I’m Losing Faith in the Catholic Church

[Katie777]

I am so sorry
May the love of Jesus and His Immaculate Mother guide you to the style of our faith that increases your love of God and invigorates you. Jesus just wants your love.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Kindnessmatters]

I ran into this but sought out a conservative parish (before people jump on me for using the term conservative, I DO mean a parish that leans toward political conservatism), which is also orthodox in applying the catechism. I am learning that orthodoxy is growing, more conservative and orthodox diocese and orders are growing in vocations and parishioners. Hang tight…the pendulum is swinging back.

 

[mh2007]

Realistically, we can’t change the Church, the current state of affairs, or direction it is heading. Those things are out of our hands. All of that will occur - with or without any of us individually. But indeed we do have control over our own free will, how we live our lives, how we pray, how we focus on Jesus, and choose to help others in a Christian way. Since I have zero influence or say in Church affairs, I relate to Jesus, the sacraments, and prayer life - humbly and quietly. I find it best to live a humble, simple life in gratitude for all that God provides. Our days are numbered. I love to give thanks every day. God is truly magnificent far beyond our comprehension. Springtime is so wonderful to witness and experience. How marvelous God’s creation is. Every tree, flower, river, mountain, and valley. Truly amazing.

 

[SeekerOfTruth7]

saying anything about a pope

Matthew 16:18-19

nothing about rosaries

Angel sing songs in Heaven that repeat over and over again, such “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty.” The Rosary isn’t required but it is not against Scripture, in fact, it is a Bible Study on beads.

nothing saying that we worship any God other than Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and yet Catholics see Mary as holy

Catholics don’t worship Mary…common false objection non-Catholics have.

I took a Hispanic cultures course in college many years ago and the two young men basically said straight up that Catholicism took the pagan gods of each local culture and co-opted them in to a Christian “version” - that Quetzelcoatl in Mexico was transformed into Mary, and you would see this pattern repeated all throughout the Spanish Catholic empire.

Then how come Mary was prayed to and venerated in the second century by Greeks? Were they influenced by the Spanish Empire, oh wait…

Catholic’s NDE testimony on YouTube

Subjective experiences have no bearing on truth, especially since this lady presumably left the Church.

teaching pagan holidays like Xmas and Easter

Not pagan. This is a common false notion called parallelism which is clearly false. What matters is who are we celebrating, which Jesus! We celebrate His birth and His Resurrection on those days. Content matters, not the day itself and what other religions have done.

Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life - he doesn’t have any peers - just Him.

Catholics agree…you don’t seem to have much knowledge of Catholicism if you say that.

the Lord will reach you and move mightily

He already did, through the Church He established in 33CE, the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. Your arguments against are terrible. And all the arguments you used have been repeated for centuries.Nearly every Catholic knows these. Get something new and original.

I have a question for you: How do you know the Bible is inspired? How do you know which books are canonical?

 

[kellyq1232]

The way I know that the books of the bible are inspired is by supernatural means - by being born-again which is biblical. Peter being a pope this is what I found regarding this untruth: 1. Peter’s name in the Greek is Petros (a detached stone, Jn. 1:42) but Jesus said the church would be built upon the “rock” or Petra (a mass of rock) - Mt. 16:18.
2. Matthew 16:18 Peter is masculine gender and rock in feminine gender; in context they cannot refer to the same thing. Finally, Jesus Himself said that “all authority” was given to Him both "in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18-20).

You don’t need a lot of understanding to know the bible is correct without any additional books after you’re born-again, and that any religion that has a religious leader getting comfy with inter-faith worship like the pope has and homosexuality, and not sharing your faith - the pope said as recently as 2019 not to try to convert unbelievers. Celebrating Xmas encourages: lying to your kids, exalting a saint (Nicholas,) magic elves and reindeer - this is nature spirit worship - totally pagan and as a former pagan, I know a pagan when I see one - covetousness/materialism - check out Black Friday and how people behave. And not preaching the gospel to every creature at it’s most basic level against Christian doctrine. Easter has the same kind of issues as a pagan fertility holiday. God IS specific about how He wants to be worshipped - and “rosary beads” in different forms have been around longer than Christianity which tells me they’re not Christian.

