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Charlie_Zeaiter
Guest
If you don’t believe in the Eucharist, then feel free to join any happy-go-lucky church that tickles your fancy.
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MrDickerson
Guest
I think Ms. Coulter was referring to the 9/11 terrorists–do you really think Jesus is against waging war against Islamic terrorists and converting people to Christianity?
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DCD
Guest
Just a gentle suggestion. If you spent a liitle more time studying and less time posting maybe your faith would be clearer. I fail to understand how somebody with your profile could make such absurd statements. Now if you have any legitimate concerns lets have at it.
Pax,
David
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Contarini
Guest
Well, Jesus didn’t wage war on the Romans, nor did he support the Romans in their civilizing mission of waging war on “Jewish terrorists”!
I don’t think that resisting terrorism is wrong. But invading Muslim countries is wrong.
Not by force.
Edwin
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josie_L
Guest
Reminding you that TRUTH never changes, but feelings do. And word of advice do not take at face value all that is said to you about the Church. I’m curious, but did someone suggest to you that the Pope is filthy rich? Pope John Paul II died with not a penny to his name. Just letting you know. Keep the faith!
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Zenas
Guest
SacredHeartFan, I’m curious. How does attending an event at that place you posted a link to differ from attending a rock concert? I haven’t been to a rock concert but I have watched on TV and the audience is all standing and moving their bodies back and forth with their hands in the air. That is what this group (I won’t call them a church) is doing in the video they put on their website. THIS IS NOT WORSHIP. It is entertainment. It has everything to do with stimulating the physical senses and nothing to do with God. Frankly I would not want to be found in that place if Jesus should return during one of their events.
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Deconi
Guest
The ULTIMATE Sacrifice of The Lamb of God is hardly a time for cartwheels and flashing lazer light shows!
We do it IN REMEMBERANCE…not just celebration of it.
The Pope does not own a cent, nor collect money in an off-shore account for retirement…like the Pastors of the flashy shows you admire!
Mass can be BORING, because although we gather in unison, it REQUIRES your “SELF” to be ‘presented’ to Our Maker! As in the OT version of Mass (scrificial offerings) you’d stand around your smoky bonfire, HOPING and praying that your offering is pleasing to God!
That ‘boredom’ is not external!
I was once of similar mind, until I re-understood WHAT was going on DURING Mass! I’ve seen prostitutes and derelicts weeping and sobbing in the rear rows of Catholics Mass(es) They showed me the true appreciation of what Mass IS!
They put me to shame! ME! A staunch Catholic!!
Mass is not a “show” or a “play” being enacted.
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Canto
Guest
Do you go to Church dances, pray the Rosary with others, hang out with fellow Catholics, stay behind after Mass and chat, participate in various parish things like the choir or gardening or whatever?
Pope Paul VI called the Mass the greatest form of pray. When I sit and listen to the words, almost word for word from the scriptures, when I listen to the homily, the interesting bits of history my priest always notes, the lives of the Saints (on weekday Masses), chanting the Alleluia, recieving Christ who is God in the Eucharist, all the lovely older ladies and their kindness etc - wow
The sacrafice of Christ is something to celebrate, what an extrodinary gift of love he has given, when we eat his body and drink his blood in the Euchaist (non-existent in Protestant Churhes) we have the possibility of eternal life. How amazing
For me the Mass should be sacred and solomn and I should learn, and I do - though more chant please! If I want dance music or laughter or whatever, then there is ample opportunity for that outside the Holy Sacrafice of the Mass.
He actually is not rich. Do we expect the Pope to wear rags and $2 shoes. Do we expect the Church to chuck away all her art etc, mind you the US president seems pretty rich and the British PM too and some Protestant pastors are pretty wealthy too lets not forget.
The Church has nothing against homosexuals (read the Catechism) what it has a problem with is people gay or not having pre-martial sex. Sex, while it is allowed to be pleasurable should be open to the creation of life, the greatest gift. Homsexual sex is not open to the creation of new life, neither is pre-martial sex, usually anyway.
