So I Like Beeing a Catholic, however

[Deus_est_intus]

Having said that, the truth is this:

I don’t feel the catholic church by its nature possesses a position established by God in the world that is unique and exclusive. What I like about the catholic church and why I enjoy being a catholic I think I can and do find in other faiths. The catholic church just does it better than the rest, but I do not feel I have an obligation to be a catholic.

Here’s the fact: I don’t know what my beliefs on the bible, Jesus and His divinity, apostolistic succession, etc. Honestly, I feel pretty neutral to all that stuff. Defining everything and how everything is and how it should be is a turn off. It’s like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Frankly, I don’t know and I’m not particularly concerned with knowing. Once a metaphysical system is deprived of its mystery and mysticism, it stops being something special. I know, the ‘mystery’ of the Eucharist, son on and so forth. But it still feels like putting the supernatural order of the universe in a box. It’s not attractive.

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist who likes being a Catholic primarily for the same reason I like any other spiritual expression; in other words, the Catholic church portrays the beauty of the natural order as other philosophies do, it just does the best job of it.

God bless

 

[Nigel7]

Deus_est_intus:

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist who likes being a Catholic

You do not sound Catholic to me. That is my opinion.

 

[Scoobyshme]

Having said that, the truth is this:

I don’t feel the catholic church by its nature possesses a position established by God in the world that is unique and exclusive. What I like about the catholic church and why I enjoy being a catholic I think I can and do find in other faiths. The catholic church just does it better than the rest, but I do not feel I have an obligation to be a catholic.

Here’s the fact: I don’t know what my beliefs on the bible, Jesus and His divinity, apostolistic succession, etc. Honestly, I feel pretty neutral to all that stuff. Defining everything and how everything is and how it should be is a turn off. It’s like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Frankly, I don’t know and I’m not particularly concerned with knowing. Once a metaphysical system is deprived of its mystery and mysticism, it stops being something special. I know, the ‘mystery’ of the Eucharist, son on and so forth. But it still feels like putting the supernatural order of the universe in a box. It’s not attractive.

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist who likes being a Catholic primarily for the same reason I like any other spiritual expression; in other words, the Catholic church portrays the beauty of the natural order as other philosophies do, it just does the best job of it.

God bless

The Catholic Church, unlike all the rest, is a living, Divine entity. It is the Body of Christ, established by Christ, Who is God.

The Catholic Church, unlike all the rest, is holy. Not because of the laity, or the priests, or the bishop or the Pope. But because it has, as its head, Jesus Christ, Who is God. And, it has, as its soul, the Holy Spirit, Who is also God.

All who die and end up in heaven will do so THROUGH the Catholic Church, whether they were explicit members of the Church or not. There are only Catholics in heaven. Christ only established one Church, not thousands. When we are baptized, we become members of that Church. Some, unfortunately, are separated from the Body of Christ. Those who are separated, through no fault of their own, but live according to the truths of Christ they do know, MAY be saved. No Protestant denomination, and certainly no pagan institution, has the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, or all seven Sacraments.

Why swim when you can enjoy the trip on a cruise ship?

 

[PompousMaximus]

Having said that, the truth is this:

I don’t feel the catholic church by its nature possesses a position established by God in the world that is unique and exclusive. What I like about the catholic church and why I enjoy being a catholic I think I can and do find in other faiths. The catholic church just does it better than the rest, but I do not feel I have an obligation to be a catholic.

Here’s the fact: I don’t know what my beliefs on the bible, Jesus and His divinity, apostolistic succession, etc. Honestly, I feel pretty neutral to all that stuff. Defining everything and how everything is and how it should be is a turn off. It’s like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Frankly, I don’t know and I’m not particularly concerned with knowing. Once a metaphysical system is deprived of its mystery and mysticism, it stops being something special. I know, the ‘mystery’ of the Eucharist, son on and so forth. But it still feels like putting the supernatural order of the universe in a box. It’s not attractive.

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist who likes being a Catholic primarily for the same reason I like any other spiritual expression; in other words, the Catholic church portrays the beauty of the natural order as other philosophies do, it just does the best job of it.

God bless

Well what exactly is your issue? If Catholicism iyo does the best job, why question?

