Why is it better to be Catholic?

[RKS89]

I agree, some things can only be “known” by Faith. That’s why I believe the Book of Mormon to be the inspired word of God.

^ That’s what a Mormon could potentially respond with. Perhaps I am misunderstanding, I’m sorry if I am. If you could elaborate or clarify I’d appreciate it.

 

[Arbovirus]

A grown adult has a different outer appearance than when he was a child. Ergo, they must not be the same person.

 

[Reuben_J]

Isn’t it true that at various times in history there have been two or three popes all at the same time? Was it intentional or did it occur unintentionally? How can that be consistent with an "unbroken succession of popes?

No, that isn’t true. There is always one official Pope at a time.

Yes, there might be conflict in power struggle on who was the true Pope. Perhaps like the U.S. during a time of war or conflict where the President has to be located somewhere else in Canada and another person claims to be President in Washington. However, after the war when everything is settled, the true President will continue his office.

The thing is, nothing was lost. The Congress and the Constitution are still intact.

That is what with the Catholic Church. If you visit the Vatican, it would be like going back in time to Jesus Christ as you marvel at the bones of the apostle Peter interned underneath the basilllica and the various Church documents preserved just like they were at those times.

God bless.

 

[Reuben_J]

Here is a list of all the Popes which can be traced back to apostle Peter.

The List of Popes

 

[nogames]

It would seem sensible that anyone reading the Bible would need and explanation of what Jesus meant. Whether you believe in Faith alone", or “faith and tradition”.

What is easier to learn, the bible, or the bible plus the CCC, Trent, the councils, and the entire written body of legal explanations provided by the Catholic Church? It isn’t even close. The bible is a thousand times less cumbersome to learn compared to the tens of thousands of pages of legalese originating from Rome.

 

[CoeurRempli]

Yet from one Bible you can have thousands and thousands of interpretations of the same Scripture passages and come to very different conclusions.

Whose interpretation do we go with? Which one is the truth?

We need the Church to guide us.

 

[nogames]

there’s more to the Catholic church than just the Bible. the bible tells only a part of Jesus’s life.

We don’t need to know what Jesus ate for dinner on His 18th birthday do we? So it becomes a matter of whether or not we can trust that God knows what we need to know. I would say YES! So Scripture is not exhaustive, but it is sufficient for our needs.

 

[Reuben_J]

The small c catholic church is known to be very ancient indeed. But the Catholic Church of our day is not even close to that church.

You need to be more specific on this as to how it was not the Catholic Church since the first apostle Peter as her Pope.

 

[redbetta]

All of those documents are the result of the Church trying to better understand God and humanity in relation to God, better understand the Bible, and face the moral challenges presented at every age.

A Catholic doesn’t have to study all these things. But, a lot of serious Catholics want to. Catholicism encourages the asking of questions and study.

 

[nogames]

Yet from one Bible you can have thousands and thousands of interpretations of the same Scripture passages and come to very different conclusions.

Whose interpretation do we go with? Which one is the truth?

We need the Church to guide us.

I expect that my answer will NOT be at all satisfying to most of you, but you are demanding absolute certainty where spiritual matters are concerned. God has arranged things HIS WAY, which is by faith in Him. Do you think that your way is wiser than God’s way?

 

[redbetta]

How do you even know that God arranged it that way?

 

[nogames]

nogames:

The small c catholic church is known to be very ancient indeed. But the Catholic Church of our day is not even close to that church.

You need to be more specific on this as to how it was not the Catholic Church since the first apostle Peter as her Pope.

Here again, you believe by faith, that Peter was the first pope. But the apostles never treated Peter as though he was a pope, and Jesus called Peter “Satan” just a few paragraphs after calling him a pebble.

 

[nogames]

How do you even know that God arranged it that way?

According to God’s word, it is by grace that we are saved, through faith in Jesus. Who do you think designed and arranged this plan of salvation by grace through faith?

 

[CoeurRempli]

I expect that my answer will NOT be at all satisfying to most of you, but you are demanding absolute certainty where spiritual matters are concerned. God has arranged things HIS WAY, which is by faith in Him. Do you think that your way is wiser than God’s way?