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Gamera
Guest
Does one attend church to “get” something, or does one attend church to “give” something? Entertainment is not the purpose of church services. Worship is the purpose of church services. I go to give something to God (praise and worship) not to get something from God (entertainment). If I wanted only to “have fun,” I’d stay home Sunday mornings and play video games.
That said, the emotional experience of receiving Jesus into my very being in the Eucharist is more fulfilling to me than the excitement of Pentecostal services (and yes, I’ve attended plenty – probably over a hundred). Of course, fulfillment is not the same as entertainment.
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Graubo3
Guest
Amen, David!Just a gentle suggestion. If you spent a liitle more time studying and less time posting maybe your faith would be clearer. I fail to understand how somebody with your profile could make such absurd statements. Now if you have any legitimate concerns lets have at it.
Pax,
David
SacredHeartFan,
Life is filled with times of doubt and also many sacrifices done out of love. Doubt can be for the good or for the evil and originate from God or Satan. That is something you must figure out for yourself. Please note that I am not equating your non-Catholic experience as Satanic! Your bio claims that you will be a future priest. Priests are special targets of Satan. The spiritual warfare that they encounter is well documented. The Church needs holy priests. Do you stand up to the challenge or down? Pray always. We will also pray for you!
I am surprised that if you study Church documents you are unable to understand the teachings concerning Natural Law with respect to your issue on gays and especially in these times when the gay lifestyle within seminaries and the priesthood is being addressed.
I like the story Archbishop Fulton Sheen tells of speaking to a group of priests. One priest questions him on the wealth of the Church and asks why doesn’t the Church liquidate and give to the poor. Archbishop Sheen questions the priest and asks him “how long have you been stealing from the collection?”, cutting straight to the heart and the truth. I am not saying that you are a thief or gay but simply something deeper is at the core of your doubt and as David said:
Maybe you have to experience the loss of something, much like I had to with the Eucharist to appreciate the Truth.Now if you have any legitimate concerns lets have at it.
Peace, Graubo
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ForwardProgress
Guest
I’m Catholic, and from the same place as the OP, but just wanted to ask if any of you actually watched the whole video?
Sure there was the praise and worship stuff…
But keep watching…how many of you can say that your Church parish is as active as these guys with local projects and going overseas to do mission trips, help the poor rebuild, etc…
I know mine doesn’t! Sure, we do some things around the community, but these people go all-out! They have teams of people who’s job it is to plan these missions and figure out ways to excel in helpfulness in the community.
Sometimes, I think as Catholics, we forget about this part of Jesus’s message. We get so hung up on the Mass and rule-following that we forget the least among us.
Sure, Diocese as a whole do lots for the community, but this is just one church! Can you imagine if all our Churches were this active and vibrant? There would be no stopping us.
I think another big part of it, is that the majority of these non-denoms are made up of 20-30 year olds who are very energetic and raring to go…most of our Churches are made up of older people who aren’t ‘into’ it.
That’s my experience anyway. Not saying all are grey-headed, but definately the majority are.
These places also rack up way more in fundage than any Catholic parish could hope for.
SHF, I’m not trying to lead you away. From a true theology standpoint, there’s no arguing that the RCC has gotten it right, but it has really suffered in the USA on the social front, with the exception of some groups.
Sure there was the praise and worship stuff…
But keep watching…how many of you can say that your Church parish is as active as these guys with local projects and going overseas to do mission trips, help the poor rebuild, etc…
I know mine doesn’t! Sure, we do some things around the community, but these people go all-out! They have teams of people who’s job it is to plan these missions and figure out ways to excel in helpfulness in the community.
Sometimes, I think as Catholics, we forget about this part of Jesus’s message. We get so hung up on the Mass and rule-following that we forget the least among us.
Sure, Diocese as a whole do lots for the community, but this is just one church! Can you imagine if all our Churches were this active and vibrant? There would be no stopping us.
I think another big part of it, is that the majority of these non-denoms are made up of 20-30 year olds who are very energetic and raring to go…most of our Churches are made up of older people who aren’t ‘into’ it.
