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notJaneAusten
Guest
Agreed!
There Is - There Is.
And that is why it is good to keep it simple
Peace
- Read the Catachism.
- Try REAL HARD not to offend God.
- Go to confession regularly.
James
- Status
E
expectthebest
Guest
I think there are very few who leave the Church with the idea that they are leaving the fullness of the Truth. I would imagine that most who leave the Church believe they are doing the right thing. If they believe they are doing the right thing, do they recieve the same punishment as those who leave knowing they are doing the wrong thing?
K
kinja
Guest
Forgive me but I must disagree with this. I am a RC and I do not believe that God decreed that no one is saved outside of the catholic church. I think we are confusing the institution complete with all our dogma and ritual with Christâs true Church, the Body of Christ. This has nothing to do with ritual but everything with faith, hope and love. The two commandments are to love God and love your neighbour as yourself. We as Catholics get so caught up (similar to the pharisees in the time of Jesus) in the ritualistic part of our belief system that we miss or forget all too often the close spiritual relationship that we can have in comunion with each other and with Jesus Christ Himself.
The most Holy person in Heaven is probably not even Christian for all we know. We need to stop missing the point . . . itâs Jesus not what it means to be Catholic.
1
1holycatholic
Guest
Thatâs Feenyism and itâs not what the Church teaches. This is correct:
That doesnât say that those outside the Church cannot be saved. It says that salvation is through the Church.
E
edrothacker
Guest
I had this question for years. Today I realize a better question is,âWhy be a Christian?â A Christian is a Christ-follower rather than a church-follower. Jesus said, âI am the way, the truth and the life.â My âfaith journeyâ was recently published titled, âKeys to Glory - A Catholicâs Search for God.â If interested, Iâll send a copy. You can email me at edrothacker@sbcglobal.net. Itâs also available at amazon,com or tatepublishing.com.
A
amans_veritatis
Guest
The answer may have to do with the fact that there is more to life as a Christian than getting out of hell. God is not merely interested in plucking a few people out of the flames; He is renewing the world through the Church. To be in the Church is to know Him here and now through Christ, to be a part of an amazing family, and to take up the cause of creationâs renewal. It is better to have this than not to have it. You could live your whole life eating nothing but beans and rice, but wouldnât you rather have the whole banquet? I obviously am not speaking in merely human terms of goodness; you can see what I mean from my examples above.
W
wisdomseeker
Guest
and this is for you to read if you can. very good reading indeed.
zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~vgg/rc/aplgtc/hahn/m3/4mrko.html
God bless.
M
mdcpensive1
Guest
These are all good replies, but the answer is:
It is Godâs will that everyone be in the Catholic Church.
This seems like a quick and dirty blanket statement and I had to think about this, but it is true. Christ left a Church to guide us back to His Father at the end of time. Salvation is through the Church. (Council of Trent) Why is it Godâs will? It is because He uses the Church as the means of dispensing graces and protecting the truth He gave us. The Holy Spirit continually guides the Church in its understanding of Revelation and is the physical body that at the end of time be presented to the Father for salvation. These teachings of the Church is protected from error as others have stated.
Why be Catholic you ask? Scripture talks about entering through the narrow gate. If we want to have the greatest chance of staying in grace for our salvation then we should be in the Church established by Christ Himself that talks for Him in our time. Other churches may say many good things, but they donât have the necessary and important things like the priesthood and sacraments and the guarantee that doctrines are the truth. The Church established by Christ is the vehicle to heaven so come along for the ride and donât take a chance you might miss the boat.
Can I be outside the Church? Yes, but only if you are invincibly ignorant. Why would anybody want to have less than the real thing? There are always exceptions but just because there are, please donât think then that the Church is not necessary. It give the greatest chance and opportunities for Grace for our salvation.
mdcpensive1
It is Godâs will that everyone be in the Catholic Church.
This seems like a quick and dirty blanket statement and I had to think about this, but it is true. Christ left a Church to guide us back to His Father at the end of time. Salvation is through the Church. (Council of Trent) Why is it Godâs will? It is because He uses the Church as the means of dispensing graces and protecting the truth He gave us. The Holy Spirit continually guides the Church in its understanding of Revelation and is the physical body that at the end of time be presented to the Father for salvation. These teachings of the Church is protected from error as others have stated.