Here’s a quote from Mother Teresa: “Yes, I convert. I convert you to be a better Hindu, or a better Muslim, or a better Protestant, or a better Catholic, or a better Parsee, or a better Sikh, or a better Buddhist. And after you have found God, it is for you to do what God wants you to do.’ ” but Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life - no one comes to the Father except through Me.” This excludes Krishna, Buddha, Mohammed, and the Pope.

I have known many Catholics and not one tried to convert me and save my soul for the same reason no one else did- because they haven’t received Jesus Christ as Lord and savior and don’t really believe in what He said otherwise, they’d have fear of the Lord - the bible says that this is the beginning of wisdom. The Lord wouldn’t be ok with us knowing the truth and just casually walking around not sharing it with as many as we could and then thinking He would allow us into His kingdom when we die.

I’m not a long-time believer and scripture tells me that I’m not to teach since that would involve the sin of pride - and I feel the Holy Spirit convicting me of this even as I type, and I’m no match for someone who wants to argue intellectually about the details of scripture so I must humble myself - mostly before the Lord and repent. It doesn’t mean that Catholicism is the truth, it just means by biblical standards that I’m not qualified to teach.

I will humble myself before the Lord and pray for any"Christian" faith that adds or subtracts from God’s word, come to the knowledge of the truth supernaturally by being born-again which is the only way and only the beginning. Praise God.

 

[otjm]

They have been in conversation with Rome for about 55 years now, and their conversations have been, in large part, with the brightest and most intelligent theologian alive in the Church today.
After 55 years, if they cannot get their questions answered, one would be inclined to think that is not the issue; the issue being they disagree with the answers given by the people most capable of answering them.

And that is, at best, an extremely precarious position to occupy.

 

[whatistrue]

Still no original objections. And a lot of misinformation.

 

[Matthew25]

Your faith should not be in the Catholic Church, it should be in God alone. The Church is in place to help point you to God.

 

[peter26]

A person could lose faith that the Catholic Church is helping to point them to God however.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I never mentioned demonic possession in my post in this thread, so I’m not sure why you’re bringing it up.

As I said before, talk to a priest or other professional and ask for their help

 

[farronwolf]

This goes back to my statement that folks think “my” version of the Church is better than “your” version of the Church. This created division in the Church.

 

[SeekerOfTruth7]

The way I know that the books of the bible are inspired is by supernatural means - by being born-again which is biblical.

So, God inspired you to know that the 66 books of the Protestant Canon was the true canon of Scripture? Wow! Quite a claim. Never knew that being born-again means then you automatically know the canon of Scripture. I wonder what the Church Father’s would say about that…

Petros (a detached stone, Jn. 1:42)

Petros and petra mean the same thing, a rock of any sort. The only difference is one is masucline and one is feminine. Would Jesus give Peter a feminine name? No. Therefore He gave Peter a masculine name which means the same thing as petra. Old argument that has been debunked so many time one can’t even count. If this isn’t convincing, then look at the aramaic, the language Jesus spoke. It says kepha for both terms. Peter is the rock and the only one Jesus is speaking to. Look at the next verse and interpret that in context with this and it is plain to see. St. Peter has the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Read Isaiah 22:22

that any religion that has a religious leader getting comfy with inter-faith worship like the pope has and homosexuality, and not sharing your faith - the pope said as recently as 2019 not to try to convert unbelievers.

Assertions with no substance. Anyone can do a google search and find out your wrong.

lying to your kids

Telling a story isn’t lying. If it is, then no one can read Narnia or any fantasy book or fairy tale to their kids. Come on. It’s stories, nothing more.

God IS specific about how He wants to be worshipped

Yes! He wants to be worshipped in Spirit and truth. But how does that work out? In all the thousands of different protestant churches? Or maybe in the One Church Christ founded in 33CE, the Catholic Church?

“rosary beads” in different forms

Prayer beads have been used, yes. But not rosary. Rosary beads are specific to Christian prayers. Hence, why Orthodox, Lutherans, Anglicans, and even some Protestants use beads as way to pray. What matters is the content and substance of the prayers, not the beads themselves. Simple.

and the Pope.

