How do we know the Bible/Catholic Beliefs are truly correct?

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Iwesshome

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*Disclaimer: This is not meant to be a flame thread just a post asking for information and clarification.

Hello Everybody

Now I have been studying Catholicism for a little while (Non-Priest) participating and I have some questions. I was raised pretty much in a non-religious environment in which I was taught to look at all things carefully with an open mind and not be judgmental on people. Now with most religions, including the Catholic faith there are sections of the Bible which are Preached/Taught that some things shouldn’t be like they are in today’s society.

IE: Abortion; Homosexuality; Birth Control

Now I know that we all have our own opinions on some of these topics which I am not here to debate per say but I was wondering or more curious to why we would believe that God and Jesus would look down on lets say Homosexuality and Birth Control (Abortion is to hot of a topic). If we are all created by God why would he allow Homosexuality to exist if he did not want it around? If we are all God’s children why do we exclude people who are different? I was raised to believe that all people are equal no matter their sexual belief so why are they looked at so differently. Homosexuals believe in God and feel that God will not condemn them at time of Judgment, why do we?

Also why is it against the church to use birth control? In today’s global society I would think that the Church would start leaning towards it to help population control. I mean not all married couples can afford to have 7 children so they must Sin to prevent more children.

I am having a hard time following all the rules of the Catholic Church. Some with the way I was raised and some because I think that time has aggressively changed to the society of when the Bible was written to today. I don’t want to think that I am sinning for my beliefs but I can’t honestly say that I can blindly support the Church either. I am looking for answers to help direct me and explain some of this to me. I appreciate any feedback I get for this and please remember that I am not here to insult anyone I am just learning.
 
Hello Iwesshome;

There are many resources at the Catholic Answers website that you can access for a more detailed response to your questions, but let me offer a response to your question in my own words as well:

It seems to me that the root of your concern is whether or not the Catholic Church has any real authority to teach what conduct God does or does not find morally appropriate. Catholics believe that when Jesus Christ founded his church on earth upon Peter, he endowed that earthly church - through the power of the Holy Spirit - with the authority to declare God’s truth on issues of morality. We believe that authority has been passed on by Peter and the other Apostles to their successors right down through history to Pope JPII and the bishops. Because we believe this teaching authority (or Magesterium) is God-given to the Church, we recognize that authority - insofar as it teaches both doctrine and morals - as binding upon us as Catholics. In short, because Christ gave the authority to His Church we are bound to follow that authority to live our lives in conformity with what Christ wants from us.

On the specific issue of contraception, the Church’s teaching is that any act by humans that interferes with or attempts to control the act of creating life - which we recognize as belonging only to God - is sinful because it is nothing less than an attempt to subordinate the will of God to our own human will. You will find that at the core level of every sin, the wrongfulness of the act is always a human will opposed to God’s will.

On the specific issue of homosexuality, the Church does not condemn a person for having feelings of attraction to members of the same sex. So the Church does not exclude or condemn persons because of their status as homosexual. However, the Church does condemn homosexual *acts * as sinful and teaches that one engaged in a lifestyle including such acts is living a sinful life. Again, this is because the peron is turning his or her back on God by doing their own will in direct contradiction to God’s instruction.

The fact that the world is “modern” and accepting of contraception and homosexual conduct does not change the truth. What was wrong according to God 2000 years ago is still wrong today.

The fact that following the Church’s teachings on contraception and homosexuality may be more difficult or inconvenient for some rather than others is also not a reason to abandon the truth. We all have our crosses to bear. Not having the option of artificial birth control is an inconvenience. But it makes a person so much more aware of God’s precious gift of life. The Church especially recognizes the difficult burden that persons suffering from homosexual feelings have - in that they are called to lead a life of abstinence. But many of God’s saints have had fulfilling lives lived in celibacy.

Also, remember the Good News that God is a forgiving God who has given us the sacrament of reconciliation to restore our relationship with Him when we falter (and all have sinned and fallen short).

I hope you will continue to explore the Church’s teachings on morality. You will find a beautiful consistency in its teachings that does not exist elsewhere.

Peace and Charity,
 
I’m so glad to see that you are looking into the Catholic Faith! I hope you’ll find what I have to say helpful.
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Iwesshome:
I was wondering or more curious to why we would believe that God and Jesus would look down on lets say Homosexuality and Birth Control (Abortion is to hot of a topic). If we are all created by God why would he allow Homosexuality to exist if he did not want it around?
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Would you consider alcoholism okay? I could make the same argument, because it has been proven to be genetic. Therefore God must want alcoholics to get drunk all the time and damage their bodies.

