Is this Dangerous Thinking??

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Some quick background, I am a Practicing Cradle Catholic and have been working with a couple folks in Protestant churches to start some new programs and help out when possible. Occasionally the conversation with these folks goes like this, “blah blah blah but we are all working together blah blah, and who has the right answers?” Or “who knows.”

It sounds as if they doubt their salvation or perhaps that what they are doing is not the “right thing” in God’s eyes. Or it might be they do not want to sound offensive by saying “we are just and doing great things” or something along that lines.

Whenever I hear the comments who has the right answers, who knows, I want to say “I think we have the answers”, “I know”. But I wonder if that is dangerous thinking. It sounds egocentric for sure but I do not have that doubt. I consider myself humble about it but sure. So far I have not responded the comments when I hear them.

What do you think?

Thanks
Eric
 
We do have the right answers. We have a duty to proclaim the right Gospel. Christ came and founded His Church for that very reason–so we could know and teach others.🙂
 
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Genesis315:
We do have the right answers. We have a duty to proclaim the right Gospel. Christ came and founded His Church for that very reason–so we could know and teach others.🙂
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I disagree with Catholics in a number of area, but this is what I love about them. They know there are “right answers,” that truth is an objective reality and that we have an obligation to spread it. 🙂
 
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EricCKS:
Whenever I hear the comments who has the right answers, who knows, I want to say “I think we have the answers”, “I know”. But I wonder if that is dangerous thinking. It sounds egocentric for sure but I do not have that doubt. I consider myself humble about it but sure.
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To sit back and say, “I have no need to enquire, for I know the truth,” is to refuse to use the mind which God gave you.

Always think; always question; always examine. Your understanding, and that of the people around you, will be the better for it.

“Test all things.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
 
As a scientist, I’m in the habit of never saying “I know” because the only thing I do know is that what I “know” is subject to change with the next new revelation. What I have come to realize is that I “know” less than I don’t know, and that keeps me humble and searching.

I guess I have applied that to my faith as well. Certainly over the course of my life, I have come to know new and wonderful things about the divine and my relationship with it. I hope that never ceases. And I suspect that I “know” less than I don’t know. There is constantly new depths of understanding and fresh revelation that keeps me humble and searching.

cheddar
 
Eric,

Ego has nothing to do with it. You do have the right answers. They are God’s answers. Follow the path no matter what. You will never go wrong.
 
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EricCKS:
Whenever I hear the comments who has the right answers, who knows, I want to say “I think we have the answers”, “I know”. But I wonder if that is dangerous thinking. It sounds egocentric for sure but I do not have that doubt. I consider myself humble about it but sure. So far I have not responded the comments when I hear them.

What do you think?

Thanks
Eric
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as long as you are thinking “I have the answers because I hold and believe all that the Catholic Church teaches, she who has been founded by Jesus Christ, to whom the Truth has been divinely revealed, and in whom the Truth is protected by the Holy Spirit” you are on solid ground. The minute you start thinking I have the truth because I believe it, I have studied it, I know it, you are getting shaky and headed for error. When you rely on your own knowledge and strength you will fail, we are aiming for a point when our reliance on Christ is complete and faithful.
 
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Mystophilus:
To sit back and say, “I have no need to enquire, for I know the truth,” is to refuse to use the mind which God gave you.

Always think; always question; always examine. Your understanding, and that of the people around you, will be the better for it.

“Test all things.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
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Let me clarify one thing, it is because of a need for truth that I have come to be sure about my faith and the church. About 3-4 years ago I found myself asking (mostly because I was being ask) who what why when where. That has led me to where I am today, still learning many of the things the church teaches I have taken for granted so long.

Thanks
Eric
 
*Whenever I hear the comments who has the right answers, who knows, I want to say “I think we have the answers”, “I know”. But I wonder if that is dangerous thinking. It sounds egocentric for sure but I do not have that doubt. I consider myself humble about it but sure. So far I have not responded the comments when I hear them.
*
Don’t say a thing if you want to stay connected with that group. All you have to do is start talking like a Catholic and they will be all over you with their “relativism.”