 

[brigid12]

Having said that, the truth is this:

I don’t feel the catholic church by its nature possesses a position established by God in the world that is unique and exclusive. What I like about the catholic church and why I enjoy being a catholic I think I can and do find in other faiths. The catholic church just does it better than the rest, but I do not feel I have an obligation to be a catholic.

Here’s the fact: I don’t know what my beliefs on the bible, Jesus and His divinity, apostolistic succession, etc. Honestly, I feel pretty neutral to all that stuff. Defining everything and how everything is and how it should be is a turn off. It’s like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Frankly, I don’t know and I’m not particularly concerned with knowing. Once a metaphysical system is deprived of its mystery and mysticism, it stops being something special. I know, the ‘mystery’ of the Eucharist, son on and so forth. But it still feels like putting the supernatural order of the universe in a box. It’s not attractive.

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist who likes being a Catholic primarily for the same reason I like any other spiritual expression; in other words, the Catholic church portrays the beauty of the natural order as other philosophies do, it just does the best job of it.

God bless

To be Catholic, one only has to follow the teaching of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, including on the Eucharist and basic canon law . If you have doubts, that’s ok - as long as you don’t teach them or let them decide what you do. Having doubts is human and recognizing aspects of other religions as from God is praiseworthy - letting them determine your life is something else entirely.

 

[Nigel7]

Why swim when you can enjoy the trip on a cruise ship?

Or, why should the OP lie to themselves and the Church and pretend that they are something which they obviously aren’t?

Deus_est_intus:

I don’t know what my beliefs on the bible, Jesus and His divinity, apostolistic succession, etc. Honestly, I feel pretty neutral to all that stuff.

If the OP doesn’t believe in the true divinity of Jesus Christ, as they indicated in the above quote, then aren’t they then taking communion in an unworthy manner (if they are indeed taking communion), and thereby desecrating the body and blood of our Lord?
Should we really be encouraging him/her to continue doing this??

brigid12:

To be Catholic, one only has to follow the teaching of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, including on the Eucharist and basic canon law .

Oh my, and all this time I thought that to be Catholic one had to believe.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Having said that, the truth is this:

I don’t feel the catholic church by its nature possesses a position established by God in the world that is unique and exclusive. What I like about the catholic church and why I enjoy being a catholic I think I can and do find in other faiths. The catholic church just does it better than the rest, but I do not feel I have an obligation to be a catholic.

Here’s the fact: I don’t know what my beliefs on the bible, Jesus and His divinity, apostolistic succession, etc. Honestly, I feel pretty neutral to all that stuff. Defining everything and how everything is and how it should be is a turn off. It’s like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Frankly, I don’t know and I’m not particularly concerned with knowing. Once a metaphysical system is deprived of its mystery and mysticism, it stops being something special. I know, the ‘mystery’ of the Eucharist, son on and so forth. But it still feels like putting the supernatural order of the universe in a box. It’s not attractive.

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist who likes being a Catholic primarily for the same reason I like any other spiritual expression; in other words, the Catholic church portrays the beauty of the natural order as other philosophies do, it just does the best job of it.

God bless

You sound to me like you’re ready for contemplative prayer. Seek real Divine Union. Catholic has all you need; you just have to know where to look. Personally I take advantage of others’ religious views from time to time, and they have helped me deepen my own faith.

Alan

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

Perhaps there is a reason why the CC does the best job in what you outline above. Are you not intrigued to dig a bit deeper into it?

 

[Deus_est_intus]

Maybe I’m not a Catholic. I’m quite indifferent to the specific doctrines it teaches as infallible truth. I enjoy and respect it because it promotes objective morality which so many organizations and individuals seem to have trouble with. Now this doesn’t mean I don’t disagree and possibly disregard certain moral teachings because I don’t agree with it. But when you look at the 20th century and the collapse of the old order following WW1, the evils of Nazism, Stalinism, and the cold war were the spiritual nature of China was destroyed by Mao and the guiding light of orthodoxy obliterated by the Reds, and the two wicked powers of the Soviet Union and America running around forcing the world into a simple dichotomy when it is designed to be multifaceted, the catholic church is the only large institution to provide moral balanced continuity in such a world as this.

 

[Splagchnizomai]

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist

You do not sound Catholic to me.

Or an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist.

