Going to Church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going into a garage makes you a car

[pathfinder7]

Sorry if this sounds judmental, but some people seem to believe that going to Church (and that only) is going to get them into Heaven. I know people who SEEM (seem) to believe this because they go to Church and then, as soon as Mass is over, they return to their worldly ways.

Do you know people who seem to fit this description?

What to do… what to do…

Actually I think the whole world knows these kinds of “Catholics”… about 54%, apparently…

Anyway, i don’t mean to complain, much less to judge (seriously ), i just don’t get it how people can go to mass, sometimes every day… and yet their behavior stays the same, day after day… year after year.

Do they have bad hearing or something?

 

[TOP]

Maybe they are having a difficult time in their lifelong conversion to sainthood. Tim

 

[pathfinder7]

Maybe they are having a difficult time in their lifelong conversion to sainthood. Tim

well, yeah, obviously… but what IS the difficulty?

I mean, they know enough to go to Church (thye know thye are in need of something), but it seems to just stop there.

I am thinking of this one person i know who has treated me like dirt for years and yet seems to be such a devout Catholic in many ways (votes pro-life and all that).

Oh well. When Jesus said You will be hated by all… He meant ALL…

He (unlike other “humans”) means waht he says/says what he means…

 

[TOP]

well, yeah, obviously… but what IS the difficulty?

I mean, they know enough to go to Church (thye know thye are in need of something), but it seems to just stop there.

I am thinking of this one person i know who has treated me like dirt for years and yet seems to be such a devout Catholic in many ways (votes pro-life and all that).

Oh well. When Jesus said You will be hated by all… He meant ALL…

He (unlike other “humans”) means waht he says/says what he means…

Doesn’t scripture say to bring it up to them and if they don’t listen, bring a witness or two. If that doesn’t work, have the Church (priest) intercede. If your wrong, someone will tell you during the process. Tim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

We must be careful not to look at the speck in the eyes of our brothers and sisters while ignoring the log in our own.

I don’t know what motivates people to go to Church, but I’m happy they’re there.

Jim

 

[MarieVeronica]

I am thinking of this one person i know who has treated me like dirt for years and yet seems to be such a devout Catholic in many ways (votes pro-life and all that).

“Pathfinder” I would recommend that you pray for this person.

I truly believe that God puts certain people in our lives (and we, in theirs) to pray for them. The more repellent the person is to you… the more they may need your prayers.

You just never know… how heavy is the cross that person is carrying. Hope this helps in some way. God bless.

 

[pathfinder7]

We must be careful not to look at the speck in the eyes of our brothers and sisters while ignoring the log in our own.

just because you see a speck in someone’s eye doesn’t mean you have a plank you are ignorning in your own…

I don’t know what motivates people to go to Church, but I’m happy they’re there.

Jim

i think its scarier when people hear the Word all the time and disobey it (in a significant / habitual way…) than to encounter people who DON"T… hear the Word… and disobey it out of ignorace. :hypno:

 

[pathfinder7]

Doesn’t scripture say to bring it up to them and if they don’t listen, bring a witness or two. If that doesn’t work, have the Church (priest) intercede. If your wrong, someone will tell you during the process. Tim

this one person i know that fits my description… Well, i can’t even get to the first step - bringing it up with them personally.

 

[pathfinder7]

“Pathfinder” I would recommend that you pray for this person.

I truly believe that God puts certain people in our lives (and we, in theirs) to pray for them. The more repellent the person is to you… the more they may need your prayers.

You just never know… how heavy is the cross that person is carrying. Hope this helps in some way. God bless.

I do pray for this person, although i have to admit, i don’t pray as often as i should, probably.

thanks. and also: I think maybe i need YOU people out there to pray for this person. I hate to say it but it seems that some people are just sold out to doing things the devil’s way. I mean, once they become entrenched in a certain way of htinking/feelling/doing, it is like even Jesus can’t get them to budge. That’s just my “take” on the situation.

God bless…

 

[reen12]

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
“Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.” Matt 19:26

I thought that the idea was, in Christianity, to be living, breathing
re-presenters of Jesus. To live in such a way that people might
say “He/she looks joyful. I wonder why?”

I wish Christianity would use ‘good news,’ and not ‘gospel.’

*What *good news? http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif

“I have good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people:
‘This very night your saviour was born’!” Matthew

Wasn’t that what the angel told the shepherds?

If I thought that Jesus of Nazareth was a God/man, I’d live every
day as if it were Christmas Eve, celebrating what the angel said.
Even at Golgotha with Jesus - in any suffering, still I would remember the words of the Christmas angel.

I bring you tidings of great joy…

reen12

 

[Joysong]

I’m wondering, Pathfinder, if you heard the first reading this week on Monday, from Rev. 2:1-5:

“I know your works, your labor, and your endurance,
and that you cannot tolerate the wicked;
you have tested those who call themselves Apostles but are not,
and discovered that they are impostors.
Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name,
and you have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you:
you have lost the love you had at first.
Realize how far you have fallen.
Repent, and do the works you did at first.
Otherwise, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

It is so easy to identify with the first paragraph, yet I think the real test comes when we read the second. Have we lost our first love? If we are like Moses or St. Paul who prayed to be striken from the book of life if God would only grant His grace to sinners, then we can know how close we are to living in union with our first Love.

