Christians, do you study?

Question

I am often amazed at the answers protestants give regarding certain teachings from the Catholic Church (i.e. purgatory, confession, etc.). I see it all the time and its always the same old tripe: "it was an invention of the dark ages", or "the Council of Trent made it up", or something along those lines. Have you ever studied early christian writings from the first 3 or 4 centuries, by men such as Clement of Rome, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Ignatius of Antioch, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and others? Did you know that there are hundreds of protestant ministers (yes, ministers) who say that there conversion to the Catholic faith was cemented by reading the writings of these early christians? Do you study such things, or do you just parrot what you read in poorly written anti-Catholic tracts? Study the early fathers - you may be in for the surprise of your life when you find out that the first Christians believe what Catholics believe today.

Yes, legions of protestant ministers "come home to Rome" all the time. There's an organization devoted to them: The Coming Home Network ( http://www.chnetwork.org/ ). They have a TV show called The Journey Home on EWTN ( http://www.ewtn.com/ ).

IMPORTANT LINK:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Pillar.asp
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Answer 1

Even if everyone became a catholic (which would never happen anyway), I would not. Catholics are not saved Christians. Catholicism has a false gospel and it leads to eternal hell.

Answer 2

My dear Catholic Crusader, what you are suggesting has been the topic of much study and many doctoral theses. The history of Christianity has been called the Greatest Story Ever Told simply because a whole pagan Roman empire became The Holy Roman Empire with Christianity as its base- along with the early fathers you spoke about.

But let's back up the truck to the original situation. Jesus Christ was born a Jewish Essene, a branch of the Jewish faith of that time. His father was a carpenter and it is believed his mother was a teacher in an Essene school. (Essenes were healers and teachers. ) Jesus was a learned person himself, and brought the message of loving -kindness (a Buddhist principle) to the people. Instead of commandments, he preached beatitudes. Love one another was his message.
He started to have a great following. And he was killed for it.

But as with all politics, there were different schools of thought.
It was thought that Jesus had a brother or cousin (James the Lesser) who wanted Christianity to follow Judiasm more closely. Others such as St. Paul spent time convincing the Roman pagans that Christianity was the way to go. (Christmas and Easter have their roots in pagan celebrations.) Pagans also had many gods, so the idea of praying to a certain saint appealed to them. Through this all was born the Holy Roman Empire, and many of the early christian writings have been buried or ignored. Keep in mind also that Rome was crumbling within and many people did not read or write at the time in history.

As for all the other things you mention, there will always be splintering and disagreement within factions. The truth is that politics and religion just do not mix well. I prefer to follow the original message: Love one another as I have loved you.

Answer 3

I will say this much..the Catholic Church has alot right, but they also have alot of things wrong. I have studied the Catholic Church and alot of their teachings and things that the Catholic Church teach don't go what Christ taught.

After Christ left the earth and the Apostle where gone the early church fell apart and many teachings were lost and changed.

Confession, I can go to a Priest and tell him what sins I have committed and he can forgive me? Since when does a man forgive, whatever happened to going before Our Heavenly Father?

What about an old practice of buying a body out of hell? I can give money to the Catholic church for old Uncle Bob and even though he never accepted Christ, was a dunkard, slept around, killed people, he can still get into heaven.

Where is it taught in the Bible that we are to pray to the Virgin Mary or any other Saints? Honestly, Mary doesn't give a crap about what you are asking, Jesus told us the only way to His Father was through Him. Praying in vain repitition, Christ taught us not to do this, but yet at every Catholic service the same prayers are offered up, and are repeated by all.

Baptism, it is taught that Baptism is immersion, not a sprinking. Infant Baptism...children don't know the difference between right and wrong and for that reason they don't need to be baptized. Baptism is a way of making a covanent with our Heavenly Father, and to show him the sacrifice that we have made, as well as for a remission of our sins.

As I said, I think the church has alot going for them, and I am not the one to judge if Catholics will reach eternal glory or not, that is my Heavenly Father's choice.

Now here is a question, if you came to my door and talked to me and I told you I was a Latter-Day Saint would you tell me that I am not a Christian and start spouting lies by poorly written tracks or would you truly study my religion and have an open disscussion with me?
? And yes I am LDS.

