When do you know too much about the Catholic Church...?

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it’s not enough to just know what the Church teaches and then reject it. You must know that what the Church teaches is TRUE and then reject it. But why would anyone reject something they know to be true?
 
‘Jesus said: When anyone hears the words of the Kingdom without understanding, the evil one comes and carries off what was sown in his heart. This is the man who received the seed on the edge of the path’ (Matt 13:18-19). You need to have the groundwork for understanding what we Catholics believe. Otherwise your faith will be easily shaken.
 
I believe the OPs question of “being beyond hope” is a rhetorical one.

As the OP is Orthodox and knowing what the Catholic Church teaches about the Orthodox, we are both halves of the Church of the first millennium (longer than that actually). Both of which possess apostolic succession and therefore valid Sacraments.

ZP
 
AlmaRedemptorisMater said:
But in thinking it is false lies the error. To come to that decision means one knew of the Church, then explicitly rejects it. So when one is acting in the belief that the Church is false their culpability may be lessened, true. Yet, all that pales in comparison the fact that the original act of apostasy was real and they still live under that fault. You’re judging someone on the effects of their decision and not the causal action itself.

If I’m wrong, then happily that means more people are saved. If you and others who promulgate the broadest definition of invincible ignorance are wrong, then far more people are in danger of condemnation. And YOU share in that culpability.

I’ve said it before, that this over-extension of Church teaching nearly caused me to turn away from joining the Church. My family is Seventh-Day Adventist, and as such my decision is very difficult for them. I wish you and others would understand how many people would come to the Church if Catholics would try to be bold instead of nice.
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Let me get this straight. Are you saying that if someone thinks Catholicism is false, they should still join the Church? As for being bold instead of nice, I’m all for it, but this is what I believe to be the truth. If you think Catholicism is true, then you have to join the Church. But if you don’t, it just doesn’t make sense.
P.S. Congratulations for your bold decision to become Catholic!
 
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Thank you, and I apologize for being unclear. No, I’m not saying exactly that, although even then I’d recommend they attend. What I’m saying is that before then they had a choice. And in that choice they decided the Church was false. That is the critical moment where ignorance is absent. Afterwards they live out the consequences of that decision, whereupon their culpability may be lessened. But the original choice remains.
 
vsedriver said:
it’s not enough to just know what the Church teaches and then reject it. You must know that what the Church teaches is TRUE and then reject it. But why would anyone reject something they know to be true?
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Don’t make sense to me eithrr. But…

What I have seen on the various fora are folk who try to convince themselves that other beliefs are equally true. I’ve seen people who like the music of church X, or a scandal report comes out and therefore the Catholic Church must not be true, or the sermons are boring, or excuse x, y, or z. As I said. Don’t make sense to me, but rationalization is an odd thing.

TRUE seems to be something that can be minimalized.

Blessings,
 
AlmaRedemptorisMater said:
Thank you, and I apologize for being unclear. No, I’m not saying exactly that, although even then I’d recommend they attend. What I’m saying is that before then they had a choice. And in that choice they decided the Church was false. That is the critical moment where ignorance is absent. Afterwards they live out the consequences of that decision, whereupon their culpability may be lessened. But the original choice remains.
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But say it is a Protestant who has never been exposed to competent arguments for Catholicism, and who, through no fault of their own, honestly believes that the Church is misguided. Again, this person has sincerely searched for the truth, but has come to the wrong conclusion. They have done all they think is necessary to find the truth.
 
I have heard a similar thing about Islam. If you know about Islam and basically what it is and still reject it- ie do not convert to Islam you will suffer eternal punishment.

If you really think Catholicism holds the fullness of truth then your conscience would probably push you to become Catholic. If you are not sure… Well you should seek out the Truth, whatever that may turn out to be and seek to follow it. As long as you truly seek the Truth and do your best to live a good life I think you can hope to be saved
 
ziapueblo said:
As the OP is Orthodox and knowing what the Catholic Church teaches about the Orthodox, we are both halves of the Church of the first millennium (longer than that actually). Both of which possess apostolic succession and therefore valid Sacraments.
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I think that’s what’s confusing, the Catholic Church is very pro orthodox but then again I am rejecting the RCC claim of the one holy and apostolic church in favor of Orthodoxy’s claim. So am I damned to Tim Staples hell or do I get a pass for choosing orthodoxy? Just trying to understand the stance…
 
I think you’re looking at it wrong.

You can’t be at fault for something you don’t internally accept, so long as it’s not your own fault for not accepting the truth.

For example, if the Catholic Church turns out to be Christ’s true church, but you don’t become Catholic since you don’t believe that, then you wouldn’t be at fault.

But if you’re merely clinging to Orthodoxy, for example, because you prefer to stick to the traditions over and against full Catholic communion (because lack of access to an Eastern Catholic church, for example), then I think you’d have to re-evaluate your motives.
 
If they were sincere, the Truth would be revealed. If that’s not true, then not much else is.
 
This smacks of relativism. Trying to be a good person isn’t enough.
 
AlmaRedemptorisMater said:
If they were sincere, the Truth would be revealed. If that’s not true, then not much else is.
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Not necessarily and certainly not immediately. St. John Newman took a long time to accept the faith and if he was at fault for not properly searching for truth, I at least would have serious doubts if I am. Or there is the example of the Native Americans before Columbus. My point is that you shouldn’t assume that someone is not sincerely searching for truth if they are not Catholic.
 
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