Give me your best argument AGAINST becoming Catholic.

[friardchips]

The door is always open - but it must be walked through, or else nothing can happen.

Yes, and sometimes I think we are given more doors then we realise.

 

[jmcrae]

Yes, and sometimes I think we are given more doors then we realise.

As many as there are Confessional doors, for sure.

 

[jmcrae]

We go round and round. One insists the other is free from necessity of works and the other chained to them. Middle ground is best.

Yes, the child must not be written out of the Book of Life. He must be perfect, satisfying the commands to every jot and tittle. Even giving all he has to the poor to be a disciple, with no envying or strife or lie in him, his righteousness exceeding that of the commandment givers. Oh yes , and meek, very meek and the poorest in spirit.

The whole point of Christianity is to be remade into the image and likeness of Christ - so, yes - “the child must be perfect.” We can’t become perfect by ourselves, so Christ has given us the Sacraments, and instructions on how to behave.

 

[Peter_J]

P.S.

For me at this stage of my faith journey, I can’t become a practicing Catholic because I feel smothered when confined to what would be expected of me. I believe all humans have limitations in knowing the one ultimate truth so I just accept life’s mysteries and the mysteries that come with faith. I personally am more at peace when things are not arranged so neatly in a box of black and white. I like more gray. But that’s how God made me to tick. I understand others though have a different make-up and need more black and white and the need to believe they know the truth. And that’s fine. I just breathe better in a looser gray tee than in a tight fitting black or white one and just prefer wearing gray socks but others prefer wearing black or white ones. It’s just at what stage each of us are along our faith journeys. And may God bless us all as we journey in peace.

Not trying to paint you into a corner, but I’m curious whether you were baptized Catholics as an infant or converted as an adult?

 

[friardchips]

As many as there are Confessional doors, for sure.

He likes to make allowances

(Just quickly off-topic: I like your sentence running at the bottom of your posts. It is reassuring).

 

[benhur]

I can see absolutely no connection between the activities of the Protestant rebellion, and Jesus healing a blind man.

Sorry but I do, even with your word rebellion.

 

[benhur]

The whole point of Christianity is to be remade into the image and likeness of Christ - so, yes - “the child must be perfect.” We can’t become perfect by ourselves, so Christ has given us the Sacraments, and instructions on how to behave.

Yes, that is what some OT folk thought also except it was the Law and prophets. I agree with half your statement, that we can’t do it by ourselves, but just as circumcision availed not per Peter’s words, so do some of the things we do(not effectual).

 

[jmcrae]

Sorry but I do, even with your word rebellion.

So, do you think Catholics didn’t believe in Jesus prior to the coming of Protestantism?

 

[benhur]

Actually, no - when we get to Heaven we have to personally be perfect.

The journey begins with being forgiven of past sins, and the washing away of original sin, and then continuing in the state of grace, and growing in virtue, while avoiding sin.

The reason this isn’t physically impossible is that Christ has given us the seven Sacraments, to free us from sin and to add grace to grace.

well, we are seated in heavenly places now per St. Paul.

 

[benhur]

I don’t believe the number of dogmas has any basis in reality. That was your position.

But all "others " have to have the same dogma as CC does(and they have a quantity) in order to be in “fullness” and for them to be infallible, and of God, and therefor have a real basis for judging universality and ultimate catholicity…

 

[jmcrae]

well, we are seated in heavenly places now per St. Paul.

In that we are joined with the Church and in a state of grace, we are certainly “in the heavenly places” - I have no doubt of that - but elsewhere, St. Paul is clear that this isn’t a permanent condition during this life, and he spends a great deal of ink warning his readers about falling back into the ways of sin, and the terrible consequences of doing so.

 

[benhur]

So, do you think Catholics didn’t believe in Jesus prior to the coming of Protestantism?

Of course they believed in Jesus, but that He operated in a certain “fashion”. And like the Sanhedrin, they couldn’t believe He would operate any differently. But as the post suggests in the reformation , He did (P’s have some good and even salvation). Saving face is done by then saying it must still come from "us’’, and there is some truth to that, some. But was the 15 th century church a purer foundation than earlier generations, if not why would God grace it (P’s) ? "Plagiarism’’ is a weak argument. Claiming it was unnecessary flies in the face of the cost it took to be “different”.

 

[benhur]

In that we are joined with the Church and in a state of grace, we are certainly “in the heavenly places” - I have no doubt of that - but elsewhere, St. Paul is clear that this isn’t a permanent condition during this life, and he spends a great deal of ink warning his readers about falling back into the ways of sin, and the terrible consequences of doing so.

Correct. And it is physically possible now and at the end for such perfection in your church and mine.

 

[Eric_Hilbert]

**Ben gets the last word for this part.
Go ahead and start a sequel thread. **