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AlegreFe
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I hope you’re not saying that I said that.
I didn’t say that. Either you misunderstood what I wrote or you read it in some other post and got me confused with someone else. 
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I didn’t say that. Either you misunderstood what I wrote or you read it in some other post and got me confused with someone else.
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neat62
Guest
No, I am saying that **I don’t believe that God tells the devil to go make bad things happen…and by the way, I absolutely believe that the devil wants us to suffer, he wants to inflict pain and he wants us to feel abandoned by God.I hope you’re not saying that I said that.
You are right, he wouldn’t want us to “offer it up” but sadly, most people today, don’t. Again many today tend to turn FROM God, when in fact they should be turning towards Him, especially in times of suffering.
And as for the devil and power over us…agreed…you must give it to him for him to use it, but he is capable of causing temptations…causing one to consider turning the “power” over. Its fear that he uses the quite well, although not all…fear of suffering is a big tool of his.
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mom4truth
Guest
AlegreFe:
I SO enjoy reading your posts!!
You have a clever and sharp mind - factual - most of all! I couldn’t explain things the way you do. You are so right about Fr. Corapi! Keep on defending the faith (the man, Fr. Corapi)!!
I SO enjoy reading your posts!!
You have a clever and sharp mind - factual - most of all! I couldn’t explain things the way you do. You are so right about Fr. Corapi! Keep on defending the faith (the man, Fr. Corapi)!!
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Shoshana
Guest
AlegreFe:
I SO enjoy reading your posts!!
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AlegreFe
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AlegreFe:
I SO enjoy reading your posts!!
Oh my, I had no idea. 
Thank you so much. Thank the Holy Spirit. I give Him all the credit.
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Roy5
Guest
**IS INDEPENDENT THINKING A SIN?/**SIZE]
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Hm! The more I read these various threads the more I wonder about the future of the Catholic Church - and whether my future is in the Catholic Church. For most of those who post, it will always triumph because of God's protection. Perhaps. I'm not as sure of that as many are.
What troubles me most is the absolute authority the church seems to want to exercise over independent thinking. For example, I have trouble with some of the excessive Mariology I find in the church. Honor Mary, of course. But sometimes and in some places she seems to get more attention than Christ.
I don't pretend to be a super Bible student, but I'm pretty well acquainted with the scriptures. What has caught my attention years ago is that Paul, the great missionary, wrote all those letters to the early Christians, taught many things and suggested a variety of practices, yet he never once even mentions Mary. Now if Mary were supposed to receive all this adulation from Christians - Queen of the Universe and such - it is reasonable to expect that he would have made at least some reference to that.
It also troubles me that it took so many centures before the Immaculate Conception (1854) and the Assumption (1950) were declared to be infallible teachings of the church. I find nothing in the Bible that specifically points to either. We don't even find the names of Mary's parents in the Bible. St. Anne seems to developed as a tradition unverified by scripture.
I worry that much of the Mariology came from pagan influences in the early Christian Era. There were all sorts of virgin goddesses around, several of them (Juno for example) known as Queen of the Universe and such.
Perhaps this should exclude me from the Catholic Church. Do I really belong in one of the liberal Protestant sects? Some days I think so. In informal discussions I find that many Catholic friends have the same sort of doubts and questions. They stick with the church for cultural and community reasons but don't accept this or that or those teachings of the church. They usually suggest that they simply are too well educated today (and too individualist perhaps?) to accept on authority everything the church says and their parents and grandparents believed in the past. They view many teachings as colorful myths spun by ancient and medieval minds, myths that served a purpose in ages past but only symbolic of deeper truths in the world we live in.
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mom4truth
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Roy:
I don’t see what your post has to do with liking or disliking Fr. Corapi. To me all you’ve said is how much you dislike the Catholic Church, in which case I’d say that the Catholic Church probably isn’t for you - as you’ve already alluded to.
This thread is not to debate whether you believe in what the Church teaches or not, but whether you dislike/like Fr. Corapi.
Maybe your topic would be better posted on another thread? What do you think???
I don’t see what your post has to do with liking or disliking Fr. Corapi. To me all you’ve said is how much you dislike the Catholic Church, in which case I’d say that the Catholic Church probably isn’t for you - as you’ve already alluded to.
This thread is not to debate whether you believe in what the Church teaches or not, but whether you dislike/like Fr. Corapi.
Maybe your topic would be better posted on another thread? What do you think???
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Roy5
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MOM4TRUTH - YOU’RE RIGHT!
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Yes, you're right! My discussion really does belong on a different thread. I apologize.
How did it end up here? Earlier postings of mine re Fr. Corapi led to responses that suggested I was in error for finding the good Father not to my taste. I usually change channels when he comes on. There are, I should add, several other EWTN priests that I deeply respect and look forward to hearing. We can't all find the same personalities likeable. Fr. Corapi comes across as simply too narrow and too judgemental and too critical of those of us who enjoy doing some independent thinking. I can't believe that we are saved by 'theological correctness'.
