Non-Catholics, will your eyeballs melt if you read Catholic Church documents?

Question

Please help me understand why some non-Catholics would rather rely on news reports about Church documents than dare gaze upon the documents themselves. Will the power of God coming through the documents result in a 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' type effect in non-Catholics?

Two examples of obstinate refusal:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AopSiUiothcoafqCcuY9dG7ty6IX?qid=20070711004100AA6flht
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsHv.I6Cq8dpGhmHXS0dfiPd7BR.?qid=20070712154748AAGmuEg

Answer 1

It's just easier for people to react to news stories without considering the fact that those news stories might be inaccurate. Personally, I think a lot of Protestants are afraid of Catholicism, so they stay away from anything Catholic as much as they can.

Your point is a good one, though -- the document that everybody has been all hyped up about this week is SHORT and takes like 2 minutes to read, plus it is easily accessible on the internet. There is no reason that Protestants should not have read it with their own eyes before formulating their responses to it....rather than responding to the news accounts that were VERY misleading.

Answer 2

Here is the full text of the new document that states nothing new: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html

Most Christian denominations believe that each of them is the fullest version of the Church of Christ.

While the Catholic Church also believes that she is "the highest exemplar" of the mystery that is the Church of Christ, she does not claim that non-Catholic Churches are not truly Christian. The Catholic Church teaches:

Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.

Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.

All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 819: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#819

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Never read a Catholic document myself but I have read the Bible several times, and, as a non-Christian, I can say my eyes have never melted.
I agree with Grendel. The press makes it much more convenient to read and, unless you take the time to look up whatever document is the subject, you're going to get a biased point of view.

Answer 4

hi Leslewis65. i replaced into born and raised Roman Catholic interior the Nineteen Fifties and the made of an previous united states Italian family individuals. As such, my Catholic guidance replaced into of an extremely strict nature. As corporation because it replaced into, i replaced into taught via the two my family individuals and the Sacramental Catechism instructions that God does not care what faith someone is as long as he/she lives top via that faith and lives a reliable existence in terms of God, Others and their selves. The doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith are for Catholics and as such are no longer considered binding to others via The Church. I, of course don't recognize which records you have study yet once you desire to lean related to the Roman Catholic faith, I recommend you employ purely Catholic sources. lots of the non-Catholic concepts web content are very prejudicial in the direction of Catholics (and different faiths) and positioned up the two slanted, antiquated or incorrect concepts. now and back i've got additionally discovered outright mis-concepts published. The Church does not desire congregation individuals who're no longer delicate with The Catholic faith. clergymen and different clergy individuals will attempt to artwork with the aid of any conflicts of religion a Catholic would have yet while a member can not locate convenience as a Catholic, they'll talk different thoughts inclusive of conversion to different Christian Faiths. final, i visit show out how in maximum situations people who convert to Roman Catholicism from different Christian Faiths are no longer required to be re-baptised Catholic. The Church completely recognises the validity of Protestant Baptism and the authority of Protestant Clergy to accomplish them. Catholic Doctrine does no longer help distinctive baptisms as do lots of the Protestant Faiths. All faiths as all international locations and positively definitely everyone flow with the aid of differences for the time of their existence. The Catholic Church isn't any distinctive. For currant doctrine i could recommend discovering positioned up Vatican II Catholicism. In answer to you question, Catholics have faith God has the flexibility to flow with who His destiny buddies would be. Regards, Lenny.

Answer 5

well... from what i got on it... the Pope was apparently addressing those reformed Catholic ecclesia that were perhaps getting too liberal in their doctrine. which the Pope targeted in 1980... apparently the threatened schism is greater now.

but it could be enlarged to include all non-Catholic churches... now or later down the road. all that dont have the Catholic doctrine required apostolic succession that is supposed to define what churches can actually offer true salvation to its seekers... and those that include of course the total submission to the Pope. when all the while the Bible says that Jesus is the head of the church.

but there are many churches within the Protestant branch that are independent of the official authoritative Protestant churches. which is very much like the first groups of Jewish believers headed up by the original apostles who broke from the traditional Jewish sects.

so i consider that the Protestants are quite Biblical in their independence from the Catholic church
.

Answer 6

Meg, maybe they'd consider reading some of the documents if we provided them with free protective eye gear.

Whatcha think?

Answer 7

No, they won't melt my eyeballs, but they have been known to make my head hurt. Ouch!

@meissen97 - Because the story you read or heard about might not say the same thing that was written in the document. As a former Catholic, i do know that the press, in its ignorance, often misrepresents the Church. Read Grendel's answer.

Answer 8

That's just unavoidable. People do the same thing with government releases. They rely on press accounts that paraphrase and quote selectively. It's simply that the press is more accessible and designed to be readable. But it gives them too much influence over how press releases,etc. are perceived. They can really distort the original content. But it is inevitable and nothing will change it.

Answer 9

quella bella,

the Bible IS a Catholic Church document, written and translated by Catholics, to confim the faith of the One , Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Answer 10

They sound angry. They also both sound like former Roman Catholics. No matter how much you love your church and support it, if someone has left in anger or disgust, I doubt you'll be able to get them to read anything.