What is truth in these Forums?

[jmjconder]

I have always looked to Catholic Answers for the truth. So when I saw the there was a forum I quickly signed up. I have been sitting back for a few months watching and reading I have been surprised by the amount of misinformation that has often been posted about our faith. The unfortunate thing is – it seems that is has been given to those who are seeking answers about every real questions about life.

I had one very personal question in my life and sent a PM to a moderator that suggested I post it on the forum – I was extremely hesitant to do so knowing how much misinformation that particular forum was giving out to people posting questions.

Though I have never intended to begin to post replies I have lately found myself doing so because so many of the posting are far from the truths of our faiths - I could not let them continue misinforming the people.

I do fully welcome an open discussion as long as it leads to the truths of our Catholic faith in the end – but to leave people with the idea that the misinformation is the truth is something I cannot accept.

I do not necessarily want to drop myself from this forum – unless this is the format. Then I would have to come to terms with all that.

1Tim 2:4

 

[jmjconder]

I had better clarify - when I say I look to CA for the truth - I mean when I have questions about the faith I know their web-site is one place that I can to to search for answers…

 

[Graing]

Hello and welcome!

I think there are a lot of very knowledgeable posters on these forums and there are some great discussions. Typically if someone posts an error, there will be a correction or at least doubt raised in short time.

Failing that, I would suggest that you ‘Ask the Apologists’ if you are wary of the veracity of the posters on the Spirituality or other forums.

Welcome aboard.

 

[rayne89]

I had better clarify - when I say I look to CA for the truth - I mean when I have questions about the faith I know their web-site is one place that I can to to search for answers…

Catholic Answers Website has a library filled with very helpful information.
catholic.com/
This the Catholic Answers Forum. The Ask the Apologist section of the forum is answered by official apologists from Catholic Answers. The rest is a discussion forum with people from all different areas around the globe, with different levels of knowledge discussing different topics. That are members on the forum that are not Catholic or even Christian although the majority of members are Catholic. When you signed up there was no screening process to see if you had all the right answers to Catholic questions right? Neither was there any for rest of us.

The discussion forums are full of great information along with a lot of opinions that may or may not agree with Catholic teaching.If something doesn’t sound right I ask for the source of the posters information so I can check it myself.

There are also people with many different tempermants on the forum, some with great patience and charity other that are blunt and seem to lack tact. This puts some newer posters off. If a poster breaks a rule they can be reported by clicking on the caution sign in the upper corner of their post. Although being ignorant of Catholic teaching isn’t against the rules.

Hope that helps.

 

[leonie]

If there’s disagreement, the more credible and accurate post will quote the catechism or a Church document.

 

[Marauder]

First off you have to remember that this forum like many others on the net is open to people of many different faiths and people of different levels of faith. You will get wrong answers, right answers, and everything in between.

Usually you will find that the answers you get will be more or less accurate depending on the topic. If it is something that is clearly defined by the church, then the odds are you will see that for the most part most of the people on here will give you the right answer with quotes, etc.

The problem lies in the grey areas, places where things aren’t clearly defined, and things where preferences come into play.

You will usually get real good answers on questions about the Eucharist, papal issues, doctrine, etc. Things tend to get a little murky about topics like sexuality within marriage, use of altar girls, EMHCs, liturgical abuses, etc.

You will need to learn to be able to weed through the people that give you the correct answers and those that give the wrong answers and figure out where to look for the right answers whether that be the Catechism, the AAA forum, the main Catholic Answers site, EWTN or some other source.