Protestants: What is the oddest thing about Catholicism?

[Cantaloupe]

Hello carjack-
You have endured a lot! I will keep you in my prayers. I must tell you, I once was on the pill too, because my finace, now husband did not want me to get pregnant AGAIN. He told me this WHILE I was pregnant. So I had my baby and went on birth control…now before I met him, I never believed in birth control, I knew how bad it was for you and I knew it was against church teachings.
So anyways I was on the pill for almost 3 years, then for some reason which I think the reason is God, I had this gnawling at me to stop taking the pill…Well I told my husband that I don’t want to take the pill anymore, and to my surprise he agreed with me…anyways long story short, I stopped taking the pill, and I feel SUPER! I definately see the difference, in my body. I have more energy, I feel closer to my husband than I ever had. And while on the Pill I never really wanted to have relations with him because I just felt so drained and depressed and not in the mood, so that made us suffer as a couple…and I found really no pleasure in it at all…Yes making love is for procreating but the pleasure is the bonus in relations when done correctly in the will of God(ie not taking any ABC’s). Thats why WE were suffering in our relations because we took it upon ourselves to do what we wanted not what God wanted. So now I feel great! And I feel blessed by God cause he has shown me why for so long I was feeling the way I was and why my husband and I were not getting along as we should. I think it is sad that a husband will not touch his wife until he knows that if they make love she won’t get pregnant, as if we (women) are the only ones that can get us pregnant. I remember a phrase…It takes two to tango…hmm. We are actually going to start taking NFP…becuase that is the most effective way for spacing kids or not having any. But all I know is if God wants you to have children well then he’s gonna give you some children…because God knows you best, and there are reasons for each child in this world. And trust me kids are a blessing they are beautiful and once you have one you could never see your life without them. Mine is going to be 3 in June! So carjack I hope you will reconsider the Catholic Church and reconsider the will of God. God Bless you and your husband.

 

[nicolep]

He is God, like no other. He doesn’t compare with other embryos. Obviously He is more extraordinary. Are you comparing Him with other babies?

The child that leapt was John the Baptist, not Jesus.

 

[distracted]

:. All this wisdom I didn’t even know was there was held here. SHOCKING:byzsoc:

So i guess you would say that the Catholic Church doesn’t evangelize very well??

That happens to be what i think is the oddest thing myself…

 

[distracted]

And not so much calling a Priest “Father”, but calling the Pope “Holy Father”.

but don’t u agree that calling him “holy father” doesn’t mean you must, in so doing, be putting him on a par with God?? I mean, you call your biological father “father” but you don’t equate him with God…

I just don’t agree with the “Rome has spoken, no more questions” perspective I see SOMETIMES…not all the time.

the pope only makes infallible statements once in awhile and it has to be under certain criteria only… He only speaks infallibly when defining something to do with faith and morals… and since Jesus promised to never leave us (Real Presence…) it is not hard for me to believe tht the Pope has this charism of infallibility… When in the Presence of Christ, we are all more Christ-like… especially after having spent a lot of time there… we begin to see things as He does… Have you ever done that?? Have you ever spent time in an “empty” Catholic Church in His Presence, being perfectly still & listening?? There is nothing like it…

I have nothing against Catholics, and I’d go as far as to say that I’m probably as close to Catholic as I can get without actually going to RCIA and converting. 99.3% Catholic…if that’s possible

thats good. What religion were you raised in ? Why not go to RCIA?? Even as a cradle Catholic, i love RCIA because i love to learn more history, etc… to know about Christ’s Church is to know more about Jesus… & therefore, be closer to Him… thanks…

 

[distracted]

The way they dictate sexuality between a husband and wife. How they consider birth control sinning. Everything is about the embryo and not the person who is living. :twocents:

the embyo IS living…

birth control is introducing something artificial into the natural act that God created… and interfering with the creation of or open-ness to life, which is an important part of the sexual act…

 

[distracted]

The embryo has to be born to be a “person” who is alive. Not out of sight/out of mind. Out of logic/out of mind, eh?

so you were not human and alive until you came out of your mother??

 

[carjack]

so you were not human and alive until you came out of your mother??

You are a little late in this debate. lol! I see what everyone was talking about. I think I agreed with everyone instinctively. I think my ma and pa were in me fighting everyone. not literally of course.

Sorry that this thread got of track.