Perhaps St Thomas the Apostle (“Doubting Thomas”) would be a good patron saint for you at this time? Or another Thomas – St Thomas Aquinas, who wrote so extensively about theology but left it incomplete after he had a vision.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Maybe I’m not a Catholic. I’m quite indifferent to the specific doctrines it teaches as infallible truth. I enjoy and respect it because it promotes objective morality which so many organizations and individuals seem to have trouble with. Now this doesn’t mean I don’t disagree and possibly disregard certain moral teachings because I don’t agree with it. But when you look at the 20th century and the collapse of the old order following WW1, the evils of Nazism, Stalinism, and the cold war were the spiritual nature of China was destroyed by Mao and the guiding light of orthodoxy obliterated by the Reds, and the two wicked powers of the Soviet Union and America running around forcing the world into a simple dichotomy when it is designed to be multifaceted, the catholic church is the only large institution to provide moral balanced continuity in such a world as this.

Also keep in mind that each religion grew up in its own culture and was, in fact, an “antidote” for the ills of that particular society. It’s why you see Catholics at the opposite poles on some external issues.

Alan

 

[George_Stegmeir]

Having said that, the truth is this:

I don’t feel the catholic church by its nature possesses a position established by God in the world that is unique and exclusive. What I like about the catholic church and why I enjoy being a catholic I think I can and do find in other faiths. The catholic church just does it better than the rest, but I do not feel I have an obligation to be a catholic.

Here’s the fact: I don’t know what my beliefs on the bible, Jesus and His divinity, apostolistic succession, etc. Honestly, I feel pretty neutral to all that stuff. Defining everything and how everything is and how it should be is a turn off. It’s like how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Frankly, I don’t know and I’m not particularly concerned with knowing. Once a metaphysical system is deprived of its mystery and mysticism, it stops being something special. I know, the ‘mystery’ of the Eucharist, son on and so forth. But it still feels like putting the supernatural order of the universe in a box. It’s not attractive.

I feel like an agnostic Taoist Buddhist theist who likes being a Catholic primarily for the same reason I like any other spiritual expression; in other words, the Catholic church portrays the beauty of the natural order as other philosophies do, it just does the best job of it.

God bless

I’m sorry, but your statements about the church show that you have not been properly
catechized and that makes you sound like a pseudo-intellectual, probably of college age.
I strongly suggest that if you are in college, that you contact the Chaplain of the Newman Center on your campus, or if not a student, contact your parish priest and seek out Catholic religious instruction. If your concern for your soul is genuine, you could start by reading about our faith. There are many such books available.

 

[Della]

If the Church’s teachings were up for grabs it’s moral authority would go out the window.

You need to stop trying to figure it all out and just fall in love with Jesus Christ. Once you do you will also love the Church which is his body, which he commissioned to be his voice to mankind for our eternal happiness which transcends all other joys of the merely natural kind.

 

[EmeraldWings]

In order to be Catholic you must profess(which is to affirm faith in or allegiance to) the faith of Christ, which we profess and express in one way by the Apostles Creed - “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose, again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead; I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.”
an extensive explanation of the apostles creed can be found here, starting from chapter 2 - catholicapologetics.info/thechurch/catechism/Cafferata.htm
and here is another, much more exhaustive explanation of the creed - archive.org/stream/creedexplainedor00devirich#page/n5/mode/2up

of course there are many more things we must believe in order to be Catholic, since to be Catholic we must believe in Christ and *all *His teachings, which we learn through the bible, tradition, and the Catholic Church,
it is not optional, Catholic means universal, which signifies that all Catholics believe and teach the same truths unitively on all parts of the world,
why not find out what the Catholic Church is really about, what we believe, and more importantly, why?
here are some things to get you started -
fultonsheen.com/Fulton-Sheen-MP3.cfm
youtube.com/user/CatholicClips#g/p
audiosancto.org/
keepthefaith.org/
drbo.org/
haydock1859.tripod.com/

do not take these exhortations the wrong way, we as Catholics believe it is important to profess all the teachings of Christ and His church, not for some vain or petty reason, but for the most important reason of all, for the salvation of your immortal soul! nothing is more important, it is priceless and very dear to God, and do you think you posted here simply by an insignificant whim? i have no doubt that God inspired you to post here, in the hope that you will get on the right road and start really working out your salvation…i think you’ve come to the right place, i just hope you will consider everyone’s advice.
and i’m sure you mean well, but so do we.

you’re in my prayers, take care.

