Are you Catholic and if you are do you believe everything the Church tells you?

Question

When I ask if you believe everything the church tells you I mean subjects that are hard to believe or very controversial.

Answer 1

I was raised a Presbyterian, and converted to Roman Catholicism as an adult. In my experience, those who were raised Catholic have a far different perspective (and oftentimes a lot of negative baggage) about the Church than those who made a conscious decision to convert as an adult, as I did. The process of conversion was a lengthy one -- beginning around age 13 and concluding at age 28 -- I spent those years researching and immersing myself in many different faiths in an effort to find the one which spoke to me personally. When all was said and done, Roman Catholicism was where I felt "at home" -- for a variety of reasons, some of which had nothing at all to do with matters of faith or doctrine, but rather after an objective study of the history of the Church and the Reformation.

As a "thinking" Catholic, I do not personally agree with certain "controversial" positions of the Church -- but neither I do not condemn the Church or its leaders for those positions which I do not ascribe.

With respect to doctrinal issues that are "hard to believe" -- you did not indicate which of those you are referring to, so I can only assume you are referring to those beliefs which do not have their foundations in the Bible -- such as the perpetual virginity of Mary or the literal view of the Eucharist, among others. Again, since you did not specify which issues you are referring to, I can only guess. A great many of the Catholic core beliefs are a powderkeg issue among Catholics and non-Catholic Christians, who conversely believe that if something cannot be Bibically supported, it is not doctrinally sound. A matter of opinion to which those within the protestant faiths are entitled; but of course it is exactly these types of non-Biblical issues (such as the question of the existence of Purgatory) that caused the schism in the Church and the Reformation in the first place.

So do I personally need to see something as part of the Old or New Testaments of the Bible to accept it as part of my faith? No, definitely not -- and certainly not those matters which have been a part of the faith since antiquity and the very early years of the Church. [Actually, I have a harder time accepting the notion that reformists chose to take away certain long standing, fundamental core issues of the faith, under no authority other than their own, and for reasons which were in most cases self-serving and highly suspect. In fact, the first time I ever read a Catholic Bible, I was shocked -- here were entire books of the Bible that I had never once seen or read -- and not because the Catholic Church had "added" them to the Bible, but rather because the reformists had chosen to unilaterally remove them.]

Do I accept what the Church states in each new version of the Catechism, and that the Vatican has authority over the doctrines and practices of the world Catholic Church? (Yes...because it surely isn't me who is in charge of these things.) This doesn't mean that the Pope is perfect -- "infalliable" doesn't mean perfect or free from sin, of course -- he's a human being, like all of the other members of the Church -- it simply means that we as Catholics recognize him as the leader of our Church, and the representative, or vicar, of Christ on earth. Not seen as a god in his own right, as some fundamentalists would like to believe is the case, but just a man doing the best he can to lead the Church and its people in a very imperfect world.

Answer 2

I'm Catholic, and while I don't agree with all that the church teaches, I pretty much do believe in all the dogma - the core beliefs.

Given that this is posted in the category of Philosophy, a study that comes in handy when dealing with some teaching is "ontology" - the study of "being." I find this very useful when talking to people about Eucharist and explaining the belief that we are receiving THE Body and Blood of Christ.

After that, there is also the issue of linguistics. When I say "symbol," for example, it might mean something different to an artist than to a philosopher than to a theologian.

Answer 3

One needs to take a hermeneutic stance toward much of the Church's teaching on faith and morals, not all, for some things are predicated univocally, i.e. "don't murder"...but things like "Mary is immaculately conceived" is a highyl symbolic and mythological statement which needs to be appropriated.. One could say that as far as morals go, most of the teachings need to be taken at face value. The hardest moral teachings are the ones about sex, which depend on a very specific understanding of the human person and the sexual act, that is, that the human sexual act has an "essence" or "nature" and it's nature is to be BOTH unitive and procreative. One could argue with this and say that it is not ESSENtial to the act for it always and everywhere to be procreative. But I pride the Church on the fact that it at least has a coherent ethical and philosophical system to work with. However, I'm not saying I follow these things.
Now to the domatic statements of faith, again, highly symbolic and in a mytho-poetic language (this does NOT mean that they are false as mere myths, no , but the language not that of univocal logical language, but symbolic and metaphoric language). To come back to the immaculate conception and appropriate it, what it is saying is that all human beings are saved by god's grace, and that God is outside of time and has dominion over it, more than it is pronouncing anything absolutely...although some read it that way.
But again, it is imperative for the believer to take a hermeneutic, that is, interpretative stance toward the church and appropriate the meaning of domatic pronouncements into one's own life.

Answer 4

I was raised Catholic, but started exploring the subject on my own around the age of 16. What do I believe in now?

God=Love.

That's all I need to know and live by. I don't need some child-molesting priest preaching me about sins.

Answer 5

<> definite. I advise, what's the ingredient in belonging to ANY faith once you do no longer trust that is teachings a hundred%? <> using guy-made delivery administration as a ability to that is meant end is mortal sin fabric. that is not significant which you do no longer think of it is going to no longer. faith is consistent with God's certainty, no person's opinion. <> returned, very own theory is beside the point. certainty is what counts; God's certainty. in simple terms being gay isn't a sin. Acts of gay intercourse are what's sinful. and the way can the Church "no longer intefere", as you place it? The Church's Authority is God's Authority. Are you heavily suggesting that God has no top to "intrude"? <> you have self assurance in Civil Unions? incredibly? as though earthly government has authority over God? <> No. that is not. You the two embody a hundred% of Catholic theory and prepare, or exchange right into a elementary Protestant.

Answer 6

Yes of course I believe Catholic Doctrine.

Answer 7

Yes i am Catholic.
I believe basically everything the church tells me, but the Bible is a better source. The church tells you a man's perspective on the Bible. the bible tells you the words of the Lord. Though i believe most of the what church tells me, i interpret it as i see it is meant to be.

Answer 8

Yes I'm Catholic. No I don't agree with all of the Church's doctrine. I have my own beliefs and relationship with God. I think that faith is something personal that you feel. It can't be forced on you from an outside source. Besides the Church certainly has its flaws.

Answer 9

I was born into a Catholic family, abd no, I don't believe what they tell me.

Answer 10

yes I do