Frustration with inconsistencies

[Hockeygurl]

I would love to embrace the Catholic faith (capital C), however in my life am frustrated with all the inconsistencies. Examples:

1. Limbo- some are still adamant this is fact. As well as I have been told flat out the stillborn/newborn babies go to Hell. This was apparently ingrained in some by Nuns/teachers.
2. Purgatory- some are still sure is a physical place where there is time. But the CCC does not specifically state this.
3. Lack of adequate education- my Son in Law was confirmed but had NO idea that birth control was a no -no. He never was taught the CCC. His education consisted of movies, activities and sugar coated discussions.
4. Consistency between different churches/priests… one will tell you one thing and someone else will tell you something else. People will even publicly state the USCCB is flat out wrong in their declarations.

There are numerous more

Whew!!! Enough to make your head spin! No wonder there is so much confusion.

 

[Edward_H]

Not sure what’s really being inconsistent.

God’s perfect love explains the first two.
The last two reflect our unlove.

 

[phoage]

Unfortunately, The Catholic Church is made of everyday people. Some are stupid, some are ignorant, some are evil, and all are sinners. Even the clergy fall into these categories sometimes.

I was taught about Limbo but it always seemed a copout to me. I am glad when the Church changed the teaching.

Purgatory is a real place, but I do not know if it is a physical place and in reality, I doubt anyone other than God does.

One must remember that (at least in the USofA) education has fallen on hard times. College grads that cannot read at what is considered 8th grade level and HS grads who are functionally illiterate. I used to teach CCD and most of the students had a difficult time reading the Bible even when I knew they were intelligent. They had not been taught to read properly. If they cannot read, they cannot even attempt to better themselves.

As I said, the clergy are included in this. They are just men, frail and fallible. I had an issue with my wife’s church when I married and moved in with her so we found one that does things right.

Judge not lest ye be judged. I have a difficult time keeping my own self straight. If I can fix an issue, I do what I can. If I can’t, I try to work around it however I can.

God bless and keep you,

Patrick
AMDG

 

[Psychae]

I’m frustrated with these inconsistencies too, and I’m a cradle Catholic.

The thing is, not everything has been defined as fact (or not) ex cathedra, so there’s still room to disagree on things such as limbo, purgatory, etc. Plus, lack of instruction or bad instruction has always been a problem.

Jesus made His Church out of sinners, so there will always be issues. However, at the end of the day, I love being Catholic because we have Confession and the Blessed Sacrament. That’s my take on it, anyway.

 

[St.Martin_de_Porres]

These sound like inconsistencies with some individuals you know understanding of the faith, not the faith itself.

 

[KevinK]

This makes no sense.

 

[Psychae]

This makes no sense

I agree.

 

[GodSoughtMe]

The fact that many American Catholics do not understand their faith is frustrating.

However, I try to remember that the relevant questions are:
1)Is Jesus God?
2) What is the Church Jesus founded?
3) Do I have an obligation to belong to his Church?

Those three questions matter. Little else matters. I have found comfort in referring myself to these big questions.

 

[fhansen]

These bother me too-although thinking of purgatory as physical is simply human; we don’t identify with purely spiritual states. But the Catechism teaches that the Church is always in need of renewal. So join in and help out in that endeavor!

 

[Limoncello4021]

Why not just pick up the Catechism and/or other authoritative texts yourself and do some study? Do not rely on people. Believe me, if you speak to a cross section of Lutherans or Methodists, they equally don’t know their faith well.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

I can’t really imagine what it would be like to come into the Church as an adult.

None of that stuff you listed bothers me very much because I think I understand why some of those inconsistencies are there.

 

[Entwhistler]

For your first two points, I really don’t think Limbo was ever an official “teaching” of the Church. From what I understand it was just a hypothesis by some high up theologians. And as far as Purgatory goes, no one knows if there is time there. We won’t have our bodies so it isn’t physical.

 

[TOmNossor]

I would love to embrace the Catholic faith (capital C), however in my life am frustrated with all the inconsistencies. Examples:

1. Limbo- some are still adamant this is fact. As well as I have been told flat out the stillborn/newborn babies go to Hell. This was apparently ingrained in some by Nuns/teachers.
2. Purgatory- some are still sure is a physical place where there is time. But the CCC does not specifically state this.
3. Lack of adequate education- my Son in Law was confirmed but had NO idea that birth control was a no -no. He never was taught the CCC. His education consisted of movies, activities and sugar coated discussions.
4. Consistency between different churches/priests… one will tell you one thing and someone else will tell you something else. People will even publicly state the USCCB is flat out wrong in their declarations.

