Playing Devil's Advocate

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CRATUS

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What are the dangers of ignoring or not knowing the truth? I am not talking extreme examples. God’s standards are exceptionally. Humans cannot naturally act the way He wants. There are “good” people and “bad” one. What about the average Joe? What if you are good law-abiding citizen? Do kind people need God? Some days the Catholic rules seem unbearable. It reminds me of how imperfect I am. Why does being human have to be a bad thing? Why does God demand so much from us and become upset when we sin? I do not understand. We do not choose to be imperfect. Especially sins that involve thoughts and emotions. I do not understand. Surely you should get angry. What happens if I do? Christians are not always perfect. As much you should have a strong core and self-control, most people are not invincible. Not to justify (perhaps I am rationalizing sin). Sometimes the expectations can be high. I never feel good enough. There is the temptation to say what’s the use. There is always more to be changed. I thought eventually some tendencies would leave for good. The only answer ever is to pray more, fast, and wait.
 
The truth hurts but lies are even worse. What are the real dangers of living without Christ? If you answer please do not give dramatic examples. There are obviously well-to-do, kind caring non-Christians.
 
The trick is not about comparing ourselves with outsiders, it’s about comparing those times we didn’t bother to pray with those times we did bother to pray.

When I stopped praying I damaged somebody. I didn’t plan to, I just immediately found I had drifted into that situation.

Not damaging people isn’t an “impossible standard” given the opportunity to avail ourselves of God’s invisible help with ordinary things.

(Besides this maybe you’ve got a confused view of what thoughts and emotions are.)

Just take each moment as it comes, for what it is.

HTH 🙂
 
Hey CRATUS. Hey pal. Think on this a bit. Let’s say you were in a class learning to paint. Let’s say that you worked really hard on your painting. You worked really hard in general. But sometimes you just took easy ways out. Sometimes you got tired. Sometimes bored. Sometimes you just felt like it was pointless to try. So at the end of your class you’ve got your picture. And it shows all the times you tried hard. And all the times you didn’t. And that’s what you’re planning to hang on your studio wall. To sell. To pay the rent.

So you can point out all the flaws and just tell people it was really hard. Tell them it was harder than you were willing to try at those times. Go ahead. Tell them that you meant well. But just couldn’t deliver. Or couldn’t be bothered.

You might sell that painting one day. If the price is low enough. But what a masterpiece it could have been if you’d tried your best throughout hey?

But the Catholic Church comes along and hands you the perfect Truth eraser for your mistakes on that canvas. Allows you as many chances to do the job right as you need. So even if you failed in the past you can go ahead an try harder until you get it right.

Well that picture’s worth a lot more right?

So that’s the basic difference between knowing and not knowing the Truth. In both cases you can try hard. In both you can mostly succeed. But in knowing Truth you can fix your mistakes. You can rub out the wrong and put in the right. You can go back and refine the spots you had wrong.

I don’t know if that helps at all. Hope it makes some kind of sense anyway.

Peace CRATUS.

Your pal,

Trident
 
CRATUS said:
What are the dangers of ignoring or not knowing the truth? I am not talking extreme examples. God’s standards are exceptionally. Humans cannot naturally act the way He wants. There are “good” people and “bad” one. What about the average Joe? What if you are good law-abiding citizen? Do kind people need God? Some days the Catholic rules seem unbearable. It reminds me of how imperfect I am. Why does being human have to be a bad thing? Why does God demand so much from us and become upset when we sin? I do not understand. We do not choose to be imperfect. Especially sins that involve thoughts and emotions. I do not understand. Surely you should get angry. What happens if I do? Christians are not always perfect. As much you should have a strong core and self-control, most people are not invincible. Not to justify (perhaps I am rationalizing sin). Sometimes the expectations can be high. I never feel good enough. There is the temptation to say what’s the use. There is always more to be changed. I thought eventually some tendencies would leave for good. The only answer ever is to pray more, fast, and wait.
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Rules do no construct; they liberate.
The Church and the Lord set aside good practices for us, and told us not to do certain things that lead us to sin. how can that be bad? We are given tools to fight sin, and to keep on the path to holiness. I’m afraid you are viewing the scenario backwards. As if God were just waiting around for you to mess up and gleefully condemn you,
THIS IS NOT CORRECT.
God is a loving Father who created you on purpose, in His holy image, and He desires for you to live a happy, productive life, in communion with Him so that you may return to Him at the end of your life. So He gave us rules/commandments/tools such as Sacraments to help us. He didn’t just create us and turn us loose and say " well, you’re on you’re own kids…don’t make me mad". No.

