questions about Catholic practices or beliefs?

Question

I'v seen numerous postings today about Catholic practices. I wish I could answer them all, but I'm at work and I can only sneek in a quick answer now and then. I suggest to questioners that you go to Catholic Answers at http://www.catholic.com then look at the left sidebar: You will see many subjects. You can click on one and see tracts that will answer your questions. Also, the search engine will search 20 years worth of articles from "This Rock" magazine. There are a lot of great articles there too

The"official" Catechism Of The Catholic Church is online at: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/entiretoc1.htm
This is a difficult document to read. (The book is about three inches thick!) But, there is a wealth of information there too if you take the time to learn how to navigate it.

Please do not report me for not asking a legitimate question: I am only trying to help all the people who have been asking questions today.
If you read any of these links, I'd love to hear comments

To TG: If the Bible is all you need then why do 1000 different protestant denominations argue about what it means? And, if you needed a Bible, why didn't Jesus say to make one? He did not, but he DID establish a Church (Matthew 16).

Answer 1

EXCELLENT POSTING !

I hope you post this again in the future.......if you don't want to use your points, allow me :)

For TG:
The idea that all revealed truth is to be found in "66 books" is not only not in Scripture, it is contradicted by Scripture (1 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 3:15, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Peter 3:16). It is a concept unheard of in the Old Testament, where the authority of those who sat on the Chair of Moses (Matthew 23:2-3) existed. In addition to this, for 400 years, there was no defined canon of "Sacred Scripture" aside from the Old Testament; there was no "New Testament"; there was only Tradition and non-canonical books and letters.

Answer 2

Hi, Catholic Crusader. I have found Catholic Answers to be an excellent resource. I can also recommend Karl Keating's book, Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on "Romanism" by "Bible Christians."

I do have one reservation: When I ask questions about Catholic ideas, I have received excellent answers, but copied verbatim from Catholic Answers, without attribution. This sort of plagiarism, while done with the best of intentions, seems to violate the commandment against "false witness."

My practice now is to google a sentence or two from answers that seem too good to be true. If I get a perfect match to Catholic Answers, that answer is, indeed, too good to be true, or at least, too good to be original work.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 3

FYI I left the catholic church because it did not agree with Scripture. If satisfaction and salvation is relayed through tradition and belonging to the denomination, the Bible has no merit and no authority. It does not beckon life. Jesus gave me life when I sought him, not controlled by the presbytery of their church. too much doctrine, not enough life.

Answer 4

Yarrgh, yer church be nothing on the open sea. Man the guns, we'll see who do have God on their side!

(This is a joke, it's Talk Like a Pirate Day, chill)

Answer 5

Thanks for the link. It looks like an excellent reference.

Answer 6

When looking for answers about the church and its teachings, the only "reference" material you need is the Bible.

The Bible contains God's answers, other "creeds" and "practices" are man's opinions.

Answer 7

You are obviously a believer. I am a non conformist Christian and attend a Baptist Church (I will not join a church as I see no Biblical mandate to do so - the Holy Catholick and Universal Church is an OrganISM not and organization) and can find many practices in Catholicism which are just plain nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mindful of my own sin I leave the judging to God and would happily discourse these issues over a meal and a bottle of wine - but I have one question no one has yet been able to answer to my satisfaction.

So your asking for leniency by NOT asking a question is mirrored in my ASKING you a question. I do not believe in priests either male or female as the Priesthood is fulfilled in Jesus our Great High Priest who makes intercession for us - but that aside, even if we allow priests, why are they addressed as Father or even Holy Father when Jesus says this:

especially verse 9

Matthew 23

1Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

16Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

32Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

34Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Answer 8

Hmm no links to child-molestation in the church huh? I guess you guys like to keep that little tid-bit of information secret...