However, some of the teachings of the Catholic church, well, just don't make much sense to me. For example: heaven and hell. Why would God, if he loves us so much, send anyone to hell? He created us knowing we would not be perfect. And everyone being born with original sin? If Adam and Eve, say the story is real, really did make such a mistake, why are the innocent babies born supposed to have sin in them? And baptism is supposed to get rid of this? Could this have something to do with the interpretation of the bible? I also don't believe homosexuality is a sin- the people that feel that way, can't help what they feel and haven't chosen to go against God. I recently heard on the radio someone who had interpreted the bible a different way, something about it not being a sin, but a sin against something else. In the story told, homosexuality had just been the case but was not the focus of the story and why there was sin. It may had been interpreted a different way.What are your opinions?
2006-10-24 14:07:52 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I wish I had the answers to your questions, and I hope that somebody has some insight or wisdom, but I think that most of your answers will simply be people's opinions (which are fine, but not conclusive). Every single question you asked is one I've wondered too. It doesn't sway my faith in God, but it does bother me a bit.
2006-10-24 14:15:43 · answer #1 · answered by Iamnotarobot (former believer) 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God does not send anyone to hell. People choose hell by rejecting God. God loves us, in respecting our free will, to the point that He will even allow souls to choose hell for all eternity.
As far as Adam & Eve and Original Sin goes, you are thinking about it in the wrong manner. If you stood to inherent great wealth from a rich relative, but that relative squandered that fortune, through gambling for example, and then dies poor, you wouldn't expect to inheret any wealth. Correct?
The human race stood to inheret their fortune in Sanctifying Grace from Adam and Eve - until they squandered and lost it. How then, can we inherent something, anything, if it was lost by a previous generation? That is why we are all born with original sin, and an inclination to reject the will of God. The Sacrament of Baptism removes original sin - but NOT the inclination to sin.
Homosexuality: Merely being homosexual is not a sin. Homosexual activity however - as all extra-martial sex is, mind you - a sinful act. You cannot excuse homosexual activity because "they were born with it". This mentality excuses all of our sinful behavior, not just homosexual. We all have moral flaws to contend with. Some are more high-profile than others. And we were all born with the "human condition" to comit those sins.
My opinion concerning the bible interpretation you mentioned is that said interpretation is bogus. You are attracted to it because it makes sense to you.
The problem is, it's not about you. It's not about me. It's about Godand the fact we must surrender the earthly way of thinking for a much Higher Spiritual Way of thinking. Those that do this stand a better chance at figthing sinful inclinations than those who choose to stick with the earthy ways.
2006-10-25 10:59:01 · answer #2 · answered by Daver 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maria, you have the Truth on your side! Our history, our tradition, our Church is rich and deep. Do not let anyone fool you into thinking that any of our doctrine is not 100% scriptural.
Check this site out. It is an excellent audio reference site for well explained Catholic doctrine. Each link addresses a different topic. You can download and listen any time.
http://www.biblechristiansociety.com/download
Anything you can find from Scott Hahn is also an excellent and highly recommended reference (see scotthahn.com or salvationhistory.com). Some of his audio work is available here:
http://salvationhistory.com/bookstore/audioRsrcs.cfm
As for some of your specifics, Scott and John address original sin and baptism very well. But, regarding homosexuality, there is a choice involved. The choice is the same that at heterosexual has to make regarding promiscuity. If ones disposition is to be attracted to the same sex, then this is a burden which abstaining from can be offered up as an offering pleasing to God.
I offer to you any help or references I can provide. Feel free to email me off line anytime.
Keep the faith!
God Bless,
MoP
2006-10-24 21:28:26 · answer #3 · answered by ManOfPhysics 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God loves you so much that even after "slap him in the face" so to speak, he will still elt you into heaven if you repent. But if you dont, then why would you get to go to heaven?? Only Gods children get into heaven. Anyone who dies in unrepentant mortal sin will go to hell. And yes baptism will cleanse you of original sin and all time in pergutory for any sins you have commited up until that point. But not any sins after your baptism..because technically after baptism..you should not sin ever again. But many (most/almost all) do. Thats why we have confession.
Homosexuaity is a huge sin. Its not a sin to be tempted into homosexuality, but it is a sin to give into that temptation. In the bible it says point blank...homosexuals will not get into heaven....How can you interperate this any other way?? Only the Catholic church has the authority to interperate the bible.
If you knowingly reject a teaching of the church you cannot recieve Holy Communion.
2006-10-24 21:44:30 · answer #4 · answered by Shane 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Read the bible for yourself and see what it actually says. There are many teachings within the catholic church that are tradition and not bible truth. God is a merciful God but he is also a God of justice. I believe heaven and hell are biblical. Someone who thinks they have gotten away with rape or murder in this life will find that the justice of God will catch up with them and they will go to his jail (hell). Infant baptism is not biblical. The baptism in the bible was of adult believers who had made a decision to follow and Jesus set the first example of this.
It is a good thing to ask God to speak to you through His word and start with the New Testatament accounts of Jesus.
Dont rely on religion alone. You need to develop your own faith. The central issue of christianity (catholic or other denominations) is acceptance of Christ as your personal saviour and following HIm. Realising He paid the penalty for your sin on the cross and you can be reconciled to God the Father because of this.
2006-10-24 21:18:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Asking why God would send someone to hell is like asking why the courts send someone to jail. Just as the courts serve justice based on the actions of the offender, so does God. People send themselves to hell through their sinful actions- by acting like they know better than God.