What are you doing for others? What do you do with your leisure time? Do you pray for others? Or is your prayer fearful and only for yourself?
We look at the life of Christ, who in His humanity, experienced all that we do, and reacted correctly and in accordance with His Father’s will. He helped people. He loved them and led them to truth. He laughed with people. He grieved with people. He fed people. He loved children and old alike. He worshipped. He prayed. In fact, when things got really tough, He prayed REALLY hard.

What if you don’t do any of it? You ignore the Lord’s command, you fail in your Baptismal promises, you essentially say to God “I don’t care. It’s too hard”.

When you feel like this…gaze upon a crucifix. How many hours did He hang on that tree so that you and I could be forgiven all of our sins?
Think about it.
God must love you ALOT.
All He wants is for you to love Him back. Is that so hard?
Let me ask you this question: What if , when you woke up tomorrow…all you had left in the world was what you thanked God for in your prayers the previous night?
We are all blessed. My prayer for you is that you begin to realize this, and start to live with joy, and not fear.
Peace friend.
 
CRATUS said:
What are the dangers of ignoring or not knowing the truth? I am not talking extreme examples. God’s standards are exceptionally. Humans cannot naturally act the way He wants. There are “good” people and “bad” one. What about the average Joe? What if you are good law-abiding citizen? Do kind people need God? Some days the Catholic rules seem unbearable. It reminds me of how imperfect I am. Why does being human have to be a bad thing? Why does God demand so much from us and become upset when we sin? I do not understand. We do not choose to be imperfect. Especially sins that involve thoughts and emotions. I do not understand. Surely you should get angry. What happens if I do? Christians are not always perfect. As much you should have a strong core and self-control, most people are not invincible. Not to justify (perhaps I am rationalizing sin). Sometimes the expectations can be high. I never feel good enough. There is the temptation to say what’s the use. There is always more to be changed. I thought eventually some tendencies would leave for good. The only answer ever is to pray more, fast, and wait.
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Some advice from a fellow sinner, who has also found himself playing devil’s advocate before:

Never play the devil’s advocate. There might be a real devil with you, putting these thoughts in your head. It is your job to fight and be faithful.

The difference between knowing and not knowing the Truth: Whoever has the Truth walks in the Light. Whoever does not - walks in darkness.

The powers of darkness will look to overtake you.

We should never forget that what is at stake is ETERNITY. Forever - and ever. In 1 billion years, it will be like the first day. If we had a supercomputer count as high as it could as fast as it could, it would never get past the first day of ETERNITY. That goes for Heaven AND for Hell. Either we will be with God forever and ever, in His Light and His Love and His Goodness, or we will be with Satan forever, in darkness and torment and without LOVE.

Yes, we have fallen flesh that makes us want to sin. On top of that, we have to fight the world AND Satan who attack us through our FLESH. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you it is going to be a tough fight. It won’t be. It is an impossible fight for each and every one of us. IMPOSSIBLE. It is going to take MIRACLES from GOD to get us to Heaven. Even then, it will not be easy. We must persevere in prayer during temptation.

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Luke 14:27
And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Ask God to give you a LOVE FOR THE CROSS. Your salvation effects the salvation of others.

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months

If you are faithful and remain in a state of grace, you will gain merit with God EVERY TIME you fight off a temptation by persevering in prayer. Stand firm in the Lord. If you fall, all the merit you gained while in a state of grace is gone. But when you go to confession and are absolved by Christ’s representative, your previous merit is restored.

Galatians 5:17
16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Keep fighting the good fight. Stand firm in the Lord. God loves you. I love you. Mother please help. Holy Spirit please help. I love you and I trust you. In Jesus Name I pray.

I salute you
I salute your Guardian Angel (I love you Guardian Angel. Please help.)
 
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