked the nurses in your family? Do they work in OB wards, and if so, do they not use the terms “spontaneous abortion” and “induced abortion?” If not, then they are different than several OB doctors and several nurses at two hospitals I know of. For example, if a woman comes in to have a baby and she has one other live child, has had one miscarriage and maybe one “abortion” a long time ago, they record that she has had three previous pregnancy resulting in one live birth and two abortions…

I am not interested in the technicalities of doctors charts…those same doctors do not write in those charts, “Today at 9:54 am, I brutally murdered an innocent 8.5 month old girl because someone paid me to do it.” You might be correct on the diagnosis report, but that’s not my issue. I assure you my brother(still in clinicals) and my cousin(a nurse practitioner, I think they call her) do not use that same terminoligy when they talk to me…I guess its different viewpoints from different sides.

 

[edwinG]

rheins2000:

I was talking about the names Jesus called the Pharisees.

umm…it comes from Romans 14, the verses that were the original point of this whole thread

No, I just wonder why you would respond to my post how you did, but didnt answer or comment on any of the substance of the post.

Hi rheins2000, I think we may be at cross purposes here, but I can answer your last question as to why I answered as I did but did not comment on the meat of your post. I did not comment on the meat of your post as I felt your posting was directed towards Alan. I responded the way I did as I did not want to see anyone become angry. I was trying to smooth things down before they became personal. Why wait for a raging bushfire when with a pinch of two fingers a small flame can be extinguished.
If I have offended you I apologise. Only in love can the truth advance.
Christ be with youhttp://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif
walk in love
edwinG

 

[edwinG]

theMutant:

This left me somewhat confused. To begin with are you talking about doubting God (as in His existence) or doubting the Faith He revealed to us through His Church?

After all, the ancient creeds profess not only a belief in God but also in the Church; both were required beliefs of the Church from the earliest days.

To bring this back to your original question, yes, doubt - true doubt - is a sin. However, many people confuse doubt with a difficulty of understanding (If I don’t completely understand it, I must doubt it). This is erroneous. There is a saying that “a million difficulties don’t equal one doubt.” I have great difficulty understanding why Jesus instituted the Eucharist and how He manifests His divine presence in the in the form of bread and wine in such a way that the bread and wine no longer exist except in appearance. However, I don’t doubt these things at all.

 

[edwinG]

rwoehmke:

All I can say is wow! I tried to follow what you are all talking about on this thread and I still can’t understand what is so complicated about having Faith in God and His Church. Doubts? Who never has any? A sin? I doubt that. Reading the bible and picking isolated texts as proof texts can be very misleading. I guess Faith is Faith and once you know for sure, it isn’t Faith any longer, but it is Knowledge…

Hi rwoehmke,
The word "doubt’ is used in a more severe fashion than doubt in God in His existance. It is “doubt” in anything in your life when your are trying to follow the Holy Spirit. Should I buy a new TV. So if you go ahead and buy it you have sinned, because when you bought the TV you had a doubt if that is what God wanted. If you have a doubt you should always follow the decision that has no doubt. You have a well paid job and tithe. Now if it enters your head that you should increase the amount of the tithe and stays there you have doubt. If you increase your tithe the doubt vanishes, and their can not be sin. Should I play golf today or spend some time with the family. If you play golf and have a doubt about your actions, you have sinned. Whenever their is a lack of faith in your decision a doubt is created. We need to follow the path which dissolves the doubt and then their is no sin. The old law has gone, we are members of the kingdom of God and our teacher is spiritual and we have access to His strength to do His will. We are not under law, but under grace.
Christ be with you
walk in lovehttp://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif
edwinG

 

[edwinG]

Gospel:

We are all human, and being human our faith is not perfect. However we are to try to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. This is a work in progress. As Father Corapi says you gain faith by God testing your faith.

What is your definition of faith?

Hi Gospel,
Hebrews 11 has a good definition of faith and some great examples for us. IT is too much for this sometimes typist to put to page. Of course your Father Corapi is right. And their are many other ways to exercise and increase your faith. By being humble and trying very hard to ask God only for those things which you know He wants you to have. Then your prayers are answered. When your prayer is answered, your faith grows. So ask some more and continue in this vain. As I follow the Holy Spirit, almost daily I encounter situations that confirm I am following His lead. All of these things increase my faith. You become stronger and bolder as you progress. Live your life in as simple a routine as possible and then you become aware of changes. When your routine is changed you can be sure Jesus is working in your life. Keep your ears and eyes open and watch Him at work. Nothing compares to physically watching His wisdom unfold in front of your eyes for your benefit and having your faith grow as a bonus.
Christ be with you
walk in lovehttp://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif
edwinG