The concept of Original Sin is just that- the idea that we still bear the stain of that first arrogance against God. It is obvious that we do, or we wouldn't all have the tendency to sin- called concupiscience.
God wants everyone to be in Heaven with Him forever....it is through our own sinful actions that we choose NOT to share in that gift.
As far as the gay lifestyle goes, yes it is sinful. It goes against the natural moral law- even if you do not want to take a religious perspective. Being homosexual is not a sin- only engaging in gay sex is- or any sex with someone of th opposite sex you are not married to.
There are two purposes to sex: 1. procreation and 2. the good of the husband and wife. The sexual act must be open to both purposes or it violates the sexual gift as given by God.
Children are best raised in a family with a mother AND father. Sex creates a bond between two people that cannot be sustained without marriage. Without marriage, it is just sex.
You will hear people say stupid things like," There is homosexual activity in the animal kingdom, so it must be perfectly natural."
Yeah? Well, animals eat their young, too. But I don't see anybody advocating THAT.
My final point is- People accuse Christians of cramming their morality down other people's throats. Know what? I am SICK TO DEATH of people cramming their IMMORALITY down our throats- then calling us intolerant because we are trying to show them the path to righteousness. I am not saying Christians are perfect- we aren't. But at least we ACKNOWLEDGE our failings and sinfulness instead of trying to say our actions aren't sinful.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck IT'S A DUCK. Call it whatever you want- a sin is still a sin.
2006-10-24 21:23:45 · answer #6 · answered by Mommy_to_seven 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It didn't make sense to me either, but when things are put in their proper context then everything starts to make sense again. God does love us so much, and He made sure that we would not remain human for eternity. He did not make hell, but sin did. The human mind makes its own hell, not God. The human mind is the sinner, along with all of its cravings, desires, and ambitions. Likewise, all immoral sexual conduct coming from human origins is sinful and didn't come from God's idea.
The bible taken literally will not make sense, but the spiritual truths (inspired word) reveal understanding to man. With this new understanding our lives on earth have much more importance and order
2006-10-24 21:53:36 · answer #7 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just a few question for you to consider.
Have you ever told a lie?
Doesn't have to be a big lie a little one will do.
What does that make you in the eyes of a Holy God? A liar?
Have you ever stolen anything? Cost doesn't matter.
What does that make you?
Jesus said that if you look at someone with lust you have already committed adultery in your heart. What does that make you?
Jesus said that if you hate someone that you are guilty of murder. What does that make you when you stand before a Holy God in judgment for your crimes against his law? Guilty. You bet.
You say that a loving God wouldn't send anyone to hell, in some respects you are right, but for the wrong reasons. Because of Gods goodness he can't allow sin in to Heaven and in to his presence. So when you stand before him what are you going to say, God you won't send me to help because I am a really good person. Try that in a court of law if you are convicted of pushing drugs, or raping kids. Tell the judge that because you think he is a good man that he won't put you in jail and see what happens. He will tell you it is because of his goodness that he you give you the punishment that you justly deserve.
So it will be when you stand before a Holy God on your day of judgment. Your crimes against his will have to be paid for. One is hell and the other is at the foot of a blood stained cross. But you have to make that choice. Judgment or grace which one will you you choose.
I know my crimes are great and I have made my choice at the foot of that blood stained cross.
2006-10-24 21:27:57 · answer #8 · answered by Dead Man Walking 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You've tackled a lot of heavy questions here, but I'm only going to answer one of them, at least here anyway, you can ask me personally about that other stuff if you're really interested.
Now on to your question on Hell. God created Hell as a sort of container for sin so that when the time comes all sin will be locked in Hell where it can no longer harm those who have become His children. Hell is also the perfect and just punishment for sin. Yes, God is completely loving and completely just. Justice demands death as the sufficient punishment of sin ("The wages of sin is death..."), but His love, mercy and grace demands He somehow show forgiveness. Therefore he sent His Son, Jesus, 100% God and 100% Man who was perfect and blameless, to take upon Himself the punishment we deserve and in the process satisfying the need of justice. However, this gift of God ("...but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord") is not forced on anyone but freely offered to all to accept or deny. If you so choose to try to earn your own salvation instead of truly repenting and accepting God's free gift, God will allow you to try but that involves eternity in Hell, for that is what satisfies justice.
My advise to you is to read the Bible with an open heart, not trying to prove what you want to believe but honestly asking God to speak to you, He promises that true seekers will find Him. He will answer you, the question is whether you have ears to hear.
God Bless.
2006-10-24 21:23:36 · answer #9 · answered by Gray 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Baptism gets rid of original sin. but god is all forgiving and if the child is not baptised but dies he/she can still get to heaven "you must become like children if you wish to enter the kingdom of Heaven"
Adam and eve is just a firgurative story used as a starting point really
being homosexual is not a sin in and of itself it is when it is acted upon that it becomes a sin. so if you like the same sex thats all fine it doesn't become a sin untill you start doing things that aren't normally done between two members of the same sex.
about heaven and hell, God is all forgiving, so if you sin you can still get to heaven, but you have to be a good person, if you've been a nasty mean person to everyone you've ever met and you sin all the time well you're not as likely to get to heaven, but if you repent even at the last second god can be forgiving, but no one on earth is God so we will never know 100% who really gets into heaven and who doesn't
hope that answered some of your ?s
2006-10-24 21:16:58 · answer #10 · answered by lizzygirl2051 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