open wounds.

[Gallowglasser]

Why choose Roman Catholicism? I can understand Catholicism being the true faith amongst Christian religions, but what of other religions? How do i make the leap from admitting the possibilty of the Divine existing, to believing the truths that the Catholic faith proposes?

Is it a matter of pure faith, or is it a truth that can be traced with some sort of reasoning?
How does one combat the idea that the perceived Divine response present in prayer and the Sacraments (I use the word “perceived” mainly due to me having no external measure to know what exactly constitutes a Divine response) is not the work of our God but someone elses, like how Catholics believe that God works through all the Christian Churches?

I understand this question has probably been asked thousands of times and people would probably be sick of answering it, so any links to pre-existing threads or websites detailing an appropriate answer are welcomed.

Thankyou. Have a merry Christmas.

 

[danserr]

Why choose Roman Catholicism? I can understand Catholicism being the true faith amongst Christian religions, but what of other religions? How do i make the leap from admitting the possibilty of the Divine existing, to believing the truths that the Catholic faith proposes?

Is it a matter of pure faith, or is it a truth that can be traced with some sort of reasoning?
How does one combat the idea that the perceived Divine response present in prayer and the Sacraments (I use the word “perceived” mainly due to me having no external measure to know what exactly constitutes a Divine response) is not the work of our God but someone elses, like how Catholics believe that God works through all the Christian Churches?

I understand this question has probably been asked thousands of times and people would probably be sick of answering it, so any links to pre-existing threads or websites detailing an appropriate answer are welcomed.

Thankyou. Have a merry Christmas.

I just have a few brief thoughts. As to whether it is a matter of pure faith, or a truth that can be traced with some sort of reasoning, I would say the answer is both. You can “know” it is true on faith alone, but you can also know it is true on the basis of certain reasons and find your faith strengthened by those reasons. And of course, sharing these reasons helps you “show” other people that you are justified in believing this.

1). Knowing it’s true and being able to show it is true are two different things. One philosopher gave the example of a man wrongly accused of a crime, yet all the evidence is against him. He cannot “show” that he is innocent, but he knows he is innocent, and this belief is rational. Similarly, we can know that Christianity is true because God made us so that we naturally apprehend his existence in the right circumstances, and additionally, the witness of the Holy Spirit assures Christians of their belief; “because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Gal.4:6). This would not allow you to show to someone else that Christianity is true, but it would allow you to know it for yourself.
-This is the view the Christian belief is “properly basic”, it often seems a bit complicated (at least to me), but the most description of it that I have found is in Reasonable Faith by William L. Craig. (And I had to read it over a few times before it made sense).

2). On the other hand, that fact that you can know it by faith doesn’t mean there can’t also be good reasons that help you to know it as well. You say why Christianity not other religions? Well, I would say there is good evidence for the person of Jesus, for his teachings, life, and resurrection. NT Wright has written alot, here is a link to an article he wrote giving some reasons for the Resurrection, ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Jesus_Resurrection.htm
and a link to a book he wrote on Jesus. amazon.com/Challenge-Jesus-Rediscovering-Who-Was/dp/0830822003/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1292927135&sr=8-6 He’s written alot more, including a book on the Resurrection specifically.
WL. Craig is also pretty good on giving historical evidence for the resurrection, so I think if Jesus really did rise from the dead, that would be good evidence that Christianity is more probably true than other non Christian religions. And so this would also confirm Jesus’ teaching on prayer, Eucharist, etc and God’s responses through it.

 

[FightingFat]

Why choose Roman Catholicism? I can understand Catholicism being the true faith amongst Christian religions, but what of other religions? How do i make the leap from admitting the possibilty of the Divine existing, to believing the truths that the Catholic faith proposes?

The truth of our being is communicated in God’s search for us and our search for Him. This search is in evidence through all societies and at all times. The fullness of the truth about God was communicated through His Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

Is it a matter of pure faith, or is it a truth that can be traced with some sort of reasoning?

Reason. We grasp these unfathomable mysteries by means of reason. Faith allows us to enter fully into the mystery.

How does one combat the idea that the perceived Divine response present in prayer and the Sacraments (I use the word “perceived” mainly due to me having no external measure to know what exactly constitutes a Divine response) is not the work of our God but someone elses, like how Catholics believe that God works through all the Christian Churches?

Not sure I understand this question.

When you are separate from God, you can’t hear Him. The more grace works on you, the closer you get, the easier it is to hear Him, to feel Him, to know and love Him.

