Why aren't you Catholic?

[Rx4liberty]

Thx for the explaination

[Meriweather]

@sgdp

Yeah, simply being present is a win for me, too. We do nearly all of our services and activities in our homes, so I try to contribute by hosting things. Then I can focus on food and tea and general bustling about. We gotta find our niches, us introverts lol They’ve thrown a wrench in my strategy by asking me to be on a committee for youth, though.

I work a lot with teens. They are good for us, and they get us out of our comfort zone, which is not such a bad thing. Good luck with them! Overall, I think you may find it exasperating but well worth while.

[JayJay]

@koushi_shinigami

@JayJay

Salvation is not just getting into heaven. It’s a conversion of the heart and soul.

The saved Christian wants to do good because he’s saved.

In that way it’s evidence of their salvation.

And what if the saved don’t do good works?

Why do the saved need evidence? To whom do they need to prove their salvation?

First of all, I’m a non-believer so none of this matters to me. I’m simply presenting the counter-arguments.

They don’t NEED evidence. The evidence just is.

Like light and heat from the sun are evidence of fusion reactions taking place at the core.

[koushi_shinigami]

@JayJay

First of all, I’m a non-believer so none of this matters to me. I’m simply presenting the counter-arguments.

They don’t NEED evidence. The evidence just is.

Like light and heat from the sun are evidence of fusion reactions taking place at the core.

If evidence is not needed, then neither are good works.

[Gaius]

@Rx4liberty

Thx for the explaination

You are welcome.

[Perdidochas]

Flameheart,

Question: If you believe in the teachings of the Catholic Church, and consider yourself Catholic, why, (besides work or illness) don’t you attend Mass every Sunday? I can’t understand that.

[Perdidochas]

Most of the Church’s wealth is in property. They don’t have a lot of disposable wealth–aka cash. They do have a lot of treasures. What do you want? For the Vatican to be sold to the highest bidder?

[rckirby]

@sgdp

@Meriweather

@sgdp

So it’s more of a social thing? Maybe I’m just to anti-social to understand lol One of the biggest burdens in my faith (for me) is all the meetings and feasts and general socializing. I have made my biggest progress and feel closest to God alone, reading books, meditating, journaling, praying, etc.

No, it is definitely not social. I am pretty much the proverbial hermit when it comes to socializing, which I avoid. Period. Homilies at church introduce new thoughts and new possibilities in an atmosphere where I am not required to do any socializing or mingling. I am fine with listening and pondering what others say. I challenge myself to put into practice what I have heard that day. I simply don’t want to chat about it. I hide behind, “Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” a lot–certainly more than Jesus intended.

I find a metric ton of content online through podcasts, YouTube channels, PDFs, online libraries, etc. That’s my preferred medium anyway. I have never gained much from in-person study circles or the services we have in terms of new ideas. I only attend out of sheer obligation hoping one day I am “deepened” enough to gain something out of it I guess.

Awesome. I, like you, are totally committed to Jesus. I am not enamored of any particular ‘church’. BUT, what I do like is that people who believe in God and Jesus live everyday in that love. We may all disagree about the particulars, but the bottom line is that in the end we stand with each other. Thankfully many of us also embrace Judaism because we have the same God. We might argue about what all that means, but at the Thanksgiving Table, we love each other. I appreciate that we aren’t out in the streets killing those that don’t 100% agree with us.

Just my humble opinion. Thanks Meriweather for starting this thread!

[Meriweather]

@rckirby

Thankfully many of us also embrace Judaism because we have the same God. We might argue about what all that means, but at the Thanksgiving Table, we love each other. I appreciate that we aren’t out in the streets killing those that don’t 100% agree with us.

I love this sentiment! Thank you.

[rckirby]

@Meriweather

@rckirby

Thankfully many of us also embrace Judaism because we have the same God. We might argue about what all that means, but at the Thanksgiving Table, we love each other. I appreciate that we aren’t out in the streets killing those that don’t 100% agree with us.

I love this sentiment! Thank you.

Hey…I was born to a Catholic mother and a Baptist father. Baptized in the Catholic church as a baby.As a ‘compromise’ to keep the peace, I was raised Lutheran. In my teenage hood I migrated to the Baptist church and was Baptized by excepting Christ as my savior.

I had 2 brothers that died within a month of birth 60 plus years ago. One is buried in a Catholic cemetery and one is buried in a Protestant cemetery (less than a mile away from each other) because one was ‘baptized’ at birth by the Catholic Church and the other one wasn’t.

When I had my first child in 1975, my husband was Catholic but divorced, but I was not. The Priest came in to my hospital room and said he could not baptize our son because his father was a divorcee.

My point is that I lean more towards asking Jesus to save me and forgive my sins vs a priest that makes decisions on a baby’s soul.