Anyway, my earlier postings led to this one - sort of a follow-up as I wonder aloud whether I belong in the Catholic Church. It's interesting that rather than encourage me most responses say, in essence, "the church says it, so just believe it!'. I guess I'm not built that way. Investigating, exploring, thinking, weighing, dealing with this view or that - all this is part of me and stimulating, so to tell me that I must believe something to be a proper Catholic isn't helpful. Perhaps I do belong in some 'big tent' mainline Protestant denomination - United Church of Christ, Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian? - where they seem to tolerate and even offer a variety of theological perspectives.
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Lepanto
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Fr. Corapi comes across as simply too narrow and too judgemental and too critical of those of us who enjoy doing some independent thinking.
I rather enjoy Fr. Corapi. But of course, I’m a pretty closed-minded guy.
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mom4truth
Guest
Roy:
Do not other faiths require that you adhere to their teachings also? I don’t think it’s only the Catholic Church and Fr. Corapi teaching this. You are absolutely free to think as you wish. God gave us free-will; hence, you are using that will to go in a different direction other than the Catholic Church. To say that Fr.Corapi is judgmental is false. It is not he who is teaching/preaching this doctrines, but the Church. We (the people) need to have a unified concept of right and wrong, black and white. The Catholic Church, and Fr. Corapi, teach us those concepts for our own sake. Fr. Corapi doesn’t preach fire and brimstone just for the heck of shock value. There is truth to what he says. Whether one believes that or not, is a different matter. Perhaps you disagree with the Holy Father, too? I imagine you don’t see him as a “free thinker” either. I see him as a “Holy Spirit” inspired man of the faith. I’d rather have someone teaching me right from wrong, truths from fiction, rather than someone who is in independent thinker/free thinking individual. Where does his thinking come from? Himself? Different things he’s collected on this life’s journeys that he interprets to be the truth? I guess I’m just a simple person. I believe because I believe that the Catholic Church is the true Church - the only Church instituted by Christ and has lasted longer than any other denomination. But, I’m just simple…
Do not other faiths require that you adhere to their teachings also? I don’t think it’s only the Catholic Church and Fr. Corapi teaching this. You are absolutely free to think as you wish. God gave us free-will; hence, you are using that will to go in a different direction other than the Catholic Church. To say that Fr.Corapi is judgmental is false. It is not he who is teaching/preaching this doctrines, but the Church. We (the people) need to have a unified concept of right and wrong, black and white. The Catholic Church, and Fr. Corapi, teach us those concepts for our own sake. Fr. Corapi doesn’t preach fire and brimstone just for the heck of shock value. There is truth to what he says. Whether one believes that or not, is a different matter. Perhaps you disagree with the Holy Father, too? I imagine you don’t see him as a “free thinker” either. I see him as a “Holy Spirit” inspired man of the faith. I’d rather have someone teaching me right from wrong, truths from fiction, rather than someone who is in independent thinker/free thinking individual. Where does his thinking come from? Himself? Different things he’s collected on this life’s journeys that he interprets to be the truth? I guess I’m just a simple person. I believe because I believe that the Catholic Church is the true Church - the only Church instituted by Christ and has lasted longer than any other denomination. But, I’m just simple…
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TexCatholic4JMJ
Guest
I like Father Corapi and you don’t, no problem. Those of us who
do, like his “tell it like it is” style but I know not everyone does.
As for those who tell you to believe it because the Church says
so, I can understand what they are saying. If you don’t under-
stand the “why”, then do something about it. Research the
early Church fathers especially and you will find that the beliefs
on Mary were practiced since the beginning. The Church comes
up with “defining” the teaching, but usually because people have
strayed from the belief. And talk about the research that goes
into it!
Anyway, I hope you will at least know where the teachings on
Mary come from, and understand that some people will be more
open and enthused about honoring her (probably the way they
honor their own earthly mother) than others who are more low-
keyed about it.
A convert to the Catholic Church once said that when he was in
others (churches) he spent weeks to months learning their teachings but when he became a Catholic, he was still at it many years later.
do, like his “tell it like it is” style but I know not everyone does.
As for those who tell you to believe it because the Church says
so, I can understand what they are saying. If you don’t under-
stand the “why”, then do something about it. Research the
early Church fathers especially and you will find that the beliefs
on Mary were practiced since the beginning. The Church comes
up with “defining” the teaching, but usually because people have
strayed from the belief. And talk about the research that goes
into it!
Anyway, I hope you will at least know where the teachings on
Mary come from, and understand that some people will be more
open and enthused about honoring her (probably the way they
honor their own earthly mother) than others who are more low-
keyed about it.
A convert to the Catholic Church once said that when he was in
others (churches) he spent weeks to months learning their teachings but when he became a Catholic, he was still at it many years later.