 

[distracted]

idea that a “priest” is needed to act on my behalf before God. The idea of requireing the “ministry” of another on my behalf is most difficult.

that’s because you weren’t raised Catholic… I can understand how difrficult it is for a Protestant to believe because, though i was raised Catholic (from cradle…), i was never catechized… to speak of and spent many (far too many ) yrs outside the Church… lost… When i came back to the Church yrs ago… i had some of the same questions Protestants have… about Mary, etc… I am thankful my questions were answered… and most thankful of all for a preist who shared with me the greatest gift i have ever been given - the Real Presence of Christ in the Church…

My belief is that Jesus didn’t come to switch one set of rites and ordinances for another set…nor to establish a “new priesthood” in lieu of an “older priesthood”…

In the daily readings today, the Scripture speaks of how we Christians are a “holy priesthood”… I wish i could recall what passage tht is but can’t & don’t have Bible handy.

we each have direct and unfettered access to God with no need of rite and or ceremonies to “get God’s attention”…

I can see why you feel that way, but, even though i don’t fully understand all the ritual myself, i trust that those Christ entrusted with the Church (popes, priests, etc…) are capable of … doing the right thing. Each thing that is done ritualistically during Mass has some meaning… I don’t know the whole “story” about those meanings… but … well, i just trust the Church structure… handed down through the centuries…

Christ alone as mediator…our Immanuel, “God with Us”, who in Himself is our completeness.

We definitely should put Christ above the “human element” in the Church… and frankly, i wonder if a lot of Catholics do this very well… but that’s just my opinion… But things like praying to a saint… well, saints know what it is like to be totally human (Jesus was human but also God)… so sometimes i feel there are certain particular “issues” that a saint, well… (hard to find words)… i just think a saint can offer us something … it is good to know someone who was just as human and weak as anyone else, stayed faithful to Christ, even to the point of death (with some)…
They are good role models… and priests should be as well (though, of course, they aren’t always)…

I have a Priest who has completed all requirements on my behalf…no sinful human could take His place…

the priest does not take Jesus’ place… It is Jesus who dispenses the Sacraments… the priest is only an instrument… This is shown through the fact that even a priest in a state of sin can baptize, marry, etc… It is not the priest who is doing it… It is Jesus…

ewe now live in His Presence receiving His Baptism and living in Communion with Him now…without the aid or requirement of any other “priest” to act on our behalf.

I fear that you will fall somehow… I say this because the Church Christ established was “made” a certain way, it was made in consideration of how utterly weak and “lost” we humans are without Him, without ALL that He has to give us…

I would not be a strong Christian if it were not for the Catholic faith… I know this because i have been both in and out of the Church… In is better…
God bless…

 

[allhers]

You are a little late in this debate. lol! I see what everyone was talking about. I think I agreed with everyone instinctively. I think my ma and pa were in me fighting everyone. not literally of course.

Sorry that this thread got of track.

You and your future children were worth it!!

 

[Publisher]

that’s because you weren’t raised Catholic… I can understand how difrficult it is for a Protestant to believe because, though i was raised Catholic (from cradle…), i was never catechized… to speak of and spent many (far too many ) yrs outside the Church… lost… When i came back to the Church yrs ago… i had some of the same questions Protestants have… about Mary, etc… I am thankful my questions were answered… and most thankful of all for a preist who shared with me the greatest gift i have ever been given - the Real Presence of Christ in the Church… In the daily readings today, the Scripture speaks of how we Christians are a “holy priesthood”… I wish i could recall what passage tht is but can’t & don’t have Bible handy. I can see why you feel that way, but, even though i don’t fully understand all the ritual myself, i trust that those Christ entrusted with the Church (popes, priests, etc…) are capable of … doing the right thing. Each thing that is done ritualistically during Mass has some meaning… I don’t know the whole “story” about those meanings… but … well, i just trust the Church structure… handed down through the centuries…

We definitely should put Christ above the “human element” in the Church… and frankly, i wonder if a lot of Catholics do this very well… but that’s just my opinion… But things like praying to a saint… well, saints know what it is like to be totally human (Jesus was human but also God)… so sometimes i feel there are certain particular “issues” that a saint, well… (hard to find words)… i just think a saint can offer us something … it is good to know someone who was just as human and weak as anyone else, stayed faithful to Christ, even to the point of death (with some)…
They are good role models… and priests should be as well (though, of course, they aren’t always)…
the priest does not take Jesus’ place… It is Jesus who dispenses the Sacraments… the priest is only an instrument… This is shown through the fact that even a priest in a state of sin can baptize, marry, etc… It is not the priest who is doing it… It is Jesus…

I fear that you will fall somehow… I say this because the Church Christ established was “made” a certain way, it was made in consideration of how utterly weak and “lost” we humans are without Him, without ALL that He has to give us…

I would not be a strong Christian if it were not for the Catholic faith… I know this because i have been both in and out of the Church… In is better…
God bless…

The whole concept that the “church” is the means the ordinances and sacrements are dispensed through is an oddity I cannot reconcile to myself…the Church are those whom have received the work of Christ…they are the redeemed…no ritual, rite, sacrament or ceremony is required to have grace provided to us…it is freely given…through Christ, He and He alone is Priest…no one can ‘stand in his stead’ and dispense to me what He “dispenses” already directly from Himself.

The whole idea of a “ritual” from the hands of another on my behalf is something I simply cannot accept…if I could, I’d be Catholic or Episcopalian or Orthodox or any other ritual-based group.

 

[MrS]

carjack… thanks for being blunt. When you opened up and laid it all the line, the pieces began to fit together.

