If you are a Christian, what is the real reason for you not being a Catholic? - 2

[meandean]

I’d like to see the sources for this information, please.

if you are in the catholic faith, you have the resources. if you are interested in faith verses the law,or true righteousness verses self righteousness, or freedom verses slavery, or the spirit verses the flesh,study the book of galatians.you can also compare what the judaizers believed to your own faith.i did in my own life and didnt understand why i wasnt truely free until the lord opened it up to me. the law only condemns a man and grace wasn’t available to me until i let the law go and placed all my faith in jesus christ. he fullfilled every little tittle of the law. there are no dark corners. he is the grace i needed to live. all the law did was to place me on the cross, yet jesus took my place. he died my death so that in him, i may live, and life i now live, i live to god. it is his spirit that actually lives this christian life through me. there is no way i could ever do it. so thats why the bible says it is by grace i have been saves not by works lest any man boast. it is all jesus or no jesus.

 

[JustaServant]

What do you suggest we do to help our young people.?? It is soo sad that they walk away so easily, whatever the reason, but I am thankful that many of them do come back eventually.

Young people are looking for what is REAL, not necessarily what is exciting (although that is a factor).
Education and involvment on the parish level. They also need to see adults being good examples of the faith. A return to proper catechism and a dumping of all the 1960s garbage would be a giant step.

 

[meandean]

OH but you forget that Jesus promised HIS Church would NEVER error, He sent the Holy Spirit to protect HIS Church, Don’t you trust Our Lord’s Word?? No Pope, no matter how sinful he may be can do harm to the teachings of the Catholic Church, and NO Pope ever has! The fact that no Pope ever has been able to, is proof enough for that. He has to answer for his sins just like the rest of us do, but the Holy Spirit protests the teaching of the Catholic Church and has for 2,000 years, no matter what YOU think.

what lord are you taking about? the one who lords over your flock? it certainly is not jesus. his church is not catholic,protestant,luthren or anything else like these. his church is saved sinners who placed all their faith in him. and all that think that the law can save them, is absolutely foolish. there is no holy spirit in the law.you recieve the holy spirit as you trust what god did for you on the cross.the holy spirit is not a light switch to turn on when you need him, and turn off when not in use. your either in the spirit or in the flesh. these popes whom you choose to endorse were in the flesh. they did not have the fruit of the spirit. they looked out for themselves.and your right about one thing. it doesn’t matter what i think or what you think. it only matters what god thinks… won’t give him a try ?

 

[ibkc]

these popes whom you choose to endorse were in the flesh. they did not have the fruit of the spirit. they looked out for themselves.and your right about one thing. it doesn’t matter what i think or what you think. it only matters what god thinks… won’t give him a try ?

Yet you’re here telling us to trust your word, because you claim to know what God thinks. Why should we trust you over the man who occupies the chair of Peter? How are you in any better of a position to know the mind of God?

 

[meandean]

Yet you’re here telling us to trust your word, because you claim to know what God thinks. Why should we trust you over the man who occupies the chair of Peter? How are you in any better of a position to know the mind of God?

am i leading you to me? if i am , then go back to your cup of coffee. but if i am pointing to jesus, then you choose who you going to follow. my choice is christ. thats what his word said to me,jesus said follow me. so i follow him. in fact he said that to peter as well, peter asked, lord what about him? and what was jesus’ reply?

 

[MelanieAnne]

what lord are you taking about? the one who lords over your flock? it certainly is not jesus. his church is not catholic,protestant,luthren or anything else like these. his church is saved sinners who placed all their faith in him. and all that think that the law can save them, is absolutely foolish. there is no holy spirit in the law.you recieve the holy spirit as you trust what god did for you on the cross.the holy spirit is not a light switch to turn on when you need him, and turn off when not in use. your either in the spirit or in the flesh. these popes whom you choose to endorse were in the flesh. they did not have the fruit of the spirit. they looked out for themselves.and your right about one thing. it doesn’t matter what i think or what you think. it only matters what god thinks… won’t give him a try ?

