Questions for Christians and Catholics?

Question

First, I respect your beliefs and I am not saying you are wrong. I just am honestly curious to know these answers because no Christians have ever been able to answer them for me. Thanks!

First why do you believe in God other than the Bible says so? Why can we now eat meat on Fridays when we couldn't before? Why was dancing bad but now it's ok? Why does such a loving and forgiving God send people to hell?

Why should an infant who died and didn't have a chance to accept God as his saviour go to hell or even Limbo? What makes a priest so special that he can forgive you for your sins? Why can a man rape and kill people, but if he repents on his death bed he can still go to Heaven while a good and moral non-Christian cannot?

Thanks for the answers so far.. I realize most of the questions were directed towards Catholics, but I have one more question for both:

What about someone from a different country.. from an African tribe or something who has never heard of Jesus because nobody from that tribe has, does he go to hell for not accepting Him?

Also just a personal question.. if your parents weren't religious and didn't take you to church, do you think you would still be a Christian?

One more:

How do you explain how God said the Earth was the center of the universe, but we know the sun is? Same with evolution: it says the earth is 4.5 billion years old and the Bible says it is 6,000 years old. Explanation?

Answer 1

1."First why do you believe in God other than the Bible says so?"
A.God is very real to me.I can honestly say that I have seen Him at work.
2."Why can we now eat meat on Fridays when we couldn't before?"
A.This is meant for Catholics.Not all Christians are Catholics,and the not eating meat on Fridays has nothing to do with a commandment of the Bible.
3."Why was dancing bad but now it's ok? "
A.That was a church's opinion,which not all Christians believe.Once again,it's not a commandment in the Bible to not dance.
4."Why does such a loving and forgiving God send people to hell? "
A.Yes,God is loving and forgiving.But He is also just,holy and righteous,and he cannot let sin go unpunished.
5."Why should an infant who died and didn't have a chance to accept God as his saviour go to hell or even Limbo?"
A.That is not a teaching of the Bible.Verses in the Bible show that an infant will go to heaven.
6."What makes a priest so special that he can forgive you for your sins?"
A.Something for Catholics again.Other Christians do not believe that priests forgive you of your sins.
7."Why can a man rape and kill people, but if he repents on his death bed he can still go to Heaven while a good and moral non-Christian cannot?"
A.Becoming a Christian is not just repeating some words and bam,here's your free pass to heaven! Repentance means genuine sorrow,anguish,and a decision to turn from one's wicked and sinful ways.No one is 'good'.We all fall short of the mark.God's grace is freely available to everyone,and it's up to the individual whether they choose to accept it.

Answer 2

I asked God to prove Himself to me before I gave my life to Him. He did and now I minister His word in our county jail.
Give me direct scriptures that ever mention not eating meat on Fridays. King David danced in the Spirit of the Lord and it is one of the many forms of worship toward God. God does not want ANY of His children to go to hell. However, for those that continue to rebel and live an unrighteous life as defined in scripture must be punished according to His word.

Any child under a certain age will not go to hell but will be taken into Heaven by the Lord. No limbo or pergatory available. The only way a priest or minister or pastor can forgive you is if you have offended them personally. Jesus is the mediator between God and man. Not the Pope or the television evangelists. Again, asking for forgiveness and accepting Jesus into your heart is the only way into Heaven. It doesn't matter if you are a mass murderer or a morally correct person. Without Christ, no admission.

I answered them in the order they were asked. Hopefully you will find these answers insightful or at least thought provoking.
By the way, I am a Christian. All of these answers are based on the Bible and can be found with relative ease.After all, we are to study to show ourselves approved. Also from scripture.

Answer 3

These are sort of short version answers.
I'm not Catholic but I don't bash them either so I'll try to answer from a nondenominational standpoint.
First, I believe in God because I have a relationship with Him and we talk frequently.
The meat thing on Fridays is Catholic in nature so I have no idea why it was not to be eaten on Fridays but I suspect it was revoked because the meaning behind it no longer applied to Catholic followers.
The same with dancing.
In a sense, God doesn't send people to hell. It's the result of their choices. God says He wants all to be saved and come to heaven but He will not force us to accept Him. He is not a tyrant. People end up going to hell because they choose poorly.
God also does not send infants to hell. Jesus said to let the children come to him when He was ministering. God loves children and wants to keep them close. He does not hold them accountable for choices until they reach an age where they are able to make an informed choice. I don't believe in limbo.
Priest originally began to hear confessions because the church felt that the average man was not learned enough in Biblical information to be able to talk directly to God. The church wanted to provide a means for the average man to seek forgivness from God so they used the priest as intercessor between God and man.
Even the most evil man will be accepted into heaven if he truely chooses Jesus. Understand, he will have nothing more than his salvation and will have to face the horrors he has done in life but he will be forgiven like everyone else.
Again, the type of life you live adds to your character but the choices you make will determine where you spend eternity.