Why be Catholic you ask? Scripture talks about entering through the narrow gate. If we want to have the greatest chance of staying in grace for our salvation then we should be in the Church established by Christ Himself that talks for Him in our time. Other churches may say many good things, but they donât have the necessary and important things like the priesthood and sacraments and the guarantee that doctrines are the truth. The Church established by Christ is the vehicle to heaven so come along for the ride and donât take a chance you might miss the boat.
Can I be outside the Church? Yes, but only if you are invincibly ignorant. Why would anybody want to have less than the real thing? There are always exceptions but just because there are, please donât think then that the Church is not necessary. It give the greatest chance and opportunities for Grace for our salvation.
mdcpensive1
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neophyte
Guest
Not necessarily.
Not necessarily.
Not necessarily.
Same answer.
You need to die in Godâs friendship, and the best way to do that is to enter into union with his Church.
Because you know that the Church that Christ established, and that thus has the authority to give you discipline, tells you that you must.
You can if theyâre venial sins - it happens at the start of every Mass.
Under some circumstances even mortal sins can be forgiven in that way - but most of the time weâre not in those circumstances.
K
kinja
Guest
The Church is the Body of Christ not the body of Catholics. To say different would be the same as the Jewish people saying that salvation is through Israel (by this I mean the twelve tribes of Israel not the nation Israel). I believe that salvation is through Christ alone. I believe that the Catholic Church in itâs teachings and rituals has within itâs institution the fullness of the Truth. Although most of the Catholic layity doesnât know much about this truth beyond going to mass and receiving the sacraments. I think we as Catholics need to do more to educate ourselves and others to the Truth that Jesus Christ revealed.
Thatâs Feenyism and itâs not what the Church teaches. This is correct:
That doesnât say that those outside the Church cannot be saved. It says that salvation is through the Church.
But that is another post maybe.
C
Coach
Guest
I thanks God for my parents for raising me in the faith and I thanks God Iâm Catholic. But as sometimes weak person it does sometimes feel like protestants have it nice: never know better so hey rock on with the contraception, stay home Sunday mornings, do what feels good, be a nice person and see you in heaven.
Sure we get the fullness of the truth and the sacrements, and our reward for these extra gifts is to get what the non-Catholics get-----heaven. Doesnât feel right.
Sure we get the fullness of the truth and the sacrements, and our reward for these extra gifts is to get what the non-Catholics get-----heaven. Doesnât feel right.
H
hamspam
Guest
When we see the ârulesâ and âobligationsâ of the church as the gifts that they are, then it is easy to answer why we follow and obeyâŚbecause it is good for usâŚbecause it is how God helps us through this world. Why go to mass? Because the Eucharist is the nourishment that we need. Catherine of Sienna tells us that Christ is the bridge to cross over to union with God in heaven and that he gives us ministers to provide the sacraments while on our journey to help us make it all the way across the bridge without turning back or falling into the deadly waters of sin/death. Why wouldnât we want to receive the gifts of Grace that God has left for us.
For those who donât know or believe in the sacraments, it doesnât mean they canât make it across that bridge, but it will be harder. Take a look at protestant views on things like contraceptionâŚusing contraception is a sin of pride and selfishness. Through the sacraments and becoming more involved at Church I have come to realize this is true. Without that foundation and grace I could have easily gone along using contraception and deluded myself into thinking it was OK. Being selfish and not being open to Godâs will is never OKâŚI always knew it, but it was through the help of Godâs church that I saw my actions for what they were and was able to repent and receive Godâs forgiveness.
God also gave us the gift of a conscience, even if we are unaware of church teaching, the dog of our conscience barks and pricks us to let us know something isnât right. The farther away we get from God and his grace, the harder it is to hear the bark of our conscience. Godâs grace and mercy are there for all who seek Him, but in His church, we have so many more opportunities (sacraments, marian devotion-she is a co-mediatrix of grace, tradition, scripture, understanding of natural law, etc) that the church is the place to be to strengthen that conscience and make sure his bark is loud enough to hear.