You’re missing something. Jesus founded a church. He didn’t come to write a book, He came to found a church. We use the book, of course, but the important thing is that He came to found a church ~ a community of believers. That Church is what is known as the Catholic Church. Our worship is that specified by Jesus Christ Himself. If you follow Jesus, why not REALLY follow Him?

 

[dcb188]

I see non-Catholics wondering about about three things in particular:
1.Resacrificing Christ, when He paid the price in full, one time. He said to Do this in remembrance of Me, i.e. to take his body and blood into us, or else we have no life. This does not involve resacrificing HIM, according to them, i.e. Christian non-Catholics.
2. Confession to anyone other than God, as being required before receiving the Eucharist. If God forgives their sins, and they receive the Eucharist, they did wrong, because God did not forgive their sins via a priest. And in their view, worst of all is that they are forbidden to take the Eucharist unless they are Catholic.
3. An inordinate amount of reverence to Mary, not as the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ but because of that, to an exalted position BEYOND WHAT THE BIBLE GIVES TO HER.
Three particular areas of concern/wonder/questions, and people discuss these things with me all the time, wondering why Catholics do things this way.
I know that there are Scriptural references to back up our Catholic stance on every one of those issues. I forgot a fourth issue. The (seeming) reliance on rules and regulations seems extreme to a lot of Christians. On the forums they read everything about when should I genuflect, what if my knees are bad, will God understand, when should I face the altar and what should I do or say in this or that circumstance. One non-Catholic Christian told me that it reminds him of someone traveling down a road carrying a hundred pound sack when all they need is the weight of a good Bible. A lot of Christians say that there is nothing wrong with traditions, but when they occupy at least the same place as the Scripture, or on the same level, seemingly, then it seems we have made everything too “rules and regs”, and this is why a lot of people are Christian but not Catholic. This is what I hear all the time from Protestant friends. Do not shoot the messenger Just tell me what to tell them.

 

[meandean]

You’re missing something. Jesus founded a church. He didn’t come to write a book, He came to found a church. We use the book, of course, but the important thing is that He came to found a church ~ a community of believers. That Church is what is known as the Catholic Church. Our worship is that specified by Jesus Christ Himself. If you follow Jesus, why not REALLY follow Him?

i believe what john the baptist said was behold the lamb of god who takes away the sins of the world, who is that lamb? the roman catholic church? hardly. why did jesus have to die melannie? why did he give his life? how can you live this chritian life apart from the spirit of god?

 

[dcb188]

Somehow I don’t think that the Catholic Church is saying that it is Jesus Christ.

 

[dcb188]

Keep in mind also that Jesus told Peter (paraphrasing here) that whatever you bind here or loose here, the same shall be done in heaven. So Jesus is giving Peter and others AUTHORITY. That is a pretty major thing He is doing there. He is not just saying follow Me. He says that, but at the same time He tells these disciples to go out in His name and that in certain areas of life whatever THEY decide, He already is giving His approval to it. That sounds like he is passing on authority to others to do certain things in His name. This develops, or continues on. in the Catholic Church.

 

[MelanieAnne]

i believe what john the baptist said was behold the lamb of god who takes away the sins of the world, who is that lamb? the roman catholic church? hardly. why did jesus have to die melannie? why did he give his life? how can you live this chritian life apart from the spirit of god?

The Lamb of God is Jesus Christ. The Church never said otherwise. I don’t know what your argument is about.

Jesus died for our sins. We are blessed with the Holy Spirit. When we participate in the Eucharist we receive the spiritual food specified by Jesus Christ Himself in the Gospels. It’s what He Himself told us to do. If you say you follow Jesus, why don’t you do what He directed all of us to do?

 

[meandean]

Keep in mind also that Jesus told Peter (paraphrasing here) that whatever you bind here or loose here, the same shall be done in heaven. So Jesus is giving Peter and others AUTHORITY. That is a pretty major thing He is doing there. He is not just saying follow Me. He says that, but at the same time He tells these disciples to go out in His name and that in certain areas of life whatever THEY decide, He already is giving His approval to it. That sounds like he is passing on authority to others to do certain things in His name. This develops, or continues on. in the Catholic Church.

what it sounds like is the catholic church has placed itself above the word of god. rather than being under it.likewise, it places peter above everyone else. and the lord knows and we are all in the same boat, we are sinners trapped under the law, and without hope, until god made a way through his son on the cross.and those who place all their faith in what he did for us on that cross, and that alone, are genuine believers.those who are still trying to improve themselves by adding to this grace or taking away from it, are still trapped under the law, and so condemn themselves.