Answer 4

The fact that the universe must have a creator, who is God, is self evident to most human beings.

The Bible is not evidence of God, it is merely the account, written in God's own words, of his plan for the salvation of mankind, and for the ultimate resoration of all that has been lost, through sin.

Friday abstinence from meat is a discipline, not a dogma, of the Catholic Church. Catholics are still required to do some form of penance on Fridays to remenber the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. The rule has now been broadened to allow for other optional types of observances, in place of abstinence from meat, during most of the year.

Death and hell is the penalty for sin. Under God's system of justice, the sin of Adam, the first man, was sufficient to damn all of mankind.

Fortunately, and under the very same rule, the sacrifice of the perfect and sinless Jesus, was more than sufficient to redeem mankind from Satan, sin, and death, as well.

And no matter what people claim the Bible says, God gave power and authority only to the church that he personally founded ... not the Bible.

The church has always definitively taught that God can save whomsoever he pleases, for any reason he chooses.

This means that virtually anyone (even a non-believer, or one of those who never even heard of Christ) might be "saved" but it does not guarantee the salvation of any particular individual.

As for the authority of a priest: God founded, authorized, and empowered his church, and gave it sweeping powers that apply both on earth and in heaven.

The first thing Jesus did after he rose from the dead was to give his apostles the power to forgive sins in his name.

The church retains that power and authority today, for the benefit of the faithful, and because God wishes it to be that way.

The priest acts as Christ would, interfacing with the faithful, in a way that is not presently practical for the Almighty to do personally, for reasons that are as yet unknown.

As for the death bed confession: One who claims the grace and forgiveness of Christ, at any pont in life, is faithfully asking God to apply the fruits of Christ's life, death, and resurrection in order to have his sins forgiven, and be reconciled with God.

That's why Christ became a man and died for us. That's why he founded his church and left it behind on the earth. God wishes nothing more than for all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of his truth.

God loves us and he provides for us. All we need to do is claim him and have faith in him, at some time during our earthly existence, and then, keep the faith until death.

Absent that, all bets are off.

Answer 5

Wow! That's a very loaded question. I'm a non-Catholic Christian male, age 40. I've struggled with a lot of these questions throughout my life. My childhood was Southern Baptist, and now I'm an Evangelical (don't ask). Answers I would give to ur question are quite lengthy, so I'd be happy to start up an ongoing discussion thru e-mail with you if you'd like. No denominational dogma, just straight talk. E-mail me if u want at [e-mail].

Answer 6

thank you fro respectfully placing your questions,

1.) Before the Bible there was already belief that there is God, the Bible was made only during the 4th Century, so whether the Bible didn tell us so, but it is used as reference to what God wants to teach us, we still believe on the Divine creator and giver of Life.
2.) this law was a bit relaxed by the Church due to many people and establishments offering meat on Fridays of Lent, and maybe due to health reasons
3.) Dancing is never bad as long as your not naked dancing, or is dancing with your husband, but may become a source of sin, due to sexual promiscuity.
4.) we belive that God is JUST and also MERCIFUL, as long as we live... we can partake of Gods mercy repeatedly due to our sinfulness BUT after we die there JUSTICE is then practiced by God, in accordance to what we have done on earth. i f Judges can send prisoners to hell on earth why cant GOd?
5.) Limbo, they await the final judgement, since they werent given a chance to be baptized and instituted the Sacraments
6.) Priests ( Church) have been given power to forgives sins by Jesus Himself, what they held bound will be held bound on earth, what they release( forgive) will be forgiven in heaven:)
7.) re- rapist? - please refer to answewr number 4

Hope this helps, Peace be with you God Bless

Answer 7

Because God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.

I can see why you are confused. You are mixing false Christian doctrine in with Christianity. In God's eyes, no one is good. We are all guilty of sin, each and everyone of us, except for the innocent, such as children. We believe in God because He has proved Himself to us.

God does not send people to hell, we send ourselves because we have rejected His love and salvation which comes through His Son, Jesus the Christ and His sacrifice. He paid the price of our sins by dying in our place. That is how much He loves you, He sent His only begotten Son to suffer and die for you and everyone else who receives Him. When we refuse God's gift of eternal life, we choose to be separated from God, which is hell.

It is not what we do or don't do that gets us into Heaven. The Bible says that if we could be good enough, then Jesus died for nothing. Only those who are "Born Again" can enter. Being Born Again means having God remove your spirit and replacing it with Himself, the Holy Ghost. That is why we are called new creatures. Once we are born again, God gives us the power to become His children. Only those by the power of the Holy Spirit can be pleasing, faithful, and obedient unto Christ unto death.

