Hello, questions

[ChristianKnight]

I am a Protest-Baptist, and I do not believen Catholocism for many reasons, here are some questions I’d like answered:

1. What makes the pope so important?
2. Didn’t yall believe he couldn’t commit sin once a time?
3. What is Catholic views on Protest-Baptists?
4. Do Catholics believe you have to pray through the saints? Why?

 

[strngrnrth]

I am a Protest-Baptist, and I do not believen Catholocism for many reasons, here are some questions I’d like answered:

1. What makes the pope so important? He’s the spiritual successor of St.Peter, whom Jesus told to feed the sheep, and thus has the duty to watch over the whole Church.
2. Didn’t yall believe he couldn’t commit sin once a time?
   Not that I’m aware of. He has the Lord’s protection from error in doctrine and in moral teachings. Jesus said He wouldn’t leave us as orphans, and that the gates of Hell wouldn’t prevail agaisnt the Church. That means we know we have a guide to understanding the Bible and we know who that guide is.
3. What is Catholic views on Protest-Baptists?
   Personally I don’t know much about you. Why don’t you explain your history and doctrine?
4. Do Catholics believe you have to pray through the saints? Why?No, but we like to. I don’t know anything about your denomination, but I have been Evangelical Friends and Non-denom and Trinitarian Pentecostal. Do you have an intercessor’s team or committe or what-have-you? It’s like that. The saints in Heaven offer the prayers of the faithful to God according to Revelation, and we ask them to include our prayers.

 

[ChristianKnight]

I pray to Jesus Christ, not to any other, for that is idolising, isn’t it?

I am a Baptist, but am really my own. I believen the Trinity, I believen the commandments, I believe any man can be saved.

The Pope is better then a regular christian?

Why should people kiss the pope’s ring? I would never.

Why do people call him the “holy father” when their is only one?

 

[strngrnrth]

You can get a lot of questions answered pretty fast by going to the top of the page, hitting “library” and looking around.

 

[Rolltide]

1. What makes the pope so important?

In short, Catholics believe that Jesus appointed Peter the first pope, as the head of his church on earth.

Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

I refer you to the following links, which explain better and in more depth then I could:

Peter and the Papacy
catholic.com/library/Peter_and_the_Papacy.asp

Peter the Rock
catholic.com/library/Peter_the_Rock.asp

Origins of Peter as Pope (from the Early Church Fathers):
catholic.com/library/Origins_of_Peter_as_Pope.asp

Peter’s Primacy
catholic.com/library/Peter_Primacy.asp

1. Didn’t yall believe he couldn’t commit sin once a time?

No, the Catholic Church has never believed that. You are confusing “impeccability” with “infallibility”. To be impeccable means that you are completely free from sin. The Catholic Church will be the first to admit that there were some very worldly and corrupt popes. However… the Catholic Church DOES believe that the pope is infallible. This means that when the pope is preaching on faith and morals (and those topics ONLY), and makes it known that he is utilizing this power, he cannot err, because his decision is protected by the Holy Spirit. It should be known that this power is almost never used. In the last two centuries, the pope has only used the power to define the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary.

1. What is Catholic views on Protest-Baptists?

I cannot comment on the denomination itself, but it considers most other Christian groups “ecclesiastical communities” that are our “separated brethren”. In order to be considered a true “church”, Catholics believe that a group must have two things: an unbroken line of Apostolic Succession running back to Peter AND a belief in Transubstantiation. Among non-Catholic Christians, only the various Orthodox groups fit the Catholic definition of being a true “Church”.

1. Do Catholics believe you have to pray through the saints? Why?

A couple of questions first…

1. Have you ever gone to church and asked your congregation to pray for someone, perhaps a sick relative? Most people would answer yes.
2. Do you believe that when we die, that we don’t cease to exist, but that we move on to eternal life in heaven (presuming we don’t go to an eternal existence in hell)? Again, most Christians believe this.