For those who donât know or believe in the sacraments, it doesnât mean they canât make it across that bridge, but it will be harder. Take a look at protestant views on things like contraceptionâŚusing contraception is a sin of pride and selfishness. Through the sacraments and becoming more involved at Church I have come to realize this is true. Without that foundation and grace I could have easily gone along using contraception and deluded myself into thinking it was OK. Being selfish and not being open to Godâs will is never OKâŚI always knew it, but it was through the help of Godâs church that I saw my actions for what they were and was able to repent and receive Godâs forgiveness.
God also gave us the gift of a conscience, even if we are unaware of church teaching, the dog of our conscience barks and pricks us to let us know something isnât right. The farther away we get from God and his grace, the harder it is to hear the bark of our conscience. Godâs grace and mercy are there for all who seek Him, but in His church, we have so many more opportunities (sacraments, marian devotion-she is a co-mediatrix of grace, tradition, scripture, understanding of natural law, etc) that the church is the place to be to strengthen that conscience and make sure his bark is loud enough to hear.
1
1holycatholic
Guest
The Church is the Body of Christ not the body of Catholics. To say different would be the same as the Jewish people saying that salvation is through Israel (by this I mean the twelve tribes of Israel not the nation Israel). I believe that salvation is through Christ alone. I believe that the Catholic Church in itâs teachings and rituals has within itâs institution the fullness of the Truth. Although most of the Catholic layity doesnât know much about this truth beyond going to mass and receiving the sacraments. I think we as Catholics need to do more to educate ourselves and others to the Truth that Jesus Christ revealed.
But that is another post maybe.
Thatâs not accurately presenting Church teaching.
Read this summary:
ewtn.com/library/SCRIPTUR/EXTRAECC.TXT
N
NonCatholic
Guest
Go to Mass 3 times in a row, then go to Grace Community Church (non denomination) 3 times and you will have your answer. May God be with you friend.
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1holycatholic
Guest
Do they handle snakes at Grace Community non-denominational?
Rev. Lovejoy says that the one true faith is the Western Branch of American Reform Presby-Lutheranism.
Both of you canât be right.
R
rybotor
Guest
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NonCatholic
Guest
That is one of the more interesting posts; not quite sure what you mean. I thank God for many things, but primarily for Jesus Christ and my salvation.
R
rybotor
Guest
I love your comparison to being Catholic.
God has given us all the tools to make it back home. But if we donât use the tools heâs given us and are conciencous about having them, then we are responsible for either making it back home, or some where else. I am good friends with my Pastor, and I am always saying that right is right and wrong is wrong, their is no in between. The âWordâ is written in black and white, not gray. We arenât suppose to pick and choose our faith, and if we do, then move on some where else and 'good luck, God Bless you, and have a Nice Day."
Granted it isnât always easy being Catholic, rules arenât always fun, but this world we live in is so short as compared to eternity, so isnât it worth it just to live according to Godâs Laws. There is no gray here at all. Choosing to be Catholic is choosing every part of Catholicism. Everything is laid out black and white. WE can question things all day, but the truth lies within all of us, and their is no escaping our good Lord. He knows what we know!!
God Bless all!!
God has given us all the tools to make it back home. But if we donât use the tools heâs given us and are conciencous about having them, then we are responsible for either making it back home, or some where else. I am good friends with my Pastor, and I am always saying that right is right and wrong is wrong, their is no in between. The âWordâ is written in black and white, not gray. We arenât suppose to pick and choose our faith, and if we do, then move on some where else and 'good luck, God Bless you, and have a Nice Day."
Granted it isnât always easy being Catholic, rules arenât always fun, but this world we live in is so short as compared to eternity, so isnât it worth it just to live according to Godâs Laws. There is no gray here at all. Choosing to be Catholic is choosing every part of Catholicism. Everything is laid out black and white. WE can question things all day, but the truth lies within all of us, and their is no escaping our good Lord. He knows what we know!!
God Bless all!!
N
NonCatholic
Guest
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1holycatholic
Guest
- Status