I'm being bombarded and attacked about my Catholic faith...help!

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I have some Protestants attacking my faith with these questions. This is what was said to me…

"Where in the Bible do we find anyone praying to Mary or to any other person other than God?

Where does the Bible call Mary the Mother of God?

Where does the Bible say that Mary is the Queen of Heaven?

Where in the Bible do we find the teaching that Mary is sinless?

Where does the Bible teach us that the church can identify dead people as saints and can then pray to them?

Where does the Bible teach that a dead person can intercede for the living?

Where in the Bible do we find even one example of a Catholic mass being conducted or even described? If Christ established the mass and if it is central to the Christian faith as Rome claims, why is there not one example of it in the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles?

Where in the Bible does Paul or any of the early church leaders teach that there are seven sacraments?

Where in the Bible do we find that New Testament churches are to conduct elaborate rituals and ceremonies after the fashion of Rome?

If you are Roman Catholic, please understand that no bible-believing Christian hates you. To the contrary, we love you so much that we preach the truth about Rome so you can see its errors and turn to the biblical faith in Christ. Our desire and prayer to God is that you might be saved. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is a gift that was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and He offers you that gift today. It is not something you have to try to earn. As a sinner, you cannot ever do enough to earn God’s favor. It is not something that any church can earn for you. It is not something that can be obtained through a church ritual, such as baptism or confirmation. Salvation is the free eternal mercy of God through Jesus Christ, and He stands ready and able to receive every sinner that will come to Him by repentance and faith. The Bible says you can KNOW you have eternal life right now, today. "

I know my faith well. I’m just not that good at expressing myself.
 
This sure is a good place to raise such questions. I expect others will chip in with answers that will help.
 
You don’t have to answer such argumentative people. Our faith is to be simple like a child’s.
I’m also mindful of the verses that say one should not be a stumbling block to their brothers and sisters. That is to say be tolerant of the variance in individual and denominational beliefs. Let the Holy Spirit lead them to truth rather that making the attempt with your own intellect.
 
If you do a few searches on the Catholic Answers homepage, you will find good answers to those objections.
 
About fifteen years ago someone gave me the book “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” by Karl Keating.

I learned so much from it, and given it and recommended it to others who also felt inarticulate when it came to defending the faith.

Here is one answer to start with…the book will explain a lot more.

Catholics have a three-legged stool …1. Sacred Scripture, 2. Magisterium (God-given teaching authority of the Church on faith and morals, 3. Tradition with a capital “T”.

Protestants have a one-legged stool, which began at the “Reformation”…1. Sacred Scripture

How can a one-legged stool hold up?

What we believe is also found in the bible.

I had to learn more patience to be able to explain and discuss with Christians who do not understand what we understand. I have learned to pray more to remain calm, and am still learning.

I love Protestants and want them to have what I have and what gives me such peace and joy, in spite of trials and problems. I believe that they love us. Prayerful dialogue is much needed.

If and when someone attacks you for your Catholic faith and has no respect for you, just walk away and pray for them. It is futile to stay and try to dialogue with someone with a closed heart and mind.

And, in turn, we need to be gentle and understanding. I’m still learning…

Be not afraid to step out in faith even if you feel like you are being crushed. Jesus’ love conquers!
 
Ugh.

I am considering becoming a Catholic and I am sooo scared of having to answer questions from my Protestant acquaintance when they find out…

I think the problem here is that the entire frame of reference is different. From a Catholic perspective, just because something isn’t in the Bible doesn’t mean it isn’t true. From a Protestant perspective, but… the Bible is the truth!

Maybe you could use the Triune nature of God as an example? I believe this on faith even though it’s not explicitly in the Bible. It’s also a common belief shared by Protestants and Catholics but you don’t want to come off like you’re attacking them I guess…

I look at those questions and I see a world-view clash. I have seen this with evangelically-posed questions from zealous Catholics too. They ask a question because they know you won’t have an answer so that they can then explain to you what they believe. The problem is that the questions are often invalid from the point of view of the questioned.

It really is a perspective issue. I have seen the exact same Bible verses being used as “proof” of conflicting arguments. If your Protestant people are trying to convert you nothing you say will probably make that much of a difference. They are convinced that they are right and probably under the impression that Catholics are destined for Hell. They are worried about you and are trying to save your soul.