You better receive Him soon, because God is going to close the door soon, because He is coming soon to bring judgement on the Devil and all those who chose to follow him.

Answer 8

It's impossible to answer all your questions at the same time. May I just say that ALL the things you said about Catholics are not true. At best some of them are half-true. Perhaps if you classify and group your questions the community will be able to give you more and better answers.

So what I will do is just give you this link.
http://www.catholic.com/library

Peace!

Answer 9

Being well isn't sufficient to advantage heaven. What is fundamental is a sanctified soul and that comes completely from God's grace and now not through any goodness we suppose we now have or present we deserve through our religion. "But, I do not feel that the Pope is God's guy on Earth. I suppose that the pope is the largest fake prophet that ever walked this Earth, as each Pope earlier than him used to be, and each Pope after him will likely be. It's ludicrous to suppose that God might opt for a ordinary guy out of society to be His mouth and to talk His phrase." So you don't feel that Jesus used to be in a position sufficient to set up the Church with enduring management, that He made a mistake in deciding upon St. Peter as His chief and that Jesus Himself selected a fake prophet to steer His Church. Such statements are not anything lower than blasphemy. What you declare to be ludicrous is strictly what Jesus did whether or not you adore it or now not. The Church with the management established through Christ nonetheless exists in these days and can exist till the Parousia simply as Jesus promised. We have no idea who's the anti-christ however we're confident that it are not able to be the pope through our Lord. "Shouldn't all Christians unite below the phrase of the Bible, now not a person who isn't God?" Say what you are going to however Jesus has already spoken and He gave all authority to the Church and to not the Bible. Christianity is headquartered on Christ's Church and now not on a guide that's the manufactured from that Church. We didn't write the New Testament for it to be the last authority for religion and we didn't canonize the Christian Bible for it to usurp the authority of the Church. That might be disobedient to Christ's educating who based His authority with the management and now not a guide. Sola Scriptura is a heresy that has ended in over 30,000 schisms within the Corpus Christi. Christians subsequently instances have got to accumulate across the bishops simply as St. Ignatius taught. Only heretics will have to accumulate round a guide wherein every character turns into their possess theologian. "My query to Christians, Catholics in unique, is why you might suppose that the Pope will have to be a devout chief whilst the one character are compatible to be one used to be Jesus Christ." It does now not topic what Catholics or someone else thinks whilst one is a Christian. What concerns is what Jesus thinks and what He proposal is that a long-lasting Church demands a long-lasting chief. That is why Jesus based the steady management of the Church via apostolic succession with Himself because the cornerstone and the disciples because the 12 groundwork stones of the Church. This is a groundwork now not constructed on sand however one constructed at the so much cast of foundations. Jesus is the top priest and the disciples and their successors are the educating authority of the Church. Jesus gave all authority to this management. In the primary century of the Church the Church is defined as folks that accumulate round those bishops ordained through our Lord. Jesus selected St. Peter because the chief of the disciples and the workplace of St. Peter stays wherein the primary amongst equals is living and leads the Church to the fullness of reality. God bless! In Christ Fr. Joseph

Answer 10

Q1. why do you believe in God other than the Bible says so?

We believe in no other God than the bible says. I wonder from where have you got this wrong concept!!.

Q2. Why can we now eat meat on Fridays when we couldn't before?

Christians were never prohibited to eat meat on fridays.

1 Corinthians 8
8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

1 Timothy 4

1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

Q3
Why was dancing bad but now it's ok?

Dancing was never told as bad. Personally I do not like dancing.
Dancing without sufficient clothes are still considered as bad and it includes in the following.

Galations 5 : 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Psalm 149:3
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

Psalm 150:4
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Q 4.
Why does such a loving and forgiving God send people to hell?

God wants all people to be saved from the power of sin and death. (satan)
John 3: 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Q 5. Why should an infant who died and didn't have a chance to accept God as his saviour go to hell or even Limbo?

No infants will be perished. Its the false teaching of some pagan Churches.

Matthew 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

# Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 18:16
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Q 6. What makes a priest so special that he can forgive you for your sins?
In Christianity actually there is no need of a priest. In the old testament times preists were those appointed to do sacrifices for the believers. Christ is already the High Priest now and did a great Sacrifice on the cross.
All christian believers are designated as priests.

1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Hebrews 6:20
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Q 7. Why can a man rape and kill people, but if he repents on his death bed he can still go to Heaven while a good and moral non-Christian cannot?

If a man does all sort of such things and thought to repent on death bed, God is the who knows the thought of people, either that person do not get an oppertunity to repent or his repentance will not be accepted because he thaught to live with all sinfull actions and sneek in to Kingdom of Heaven.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Revelation 21:
7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Hope you have the clarifications.