Well I would exclude Satanism - but many religions/denominations offer some truth because the truth is written on our hearts when our souls are created.Don’t all religions/denominations offer some truth in them, though?
Some truth is not what God calls you to seek. God calls you to seek Him, He is all truth. Getting back to the OP, the answer is in our history, Gods relationship with us. How He communicates with us. The Old Testament is a fair place to start. A good book, short and sweet is A Guide to the Bible, by Antonio Fuentes, shop.catholic.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/p-B0125.html?E+scstoreDon’t all religions/denominations offer some truth in them, though?
That is true, even the Mob shows honesty in counting their own money. So yes we can affirm that truth exists in many elements outside the Catholic Church, even truths concerning evil and dealing with it.Ha, even Satanism offers some truths, like Satan is the representation of selfishness and carnal pleasures. I mean, those things aren’t good, but, they’re true, no?
Our Church was founded by God Himself, and has existed in a line of apostolic succession leading directly to St. Peter. No other religion or protestant denomination can make that claim.However, just because we’re Catholic doesn’t mean we’re the exclusive holders of that truth. The church has been wrong on some things, just as other religions have been wrong on some things, but if you look, all religions do the same thing: look for the truth, and that’s what Catholicism is–the search for the truth, and the search for God. We can’t condemn other people and say they’re wrong because they’re looking for God, too.
Hmm, this is news to me, what has the Church been dogmatically wrong about? I am sure there have been plenty of practices where people, Priests, and Bishops have sinned but I have never seen anybody prove the Church to ever have been wrong on any official teaching.We’re becoming just as rigid as a lot of Protestant religions, though. We can never know entirely that we’re right, or else you’re lying to yourself. We can believe, we can have faith, we can feel that God exists, and we can see Him in most things, but, that doesn’t mean other people can’t see Him in different ways, too.
There’s absolute truth in the universe: God exists, or He doesn’t, that’s truth. There is a right and there is a wrong, there either is or is not a Heaven. However, just because we’re Catholic doesn’t mean we’re the exclusive holders of that truth. The church has been wrong on some things, just as other religions have been wrong on some things, but if you look, all religions do the same thing: look for the truth, and that’s what Catholicism is–the search for the truth, and the search for God. We can’t condemn other people and say they’re wrong because they’re looking for God, too.
We can know we’re entirely right. If you believe the Bible, you know He promised the leaders of His Church would be led to all truth. Not every single individual, just the leadership and the leader. Not in everything they say and do, but just in relationship with Him. The teaching must be in regards to Scripture either oral or written, or Christian morals, and it must be proclaimed as infallible by the pope in his official position as leader of the Church.We’re becoming just as rigid as a lot of Protestant religions, though. We can never know entirely that we’re right, or else you’re lying to yourself. We can believe, we can have faith, we can feel that God exists, and we can see Him in most things, but, that doesn’t mean other people can’t see Him in different ways, too.
They never claimed to be, actually they affirm just the opposite. However they alone are guarded from teaching error. A Christian Church that officially teaches that consumption of alcohol is a sin teaches in error. A Christian Church that teaches excessive consumption (gluttony) of alcohol is a sin would not be in error.However, just because we’re Catholic doesn’t mean we’re the exclusive holders of that truth.
No actually on matters of faith, Scripture and morals, it has never been wrong in its official infallible teaching.The church has been wrong on some things
Where do you get the misguided impression that we condemn other people?We can’t condemn other people and say they’re wrong because they’re looking for God, too.
But, see, this is just opinion. What the OP is saying is that it cannot be proven. When we die we can ask God and he can tell us but we can’t come back and tell anyone else. So no matter what you base your faith on, it is just that: faith. This is true of all religion. No one can really prove the Bible came from God, for example. All of the arguments are faith-based. So, as the OP said, the arguments are by necessity circular. We can be convinced but we can over no objective proof. That is why some folks are agnostic or atheist.Hmm, this is news to me, what has the Church been dogmatically wrong about? I am sure there have been plenty of practices where people, Priests, and Bishops have sinned but I have never seen anybody prove the Church to ever have been wrong on any official teaching.
Everyone who holds the same truth of God are in essence Catholic as it is the revelation of God.
You are right we shouldn’t condemn anybody, yet we can certainly point out where people are wrong, we just need to do it in a way that doesn’t push them away, but brings them to truth.
In Christ
Scylla
The existence of God cannot be proved through the scientific method, but it can be proved philosophically. I recommend Dr. Peter Kreeft’s writings on this topic under the heading “Arguments for God’s Existence” found here:But, see, this is just opinion. What the OP is saying is that it cannot be proven. When we die we can ask God and he can tell us but we can’t come back and tell anyone else. So no matter what you base your faith on, it is just that: faith. This is true of all religion. No one can really prove the Bible came from God, for example. All of the arguments are faith-based. So, as the OP said, the arguments are by necessity circular. We can be convinced but we can over no objective proof. That is why some folks are agnostic or atheist.
Interesting question, “How do we know we are right?”It is often that people question if they’re religion is right. How can a Catholic defend his or her faith, without using fallacious arguments, such as circular reasoning? I have some experience in this, and this is more to help a friend who is beginning to get interested in apologetics. Perhaps some links would be helpful, too.