So, if that is the case, what difference does it make whether you ask someone who is living or dead to join you in prayer? Catholic consider prayer SO important, that we try to involve everyone. Examine this prayer from the Mass:

“And I ask Blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

Notice that the prayer is asking literally everyone, living or dead, to pray FOR us. We are not praying to them. Let’s examine another prayer (the one that Protestants usually bash us with the most, the Hail Mary):

Hail Mary, full of grace
the Lord is with you
Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus
(so far, this is simply reciting the scripture of the Annunciation from Luke…)
Holy Mary, Mother of God
(Jesus is God, Mary gave birth to Jesus, therefore, Mary is by extension also the Mother of God…)
pray FOR us sinners, now and at the hour of hour death
Amen

Notice that this prayer ALSO asks Mary to pray FOR us. We are NOT praying to her.

Catholics are free to ask anyone, living or dead, to join them in prayer. We are not free to pray TO anyone OTHER than God himself. It is also not required to involve anyone else. It is perfectly acceptable for a Catholic to simply pray to God if he or she so desires.

If you have any other questions, I’d be happy to answer them.

 

[ChristianKnight]

I am pretty sure all Christians consider prayer important buddy lol.

Their is a difference between asking to pray for, then asking to be allowed to prayer.

 

[Rolltide]

I believen the Trinity, I believen the commandments, I believe any man can be saved.

Excellent. Catholics can agree with all of that (although our definition of “being saved” would differ).

The Pope is better then a regular christian?

No more than the president is a better citizen than anyone else in the US. He just has a special job.

Why should people kiss the pope’s ring? I would never.

To kiss the ring of the pope was a sign of loyalty to the church and Christianity, more than it was to the pope. It was also a greeting that all highly respected people received in the past (and in some places in the world, they still do. I work as a professor at a small private college in the South, and when I’ve traveled in the Middle East, I have had several people grab my hand and kiss my class ring as a sign of respect. As a professor, I would be considered of high status in their culture. I will admit, I was a bit shocked at first, but they consider it importance to show deference to those who lead or teach others.)

Why do people call him the “holy father” when their is only one?

Here’s an excellent article that explains the reasoning much better than I can:
davidmacd.com/catholic/priests_forgive_sins_call_no_man_father.htm

 

[Rolltide]

I am pretty sure all Christians consider prayer important buddy lol.

Their is a difference between asking to pray for, then asking to be allowed to prayer.

Yes, very much so, I agree. Catholics do not pray to ANYONE but God. We do ask for the living, the saints, angels, and Mary to pray along with us and for us, but we never pray TO them.

 

[ricko]

I pray to Jesus Christ, not to any other, for that is idolising, isn’t it?
Catholics pray only to God. We also ASK the saints in heaven to pray FOR us just as St. Paul asked his brothers to pray for him.
I am a Baptist, but am really my own. I believen the Trinity, I believen the commandments, I believe any man can be saved.
If you do the will of the Father you can be saved. But how do you know you are doing the will of the Father? Only the Church that Jesus established can teach the true word of God.
The Pope is better then a regular christian?
He is a man who has left the world and given his life to God. He is certainly better than you or I.
Why should people kiss the pope’s ring? I would never.
Why should you salute the American Flag? Sign of respect.
Why do people call him the “holy father” when their is only one?

The title does not mean he is God. He is our spriitual father on earth. He is like St. Peter, the first Pope.

 

[VociMike]

I pray to Jesus Christ, not to any other, for that is idolising, isn’t it?

The word “pray” has two distinct meanings. The type and intent of prayer to God is very different than the type and intent of prayer to the saints.

I am a Baptist, but am really my own. I believen the Trinity, I believen the commandments, I believe any man can be saved.

Good, but why do you believe these things? Where did you learn these things?

The Pope is better then a regular christian?

Better? What does that even mean? He certainly has more God-given authority than a “regular” Christian. Just like the prophets and apostles did.

Why should people kiss the pope’s ring? I would never.

A sign of respect for the office. Kissing is not worship, you know.

Why do people call him the “holy father” when their is only one?