There are many things in this life that are objectively bad, yet God allows them to exist anyway. What of death itself? Obviously this is not considered a good thing even by society, yet by your logic it must be good because God lets it occur.

The Church looks at the problem of evil differently. Through Original Sin (the fall of Adam and Eve), evil entered humanity. All humans inherit this fallen nature, and are therefore deprived of the supernatural grace of God. We were redeemed by Jesus Christ through His sacrifice, but the tendency toward disorder (called ‘concupiscence’) and the natural effects of Original Sin (such as death) remain.
If we are all God’s children why do we exclude people who are different? I was raised to believe that all people are equal no matter their sexual belief so why are they looked at so differently. Homosexuals believe in God and feel that God will not condemn them at time of Judgment, why do we?
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The Church sees a great difference between a person’s condition and action. A person with homosexual attraction is not excluded from the Church. The Church considers it necessary to minister to them and invite them to a full, holy, and sacramental life, just like the rest of us.

However, homosexual activity is considered sinful by the Church for at least 2 reasons. First, the Church teaches that, because intercourse bonds 2 people so completely, the proper place for sexual activity is within marriage. The Church further teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman. Therefore any sexual activity, homosexual or heterosexual, is sinful outside of marriage.

The second reason is because sexual union has as its primary purpose the creation of children. Since procreation is impossible between two members of the same sex, it is therefore a disordered act because it abuses God’s purpose for sex.
Also why is it against the church to use birth control? In today’s global society I would think that the Church would start leaning towards it to help population control. I mean not all married couples can afford to have 7 children so they must Sin to prevent more children.
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The Church teaches that there is one method of family planning, called periodic continence, which is morally licit for serious reasons (financial considerations can be serious). The most advanced method of periodic continence is Natural Family Planning, by which a woman can moniter and chart her fertility. The couple can then abstain from relations on those days where conception is possible.
I am having a hard time following all the rules of the Catholic Church. Some with the way I was raised and some because I think that time has aggressively changed to the society of when the Bible was written to today. I don’t want to think that I am sinning for my beliefs but I can’t honestly say that I can blindly support the Church either. I am looking for answers to help direct me and explain some of this to me. I appreciate any feedback I get for this and please remember that I am not here to insult anyone I am just learning.
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I would recommend reading Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae for a far more in-depth understanding of the Church’s teaching on human sexuality. You may also wish to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church for answers to further questions.
 
I know I will get slamed for this, but here is my two cents. I believe birth control became a church law when the world was not so populated. Correct me if I’m wrong. I definitly feel married people should use birth control to keep from bringing in to many children into this world. But even MORE, so for young unmarried people who naturally want to copulate.
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                     To me it makes more sense for either the young woman or young man to use protection, then to bring an unwanted pregnancy into the world and then have the woman solve the problem by having the fetus killed in some abortion center. It also is simply impractical to ask young people to abstain altogether from sexual activity. The intent is good, but the reality is, that when love blooms, so does passion. It is a fact of life.

                      Abortion can only be stopped by curbing it at it's source. And that is when a young woman and a young man decide they want sex. They must be made seriously aware of the outcome. Even if abortion was federally banned, woman would still go underground to get rid of the fetus. Stop the cause and the end result will not occur.
 
What about condoms for the prevention of STD’s? I know its birth control but it is also has a greater purpose?
 
Great information you provided. I will take it to heart with my learning and defiantly look up those links.

Side Note: What if I don’t/can’t change my view point to meet that of the Church? Will I be denied the ability to become Catholic?
 
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Iwesshome:
What about condoms for the prevention of STD’s? I know its birth control but it is also has a greater purpose?
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Following the Church’s teaching on sex is 100% effective against the spread of STDs without the need to spend money on anything.
 
