I think that feeling is very common. I struggle with those things as well. I get scared that I am not good enough to go to heaven, but I still keep going because I don’t see any other way to live. Reading the Bible brings me such hope and joy as well, so I couldn’t abandon the faith. I don’t want to go to hell either.
I have really struggled with this since becoming a parent. It seems like you have to be near perfect to be a good parent and give your children anything of a chance at life. Parenting is wonderful but hard and really draws attention to all my horrible sins like selfishness, greed, lack of love, laziness and on and on.I wish I could remember a saint quote (I can’t even remember the Saint, which is annoying) where he said something like “before I came to God, I did all sorts of bad things. With the help of God I am a better person”. If a saint can say this, there is hope for me!
Also, that trophy is mine!
Don’t do that to yourself! Each of us is given a measure of faith:
Islam is not Christian in any shape or form. I believe it considers the traditional Christian Bible as corrupted and the Quran as the correct scriptural canon. Christians completely do not accept that and say that anyone who adds or takes away from scripture should be accursed! Christian scripture has a long standing history as well and was not just the writings of one man while Islam is so denies the Christian faith and the need for multiple witnesses for something to be proved true. Jesus had the father and John testify that he was the Christ. Many people experienced God, saw him, wrote down his message: the prophets, Moses, the Israelites, Abraham, David, Paul, 12 Apostles, the godly Kings, even some non Jewish people like Nebuchadnezzar ( sp?). We have the witness of prophecy as well. Prophecy came true through Christ and much of it he wasn’t able to bring into being himself! I don’t believe Islam has any of that. Also, Muhammad did not accept Christianity and never really got the full gospel message. Islam is a heretical religion \as well and began very violently, unlike the Christian faith that was very peaceful and loving and nonviolent. Conversions happened by movement of the Holy Spirit not force. I am not saying this was the truth all through Christian history but it was in the Gospels, Acts, and the letters.
I think sometimes I have a tendency to really underestimate myself too. I also know for sure that I have a tendency, in pretty much anything, to get too caught up in mistakes I made. I could do 100 tasks, get 99 of them perfect, muck one of them up and I’ll spend too much time worrying about that one single task than all the others.
I’ve been told by Christians of various creeds that ‘any faith is better than no faith’.
I am not catholic because the traditional type to teachings don’t appeal to me the same way my church does. I like to follow the bible for exactly how it was written and with Catholicism I find certain things, ie purgatory (have yet to find it in the bible).
These are pretty much my thoughts too; all wrapped up in my view that scripture contradicts these teachings. So, for example, as I’ve often said to become RC now requires I believe, confess, and have faith about someone other than God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). I would now have to believe, confess, and have faith about Mary specifically, hence now, in essence, there is another name under which the RC says I must be saved.
Hi J
Yes, I had similar views once (after all I certainly was not born “believing”). Indeed some folks get faith after a terrible episode of some disaster or weakness, but indeed many find faith at the top of their “game”, when all is well, even abundantly, and therefore it is more than "convenience or out of fear. Also, for me, it was ultimate submission for sure, putting myself off the chair and placing Christ in it, not so much an organization. It is a relationship with Christ first, who then puts us into His body of fellow believers. But yes indeed, Catholicism does stress “institution” more than I like (but it should be no excuse for by passing an encounter with a living Christ).
Yes He does. Scripture does say he is angry with the wicked every day. Would you be "happy’’ if your child did wickedly before you and the community ? Not sure why you would object to a stick (consequences) for sin. Have you ever been dealt with wrongly ? What about all the evil stuff we see around us in this world ? Are we pacifists? Do you object to the stick (ticket and fine) you get when you abuse the privilege of driving by speeding? Certainly our minds tell us of the need for justice, even punishment for evil doing in this life, so why not in the next ?
Yes, almost impossible to understand. One must understand “sin” and “holiness” and the need for justice and allowance of free will. Again, why not say the cup is half full instead of half empty? Why not try to understand the the carrot (the Cross of reconciliation) more than the stick ?
Again, sin, and holiness, and justice must work their way into your vocabulary. They are quite logically real.
You are getting glimpses of the sad yet hopeful truth. It is good to see He beckons us in love with reconciliation. Not sure again if you see the need for reconciling though.
Free will. I unconditionally have a gift for you, but if you do not want to receive it then what ? Force it on you ? Again, must see need for reconciliation and consequences of sin.
Wow, very honest of you to say. Not sure if you say this because of general sin, law breaking 10 commandment etc. or because of your proclaimed agnosticism and rejection of the ''gift".
Quite right. We (believers) can be very self righteous and narrow minded and emotional.
Totally a rational thought. But so is His existence. Reason can not take you beyond the conundrum however. It is in the eye of the beholder. What hardens clay softens wax. Where you sit is where you stand on a subject. If you do not believe, you will not have the same rational thoughts as if you did believe. One looks at nature and says there must be a God, but another says what methodology and naturalism, without an iota thought of a creator.
I suppose at issue is the purpose of the punishment. For in society does not the punishment typically fit one of five potential reasons:
As these words of consolation are offered in a spirit of hope I will accept them in a similar vein. Thank you for the kind sentiments…
Yet which among my children may love me perfectly? Might this deter me from offering to take them to the movies?
Is not the father greater than his children? Is he not able to provide love regardless of reconciliation? For who is greater, the one who loves though the other not love in return or the one who loves solely that (or if) another shows love in return?
Is it not more: I conditionally have a gift for you, but if you do not want to receive it I shall allow you to be tormented in the fires of Hell?
This I say because I am fallible. I may be wrong. I have been wrong in the past and so must allow that I may also be wrong in the present (or even the future).
I appreciate the warmth behind your kind sentiments.Quite right. We (believers) can be very self righteous and narrow minded and emotional.
But generally people tend to go where they are comfortable. Yet that is the miracle, that He would draw us to a most uncomfortable place, to see the hope in something totally contrary to our mode of operandi. Just like our first birth was not “comfortable” but necessary, so it is with our spiritual birth, of being born again. I pray that you will be drawn to faith sites and not atheistic ones, and may we believers be genuine and loving with you. But it is He that draws you and whom you must hear.
An interesting analogy…
Yes. Confirmation bias is one of the difficulties one often has. It is a terrible burden when seeking truth.
Thank you.
bjess,
I spend “copious amounts of time” here to learn and understand what Catholicism is. I don’t think it is so “hilarious” as Christians wanting to understand how others devote their faith to our Lord. My time on here has taught me lots about the Early Church Father and has stimulated me to do deeper research in that area.A bunch of people who will not convert to Catholicism but spend copious amounts of tm on Catholic.com…hilarious
I respect your belief but there were 11 men who died as martyrs and 1 who spent his final years on a barren island because they walked and were taught by a man who died on the cross and revealed himself to them when He was resurrected. That in itself is pretty convincing - why would they die the horrible deaths they did for something that was a myth?