Jesus says we all must be holy. Do you even know what “holy” means? It does not mean perfect, without sin, or like God. It means set apart for God.

 

[VociMike]

I am a Protest-Baptist, and I do not believen Catholocism for many reasons, here are some questions I’d like answered:

Hello and welcome.

1. What makes the pope so important?

God does. The pope is important because of the office he holds, and the authority he wields in that office, an office and an authority established by Christ.

1. Didn’t yall believe he couldn’t commit sin once a time?

No, any pope can sin. And all do sin. And they go to confession and their sins are forgiven.

1. What is Catholic views on Protest-Baptists?

Never heard the term before.

1. Do Catholics believe you have to pray through the saints? Why?

No, we don’t have to pray to or through the saints. But the prayers of the righteous avail much, so why wouldn’t we ask those Christians who are perfectly righteous to pray for us?

 

[Rolltide]

The word “pray” has two distinct meanings. The type and intent of prayer to God is very different than the type and intent of prayer to the saints.

That is indeed a good point, which I forgot to mention. One of the problems with the English language (or any language, for that matter) is that it evolves over time. If you go read Shakespeare, for example, you will find that the word “pray” simply means “to ask” and can refer to anyone, not just God. (Ever heard the expression “pray tell”?) So, on occasion, you will indeed read about a prayer to a saint in a Catholic book, but that’s because Catholics continue to use the Shakespearean definition of “pray”. It’s an easy misunderstanding to make.

 

[Zooey]

I am a Protest-Baptist, and I do not believen Catholocism for many reasons, here are some questions I’d like answered:

1. What makes the pope so important?

He is the leader of the largest group of Christians in the world. As a world leader, he is entitled to respect. (And affection, IMHO).

1. Didn’t yall believe he couldn’t commit sin once a time?

No, that is not & never has been true.
Check over at the Catholic Answers home site, there are several good articles that explain what Catholics believe about the Pope.

1. What is Catholic views on Protest-Baptists?

Do you mean “protestant?”

1. Do Catholics believe you have to pray through the saints? Why?

No, not at all. However, Catholics (and others!!) do believe in the Communion of the Saints. Those who have gone before us, are the “so great a cloud of witnesses” that the author of Hebrews speaks of.

I pray to Jesus Christ, not to any other, for that is idolising, isn’t it?

No, idolatry is worshipping. Asking someone to pray for you, is simply requesting intercessory prayers. (Like asking the members of this forum to pray, over in Prayer Intentions here).

I am a Baptist, but am really my own. I believen the Trinity, I believen the commandments, I believe any man can be saved.

It is good to believe sound doctrine. The things you list here, are :thumbsuprthodox Christian doctrines.

The Pope is better then a regular christian?

No, but he has a different job.

Why should people kiss the pope’s ring? I would never.

You wouldn’t be forced to!! Kissing his ring is a sign of respect for him. In ages past, all rulers here on earth had their rings kissed this way.
Its an ancient custom. Not a requirement.

Why do people call him the “holy father” when their is only one?

This remark always:shrug: puzzles me…It seems to me, to sound like it is trying to lower God to the place of man.
To be holy, is to be a faithful servant of God. God’s nature is so far beyond ours, that it seems disrespectful to me, to imply that one should refer to Him as simply a “holy father”.
God is our Creator. He is the King of the universe. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Not just a “godly man who tries to serve others”.
But I don’t think that’s what you meant…Just that you never thought through, what the meaning of “holy father” really is.

Welcome to the forums & hope that helps!!

 

[zaffiroborant]

Their is a difference between asking to pray for, then asking to be allowed to prayer.

I am puzzled by the second half of this sentence (and I’m assuming that the “then” is supposed to be “than”)? Where do you get asking to be allowed to pray(er)?

 

[PaulDupre]

Here is a very good article from a Protestant magazine about why Catholics have a Pope.

Hope it helps,
Paul

 

[ChristianKnight]

A sign of respect for the office. Kissing is not worship, you know.