The Pope points to Jesus. Silly argument.

 

[SeekerOfTruth7]

because they haven’t received Jesus Christ as Lord and savior and don’t really believe in what He said

Dangerous assertion! How do you know they haven’t? Must everyone who receives Christ be just like you and think just like? Aren’t some members of the body hands and feet and so on? Don’t assume that everyone must be preachers because you think you should be. If that is their gift then praise God. If not, do not judge.

I’m no match for someone who wants to argue intellectually about the details of scripture

Then why are you arguing the details of Matthew? If you aren’t qualified to teach Scripture, then why try and teach me? Why not go to the ones qualified to teach, Priests, Bishops, Theologians, and the Church Fathers? Do you think you know more about Scripture than the Church Fathers? Such as Ignatius, who said: “Wherever the Bishop is, there is the Catholic Church.” That was second century, and Ignatius was a disciple of Polycarp who was a student of John the Apostle. I think he knows more than either of us.

“Christian”

Very offensive. Catholicism is very much Christian. Careful where and who you judge, for God will judge you for what you judge others. (Matthew 7:1-5)

truth supernaturally

Mormons claim they have, and yet they believe in the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price…are they right even though they claim the same thing?

 

[otjm]

The hermaneutic of continuity has been, is being and will continue to be implemented.

People fail to realize that it took about 100 years for some of the requirements of Trent to be implemented; and it will take time for all of Vatican 2 to settle in and be implemented.

In the meanwhile, there has been tremendous growth in the Church. The Holy Spirit is alive and well and active. North America and Europe struggle with issues; India, Asia, Africa and South and Central America are booming and have far different issues with which to deal.

 

[otjm]

Peter being a pope this is what I found regarding this untruth: 1. Peter’s name in the Greek is Petros (a detached stone, Jn. 1:42) but Jesus said the church would be built upon the “rock” or Petra (a mass of rock) - Mt. 16:18.
2. Matthew 16:18 Peter is masculine gender and rock in feminine gender; in context they cannot refer to the same thing. Finally, Jesus Himself said that “all authority” was given to Him both "in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18-20).

Christ did not call Peter “petros”.

He called peter “Cephas”, which is Aramaic for rock.

As the Church spread out beyond Jerusalem, the followers of Christ (all Jews0 found themselves being called to the Gentiles, and the common language was Greek, which is the language which the New Testament writings are in; and Greek has several terms for rocks - lithos and petros. What you are referring to is the focus people who reject the authority of the Pope focus on - which is an issue of a different language (Greek) from Aramaic; Aramaic did not have “male” and “female” genders for words.

Christ did not refer to a “female” rock or a “male” rock; your issue is one of translating from one language to another.

Further, any history of the early Church will show that authority was in Peter, and as Peter went to Rome and was martyred, the next bishop of Rome and those subsequent exercised that authority which Christ gave the Church.

 

[adf417]

The way I know that the books of the bible are inspired is by supernatural means - by being born-again which is biblical.

Wow!
Just think of all the writings you must have read to determine weather or not if you left one or two out. Quite amazing!!!

The way i know the books of the bible are inspired is the church, the pilar and foundation of truth and it predates the bible. Im not sure i can claim anything supernatural when it comes to something that important.

 

[Aquinas11]

You don’t need a lot of understanding to know the bible is correct without any additional books after you’re born-again

what bible verse says that?

 

[AlNg]

there has been tremendous growth in the Church.

There has been tremendous growth in the number of civil divorces and marriage annulments in the USA. In 1929 about 10 per year, to current times when the number has surpassed 50,000 per year.
Mark 10: 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” And yet, US Catholics who apply for the annulment are required first to seek a civil divorce.
Cardinal Kasper said that many of these annulments are really Catholic divorces in a dishonest way.
The topic is about losing faith. I know a man who lost his faith because after several years of marriage and several children, his Catholic wife divorced him and married someone else. He did not believe there were any truthful grounds for a marriage annulment and is angry that it was granted.