How long is this paper going to be? Those are some big questions! I thank you very much for the graciousness and respectful way you have posed these important questions.
I was raised Catholic, but I started to ask many of these types of questions in my later high school/early college years. This led me to drift away from the faith in spirit (though I kept going to Mass every Sunday in practice). However, in college, I went on a retreat that led to a spiritual awakening of sorts, which led me to actively seek answers to these questions. That pursuit led me to embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Not that you care, but I know for me it is helpful to have a little bit of context to see where someone is coming from before just diving into the questions. I studied Psychology in college, too.
1. Is a sin an act of doing something evil?
Sin is an act that separates one from God. That’s basically the definition of evil as well. Evil is, to put it succinctly, the absence of the good that ought to be there. Evil is not a presence but an absence.
Perhaps you have come across the analogy of heat and cold. Coldness is not something in and of itself, but rather the absence of heat. When you take away
all heat, you reach Absolute Zero. However, there is no measurable upper limit to heat.
I think this analogy is an important one because too often people view religion (Christianity in particular) as dualistic when it comes to good and evil (thank you, Descartes!
). But good and evil are not two opposite, equal forces. Goodness has no upper limit. Hence God is infinite goodness. Evil does have a lower limit. Once all the goodness is gone, there is no further to fall.
2. Do you think you can earn your way into Heaven by doing good deeds?
No. But faith without works is dead.
God is
not the Divine Scorekeeper who gives us points for good deeds, subtracts points for bad deeds, and then lets us into heaven so long as we have achieved a certain score. Salvation is a free gift that we have but to accept. Whether we toil in the Lord’s vineyard our whole life, or convert in the eleventh hour on our deathbed, we can be saved.
3. Do you think those that do not believe as you believe, will not be allowed in to Heaven?
I hold out hope for the salvation of all people. I believe the
ordinary, and easiest path is by being an active member of the Catholic Church. But that does not mean God cannot offer salvation in ways known to Him alone to those of other faiths. I know God is a God of mercy, so I think I would be shocked if only baptized Catholics were in heaven.
4. Is there a Superior religion? If yes, why since each religion profess faith in God.
Yes, there is. Not all religions are created equal. Though there are certain similarities between various religions, the differences are not negligible. It’s not just a matter of believing in a God/Higher Power being all that is necessary. If God exists, what can be known about Him? What has he
revealed about Himself? Those details metter.
5. Are humans generally good or evil? Explain
Again, we are not dualists. Human beings were created good, but through that Original Sin, there is now an absence of the good that ought to be there built right into our fallen human nature. Being made in the image and likeness of God, there is a goodness in us that cannot be erased. We are not totally depraved. But we are certainly not perfect.
6. Explain to me a time when you were afraid beyond reason, and what did you do and what was the outcome?
I’ll have to get back to you on that one. Nothing comes to mind at the moment.
7. Why would God, being the all-knowing, sacrifice his son for our sins, knowing we would get worse (or perceived) as a society and follow him less?
Because He loves us that much. Kinda blows your mind, huh?
8. How can you be so sure that the words in the Bible are those of God, when man wrote the Bible, and man admittedly makes mistakes?
We Catholics are not a religion of the Book, but a religion of the Word. Jesus is the
logos, the definitive Word of God. I believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture because I first encountered the Author. And my life was changed.
Indeed, the dual authorship of the Bible (with both a human and divine author) has no equivalent. So it is a natural question. But I know He
can do it. If God is all knowing, all good, and all powerful, then He will want us to know Him as He is by revealing Himself to us, and He has the ability to do so.
9. If there is one God, then why so many different views of his teachings? And how is an individual supposed to figure out which one to follow?
We have our limitations. If everyone viewed His teachings in exactly the same way, I’d have to question their authenticity.
To know which one to follow, I can only advise someone to, first and foremost,
pray. We ned to be in intimate contact with the Divine Author to be able to sift the truth from the falsehood.
Second, I would advise careful study of history, philosophy, and theology. I believe that if you look at all the evidence, the only explanation that gives adequate, rational answers to the big questions (Who am I? What am I? Why am I here?) is Catholicism.
10. How are we supposed to believe in the teachings of God, when some doing the teaching intentionally hurt the children following those teachings?
Indeed, these reprehensible sinful actions are a grave scandal. But truth does not depend on us frail human beings in order to be true. My faith does not rest on any individual’s sanctity. Indeed, my faith tells me that it is not reasonable or possible to expect sinlessness from any human being.
Well, that turned out to be longer than anticipated. I hope it was helpful.