I have personally been at the brunt of self-righteous people who remark disdainfully and condescendingly from their high horse, “Go with God…I’m praying for you.” Can anyone see through this pharisaic heart? I’m finding that I slip into that mode sometimes, and in my indignation, I realize that I am not anxious to pray and intercede in the manner of St. Paul or Moses.

May God open our eyes when the test comes!

P.S. Could you be in danger of losing your lampstand through judging 54% of Catholic voters, and not knowing their hearts before God? I understand you post in the Politics forum, which tells me why you have used this percentage. It is not our place EVER to judge another’s heart, which is secret before God.

 

[Pani_Rose]

As a young adult in my thrities I complained to a Methodist minster about all the hypocrites in church - referring to so many that I saw in church in my youth as a Southern Baptist.

His reply to me, was imagine what they would be like if they were not attending church.

We must always look to ourselves first.

Before Communion…
I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. Amen

How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse my soul and save me.

Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to my condemnation because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification of soul and body and the pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me to cling to God and to place in Him the hope of my salvation.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your mystery to Your adversaries. Nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to You: Lord, remember me in Your Kingdom.

 

[KingAlfred]

I can relate to what you’re saying (OP). I consider myself very much committed to Jesus, but I actually don’t like going to church and never have. It’s a contradiction and weakness I’ve had to grapple with my entire life. So…I tend to respect people who can do it faithfully. I wish I had the discipline. Nonetheless, I suspect there are some Christians for whom going church is just a habit that doesn’t influence their daily lives much.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

=pathfinder

just because you see a speck in someone’s eye doesn’t mean you have a plank you are ignorning in your own…

You’re missing the point. The spec you see in your brother or sister’s eye, is actually the one in your eye that you’re seeing.

The Imitation of Christ, Thomas Kempis says something to the effect, don’t look at the faults and things of other people which irritate you, for you don’t know what faults and irritating things you do, that others have to put up with. We are often blind and forgiving of our own faults, and we are called to be the same towards others. Love your neighbor as yourself.

i think its scarier when people hear the Word all the time and disobey it (in a significant / habitual way…) than to encounter people who DON"T… hear the Word… and disobey it out of ignorace.

What they have heard or not heard, you can not know for sure.

Try to have compassion for people, and understand, that whatever they lack in character and spirituality, is their poverty. However, keep in mind that you too are poor in various areas of your life.
Treat them as you would have them treat you.

In Christ Peace
Jim

 

[Epistemes]

Hey, this thread is about me. If ever there was a conflicted, self-righteous hypocrite who suffered from false humility while advocating regular Mass attendance, it’s me.

 

[pathfinder7]

I thought that the idea was, in Christianity, to be living, breathing
re-presenters of Jesus. To live in such a way that people might
say “He/she looks joyful. I wonder why?”

reen12

“Blessed are those who mourn now for they shall be comforted.”

It is difficult to be joyful in a world that votes for $ over life… in a world where you are dirt if you aren’t beautiful and/or wealthy and/or successful and/or young, etc… a world that tells you it is better to commit murder than to be “punsihed with a child”…

where people are celebrating weddings by spending $2 million dollars on partying and 2000 miles away, people are lying in the streets dying of malnutrition…

Need i go on???

 

[pathfinder7]

!

P.S. Could you be in danger of losing your lampstand through judging 54% of Catholic voters, and not knowing their hearts before God? I understand you post in the Politics forum, which tells me why you have used this percentage. It is not our place EVER to judge another’s heart, which is secret before God.

sorry if speaking my mind annoys or angers you but i feel that i could say the same hting to you: could you be in danger of losing your lampstand through judging ME… by 1) saying that i judge 54% of Catholics who voted for Barack…

It is not your place to judge anymore than it is mine…

that being said, it is NOT judging to say that people are wrong to vote pro-abortion. That is stating truth. To judge would be to say that those who voted that way are going to Hell. I did NOT say that.

 

[pathfinder7]

I can relate to what you’re saying (OP). I consider myself very much committed to Jesus, but I actually don’t like going to church and never have. It’s a contradiction and weakness I’ve had to grapple with my entire life. So…I tend to respect people who can do it faithfully. I wish I had the discipline. Nonetheless, I suspect there are some Christians for whom going church is just a habit that doesn’t influence their daily lives much.

wow… this is strange to me. You don’t like going to Church? going to mass is the highlight of my day… I’ve been told that all the angels and saints participate in the mass and i believe that…

I am just wondering waht your spiritual background is? That may help me to understand better where you are at… thanks…

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

Ha! I remember reading that quote from the Quote Garden! Yeah, it’s so true, but I think it depends on the community.

Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood

 

[Joysong]

It is difficult to be joyful …

Dear Pathfinder7,

No matter which name you have posted under besides this one [Distracted, Contramundum7] they all depict a heart that is seriously in need of professional counselling to overcome the melancholiness in your spirit. I pray you will find someone who can direct you wisely so that you may find the abundant life that Christ promised to bring us.