Jesus says we all must be holy. Do you even know what “holy” means? It does not mean perfect, without sin, or like God. It means set apart for God.

I never said it was, I just wouldn’t do it. I will give respect through talking to him with correct english, and not saying anything offensive, but I would be caught dead before kissing a man’s ring.

No need to be rude buddy, and yes, I actually do.

btw: More questions

Do yall bow in service at church? Why?

is their any paticular verse in the bible proving that the Catholic church is the true church?

Do non-catholics go to hell?

 

[Deconi]

Do yall bow in service at church? Why?

Several times, from beginning to end.

Because of the Presence of The Body & Blood of Christ.

In other words, because He Is Present.

is their any paticular verse in the bible proving that the Catholic church is the true church?

The Entire Book.

Do non-catholics go to hell?

No soul, Catholic or non-Catholic, Christian or non-Christian should go to hell. That is His wish and The Church’s mission to accomplish.

Those are the simplified answers Christian, but you’ll have to read around a bit for the details and explanations.

 

[grandfather]

Jesus says we all must be holy. Do you even know what “holy” means? It does not mean perfect, without sin, or like God. It means set apart for God.

He said, “Be ye holy even as your heavenly father is holy”. Or in another translation, “Be ye perfect even as your heavenly father is perfect”.

 

[Rolltide]

Do yall bow in service at church? Why?

Yes, on occasion. We bow because Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist (Communion). In other words, while Protestants believe that Communion is symbolic, we believe that the bread and wine literally transforms into the Body and Blood of Christ himself, making him physically present among us.

is their any paticular verse in the bible proving that the Catholic church is the true church?

God established his universal, or “catholic” church (the words are synonyms) when he made Peter the first pope. Among the strongest arguments for proof of this is the fact that the Catholic Church is the group that actually created the Bible. (I’m not saying it wrote the scriptures, I’m saying it decided which books were included in the compilation known as the Bible.) Councils at Carthage, Hippo, and Rome helped decide what to include and what to reject, and these were led by Catholic bishops. God knew that there would need to be a central authority to decide religious issues, or else thousands of interpretations would arise (just as they have with Protestantism). It would become impossible to know what interpretation was correct with any certainty. That is why the church was formed… to guide doctrine and interpretation with the infallible backing of the Holy Spirit.

Do non-catholics go to hell?

We believe that there is “no salvation outside the Catholic Church”, BUT… there’s more to the statement than meets the eye. God does not hold us responsible for “invincible ignorance”. For example, a Native American who never had a chance to learn about Christianity might have a chance at Baptism by Desire (like the thief on the cross) IF they followed God to the best of their limited understanding. We cannot commit a mortal sin if we are ignorant that it is one. Likewise, a Protestant who was never truly exposed to the full truth of Catholicism is not responsible for their lack of knowledge, and probably has a better chance at salvation than a non-Christian due to the fact that they have a fuller, but still incomplete, knowledge of Christianity. However, if someone fully understands the faith and rejects it, they jeopardize their soul. Examples would include Catholics who leave the faith, and the first generations of Protestants. (The Catholic Church, while it has the ability to proclaim someone as a saint and definitely in heaven, does NOT have the ability to condemn anyone to hell. That is only for God to judge, as we do not know the state of someone’s soul when they die with one hundred percent certainty. For all we know, they could have repented just before death.)

 

[ckempston]

Yes, very much so, I agree. Catholics do not pray to ANYONE but God. We do ask for the living, the saints, angels, and Mary to pray along with us and for us, but we never pray TO them.

I’d have to say that Catholics certainly do “pray to” Mary, and ask her for her protection, etc., and they seem to indicate that Mary has power to do things in and of herself. It’s not just “asking Mary to pray for us.” An example:

ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/immaculate_conception.htm

“Watch over,” “assist,” “entrust to you” all sound a lot like Mary has special powers independent of God. This is a particular stumbling block for me. This goes way too far, in my opinion, in devotion to Mary. “Mary, pray for us” sounds very different from, “Mary, protect us.”