If they are anything like me they will eventually investigate Catholicism behind your back and sheepishly turn up to Mass in a few years.
 
Jesus Himself said that not all truth is in the bible. The Holy Spirit whom He sent teaches the rest of what He wishes us to know, and He does through through the Church He established through Peter and the Apostles.

In John 16 Jesus says:

12 ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15
All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

**Also, not all Jesus did is in the bible:

In John 21:25, this fact is clearly stated:**

But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Therefore, on the authority of the bible itself, of Jesus own words, not all truth is in the bible,

and not all Jesus did is in the bible.
 
Mary is the Mother of Jesus who is God Incarnate.

** Jesus demonstrated His approval of Mary’s intercession, but accepting it, and responding to it:**

In scripture we see the first example of Mary’s intercession
She was in the presence of God Incarnate, the Lord Jesus,
and He not only accepted it,
but he acceded to her request and grant the first recorded miracle of Jesus,
even though He had protested that it was not yet time for signs, miracles.

Therefore we have Jesus own approval of His Mother as intercessor for others in need.
It wasn’t even a matter of life or death,
just possible loss of face of the hosts,
of the wedding feast of Cana.

John 2 Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
" 1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him."
**
Who can argue with Jesus who responded to His mother’s faith and intercession for others in need.**

And does anyone actually believe that the Father has so little respect for His beloved Son that He would allow Him to become incarnate in the womb of a sinful woman? Or allow Him to be raised by a sinful person? It does seem rather ludicrous to even consider that as a possibility!
 
All the teaching they question can find their roots within the Bible that the Catholic Church defined as the word of God, not some dissenters some many centuries later. However we also have the history of an unbroken tradition to assist to complete and expand on the teachings of His Church. Jesus founded a church, He didn’t write a book. His promises were to His Church and the teachings on Mary come from the continual tradition of the teachings of the Church as founded in His Apostles.
The Mass is founded in the Last Supper and the demands of Christ to eat his flesh and drink His blood again in the Bible.
I would not argue with people who are not open to listening with an open heart. If these people just want to attack your beliefs just put your position that the Bible is not the completion of all truth otherwise we would be joining the countless number of protestant groups who read the Bible but cannot agree on even one thing. Is this complex mess of disagreement the Truth they are selling? What value for you in joining this rabble of discord. You may be obstinate in your faith but you are not foolish.
 
Compostella said:
I have some Protestants attacking my faith with these questions. This is what was said to me…

"Where in the Bible do we find anyone praying to Mary or to any other person other than God?

Where does the Bible call Mary the Mother of God?

Where does the Bible say that Mary is the Queen of Heaven?

Where in the Bible do we find the teaching that Mary is sinless?

Where does the Bible teach us that the church can identify dead people as saints and can then pray to them?

Where does the Bible teach that a dead person can intercede for the living?

Where in the Bible do we find even one example of a Catholic mass being conducted or even described? If Christ established the mass and if it is central to the Christian faith as Rome claims, why is there not one example of it in the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles?

Where in the Bible does Paul or any of the early church leaders teach that there are seven sacraments?

Where in the Bible do we find that New Testament churches are to conduct elaborate rituals and ceremonies after the fashion of Rome?

If you are Roman Catholic, please understand that no bible-believing Christian hates you. To the contrary, we love you so much that we preach the truth about Rome so you can see its errors and turn to the biblical faith in Christ. Our desire and prayer to God is that you might be saved. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is a gift that was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and He offers you that gift today. It is not something you have to try to earn. As a sinner, you cannot ever do enough to earn God’s favor. It is not something that any church can earn for you. It is not something that can be obtained through a church ritual, such as baptism or confirmation. Salvation is the free eternal mercy of God through Jesus Christ, and He stands ready and able to receive every sinner that will come to Him by repentance and faith. The Bible says you can KNOW you have eternal life right now, today. "