[ToT]

The same reason I do not worship Zeus and Apollo. The same reason I am not a Scientologist and the same reason I am not expecting to come back as a really cool animal after I bite the big one.

They are all wonderful fantasies that are also quite untrue.

[rckirby]

Says you. Here’s the thing…Those that hate ‘religion’ put too much ‘faith’ in government. Religion has… an is… evolving because we DON’T believe in an over reaching ‘overlord’ government that tells us what to eat and what we can’t.

IMHO, the founders of the USA had it right. Sadly, the rest of the world hasn’t caught up.

[Meriweather]

@rckirby

Hey…I was born to a Catholic mother and a Baptist father. Baptized in the Catholic church as a baby.As a ‘compromise’ to keep the peace, I was raised Lutheran. In my teenage hood I migrated to the Baptist church and was Baptized by excepting Christ as my savior.

I had 2 brothers that died within a month of birth 60 plus years ago. One is buried in a Catholic cemetery and one is buried in a Protestant cemetery (less than a mile away from each other) because one was ‘baptized’ at birth by the Catholic Church and the other one wasn’t.

When I had my first child in 1975, my husband was Catholic but divorced, but I was not. The Priest came in to my hospital room and said he could not baptize our son because his father was a divorcee.

My point is that I lean more towards asking Jesus to save me and forgive my sins vs a priest that makes decisions on a baby’s soul.

I am absolutely flummoxed! I’ve never heard that a child being refused baptism because of a divorce! My children’s father is a professed atheist–the Church knew it and it was never a problem. I am so sorry (not to mention apoplectic). I think many priests would feel the same. Priests are suppose to be those who guide and point the way–not stand in the way.

[Meriweather]

@ToT

The same reason I do not worship Zeus and Apollo. The same reason I am not a Scientologist and the same reason I am not expecting to come back as a really cool animal after I bite the big one.

They are all wonderful fantasies that are also quite untrue.

Throughout history, there have been stories of Zeus, but no witnesses. With God, we have testimony of witnesses down through ages to this day. I am such a witness. God is reality, and His love for us is beyond imagining.

[TheRedComet]

@rckirby

Says you. Here’s the thing…Those that hate ‘religion’ put too much ‘faith’ in government. Religion has… an is… evolving because we DON’T believe in an over reaching ‘overlord’ government that tells us what to eat and what we can’t.

IMHO, the founders of the USA had it right. Sadly, the rest of the world hasn’t caught up.

That’s a leap. Some of the militant atheists out there are anarchists.

[ToT]

lol - Of course there were witnesses for Zeus, and if those folks had won out I have no doubt that you would be claiming to be one of those witnesses for him today.

I don’t know what to make of the govt. rant, I’m just testifying that the whole GOD thing is a load of malarkey. And yes, most of the poor nuns in my Catholic grammar school were a bit whacked.

Sister Elenore was cool though. Especially when she got busted necking with one of the priest in a car.

[FlameHeart]

Social anxiety (our parish is extremely big and it sometimes overwhelms me to go. I had a panic attack once and am scared of showing my face again). Schoolwork (I’ll be working on a lab report three days stright that is due the next Monday). Other reasons I don’t feel comfortable mentioning.

I will pray in private, too, and I go to Confession as well. I also attend on holy days of obligation and major holidays, because I play my violin during those services. One of our well-liked deacons have died and the head priest whom we have known since I was little is getting transferred to Fairbanks, Alaska and it’s just disheartening to see the parish in the process of falling apart (people leaving) so that’s also a reason I don’t go- my circle of aquaintences is getting smaller. It’s not like I’ve left the parish completely and joined a Satanic cult. I’m still a member, just not as present.

[JayJay]

@rckirby

Says you. Here’s the thing…Those that hate ‘religion’ put too much ‘faith’ in government. Religion has… an is… evolving because we DON’T believe in an over reaching ‘overlord’ government that tells us what to eat and what we can’t.

IMHO, the founders of the USA had it right. Sadly, the rest of the world hasn’t caught up.

Provide support for your assertion that people that “hate” religion put too much “faith” in government.

What does that even mean?

[FlameHeart]

Same here. I’m not a very social person, and our parish has grown significantly since I first joined at around 10-12 years old. Part of this might be anxiety, but I just don’t find the same enthusiasm when I’m around people than I do reading a book. It’s strange…

[sgdp]

@FlameHeart

Same here. I’m not a very social person, and our parish has grown significantly since I first joined at around 10-12 years old. Part of this might be anxiety, but I just don’t find the same enthusiasm when I’m around people than I do reading a book. It’s strange…

Not strange! Lots of folks like us out there. And I know for me what compounds it is the culture/language divide in our community. They treat to be inclusive of me, but I doubt I’ll ever truly feel comfortable.