No, which is why I cannot rely on my own personal interpretation of Scripture alone… I need God’s Church.
Scripture can be twisted and lead many people astray. Even the devil can quote Scripture and convince people that he reached his conclusion through “faith in God”. This is why we need a guide.
I agree with you that it’s important not to get lost in the details and forget the bigger picture- the most important aspects of our faith and the Good News that God loves us and has come to save us.
But as you fall in love with someone, you want to learn more and more about them, and grow deeper in relationship with them. Such is the beauty of the richness of the Catholic faith.

 

[nogames]

nogames:

I expect that my answer will NOT be at all satisfying to most of you, but you are demanding absolute certainty where spiritual matters are concerned. God has arranged things HIS WAY, which is by faith in Him. Do you think that your way is wiser than God’s way?

No, which is why I cannot rely on my own personal interpretation of Scripture alone… I need God’s Church.
Scripture can be twisted and lead many people astray. Even the devil can quote Scripture and convince people that he reached his conclusion through “faith in God”. This is why we need a guide.
I agree with you that it’s important not to get lost in the details and forget the bigger picture- the most important aspects of our faith and the Good News that God loves us and has come to save us.
But as you fall in love with someone, you want to learn more and more about them, and grow deeper in relationship with them. Such is the beauty of the richness of the Catholic faith.

Let me ask you this: how did you come to know that you cannot rely on your own personal interpretation of Scripture alone… that you need the Catholic Church?

 

[redbetta]

And how do you know that the book in which that passage is contained is even canon? Who assembled the canon?

 

[nogames]

And how do you know that the book in which that passage is contained is even canon? Who assembled the canon?

I “know” this by faith, just like you do. Canon comes from God. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and they follow me.” Canon comes from God; at best (by grace) we fallen human beings can only recognize what is God-breathed.

 

[RKS89]

I think what everyone here, including yourself nogames, is asking for is reasonable evidence to base a belief system on. The disatisfaction you detect from some of us isn’t directed at you, but for those of us who converted that disatisfaction with Protestantism was the impetus for the change. We are asking you the same questions many of us have asked ourselves before converting. All that is being asked for is a reasonable amount of certainty based on evidence (when evidence is available) to be Catholic, or Protestant, or Jewish or whatever other religion. Lee Strobel took none of the claims of Christianity at face value; he poked and prodded and dug deep into history, medical research and more to find reasonable evidence that Christ was who He said and that the Resurrection happened as outlined in the Gospel. Some people can go their entire lives without knowing, or wanting to know, the facts and details Strobel knows now and compiled into his book, and that’s fine. But there’s a lot of people like him on these forums. We aren’t demanding absolute proof, just reasonable evidence.

 

[nogames]

I think what everyone here, including yourself nogames, is asking for is reasonable evidence to base a belief system on. The disatisfaction you detect from some of us isn’t directed at you, but for those of us who converted that disatisfaction with Protestantism was the impetus for the change. We are asking you the same questions many of us have asked ourselves before converting. All that is being asked for is a reasonable amount of certainty based on evidence (when evidence is available) to be Catholic, or Protestant, or Jewish or whatever other religion. Lee Strobel took none of the claims of Christianity at face value; he poked and prodded and dug deep into history, medical research and more to find reasonable evidence that Christ was who He said and that the Resurrection happened as outlined in the Gospel. Some people can go their entire lives without knowing, or wanting to know, the facts and details Strobel knows now and compiled into his book, and that’s fine. But there’s a lot of people like him on these forums. We aren’t demanding absolute proof, just reasonable evidence.

That is a reasonable objective, and you are right. My point is that digging deeper is a good thing…up to a point. But ultimately, there has to be some limit to OUR ability to understand and process all of the data. I call the parts that fall beyond our abilities, FAITH. It always comes down to faith in the end.

 

[redbetta]

The Bible as we know it was carefully assembled after the hundreds of texts floating around since the days of the apostles were shifted through and a lot were rejected. Who do you think did that?