That’s my experience anyway. Not saying all are grey-headed, but definately the majority are.
These places also rack up way more in fundage than any Catholic parish could hope for.
SHF, I’m not trying to lead you away. From a true theology standpoint, there’s no arguing that the RCC has gotten it right, but it has really suffered in the USA on the social front, with the exception of some groups.
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Seeking12
Guest
**
Hello, I was looking at the “What we believe” section and was a little struck by the following:
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit - According to Acts 1:8 and Acts 2:4, with one of the signs being speaking in other tongues, along with various other gifts.
Are they saying that a sign of a person receiving the Holy Spirit is “speaking in tongues”?**
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Seeking12
Guest
Every church that the Lord only is building will suffer for His sake and will be prosper in winning souls to God, so to speak (it is the work of God alone). What I’m saying, just like the body of individual believers each has a particular contribution within the body, so it is with the church that contain those individuals. If you look at the letters of Paul and at the churches in Revelation, each had their strengths and weaknesses.
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Madaglan
Guest
You can’t have fun the six days when you’re not at church?
You may want to look into the extraordinary form of the Mass; or, an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy. I have found it difficult to see these as boring. If you’re not into that, you can always become involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which is quite lively, implementing many of the worship styles seen in the video you provide.
Making sacrifices is good, but I think the “offer it up to God” refrain needs to take into consideration the spiritual state of the individual.
To look on the bright side, the pope is not nearly as rich as he used to be. His papal state is much smaller, too.
Non-Denom. churches aren’t better. Joel Osteen and other non-denom “health and wealth” leaders don’t live in trailers. Of that I’m sure.Christ came to spiritually free us from slavery to the Devil. Freedom of slavery to one another is ancillary to that.
I know a lot of nice atheists. Doesn’t mean I agree with them.
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Madaglan
Guest
Sure, it’s a sign. But it’s not the only sign of the Holy Spirit.
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Seeking12
Guest
**I need to rephrase; Are they saying you need to show the sign of “Speaking in tongues” as proof that the individual has received the Holy Spirit?
I have never met anyone that speaks in tongues according to the biblical model as seen during the Apostolic era.**
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cthulhubryan
Guest
SHF,
God wants us all to be happy and have fun. He also wants us to love him and to be responsible stewards of his gifts to us and of this planet.
Remember that God and knowing and loving Him is about Him and not about emotion. Going with things that “feel” a certain way can lead one into sin and heresey and death.
God tells us that homosexuality is an abomination. (Lev 18:22)
That is very strong language. Homosexuality is aberrant behavior. Of course, we are called to love them but part of that love is to help them understand that practicing what God calls an abomination is wrong and thereby helping them to avoid the fires of hell. What greater love than to help one get to heavan?
It is not the homosexual who is an abomination, it is the act of homosexual ‘sex’.
As to the wealth of the Church, please follow this Link to read an apologists discussion of this subject.
Pax,
Bryan
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Kay_Cee
Guest
Surely you realize the Mass and the Last Supper are one and the same. Can you imagine one of the disciples at the Last Supper saying, “Well, this is boring. Don’t you want us to be happy and have fun?”
I can’t imagine receiving our Lord–Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity–in the Eucharist and then telling Him that’s not enough for me. I can’t imagine telling Him I’d rather have rock and roll, excitement, and fun than receive His Majesty and Divinity into my body. I can’t imagine telling Jesus the Church He founded isn’t good enough for me, that a church founded by another man is better than the one He gave us. I can’t imagine telling God that instead of the Fullness of Truth I prefer entertainment and fellowship.
You’re talking about trading the greatest, most precious thing in the world for something rather superficial.
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reteeks21
Guest
Can we not have all of what has been mentioned: communion and fellowship? Why does it have to be one or the other?
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CHESTERTONRULES
Guest
The Catholic Church is either TRUE or it is NOT TRUE.
If it is TRUE, then none of the little things you mentioned matter.
You need to find the TRUTH, then don’t compromise.
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