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Roy5
Guest
MOM4TRUTH
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You ask: don't the other churches require the acceptance of special doctrines? Not in the way that Fr, Corapi teaches. He says, in effect, that if we doubt anything the church teaches we are ipso faco wrong and in danger of heresy!
My understanding of Protestantism from reading and from friends goes something like this.
It has two major wings. The evangelicals are likely to be specific on doctrine, though some - like the Baptists - avoid creeds usually. Unless you are 'saved' by your simple faith in Christ you go to hell. Not my sort of religion. Not my sort of God.
The wing that attracts me, frankly, are mineline Protestants. They seem to be very tolerate of different opinions, different interpretations of the Bible. Some accept the Virgin Birth, some doubt it, some don't believe it. Some accept Adam and Eve, some doubt it, some don't believe it. And they appear to live together and discuss such matters with a surprising lack of ill feeling. Some Protestants even boast that their preacher is outstanding, but sometimes they don't agree with him. Different preachers prize the freedom to preach their interpretation of scripture, or maybe offer different interpretations of the text.
Are we really saved by theology? Or, by belonging to a specific church? I spent some time with a wonderful Hindu family in India and if they don't get to heaven I doubt if many of us do. Surely God gave us a brain to use and doesn't penalize us because we can't all think alike. My guess is that heaven is full of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. God is too big and too incomprehensible to fit neatly into any one religion.
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johnnydigit
Guest
sounds so watered down and wishy-washy. it’s like a fad, like a surface level faith. it’s not that important really, because they don’t need concrete truth, just enough to get them by.
e.g., “so do we believe in abortion or not?” for most it may not matter as much because it doesn’t affect them, but to the young mother-to-be, the salvation of the baby and of her own is very important. if they don’t get a concrete answer, they just make a decision and hope for the best, going by “the spirit”.
this just will not do for me. i want a concrete answer. this is my life, my soul, my salvation. this is serious stuff. i want a church that is as sure about it as they are about God. there can only be one truth. it does not change. it is not unsure.
as you know, this is Fr. Corapi. no BS. there is no compromise, your eternal soul is real and so there is no disagreement when determining heaven or hell. he wants to make sure you know what God is clearly saying to you = His confidence = His peace.
if there was no Catholic Church and all i had were protestant churches, i’d probably leave the religion and seek a definitive truth elsewhere…
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Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
The Unitarians might be right up your alley.
As for me, I’ll take the good Fadda and his Truth.
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mom4truth
Guest
All I can say is : AMEN to the last 3 posts! You’ve all said it much better than I. Guess I’m outta this conversation now!
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Roy5
Guest
SAILOR - RE UNITARIANS
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About the Unitarians: I respect them but they seem to be too cerebral for me. I like some degree of mystery since life itself is something of a mystery - as is God. And Unitarianis appear to have no room for the more traditional Christians, which mainline Protestant sects include in large numbers.
No, I would probably go with, say, the Congregationalists (UCC), Methodists, or Presbyterians. They seem especially inclusive and maintain 'big tents' that honor and even encourage independent thinking, yet lift up Christ as their focus. The Unitarians I have met tend to lump Jesus in with Buddha, Nanak, Muhammad, Moses as more-or-less co-equals. Not me.
Back to Fr. Corapi, the topic of this thread. To me he grossly violates the spirit of Vatican II and represents the old and antiquated Catholicism of Pius IX who cursed with his anathemas all manner of thinking that did conform to the strictures of the medieval church. Educated people of today are not going to be lectured in such an arrogant fashion about what they MUST believe. That smells of the spirit of the inquisition. I guess I've been heavily influenced by the democratic spirit of our beloved nation.
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Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
I’d much rather you became Catholic.
TRUTH remains TRUTH, no matter if it suits you or not. Truth is not a matter of opinion, consensus, or any of the pagan warm-fuzzies that permeate this failing culture.
All truth comes from God.
I sense a touch of adolescent rebellion here. It was Satan himself who said, “I will not serve.”
And it might interest you to know that many criminals during the Inquisition confessed to being witches, as they much preferred the leniency of the Christian tribunals over the secular ones of the time.
Don’t look to me for warm fuzzies. I’ve lived long enough to see what that kind of misguided thinking can do to a nation.
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traillius
Guest
Fr.Corapi is awesome.
On a personal note, my sister in law may be related to him.
Her maiden name is corbi, with relatives named corapi ( some of her family changed name when they came to U.S. )
On a personal note, my sister in law may be related to him.
Her maiden name is corbi, with relatives named corapi ( some of her family changed name when they came to U.S. )
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mom4truth
Guest
traillius:
WOW! That’d be awesome! Fr. Corapi is just a down-to-earth, kind man! I love him.
WOW! That’d be awesome! Fr. Corapi is just a down-to-earth, kind man! I love him.
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neat62
Guest
Just remember - If there was no Catholic Church, there would be no Protestant one!
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