As a said before, sometimes blunt is more charitable than beating around the bush, upsetting many posters here with your “thoughts” and with your “opinions”.

Perhaps that is an odd thing about Catholicism. We too often are too ecumenical. Just being nice and “let’s get along” is for BBQs.

Souls are worth more, even to the point of saying discomforting things if they are true.

prayers for you, for your husband, and future family.

.

 

[inJESUS]

Sorry that this thread got of track.

thank God this thread went off track!!

 

[inJESUS]

through Christ, He and He alone is Priest…no one can ‘stand in his stead’ and dispense to me what He “dispenses” already directly from Himself.

why then did Jesus send apostles to preach and teach and correct and baptize if He could do this by Himself?

 

[Adam14]

but don’t u agree that calling him “holy father” doesn’t mean you must, in so doing, be putting him on a par with God?? I mean, you call your biological father “father” but you don’t equate him with God… the pope only makes infallible statements once in awhile and it has to be under certain criteria only… He only speaks infallibly when defining something to do with faith and morals… and since Jesus promised to never leave us (Real Presence…) it is not hard for me to believe tht the Pope has this charism of infallibility… When in the Presence of Christ, we are all more Christ-like… especially after having spent a lot of time there… we begin to see things as He does… Have you ever done that?? Have you ever spent time in an “empty” Catholic Church in His Presence, being perfectly still & listening?? There is nothing like it…

Sure I call my biological father, father, or dad…etc, but never holy Father. But this is just one of the little things I’m not in total agreement with…but it’s not really a “deal breaker”.

And I can’t say that I have spent time alone in an empty Catholic church, but I have spent time alone with God and I agree that there is nothing like it. I’m not sure I agree with you on physically being in a Catholic church being that different. It may be to some people, but I think it’s personal preference, afterall, the physical church building is just that, a building(that goes for any denomination’s church)

thats good. What religion were you raised in ? Why not go to RCIA?? Even as a cradle Catholic, i love RCIA because i love to learn more history, etc… to know about Christ’s Church is to know more about Jesus… & therefore, be closer to Him… thanks…

I was raised going to mainly Baptist churches, but wasn’t Baptised until about 3 years ago, in the Lutheran church. My wife was raised Catholic, and now we’re both Lutheran. I don’t know if I’ll ever go to RCIA or not, but I do love learning about the Catholic church.

Thanks for your reply, distracted…now that’s enough about me, let’s let this thread get back to an argument about birth control! j/k

 

[allhers]

Adam, as to your last sentence:


As to being “alone” in a Catholic Church, I have never felt alone there when in the Real Presence, except on Good Friday, and even then, I felt I was in God’s presence, but sorely felt the absence of His Real Presence (our tabernacle’s are empty on Good Friday, for those who don’t know.) One of the saddest experiences of my life is entering the Church on Good Friday, it truly does feel like just any other building then, empty, devoid of His Real Presence.

 

[wmscott]

CARJACK, You know, I had this long speech prepared to blast you and your position on life. I was going to give you both barrels but thought better of it and to just let it go and prayed for you, which I already did as indicated before. I am glad I did this because in my haste “I” would have been the fool. I would have been the one to rush to judgment and I am glad that I chose to pray instead of judge. Things are not as they always appear at first. Just keep asking for Christ to heal you, He will.

 

[distracted]

The whole concept that the “church” is the means the ordinances and sacrements are dispensed through is an oddity I cannot reconcile to myself…

Jesus established the Church with its 12 apostles (bishops). Peter was the 1st pope… see St. Matthew 16:18… (etc)…

confession : St. John 19:20

…no ritual, rite, sacrament or ceremony is required to have grace provided to us…it is freely given…through Christ, He and He alone is Priest…

I agree… and as stated, it is not the priest who dispenses the sacraments… it is Christ… and, as per st. John 19:20 and others, this is the way Christ wanted things to be… He wanted us to be physically baptized, physically forgiven… & since he physically went to heaven… the human priests are the ones to administer these sacraments… You were not baptized by God Himself… You were baptized by a human being…

 

[mflaschner]

Peace be with you, carjack.

You will be in my prayers

–

 

[distracted]

I Contraception is not abortion.

some methods ARE… because they keep the fertized egg from implanting… Once the egg/sperm unite, it is a human life… if left alone, it will grow and be born… if not it will die… abortion is murder…

But the Catholics see sex as nothing more than to create life.  .

absolutely not true… If that were the case, the Church would not marry people who are beyond child-bearing age…
The Church teaches that sex is both procreative and Unitive… It is the Church who has the healthy attitude toward sex… Society is sick with its obsession with sex… fornication, adultery… perversions. I can’t even watch TV because of this… except PBS… but sometimes PBS is pretty… a-religious… to say the least…

 

[distracted]

i used to think : i confess to God , why should i need a priest?..i didn’t understand the importance until i went to confession…confession, no matter how explained in words, will not be understood unless experienced.