For Roman Catholic: Do you believe the Holy Bible as Holy Words from God?

Question

If you believe, then why you need to do a lot of rituals?
like:
1. Praying and reciting the rosary.
2. Believing in baptism of babies.
3. Believing Purgatory.
4. Calling the Pope Holy Father or priest father.
5. Praying for the soul of deceased relatives or kin.
6. Adding more books to the Holy Words of God.
7. Signing of Cross.
Therefore if these rituals you have is written in the Holy Words of God and instructing you of such; so where can you find it in God's Holy Words? Why, you have to do it?

Answer 1

The Holy Spirit was misguided UNTIL the Protestant rebirth of truth ?

So Christianity was ALL WRONG and the original Christians of the first Church are going to HELL ------- before the protestant rebirth ?

That is just as true as saying all the people before Jesus needs to believe in him to enter Heaven.

.

Answer 2

Of course the Bible is God's Holy Word. Usually, when someone presents a "laundry list" of Catholic doctrines and practices in a question like this, with a bit of misinformation tossed in, they aren't really seeking answers but another opportunity to tell us they think we're wrong (at the very least -- sometimes they even tell us we're unsaved Christians, if you can imagine). However, I am always one to give the benefit of the doubt, so on the off chance that you really do want to know the Biblical basis for these and more, here's a link to the Catechism of the Catholic Church where you will find answers to your questions. Taken together, they will more than explain "why". Peace be with you.

Answer 3

yes, the Bible IS the word of God.

1. The rosary consists of key events in the life of Christ. How can meditating on the life of Christ be contrary to the word of God?

2. Baptism is a source of grace. Why would anyone deny grace to an innocent baby?

3. Nothing unclean can approach the throne of God. The parable of Lazarus and the rich man hint at purgatory.

4. What do you call your biological father? Why does Paul refer to Timothy and Onesimus as his children?

5. Praying for the dead is a holy practice, dilineated in the Book of Maccabees, which Luther in his inifinite wisdom declared as non-canonical.

6. The Catholic Church added nothing to the Canon of Scripture. The Protestants took away books.

7. The signing of the cross reminds us of our baptism, and of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

Answer 4

Catholics believe the Holy Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Rituals, or liturgy makes up a substantial portion of the Bible. Reading the Bible from a liturgical perspective makes sense. For example, why was God so "angry" at the Golden Calf incident? They were not worshiping a "false god" Aaron said "THIS is your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt." They were worshiping the correct God with an incorrect liturgy.

Also, there is Leviticus 10:1 where Aaron's sons offered up profane fire to the Lord.

There are many references to the Bible in Catholic liturgy AND many references to the Catholic liturgy in both the OT and the NT.

Answer 5

Yes, we do.
Unless you sit at home in your room and pray alone on Sunday, you too have 'rituals' you do. Every Protestant who says 'goodnight God!' when they go to bed, or 'for what we are about to eat make us truly grateful' at supper time, or who goes to church, or dedicates a certain time to bible study, is acting on an innate Catholic principle, of letting the Gospel permeate their lives. These things you mention (except from number 6, where you misunderstand history) do not take away from the Word of God, but are consistent with it. Numbers 1 and 7 help us live the Gospel more fully.

Answer 6

Yes, Catholics believe that the Bible is the word of God. But as the Bible teaches us, we also believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church to become more and more perfect.

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. (John 16:12-13)

The Catholic Church does not use Holy Scripture as the only basis of doctrine. It could not. The early Catholic church existed before and during the time that the New Testament was written (by Catholics).

There were hundreds of Christian writings during the first and second centuries. Which New Testament writings would become official was not fully decided until about 400 C.E.

Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the early church (and is guiding the church today) to make the correct choices about things like:
+ The Holy Trinity (which is also only hinted at in the Bible)
+ Going to church on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is actually directly against one of the Ten Commandments)
+ The Communion of Saints
+ Which writings include in the New Testament?

Things that are even more modern like
+ Slavery is bad. Slavery is never declared evil in the Bible. This was one of the justifications for slavery in the Confederate States.
+ Democracy is good. The Bible states that either God should be the leader of the nation like Israel before the kings or kings should be the leader, "Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's." This was talked about a lot during the American Revolution.

This second source of doctrine is called Apostolic Tradition.

Do Christians who do not allow the continuing guiding force of the Holy Spirit to make their beliefs more and more perfect, still endorse slavery as Colossians 3:22 commands, "Slaves, obey your human masters in everything"?

Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

We instruct you, brothers, in the name of (our) Lord Jesus Christ,to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2)

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect1chpt2.htm#80

It would take too much space to properly reply to all seven of your issues.

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 7

So i guess you believe the King James version

The KJV is a translation of a translation of a translation. Translated from the Textus Receptus the work of a Dutch Roman Catholic priest and Greek scholar by the name of Desiderius Erasmus, who published his first Greek New Testament text in 1516. The first edition of Erasmus' text was hastily and haphazardly prepared over the extremely short period of only five months. That edition was based mostly upon two inferior twelfth century Greek manuscripts, which were the only manuscripts available to Erasmus "on the spur of the moment"

Do KJV only advocates realize that they stand beside the Mormon church in that both groups believe that they were delivered an "inspired translation"? (Mormon's believe Joseph Smith's English translation of the Book of Mormon from the Nephi Plates was done under inspiration.) Do KJV only advocates realize that the most powerful and irrefutable evidence that neither were translated under inspiration, is the very first edition with all their thousands of errors
Richard Thomson, who worked on Genesis-Kings in the Westminster group, was "led by God in translating" even though he was an alcoholic that "drank his fill daily" throughout the work

Answer 8

The Bible is every bit as important as any of those, but NOT necissarilly "more" important.

Protestants think that the Bible is the ONLY important thing.


Catholics have a much more advanced theology on Prayer & the meaning of life.

Answer 9

Let';s see- first of all...the Catholic Church determeined the canon of scripture. If ANYONE can interpret scripture, it is the Church.

And your entire list is supported by scripture.

Stop listening to idiots who know nothing about the Catholic Church.

There is only ONE entity that would want you to not learn that the Catholic Church is the one true Church of Christ. The devil. Do you really want to give in to the devil by not learning about the truth in the Catholic church?

Answer 10

Go here to learn about the Catholic faith: www.catholic.com.

The list you gave is the same kind we see all the time and is totally supported by scripture.