 

[MelanieAnne]

what it sounds like is the catholic church has placed itself above the word of god. rather than being under it.likewise, it places peter above everyone else. and the lord knows and we are all in the same boat, we are sinners trapped under the law, and without hope, until god made a way through his son on the cross.and those who place all their faith in what he did for us on that cross, and that alone, are genuine believers.those who are still trying to improve themselves by adding to this grace or taking away from it, are still trapped under the law, and so condemn themselves.

Your assessment is incorrect.

The Catholic Church is the Church founded by Jesus Christ and is the one church that actually does as Jesus Christ directed all of us to do. If you truly follow Jesus, then you do as He says. That’s not being “trapped under the law”.

 

[meandean]

The Lamb of God is Jesus Christ. The Church never said otherwise. I don’t know what your argument is about.

Jesus died for our sins. We are blessed with the Holy Spirit. When we participate in the Eucharist we receive the spiritual food specified by Jesus Christ Himself in the Gospels. It’s what He Himself told us to do. If you say you follow Jesus, why don’t you do what He directed all of us to do?

your belief only adds to the law what is required of you. jesus died to redeem us from all the law, which condemned us. but if your faith is in jesus, then how did you recieve the holy spirit, by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

 

[meandean]

Your assessment is incorrect.

The Catholic Church is the Church founded by Jesus Christ and is the one church that actually does as Jesus Christ directed all of us to do. If you truly follow Jesus, then you do as He says. That’s not being “trapped under the law”.

tell melannie, what is required from your point of view, or the catholic view, on how to be saved? is it through baptism? is it through your works? or is it by christ alone ?if your answer is anything more or less from what christ has done on the cross., than you are still under the law.

 

[MelanieAnne]

tell melannie, what is required from your point of view, or the catholic view, on how to be saved? is it through baptism? is it through your works? or is it by christ alone ?if your answer is anything more or less from what christ has done on the cross., than you are still under the law.

I have given you information, but it seems you just want to preach about things that you don’t really know. You don’t understand the Catholic Church, and yet you are trying to tell everyone, including me, all about it. You say you follow Jesus Christ, but yet you refuse to do what He says. That’s not following Jesus Christ.

When you meet Christ face to face, how are you going to answer Him when he asks you why you didn’t keep His commandments? Because that’s what He said to do, if you truly loved Him.

As for your beliefs about our church, you are no different from many others, just as Fulton Sheen said

“Not 100 people hate the Catholic Church; but there are many who hate what they think is the Catholic Church.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

 

[meandean]

I have given you information, but it seems you just want to preach about things that you don’t really know. You don’t understand the Catholic Church, and yet you are trying to tell everyone, including me, all about it. You say you follow Jesus Christ, but yet you refuse to do what He says. That’s not following Jesus Christ.

When you meet Christ face to face, how are you going to answer Him when he asks you why you didn’t keep His commandments? Because that’s what He said to do, if you truly loved Him.

As for your beliefs about our church, you are no different from many others, just as Fulton Sheen said

i share the word of god with you in truth and in love, but you dont reject me, you reject christ because he is calling you to salvation, and you still want to be under the law.it seems to be safer for you there. i know the law decieves us in thinking, maybe i can get alittle cleaner for god while i’m here on earth. but his word says that no man is justified under the law. it is unbearable, thats why jesus condemned the pharisees for placing huge burdens upon the people and blocking their way to the kingdom of god, even as themselves were blocked out.thats what the law does, you stay under the whole burden of the law, and you must fullfill all the requirements of the law for salvation. so cross your t’s and dot your i"s and pray that you can. or there is an easier way…by looking unto jesus and place all you faith in him and be saved. he fullfilled the law for me, and for you if you only trust him… wont you reconsider?