I know my faith well. I’m just not that good at expressing myself.
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  1. Where in the Bible is the Protestant religion mentioned?
  2. Where in the Bible is permission given to the followers of Christ to start a religion other than the one he started?
  3. Where in the Bible does it say that the Bible is the only source of Divine Revelation?
  4. Where in the Bible does it say that individules may interpret Divine Revelation on their own?
  5. Matthew 16: 18-19 didn’t Christ tell Peter, " …thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, And I will give to you the Keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosd in heaven…"?
  6. After Christ’s Resurrection didn’t he tell the Apostles, " whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven, whose sins you retain, they are retained?
  7. Didn’t Christ tell the Apostles to go forth and teach all nations?
  8. After Christ’s Resurrection didn’t he tell Peter to feed his sheep three times?
  9. After Christ’s Resurrection didn’t he tell the Apostles he would send them the Advocate who would teach them all things?
  10. After Christ’s Ascension, didn’t the Holy Spirit descend upon the Apostles and Disciples, Mary and the other women?
  11. Are Protestants the descendents of the Apostles, that 5-9 should apply to them? And if so, by what authority has this been done?
  12. Since it is clear that 5-9 apply to no one other than the direct descendents of the Apostles, where do Prostestants get their authority to preach the Gospel outside the authority and lineage established by Christ?
  13. Since the Church established by Christ clearly had 7 Sacraments why do all Protestant Churches have only 1 or 2 or 3, and none have them all?
  14. By the authority given to it by Christ, the Catholic Church has authorized all the things your Protestant friend has objected to.
  15. Where do the Protestants get their Bible?
  16. Ask your friend if he doesn’t think he should be a Catholic!!! That is if he believes if he should be following the commands Christ gave to Peter and the Apostles!!!
Linus2nd
 
Compostella said:
I have some Protestants attacking my faith with these questions. This is what was said to me…

"Where in the Bible do we find anyone praying to Mary or to any other person other than God?

Where does the Bible call Mary the Mother of God?

Where does the Bible say that Mary is the Queen of Heaven?

Where in the Bible do we find the teaching that Mary is sinless?

Where does the Bible teach us that the church can identify dead people as saints and can then pray to them?

Where does the Bible teach that a dead person can intercede for the living?

Where in the Bible do we find even one example of a Catholic mass being conducted or even described? If Christ established the mass and if it is central to the Christian faith as Rome claims, why is there not one example of it in the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles?

Where in the Bible does Paul or any of the early church leaders teach that there are seven sacraments?

Where in the Bible do we find that New Testament churches are to conduct elaborate rituals and ceremonies after the fashion of Rome?

If you are Roman Catholic, please understand that no bible-believing Christian hates you. To the contrary, we love you so much that we preach the truth about Rome so you can see its errors and turn to the biblical faith in Christ. Our desire and prayer to God is that you might be saved. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is a gift that was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and He offers you that gift today. It is not something you have to try to earn. As a sinner, you cannot ever do enough to earn God’s favor. It is not something that any church can earn for you. It is not something that can be obtained through a church ritual, such as baptism or confirmation. Salvation is the free eternal mercy of God through Jesus Christ, and He stands ready and able to receive every sinner that will come to Him by repentance and faith. The Bible says you can KNOW you have eternal life right now, today. "

I know my faith well. I’m just not that good at expressing myself.
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At the bottom of my post I have a link to this book that I made. The fourth section on there is about Mary. There’s a section dedicated to Mary being sinless with bible verses. Also another section to Mary being the mother of God.

Check it out. It’s 192 pages, 121 different topics, and over 5,200 bible verses.
 
Luke 1:43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord* should come to me?

Peace
 
In John 15, Jesus also speaks of the Holy Spirit He will send to teach on His behalf.

In neither quote from Jesus is it stated that the truth will only be in the book that will be written. Jesus leave it open and undefined, so that we can understand that the Holy Spirit teaches on His behalf also through the authority of His Church:

John 15: 26-27

‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.
You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning."

He said “You are *also *to testify”, not ‘solely to testify’, so the apostles as His witnesses in preaching and in the written word were one avenue of His teaching.
 
There are tons of threads and articles on all of those subjects on this site and others. However, I wouldn’t spend time cutting and pasteing for these fine peoples’ benefit. I doubt they are open to learning what the Church actually teaches and it doesn’t seem they want to actually have a discussion, but simply tell you what they think. Unless your response is “You’re right! I will renounce my faith!”, they probably don’t care to read what you send them anyway. I think if it was me, I would just say, “If you are interested in the answers to those questions, I can reccommend Catholic.com. All of those teachings of the Church are supported in Scripture and apostalic tradition. Thanks for your love and concern, but I’ve given it alot of thought, study, and prayer and I am confidant that the Catholic Church is the same Church Christ established in Scripture.”
 