 

[adv1sor]

Gallowglasser, please read this,

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 03:16

Now, please read it again.

Now one more time, please.

Then think about what it says and what it means.

 

[SunshineZA]

How does one combat the idea that the perceived Divine response present in prayer and the Sacraments … is not the work of our God but someone else?

.

The only ‘someone else’ could be the power of darkness.
Christ Jesus has overcome the power of darkness by His death and resurrection.

The notion ‘that someone else …’, as referred to in the quote, - can be fought by prayer, a genuine search of Scripture, the teachings of the Saints, Church history and a commitment to become a disciple of Christ.

The Name of Jesus Christ is more powerful than the forces of darkness - when His Name is mentioned, they cannot be.

 

[promethius]

Why choose Roman Catholicism?

Because when I look at every other religion, they are composed of tribal ideas and laws, the same as proffered by every other society in the history of mankind. “Behave in X way and you will be part of our tribe and accepted as part of our fraternity” is a purely human statement with no sort of divine influence to it.

So to me, if God is divine and worth worshipping in His church, it is because He offers us something different and better than man can ever attain for himself.

When I look at the Catholic church, I see that, institutionally, it is the only “tribe” in the world with no membership requirement for our love. We are called to love and honor ALL people regardless of their beliefs and creeds. There is no lesser class for us in the sense that those who do not believe as we do are still entitled to every ounce of human dignity, respect, and compassion as any catholic. We give our charity without judgement of who is to receive it. We hope and pray for the salvation of EVERYONE, regardless of if they are Christian or not and regardless of whether they are our enemy or not. We WANT our enemy to convert, even in the last possible moment of their lives, and be with us in heaven.

And it is this unconditional universal love, though imperfect, which reflects God’s perfect love for all mankind and all of His lost sheep. It is this that drives people to the catholic church: because we have something better to offer the world than mankind can offer itself.

 

[vera_dicere]

To be honest, if I wasn’t Catholic, I’d be an atheist. I mean, no offence to our non-Catholic brothers and sisters, but I find “protestantism” to be so varied as to be illogical, and most of their teaching stems from pride, false ideas or mistaken scriptural interpretation. Not to mention the ignorance of some extreme fundamentalists regarding matters of science and theology.

Other faiths outside the Christian umbrella I also have issues with from a social justice POV. Things like Buddhism I find rather unsatisfying, no creator God? How empty. Faiths that teach reincarnation? How unsatisifying.

Catholicism is the one true religion. Other faiths can have some truth, but they don’t have the whole story.

 

[promethius]

To be honest, if I wasn’t Catholic, I’d be an atheist.

Me too. The way that Catholicism works just makes sense. I can’t make heads or tails of how God would have wanted what resulted in protestantism… I’d be an atheist too if the Catholic church ever showed itself to be a false church (which, thank God, it won’t!)

 

[Gallowglasser]

Thanks to you all for replying, you’ve been a lot of help.

Merry Christmas.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

To be honest, if I wasn’t Catholic, I’d be an atheist. I mean, no offence to our non-Catholic brothers and sisters, but I find “protestantism” to be so varied as to be illogical, and most of their teaching stems from pride, false ideas or mistaken scriptural interpretation. Not to mention the ignorance of some extreme fundamentalists regarding matters of science and theology.

I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve been saying all along that the Catholic Church is the only thing that brought me back into Christianity.

 

[fhansen]

Why choose Roman Catholicism? I can understand Catholicism being the true faith amongst Christian religions, but what of other religions? How do i make the leap from admitting the possibilty of the Divine existing, to believing the truths that the Catholic faith proposes?

Is it a matter of pure faith, or is it a truth that can be traced with some sort of reasoning?
How does one combat the idea that the perceived Divine response present in prayer and the Sacraments (I use the word “perceived” mainly due to me having no external measure to know what exactly constitutes a Divine response) is not the work of our God but someone elses, like how Catholics believe that God works through all the Christian Churches?

I understand this question has probably been asked thousands of times and people would probably be sick of answering it, so any links to pre-existing threads or websites detailing an appropriate answer are welcomed.

Thankyou. Have a merry Christmas.

Study the faith-and keep studying it. Study other faiths, too, if you need to. We need to be honest with ourselves about what we believe and in any case, as St Augustine said, “All truth is God’s truth”. But if you seek truth earnestly and don’t end up being swept away by the Gospel of Love I’d be very surprised. Keep seeking and you’ll find.

 

[Church_Militant]

My Testimony
The Eucharist IS Scriptural
Who REALLY Preaches “A Different Gospel”?