 

[MelanieAnne]

i share the word of god with you in truth and in love, but you dont reject me, you reject christ because he is calling you to salvation, and you still want to be under the law.it seems to be safer for you there. i know the law decieves us in thinking, maybe i can get alittle cleaner for god while i’m here on earth. but his word says that no man is justified under the law. it is unbearable, thats why jesus condemned the pharisees for placing huge burdens upon the people and blocking their way to the kingdom of god, even as themselves were blocked out.thats what the law does, you stay under the whole burden of the law, and you must fullfill all the requirements of the law for salvation. so cross your t’s and dot your i"s and pray that you can. or there is an easier way…by looking unto jesus and place all you faith in him and be saved. he fullfilled the law for me, and for you if you only trust him… wont you reconsider?

I trust in Jesus. I don’t trust in you. Following Jesus is not a burden. From what I can see from what you have written, you don’t truly follow Jesus, you pick and choose what you want to do. Jesus said “if you love me, keep my commandments”. That’s what I try to do every day. I’m not “under the law”, I’m following Jesus.

I trust that Jesus is true to His Word. Anyone that does trust Jesus would do as He asks. When He said “Do this” to the Apostles, it wasn’t a SUGGESTION. That’s why we have the Mass, because Jesus said to DO THIS.

 

[meandean]

I trust in Jesus. I don’t trust in you. Following Jesus is not a burden. From what I can see from what you have written, you don’t truly follow Jesus, you pick and choose what you want to do. Jesus said “if you love me, keep my commandments”. That’s what I try to do every day. I’m not “under the law”, I’m following Jesus.

I trust that Jesus is true to His Word. Anyone that does trust Jesus would do as He asks. When He said “Do this” to the Apostles, it wasn’t a SUGGESTION. That’s why we have the Mass, because Jesus said to DO THIS.

self righteousness will always fall short of the grace of god. you have works and works fall under the law. god can only forgive our sin if we accept his son’s righteousness, which is given to all who believe in what he did on the cross. now to all who accept this free gift, he will accept as well, for he sees his son’s righteousness placed into our account and not ours. and if you truely believe, than why go back under the law from which he saved you? works will always cry out, give me more to do, and grace says it is finished.

 

[Mike_Barberena]

Your post assumes much, even if it’s based on your subjective experiences.

First, I’m not Catholic because I wasn’t born one.

Second, my wife (if I converted) would not agree to have our children taught or brought up as Catholics.

Third, after studying, meeting the RCIA director and so forth, I could not honestly say in the end that I could submit to the Pope and his teachings without fear of losing my own individual freedom to reject something I could not agree with.

Fourth, I don’t believe birth control and other moral issues are mortal sins.

Fifth, there seemed to be a focus more on rules than living the faith - on submission rather than conscience.

I’ve been married to the one and only same lady for 13 years. I’m not an alcoholic and as a matter of fact, I don’t drink at all. I take care of my family and love them. So, my reasons are not because I want to stay in a sinful lifestyle. It is for theological reasons and family reasons.

I’m not really sure you care why. You seem to just want to show us how wrong we are for not converting even if circumstances for us are difficult if not impossible, which you have no way of knowing.

I value Catholicism and even agree with the Real Presence, purgatory, Marian doctrine and other issues. I just don’t believe all of them and therefore cannot for conscience sake submit to a church that I don’t agree with.

Peace…

MW

WELL, that desicion has gotta be yours, but may i suggest that you go to a catholic church and spend 1/2 hour visitng the Altar of Christ and in silent ask yourself and GOd to lead you, whatever you decide, prayer is important, but more is mediation on Christ’s Passion ansd fasting an example of What Jesus taught us to follow is truth in and out of Scripture. THere are many reasons to be out of the Catholic faith, but there is only one reason to be Catholic, the answer is simple THE TRUTH IS WITHIN YOUR HEART pray for wisdom and understanding and decide on your own merits. love you and God be with you, I’'ll be praying for you: llove Mike YBIC always