 

[Deus_est_intus]

I do profess the apostles’ creed every Sunday at Mass.

And if I were to choose a human being which historically walked this earth, it would make much sense to choose Jesus. What it means to follow Jesus however, is up for discussion. I believe it’s quite likely the bible has been edited and changed and its original meaning and wording is likely lost to the ages so to use the bible as a reference I’d have to so much independent research.

 

[Deus_est_intus]

I’d also just like to mention I appreciate the people at this fine forum for your sense of caring. Even when poster here can seem obtuse, the fact of the matter is your all here because you feel you know the divine truth and out of a sense of altruism you want to help bring people to that truth. You feel you are doing what you can tell to the best of your ability is right and proper and I want to encourage the folks here to always do what they feel is best.

 

[Splagchnizomai]

What it means to follow Jesus however, is up for discussion. I believe it’s quite likely the bible has been edited and changed and its original meaning and wording is likely lost to the ages so to use the bible as a reference I’d have to so much independent research.

You could use Catholic resources that are faithful to Magesterium as you conduct your research.

 

[LilyM]

Maybe I’m not a Catholic. I’m quite indifferent to the specific doctrines it teaches as infallible truth. I enjoy and respect it because it promotes objective morality which so many organizations and individuals seem to have trouble with. Now this doesn’t mean I don’t disagree and possibly disregard certain moral teachings because I don’t agree with it. But when you look at the 20th century and the collapse of the old order following WW1, the evils of Nazism, Stalinism, and the cold war were the spiritual nature of China was destroyed by Mao and the guiding light of orthodoxy obliterated by the Reds, and the two wicked powers of the Soviet Union and America running around forcing the world into a simple dichotomy when it is designed to be multifaceted, the catholic church is the only large institution to provide moral balanced continuity in such a world as this.

None of this makes sense.

Lots of religions teach objective morality - ask pretty much any Muslim whether the moral codes espoused by other religions could be objectively true and you’ll get an unequivocal ‘no’. Likewise most Mormons, members of the Westboro Baptist Church, most members of a heck of a lot of other religious organizations.

Saying ‘I like Catholicism because Catholics teach objective morality’ is like saying ‘I like climate change skeptics because they believe that there are objectively knowable laws of nature’. Well, so do climate change advocates, equally so.

The important question is not ‘is there objectively knowable scientific reality’ but ‘whose account of scientific reality accords, or is most likely to accord, with the way things really are.’

The consequences of having a wrong understanding of scientific reality are disastrous. If we wrongly poopoo climate change, irreversible and tremendous damage will be done to the human race and our planet. If we wrongly believe in manmade climate change, we will end up wasting a lot of time and money as well as effort on trying to change something that we cannot prevent.

In the same way, the important question is not ‘who teaches an objective morality’ but
‘whose moral code best corresponds, as far as we can tell, with the way things really are, morally speaking.’ And there’s an excellent case to be made for Catholicism. One point being Paul VI’s uncannily accurate prediction of the unsavory consequences of widespread use of contraception, which totally vindicate the position taken in Humanae Vitae.

 

[Deus_est_intus]

You could use Catholic resources that are faithful to Magesterium as you conduct your research.

I can and if I ever get to that stage, I’d be plenty open to it. However, I’d also have to use source completely independent of any religious body, to avoid relying on the same institutions who want to use the bible to legitimize themselves.

 

[Deus_est_intus]

The important question is not ‘is there objectively knowable scientific reality’ but ‘whose account of scientific reality accords, or is most likely to accord, with the way things really are.’

Exactly! And that’s why i could for example, never be a Muslim. My first litmus test is “what is a religious system’s teachings on violence?” I believe ends do not justify the means. If you believe it is OK to use violence in any context which is not immediate self-defense, than I can not follow that system. So many in Islam seem to think it’s not only acceptable but a moral obligation to initiate violence over a slight to their belief system. This is obviously evil beyond the pail. If the Catholic church taught this I would never be a catholic. Thankfully the holly church dropped that kind of garbage after the hundred years war. Secondly and tied to the first point is: how much does a system value human life? And thirdly, how important are individual rights?

Incidentally, I believe a large part of the global warming movement is paid by corporate elites who ant to control our lives. No, I’m not joking.