That’s a lot of questions - more than I have time to dig up answers for.

But the Mother of God one is easy. Do they deny that Jesus is Lord and God? Mary is Jesus mother, Jesus is God, therefore Mary is Mother of God.

Luke 1:43
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
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Prayers of the dead are the incense rising to Heaven. I think there are a couple of examples of this.

The best way I have found to find answers such as these:
Go to “Ask an Apologist” forum,
then where it says “Sub-Forums” click on “Search this Forum”
Type in “queen”

This yields many results such as:
Can Mary’s coronation be defended with Scripture?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=37077

It also makes logical sense. The whole bible talks about kingdoms, and who is queen? Usually the kings mother (because kings often had multiple wives). We know that the Bride of Christ is the church, and Mary was given to us as our mother at the foot of the cross. “Behold your mother”.

Then read the book of kings and look at Queen Bathsheba’s relationship to her Son Solomon. There’s even an example of someone approaching the Queen to get her to intercede for them, and the king says, “Ask mother, for nothing shall be refused of you”.

Peace,
John M Philomena
 
The first Mass, though simpler in form, occurred at the Last Supper
It occurred in the breaking of the bread in community.

forums.catholic-questions.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=12041224

1 Cor. 11:27-30 - thus, if we partake of the Eucharist unworthily, we are guilty of literally murdering the body of Christ, and risking physical consequences to our bodies. This is overwhelming evidence for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. These are unjust penalties if the Eucharist is just a symbol.

Acts 2:42 - from the Church’s inception, apostolic tradition included celebrating the Eucharist (the “breaking of the bread”) to fulfill Jesus’ command “do this in remembrance of me.”

Acts 20:28 - Paul charges the Church elders to “feed” the Church of the Lord, that is, with the flesh and blood of Christ.
scripturecatholic.com/the_eucharist.html
 
Compostella;12040945 said:
Yes, they say, faith only, but Jesus requires faith and good works.
Certainly we can never be good enough, that we rely on God’s mercy and forgiveness for salvation, but God does ask more of us.
Jesus made plain in Matthew 25 verses 31-46, that we don’t just need to have faith and good will, but that if we want to be saved we need to act in practical kindness to others.

To accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior is only a beginning. Faith alone isn’t enough. Jesus demonstrates this.

You can understand the justification, the salvation, that St Paul speaks of as also being part of a process. Paul explains further in other texts, as does James.

Paul wrote, "Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; " Philippians 2:12

From Scripture supporting that good works as well as repentance and faith is required for our entry into heaven is the following. It is not sufficient to ‘claim’ salvation. We have to live in obedience to the command to love God above all, and others as ourselves. We need not just faith, but faith and good works.

"Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. (Galations 6:7-9)

We reap the results of our actions, and we must not give up living the commands of love.

“It is not those who call me ‘Lord, Lord’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my father in heaven.” [Matthew 7:21]

In very specific response to the question, James wrote:

"Take the case, my brothers of someone who has never done a single good act but claims that he has faith. Will that faith save him? If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on, and one of you says to them, ‘I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty’, without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that?: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead.
This is the way to talk to people of that kind:'You say you have faith and I have good deeds; I will prove to you that I have faith by showing you my good deeds–now you prove to me that you have faith without any good deeds to show.

You believe in one God–that is creditable enough, but the demons have the same belief, and they tremble with fear. Do realize, you senseless man, that faith without works is useless. You surely know that Abraham our Father was justified by his deed, because he offered Isaac on the altar? There you see it; faith and good deeds were working together; his faith became perfect by what he did. This is what scripture really means when it says: Abraham put his faith in God, and this was counted as making him justified; and that is why he was called the friend of God. You see now that it is by doing something good, and not only by believing, that a man is justified." [James 2: 14-24]

Yes we must trust to the mercy of God, who alone gives value to good works
However good works are necessary. We will only be truly saved when Jesus at death Jesus welcomes us into His merciful love because to the best of our ability we have lived according to His command to genuinely love God and others, not just with words, not just with faith, but in practical kindness.
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