the point?

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I was wondering what people think the point is in being a catholic? why choose it over another branch of christianity? in fact, why choose it at all? Does a person have to go into specifics when they choose God? could they not just be “Christian” in general? Any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks 🙂
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I was wondering what people think the point is in being a catholic? why choose it over another branch of christianity? in fact, why choose it at all? Does a person have to go into specifics when they choose God? could they not just be “Christian” in general? Any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks 🙂
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Catholicism *is *Christianity in general. I don’t understand why you think Christianity comes in models like cars, or in versions like operating systems.
 
A Christian is a person who follows Christ.

Christ founded the Church with St Peter.

A person who truly follows Christ would follow the Church Christ established, not one established by men.

Why would someone want to “find” God themselves; God is real and present in the Sacraments of the Church, you just have to walk through the door on Sunday morning and hey, you’ve found God.

👍
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I was wondering what people think the point is in being a catholic? why choose it over another branch of christianity? in fact, why choose it at all? Does a person have to go into specifics when they choose God? could they not just be “Christian” in general? Any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks 🙂
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The Eucharist, the sacraments.
 
I think the first response got it right on the head. Catholicism is “general” christianity…meaning universal, the original, genuine, basic, the root. Other denominations are variations, or different “brands”…offshoots or protests.

Why would people choose those when the universal christianity is the real deal? 🤷
It would eliminate so much confusion if we all stuck together.
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I was wondering what people think the point is in being a catholic? why choose it over another branch of christianity? in fact, why choose it at all? Does a person have to go into specifics when they choose God? could they not just be “Christian” in general? Any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks 🙂
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The more we ask, seek, and knock, the more we grow in the knowledge of God and the more specific that knowledge becomes.
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I was wondering what people think the point is in being a catholic? why choose it over another branch of christianity? in fact, why choose it at all? Does a person have to go into specifics when they choose God? could they not just be “Christian” in general? Any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks 🙂
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The point of being Catholic is my FULLER RESPONSE to God’s love and His gift of Faith.

There are about 2 dozen “branches” of the Catholic Faith that are in communion with Rome. Each is Catholic with VALID sacraments. The rest of Christain churches are those that broke away from the Catholic Church Christ Himself established, or they broke away from a church that broke away, or someone just decided to start his own.

I may be born and raise in one country and move to another to live my life as a citizen there. I no longer have the advantage, privileges, or risks I had in my prior country. My fate is tied the country I chose to live in. The same with the Church I choose.

Why choose at all? Love is a deep, full commitment. I cannot profess love, marry, and continue to date other people. The same with God. If I think myself christain, then I want to the best christain I can be. I start with what Christ said and did. His gave power to the Apostles who have the power to pass it on. If one does not have that passed on power, one is NOT speaking with Christ’s authority. One may very well love Christ, but it is on his own terms, not on Christ’s terms. Christ is in charge of me; I am not in charge of Christ.

I do not try to water it down. I have concluded that the Catholic Church IS the church Christ established. All other christain churches are Christ light.

Yes, in my view, one does have to go into specifics. I must have a resonable understanding and BELIEVE in the power of the Sacraments such as Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. The proper and frequent receiving of the Sacraments INSTITUTED BY CHRIST is the major part of being a true Christain. I cannot ignore them or just go through the motions for appearence without having a resonable understanding of their importance to my relationship with Christ.

NO, in my view, one cannot just be ‘christain in general’ for the very brief reasons I’ve stated above. The greatest commandment is to Love God with my whole heart, my whole mind, and my whole whole strength. This commandment, given to us by Christ, does not allow us to to be just 'christain in general.'

Pray for an increase in Wisdom and Faith and the strength to do God’s Will. Not my will, but God’s Will be done.
 
I understand what people mean and I think that I get it now. What I don’t understand is why people make their own branches of Christianity. If the Catholic Church is the original and most “correct” form then why the need to invent new ones?
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I understand what people mean and I think that I get it now. What I don’t understand is why people make their own branches of Christianity. If the Catholic Church is the original and most “correct” form then why the need to invent new ones?
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You’d have to ask them, hon. We Catholics have puzzled about that for centuries.
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I understand what people mean and I think that I get it now. What I don’t understand is why people make their own branches of Christianity. If the Catholic Church is the original and most “correct” form then why the need to invent new ones?
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Mostly because they don’t like been told what to do even by God and they think they know better, so you could say because of pride I guess to sum it up in one word.
 
Since I am a historian, I often look at the Catholic Church with a historical mindset.

Think of it this way: the Church emerged into the Roman Empire. Emperor Nero, Emperor Caligula, and Emperor Julian all persecuted anyone who worshiped the Christ with no mercy. This continued for three hundred years, until Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity around the early to mid-300s.

In 452 AD, Pope Leo I (the Great) successfully stopped the heathen and ruthless Huns from invading Rome.

The Vandals, three years later, sacked Rome.

Four hundred years is but a blink of the eye to a religion. The Church was at its infancy, and it was most vulnerable.

The Catholic Church is not only a religion, but a physical institution. There have been up’s and down’s since the Vandals’ times.But the physical institution and physical establishment has not deteriorated.

It is impressive on its own that Catholicism as a religion had survived the torment of entire empires, pagans, barbarians, schismatics and heretics, and has still continued to be the largest of all the Christian denominations.
But to see the unbroken succession of popes in light of the aforementioned torments, for over 2000 years, is truly a miracle from God. This only affirms what Christ said to Simon called Peter,“The gates of Hades * will not overpower [My Church]” (Matthew 16:18).*
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I understand what people mean and I think that I get it now. What I don’t understand is why people make their own branches of Christianity. If the Catholic Church is the original and most “correct” form then why the need to invent new ones?
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To me, Catholicism is like a whole system. It’s difficult to comprehend the whole system until until you learn it and accept it in it’s entirety. When man and woman learn it and accept it in it’s entirety, it’s depth and romanticism can be bone crushing. Unfortunately, not enough people make the time and effort to fully learn it, myself included until age 38. Many people try to pick and choose the easy parts and avoid the hard parts in order to create some other easier, different system. But the hard parts are vital in order to recognize and appreciate “the point.”
 
Personally, I don’t think there’s any need to belong to a specific denomination- following Christ is following Christ. The only reason I can think of for becoming Catholic is if you agree with most/ all of their teachings. I don’t, but then again, I don’t belong to any particular denomination. 🙂 Saved is saved.
 
HurryUpAndWait said:
I understand what people mean and I think that I get it now. What I don’t understand is why people make their own branches of Christianity. If the Catholic Church is the original and most “correct” form then why the need to invent new ones?
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Because, different people interpret the Bible differently. And also, changes (like certain ceremonies.) got added to the Catholic church as time passed that weren’t around originally, I believe.
People didn’t like what they saw happening to the Catholic church (it had a period of corruption.), and made different branches.

Considering the fact that we are ONE body of Christ, we all receive the SAME Holy Spirit, and all who believe in Jesus was the Son of God and He who sent Him are saved, denomination doesn’t matter (well, except those ones that totally turned the Bible around, like the Jehovah’s witnesses.)

This post wasn’t meant to be rude, just my humble opinion. 🙂
 
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