Better to let your faith speak for you through your dedication and hard work with this group.
 
I actually agree with Cheddarsox and Mysophilus. Perhaps because I am also a scientist 🙂

I think we should always ask of ourselves, “but what if I’m wrong?” Even in the most basic of things should we still ask these questions. Then, when we find that the answer is almost invariably “no”, we can believe more firmly that we are correct! To be specific, I firmly believe that the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Christ. Have I asked myself if I’m wrong? You bet! I follow the truth no matter where it leads me (well, I try my absolute hardest to do this), and the truth has brought me back to the Catholic Church.

Now when witnessing to friends, I think you should treat them with kid gloves as otherwise you will sound egostical to them. But if you say something like “I think I have the truth, and this is why…” then imo that is more humble and perhaps could have a greater impact on them.
 
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Atreyu:
Now when witnessing to friends, I think you should treat them with kid gloves as otherwise you will sound egostical to them. But if you say something like “I think I have the truth, and this is why…” then imo that is more humble and perhaps could have a greater impact on them.
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What a gracious and inviting way of putting it!

cheddar
 
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Atreyu:
I actually agree with Cheddarsox and Mysophilus. Perhaps because I am also a scientist 🙂

I think we should always ask of ourselves, “but what if I’m wrong?” Even in the most basic of things should we still ask these questions. Then, when we find that the answer is almost invariably “no”, we can believe more firmly that we are correct! To be specific, I firmly believe that the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Christ. Have I asked myself if I’m wrong? You bet! I follow the truth no matter where it leads me (well, I try my absolute hardest to do this), and the truth has brought me back to the Catholic Church.

Now when witnessing to friends, I think you should treat them with kid gloves as otherwise you will sound egostical to them. But if you say something like “I think I have the truth, and this is why…” then imo that is more humble and perhaps could have a greater impact on them.
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When dealing with our separated brethren who hold to a relativistic viewpoint we cannot merely say: “I think I have the truth” because they will take that to mean that we are just as relativistic as they are. What we have to say is: “Christ gave us the Church and promised to lead it into all truth. That is what I know and all I need to know with regards to matters of faith and morals.”

The Church doesn’t claim to have the answers to every question, only to have the answers in matters of faith and morals. Therefore, we are free to explore for ourselves all other matters, which leaves us with a huge amount of things to wonder about.

Human beings need a sold base of truth from which to life out their lives in faith, hope and charity. And the best way to do that is to believe Christ and his Church in those matters he intended we should have no doubts about so that we wouldn’t be subject to our fallen natures nor to our darkened intellects in matters central to human life.
 
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cheddarsox:
As a scientist, I’m in the habit of never saying “I know” because the only thing I do know is that what I “know” is subject to change with the next new revelation. What I have come to realize is that I “know” less than I don’t know, and that keeps me humble and searching.

I guess I have applied that to my faith as well. Certainly over the course of my life, I have come to know new and wonderful things about the divine and my relationship with it. I hope that never ceases. And I suspect that I “know” less than I don’t know. There is constantly new depths of understanding and fresh revelation that keeps me humble and searching.
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Amen.
 
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Atreyu:
I actually agree with Cheddarsox and Mysophilus. Perhaps because I am also a scientist 🙂

I think we should always ask of ourselves, “but what if I’m wrong?” Even in the most basic of things should we still ask these questions. Then, when we find that the answer is almost invariably “no”, we can believe more firmly that we are correct! To be specific, I firmly believe that the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Christ. Have I asked myself if I’m wrong? You bet! I follow the truth no matter where it leads me (well, I try my absolute hardest to do this), and the truth has brought me back to the Catholic Church.

Now when witnessing to friends, I think you should treat them with kid gloves as otherwise you will sound egostical to them. But if you say something like “I think I have the truth, and this is why…” then imo that is more humble and perhaps could have a greater impact on them.
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I think you are very wise here. I have never replied to the comments. I think actions speak louder than words and to use few words when needed.

Thanks to all the replies, very enlightening.

Thanks

Eric
 
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