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Iwesshome:
What about condoms for the prevention of STD’s? I know its birth control but it is also has a greater purpose?
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Marital fidelity is a heck of a lot better than condoms for that. Even the best condoms in the world have a failure rate of 10%. Would you feel safe having sex with someone if you knew that 1 in 10 times you did it, you would be exposed to an STD?
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gladtobe:
Correct me if I’m wrong. I definitly feel married people should use birth control to keep from bringing in to many children into this world.
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Overpopulation is a myth. If the entire population of the world were crammed into the state of Texas, each person would have a comfortable 1200 square feet in which to live. Seriously. Do the math. (Total square feet in Texas divided by total world population).
To me it makes more sense for either the young woman or young man to use protection, then to bring an unwanted pregnancy into the world and then have the woman solve the problem by having the fetus killed in some abortion center. It also is simply impractical to ask young people to abstain altogether from sexual activity. The intent is good, but the reality is, that when love blooms, so does passion. It is a fact of life.
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It’s also a fact of life that human beings have rational minds. We are above the animals precisely because we have the ability to override our instincts.
Abortion can only be stopped by curbing it at it’s source. And that is when a young woman and a young man decide they want sex. They must be made seriously aware of the outcome. Even if abortion was federally banned, woman would still go underground to get rid of the fetus. Stop the cause and the end result will not occur.
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I couldn’t agree more. People must be made aware of the fact that sex begets children. Responsibility dictates that if you don’t want children, don’t have sex.
 
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Iwesshome:
Great information you provided. I will take it to heart with my learning and defiantly look up those links.

Side Note: What if I don’t/can’t change my view point to meet that of the Church? Will I be denied the ability to become Catholic?
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The question you need to ask yourself is this: If you can’t accept the Church’s authority, its protection by God from all error, and the responsibility of its members to adhere faithfully to all that the Church teaches…why would you want to become Catholic?
 
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Iwesshome:
Great information you provided. I will take it to heart with my learning and defiantly look up those links.

Side Note: What if I don’t/can’t change my view point to meet that of the Church? Will I be denied the ability to become Catholic?
Click to expand...
Well, when you go for confirmation, you make a declaration that you believe that everything the Church teaches is true. If you can’t do that, you should not become Catholic.

Scott
 
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Iwesshome:
Side Note: What if I don’t/can’t change my view point to meet that of the Church? Will I be denied the ability to become Catholic?
Click to expand...
You can have any viewpoint you want. It’s how you live your life, not what you think.

So, for example, you can think the Church is wrong about birth control, but it you’re only a sinning if you actually use it!
 
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gladtobe:
I know I will get slamed for this, but here is my two cents. I believe birth control became a church law when the world was not so populated. Correct me if I’m wrong. I definitly feel married people should use birth control to keep from bringing in to many children into this world. But even MORE, so for young unmarried people who naturally want to copulate.

To me it makes more sense for either the young woman or young man to use protection, then to bring an unwanted pregnancy into the world and then have the woman solve the problem by having the fetus killed in some abortion center. It also is simply impractical to ask young people to abstain altogether from sexual activity. The intent is good, but the reality is, that when love blooms, so does passion. It is a fact of life.

Abortion can only be stopped by curbing it at it’s source. And that is when a young woman and a young man decide they want sex. They must be made seriously aware of the outcome. Even if abortion was federally banned, woman would still go underground to get rid of the fetus. Stop the cause and the end result will not occur.
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You’ve got the makings of a great anti-pope.
BTW:
I dated my wife for 3 yrs before marriage. Both virgins on our wedding day.
Is it ok to practice purging when I eat so I don’t get fat? (Glutony)
Oh, yea, theft is banned, but people still do it. Down with the law.

and other goofy forms of thought…Logic.
 
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gladtobe:
I know I will get slamed for this, but here is my two cents. I believe birth control became a church law when the world was not so populated. Correct me if I’m wrong. I definitly feel married people should use birth control to keep from bringing in to many children into this world. But even MORE, so for young unmarried people who naturally want to copulate.

To me it makes more sense for either the young woman or young man to use protection, then to bring an unwanted pregnancy into the world and then have the woman solve the problem by having the fetus killed in some abortion center. It also is simply impractical to ask young people to abstain altogether from sexual activity. The intent is good, but the reality is, that when love blooms, so does passion. It is a fact of life.

Abortion can only be stopped by curbing it at it’s source. And that is when a young woman and a young man decide they want sex. They must be made seriously aware of the outcome. Even if abortion was federally banned, woman would still go underground to get rid of the fetus. Stop the cause and the end result will not occur.
Click to expand...
You’ve got the makings of a great anti-pope.
BTW:
I dated my wife for 3 yrs before marriage. Both virgins on our wedding day.
Is it ok to practice purging when I eat so I don’t get fat? (Glutony)
Oh, yea, theft is banned, but people still do it. Down with the law.

and other goofy forms of thought…Logic.
Liberalism :A mental disorder wherein the Illogical becomes completely logical with no lasting effect on the conscience.
 
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Iwesshome:
Great information you provided. I will take it to heart with my learning and defiantly look up those links.

