quote" but a lot of the Catholics that I know, all seem like pharases. They seem to think they are better than everyone else, and that prostitues, and homosexuals, and others can never go to Heaven. (If they repent, however, they are able to go to Heaven), quote"
Well, going to address something here for you, I don’t normally entertain troll posts, case in point with your frustration as to why nobody was giving you the time of day, that’s one of the ways we are supposed to react.
I have visted many churches, different denominations of Protestants included, and there are many members that only view it as a social club, and they think they are on their way to heaven because of their good deeds, for they love to pat themselves on the backs for what they have done. They wear really nice expensive clothes, “just like the pharisis”, they drive very expensive cars, they own grandiose homes, they are the epitome of affluence, success and are revered and respected in the community, for they follow the status quo. I then in the business world compete with large companies, they have giant, high end facilities, they have large staff members that wear really nice clothes, they drive fancy cars, they own nice homes, they think they are really going somwhere in life and are also respected in the business community.
Here is the reality to those types though. They surely are following the letter, but not the heart of the matter. They lack passion for what they believe in, for it’s all material and really makes no impact on the world. Once they are gone, all of their wealth turns to dust, once they are gone, nobody is going to sing their praises as to what they contributed to this world to help others, once they are gone, they are gone, over with, and they look back realizing how much in bondage they were for not getting down to basics, for thinking they are better then other people, and this world is almost better off without them. What I do in my world, in regards to religion, is show compassion and empathy, I show them there is a new way, a way the world doesn’t understand, and it so much more then they could ever imagine. What I do in the business world is produce works that even the best players with all of their might cannot compete with, and again, it’s because I have a lot of heart into it, I also have an edge they don’t, I have the All Mighty with me with this and all things, so when it comes to bidding, guess who ends up on top? When it comes to struggling through this failed economy, I don’t have to stress nearly as much with my low overhead, with making ridicoules payments just to support the stuff and staff I own. The friends I have are genuine, my faith and relationship with our Father, the Son, the Holy spirit is very real, and honoring Jesus’s Mother happens to be part of it, she also has taken a big roll in my life and it bugs me when people put her down, it’s taboo to put someones mother down, why on earth do people justify putting our Lords mother down is a total double standard.
At one time, I was like you, not wanting the ceremony, it was because I didn’t understand what it was about in the least, I had an idea, but it was because of my ignorance I didn’t give it the respect it’s due, or more so, what I learned as to what “really” was going on during it, has me in awe. From an outsiders perspective, they cannot possibly understand, they aren’t really expected to, but I can say, it is in no way what you imagine it to be in the least, and if you really wanted to know, you will educate yourself in this area on a formal basis, not trying to take a shortcut by thinking it can be done through some online forum.
Repentance plays a vital roll in salvation, it’s a way of us purging from ourselves the ways of the world, you cannot be part of two kingdoms, you have to pick a side, and if you get it, you really get it and are working from inside out, not the otherway around, you will find the world itself is foreign to your being, it’s spiritual poison, for we are followers of Christ, not the world, the two are at odds with each other, and it’s not about forcing ourselves into compliance, it’s getting out of his way and letting him live in you, and I feel you have experienced too often people with counterfeit faith, they may seem like they are in compliance, that they are getting it, but they are not being true to themselves, they are again, just trying to fit in and do not know what I’m talking about.
Those worldly people I mention, in the end, are very miserable. Their quality of life with all of the lavish luxuries do not give them peace of mind, their pats on the back and acceptance by the community is conditional, it’s not genuine in the least and if they don’t keep up that affluent front, that all goes away, again more slavery. Their big business mentality in the business world has them dying like flies at an early age due to the stress levels. Those are the fruits of the world, and the path you are going if you think you can re-create religion in your own image, for your’s is very flawed, all of ours are, it’s only through the loving Guidance of our Lord that we must follow, and adhering to his church makes it much easier then trying to reinvent the wheel. The thing is, I too tested and prodded, questioned and scruitinized, I stumbled a lot, yet when I reached the discovery of the truth, I find myself back to the church, for all of the work in this area has already been done, it has been refined through the ages, and there is no need for me to have to start from scratch, all I have to do is believe and educate myself from within it to gain the whole truth and get exactly to the meat and potatoes, to the point without having to use the trial and error approach, of which the latter is the path you currently walk.
I struggled a great deal, I even have the Holy Spirit as a teacher, I can’t imagine how hard it would be for one to try that path without him, I feel so sorry for anybody that try’s, . I just thank God he knew me before I even existed, and he has never abandoned me, for I may not always remain faithful, he always will be as well as his church.
I consider myself lucky to have my church, I get to learn from it, from the Holy Spirit and from the bible, having all three, not just one or two makes a world of difference, and I so wish you could understand my perspective, but alas, as Paul mentions in regards to milk and real food, you are not ready for the real food since you are still struggling with just milk and this is a pity, for there is so much more for you. The bottom line here, Google up all of your questions if you insist upon just using the internet to learn from, from there, if you have researched it all, come back here and ask your questions. I have a good feeling your list in that area will be dramatically shorter, and more so, will be educated, not based upon total and complete ignorance.
Thanks for letting me know. I guess I was absorbed in my thoughts pondering the phrases “born again Christian” and “Bible believing Christian.”
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Three, Two, One, we have ignition!