Answer 4

look im only going to answer this because i see no other christian who is going to bother. but i was raised without religion. i had a dad who was raised christian, and i had a mom who had been raised catholic. neither one practiced their faith. my moms mom would take me to catholic service, my dads mom would take me to christian service. i became christian because i felt Jesus call out to me. i never knew more of catholic doctrines nor anything to do with them. i didnt like the fact that i had to tell my secrets to some priest when i could speak directly to the almighty God and get a direct answer. would you ask your mom for permission when you know your dad has the power to give the ultimate decision? that is how i saw it. anyway, now that i have grown i am going on 10 years being a christian, and i have seen many ups and downs in these ten years. i have fallen but by the mercy of God gotten up again. well anyway, i am a christian, who practices her faith, yet i work with the catholic church. ironic huh? but i also practice the part where it says to not judge and i respect people because of their beliefs. what i do is, if they ask me things or if conversation calls for it, i will explain of my religion and my doctrines. now i have to attend a mandatory mass once every other month. and i dont like it but its work, anyway, i have realized that what they talk about in the mass is basically the exact same thing that they preach in my church. the differences are these, and if you have never attended a "christian" service then perhaps you shouldnt be talking, the difference is, that they also worship their marys and josephs and all the saints. when they do mass, they read from a book instead of doing it from the heart. many are the differences, and if i go out and tell people why I believe what i believe and if it sounds like its against catholics well im sorry but i dont mean it to sound like that.

in addition, everything i have learned is not from "poorly written anti-catholic tracts", but from personal experience. perhaps you should be quiet by saying all christians read those "books" and that is why they dont like the catholic religion, and maybe go to a christian service.

and for your extra information, i dont hate nor judge the catholic church.

have a good day.

Answer 5

With today's society you are going to run into a lot more uneducated people when it comes to others beliefs, than those who are educated. What amazes me is how quickly people jump to rash conclusions, give harsh answers, twist facts, or give out right lies as facts, or don't even know what the heck they are talking about. It is not just the Catholic church that is attacked this way, but many religious groups are. No one wants to take the time to understand their neighbor's beliefs, instead they remind them that they are going to hell if they don't change their ways, or they are not "true Christians". I am not here to pass judgment on what someone else believes, I am not here to tell them they are or not going to spend eternity in heaven, that is what Jesus and God are for. I believe that you should have somewhat of a knowledge base of other religions, especially if you are trying to convert them to what you believe, or dare to tell them what they believe is wrong. How can you know if what they believe is right or wrong unless you have study. I pray for those who are constantly out in the world bashing others beliefs, and my belief as well instead of taking the time to learn about what I know to believe is true.

Answer 6

I am a Christian and I do study the Bible. I study it on
my own and I'm in a group Bible study where we go
line by line. One answer says the Bible is so "unclear".
It may be unclear to her, but not to me. Different protestant
denominations may not worship the same, but they still
believe in the same God of Creation, and that's okay.

There is a great Bible Study on tv by Les Felding.
I wish you would all watch it as the Bible is explained so completely and clearly, and I see that many of you need to watch a program like this so you, too, can understand the scriptures.

Also, the Copelands read and explain the Bible, if you
really want to learn something, and it's on tv also so you
don't have to go to church or leave your home.

Answer 7

Christians learn the Bible. The hierarchy of angels is a trifling element and is truly straightforward, and reported interior the Bible very temporarily. yet as for a complete concentration and learn no, Christians do no longer. Angels do no longer carry the comparable place in Christianity that demons would in satanism. Jesus is the concentration of Christianity and his ability to shop sinners. Angels are even decrease than mankind and are purely servants, and would in no way be worshiped, etc.

Answer 8

Few critics of the Catholic Church bother to read primary sources about it.; they should try reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church for starters
The use of inaccurate and bigoted sources for misinformation about any group is foolish at best

Answer 9

Hi,
I just wanna pop in here for one second even though I am non-denominational Christian and NOT Catholic -

Just want to remind you that it makes no difference what ANY MAN WROTE - doesn't matter what the "earliest Christians" wrote, it doesn't matter what the Pope wrote, or even hundreds of protestant Ministers -
THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS WHAT DOES GOD HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT? Trust the emphatic Word of the Living God - I promise He has the correct answer. He has foretold ALL things.

Answer 10

Why not read what the earliest of Christians, the apostles, wrote? For instance, Peter wrote, "…you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood." Yet does the Catholic church teach that believers like you and me are priests and the true "church" of God?

Answer 11

I stand firmly with CJ in that Catholics are not born again Christians. And being born again is a standard for Salvation.

Catholics simply don't teach the necessity of Salvation, they're too caught up in liturgy and tradition.