A Catholic lesson from a Buddhist, interested?

Question

I am a former Catholic. I practiced for 27 years and decided that it no longer made sense to me but I digress. When you speak of Mary 'worship', do you ever listen to what a Catholic has to say? OK, here's a good way to put it: Are you praying to a dead friend or relative if you speak with them at night or at their grave? No. Good. We're together so far. When a Catholic speaks to Mary, they are doing the exact same thing.
If you believe in heaven then why wouldn't someone who's ascended to heaven be able to listen to you? To maybe get God's ear a little more? All of this sniping against the Catholics..... if you actually read answers, you'd probably understand where they're coming from. What if you didn't know they were Catholic but read the answer in a non-biased situation? It sounds as logical as anything else anyone believes. All thoughts welcome. Namaste!

DN: I believe it:) Why not?

Blessings to you, Karijay

daeve, many blessings my friend. I have.

Swiss, it really isn't a hard concept, is it? Many blessings to you

Hey (((Spiffs)))! Many blessings and have a lovely eve:)

Hi Chaney, I get where you're coming from. It's a hard catechism to explain in simple terms. Sometimes with a bit of distance we're able to explain it a little more clearly. Blessings

Answer 1

Thank you for your attempt to clear things up. I have great respect and love for Buddhists and all those of other religions and the non-religious, even though I must respectfully disagree with them. As a catholic myself, I commend your knowledge of catholicism in trying to sort out the truth from the falsehoods. The more we learn and understand about everyone's worldview, the more able shall we be to discuss issues in a respecful, intellectual, non-ignorant way.

Answer 2

Hey there sweetheart! How do you digress in just your second sentence? That's pretty sad.

To comment on your statement, I think a lot of Catholics attempt to answer questions to the best of their abilities. The problem is, many Catholics don't know the answer to such questions.

For example, many people are concerned with the church teaching of "purgatory" and why it's now not taught by the church. Guess what, purgatory was never in official church doctrine. Purgatory was an idea someone came up with to try to answer the question what happens to stillborns and righteous people who die before they've been baptized. Surely they can't go to hell after having lived a holy life.

There are other examples...but I think that's where the confusion comes in for people talking to Catholics. One Catholic will give one explanation and another give another...and those answers may vary drastically. I also used to be a Catholic, and I actually attended a Catholic seminary.

I no longer believe in the Catholic Church or in god at all. Quite the change I know. But there are a lot of stereotypes, and I think the issue is people approach not only Catholics but all religions other than their own with skeptism and a closed mind. This of course isn't true for everyone, but those that make stupid remarks and comments probably fit that bill.

Answer 3

"All of this sniping against the Catholics..... if you actually read answers, you'd probably understand where they're coming from. What if you didn't know they were Catholic but read the answer in a non-biased situation? It sounds as logical as anything else anyone believes."

Hey, thank you. That was very nice. Sometimes we do feel like everyone's against us. I hope you found what you were seeking as a Buddhist.

Answer 4

After death, the Organs of body not working and hence they too are not going up with the Soul to heaven. soul is just different kind of body just floating like cloud. where a will to behave is no more available. It works on the eccense of the impressions collected throughout the life. and Universal Power Called God or whoever you may say, guides its SoJourn after Death. There is No democracy of choosing heaven or hell, so question of listening to those in Body on earth and left behind are not listened to by Soul . if they were Democratically waiting for listening , they will never ever be able to climb to heaven or hell but would be listening to Pious sermons of the Bible being uttered at the Grave yard.

Answer 5

I am fellow Buddhist and live in China and have in Tibet. The Catholic prayers to The virgin Mary makes sense remember here in China folks pray to their ancestors all the time, it is no different! Also, we Buddhist pray to the Boddhisattvas all the time and they are not with us in a physical form but are somewhere in the afterworlds.

Answer 6

Thanks for the help.

In addition to your comments:

Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.

The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.

Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.

Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

Thank you. I truly respect what you've posted, especially being an ex-Catholic. You are exactly what I have been stressing in many of my responses, respect towards one another no matter what their beliefs. And yes, I wish that more people actually paid attention to the answers. God bless you.

Answer 8

Listen my child I'm a Buddha reincarnation.

Answer 9

Wow. A Buddhist who gets it more than Christians do. Its a mad, mad world.