Side Note: What if I don’t/can’t change my view point to meet that of the Church? Will I be denied the ability to become Catholic?
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Welcome! And take it easy. In most parishes you have to stand up in front of 1000 people and make a profession of faith that goes something like this: “I believe and profess all that the Catholic Church proclaims and teaches.” – no pressure there, eh? But by the time you’re doing that, you’re READY! Do not jump into this. As a Convert, I can testify that the Catholic teaching on all the subjects you are now struggling with is the most beautiful, the most consistent, the most seraphic of anything going.

Ask away! There are answers to your questions. For questions about sexuality, I recommend Christopher West’s little book Good News about Sex and Marriage. It’s done in Q&A format and directly addresses some of your concerns.

You sound pretty young because you seem to accept at face value the secular view of life. Why wouldn’t you if that is all you have ever known? Welcome to a fascinating world of profound holiness, glorious truth, and ever-deepening mystery.
 
Scott Waddell:
Well, when you go for confirmation, you make a declaration that you believe that everything the Church teaches is true. If you can’t do that, you should not become Catholic.

Scott
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Wouldn’t it be closer to say “you cannot BE Catholic” ?

A material heretic is one who refuses to believe an article of the Faith. A formal heretic is one who publicly confesses it.
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Timidity:
You can have any viewpoint you want. It’s how you live your life, not what you think.

So, for example, you can think the Church is wrong about birth control, but it you’re only a sinning if you actually use it!
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Based on this, it would also be inconsistent to say you do not agree with the doctine on contraception, but if you don’t act on that belief, you are not a heretic.
It is Divine Faith that saves, not human faith that picks and chooses the articles of Faith.
 
** How do we know the Bible/Catholic Beliefs are truly correct?**

**
** If there is no church that has the protection against error then Christianity is a free-for-all. Some God, ah? Who’d want to follow a God that cannot guarantee the truth in the first place?
We’d all be slaves to our own passions and predjudices. For there would be no higher authority that could correct us.

The bible can’t do. It has no way of telling you that you mis-interpreted it. Also, it really does not speak clearly on certain moral matters, like contraception. Even if it did, people would “explain It” away.

I’d love a US government without a Supreme Court…for a while…til my neighbor found out about it.
 
Hello Iwesshome,

I, like you, am not trying to be antagonistic.
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Iwesshome:
Now with most religions, including the Catholic faith there are sections of the Bible which are Preached/Taught that some things shouldn’t be like they are in today’s society.

IE: Abortion; Homosexuality; Birth Control.

These are not new or unique to today.
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Iwesshome:
If we are all created by God why would he allow Homosexuality to exist if he did not want it around? Homosexuals believe in God and feel that God will not condemn them at time of Judgment, why do we?

We are in no position to pass judgement on anyone. We are taught the faith and can freely accept or reject it.

So why is it against the church to use birth control?

Life should be in God’s hands.

I mean not all married couples can afford to have 7 children so they must Sin to prevent more children.?

Sex is a responsibility. Kids happen. The Church is only upholding what all Christianity believed until 1930(ish).

I am having a hard time following all the rules of the Catholic Church. Some with the way I was raised and some because I think that time has aggressively changed to the society of when the Bible was written to today.

There are plenty of belief systems that will suit YOUR needs. We try (imperfectly, of course) to serve GOD. Submission to God, in the long run, suits our needs best.

I don’t want to think that I am sinning for my beliefs but I can’t honestly say that I can blindly support the Church either.

You have too many questions to blindly support the Church. Thoroughly and openly investigate all you questions and see if the Church’s teachings are convincing.

I am looking for answers to help direct me and explain some of this to me. I appreciate any feedback I get for this and please remember that I am not here to insult anyone I am just learning.

I had many of the same questions. I have learned from my mistakes through the years that anytime I thought I knew better than the Church- I was wrong. My life and the lives of others suffered because I “knew better than the Church”.

Be encouraged by your inquisitive nature, but don’t leave your questions unanswered.
 
The question you need to ask yourself is this: If you can’t accept the Church’s authority, its protection by God from all error, and the responsibility of its members to adhere faithfully to all that the Church teaches…why would you want to become Catholic?
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Hm…how many converts started out their search for truth by automatically being able to accept everything the Catholic church said without asking questions and studying a bit first?
 
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Curious:
Hm…how many converts started out their search for truth by automatically being able to accept everything the Catholic church said without asking questions and studying a bit first?
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None, of course. My point wasn’t that he shouldn’t ask the questions. His question was if he could become Catholic if he didn’t accept all the Church teaches. Unless and until he agrees with the Church, why would he want to be a part of it?
 
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