There are numerous more

Whew!!! Enough to make your head spin! No wonder there is so much confusion.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
If the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, then the Catholic Church has “the words of eternal life.”
Questions they cannot answer associated with 1 & 2 do not necessarily change that. People who do not know the positions taught by the Catholic Church (3 & 4) do not change that.
I am a non-Catholic and I think Limbo was ALWAYS theological speculation. I have different concerns in this area, but I have not been concerned about 2-4.
Cardinal Newman said, “10000 problems do not a doubt make.”
I cannot remember looking for a perfect church (without problems like unanswered questions or inconsistent people), but if I ever found one I suspect they wouldn’t let me join. And if they did it would cease to be a perfect church as soon as I was a member.
I know lots of reasons to not be Catholic, to not be Protestant, to not be a Mormon, to not be one who stays in the hall (ala C.S. Lewis), and to not be an Atheist or an Agnostic. But, don’t be “Ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth.”
Charity, TOm

 

[tweedlealice]

Blessings,
God loves you and all of us imperfect children. We are Christians under construction.
We must focus on the teachings by the Catholic faith. You’ll go to RCIA., which has wonderful discussions and teschings. Even if you decide to not become a Catholic the RCIA program is educational. God is in heaven. We are, intrinsically, a humble ppl in a grand church building. Read the Catechism of theCatholic Church. If you hear inconsistencies teach the Truth.
If 5 ppl saw a car accident, there would be five different views of the accident.
Babies never went to hell. Their only sin was the original sin.They go to limbo which is s happy place.I hear Jesus visits but the entire God in all His glory, cannot be seen by those in limbo.

Purgatory is a real place. Unfortunately, it may be uncomfortable there w flames that do not burn(?). Anyway, I’d like it to be s place of deep reflection of our lives where we could pray and do penance for our sins.HMMMM. Back to a hot place.
Teens are difficult to deal. Spirituality and Holiness??? It’s individual. Could a Catechism teacher and/or a Confirmation sponsor bring a teen to humble holiness?? A few??
Anyway, if we look horizontally in church, we will see imperfections. Always look vertically to God. He will grace You w His love.
You are in your journey, no one else’s.
Enjoy your trip w Jesus.
In Christ’s Love
Tweedlealice

 

[TheOldColonel]

Read the Catechism. It addresses your concerns.

 

[Reuben_J]

The Catholic Church has the Magisterium, her teaching office. Not sure about Protestant denominations, but the Catholic Church has official teaching. You can start with the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CC). People you meet or know can be wrong. Go to the official source to get the correct information. If you listen to random people your head will spin.

God bless,

 

[Gorgias]

I would love to embrace the Catholic faith (capital C), however in my life am frustrated with all the inconsistencies. Examples:

Limbo- some are still adamant this is fact.

They’re mistaken.

On the Vatican website, you can find the document The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized. Read what the Church really teaches.

As well as I have been told flat out the stillborn/newborn babies go to Hell.

Again, whoever’s telling you this is mistaken. Read the document.

This was apparently ingrained in some by Nuns/teachers.

OK, then: their teachers were mistaken.

Purgatory- some are still sure is a physical place where there is time. But the CCC does not specifically state this.

Ask them where the physical part of their being (i.e., their body) will be while they’re “in” Purgatory. That should be sufficient to dissuade them. (However, they still might cling to the notion that there’ll be something like physicality or something like time. That’s ok. )

Lack of adequate education- my Son in Law was confirmed but had NO idea that birth control was a no -no. He never was taught the CCC. His education consisted of movies, activities and sugar coated discussions.

The state of formation of Catholic youth, especially in CCD programs, is a problem. No doubt about it.

Consistency between different churches/priests… one will tell you one thing and someone else will tell you something else.

Priests teach infallibly when they teach what the Church teaches. Otherwise, they’re just as prone to error as anyone else. “Poor teachers” exist in all walks of life. Maybe they were taught poorly. Maybe they refused to believe what they were taught. Find a good teacher, and listen to him.

People will even publicly state the USCCB is flat out wrong in their declarations.

People say many things. You haven’t noticed that, in all areas of life in modern society?