believer, that's childish! You know full well that God has absolutly no power over you if you choose to exclude Him from your life. He gives us free will. We can choose Him or reject Him. He has no power over that! Did God have power over Adolph Hitler or Joseph Stalin? NO! These men choose to live ungodly lives, God had no influence as they were killing people. Was the crucifixation (s...more

believer, that's childish! You know full well that God has absolutly no power over you if you choose to exclude Him from your life. He gives us free will. We can choose Him or reject Him. He has no power over that!

Did God have power over Adolph Hitler or Joseph Stalin? NO! These men choose to live ungodly lives, God had no influence as they were killing people.

Was the crucifixation (spelling) of Jesus active or passive? If God cares about every hair on our head, and gives us every breath, then Jesus would have been giving breath to the very men that were Crucifying him.b Yet He willingly accepted His death. This was the most active moment of His life!

Do not accept anything as truth without Love, and do not accept anything as Love without truth.less

Yeah Online, you've all got the Holy Spirit within, you are all solid, and you are ALL hearing from the Holy Spirit. Then PLEASE explain why there are 34,000 PROTESTANT denominations ALL hearing from the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit tells you one thing, the guy across the street another thing, and the pastor around the corner another thing. Is the Holy Spirit Schizophrenic?

and it's the same with Christianity in general Believer, Christ has absolutly no power over you unless you allow it and you submit to Him. You have free will. You mentioned the catechism you learned as a kid. I'll say it again, throw that one away, it was the Baltimore Catechism, more of a workbook. Get a copy of the Catechism today as written by the Vatican. It's an excellent re...more

and it's the same with Christianity in general Believer, Christ has absolutly no power over you unless you allow it and you submit to Him. You have free will.

You mentioned the catechism you learned as a kid. I'll say it again, throw that one away, it was the Baltimore Catechism, more of a workbook. Get a copy of the Catechism today as written by the Vatican. It's an excellent read!less

As IHS said, The Church of Jesus Christ which is the Catholic Church has the final authority over the people of God. And all through biblical history God has left someone in charge to lead His people, for example Moses and Abraham. It's exactly the same now, it was prophesied in Isiah, then spoken by Jesus where He spoke to Peter I will give you the keys to the kingdom and what you bind ...more

As IHS said, The Church of Jesus Christ which is the Catholic Church has the final authority over the people of God.

And all through biblical history God has left someone in charge to lead His people, for example Moses and Abraham.
It's exactly the same now, it was prophesied in Isiah, then spoken by Jesus where He spoke to Peter I will give you the keys to the kingdom and what you bind will be considered bound in heaven, what you loose....

Peter is mentioned by name 195 times in the NT, notice it's always Peter and the others, Peter and the deciples, Peter is obviously given primacy.

Our heavenly Father would not leave His children alone to fumble around with no direction. God in His Wisdom and love for us has established the Holy Catholic Church to guide His children. And guide us well they do. Look at the holy people this Holy Church has produced over the years.less

I'm with IHS, I stepped away into the Evengelical world for a while, but now I thank God daily (in Mass) that I have returned and can worship Christ in His fullness through his body the Holy Catholic. Amen!

Online I spend more time reading my bible, daily I'd say, plus a bible study on Thursday evenings. My catechism as I said earlier, kind of "puts it nicely" as a guide to Christian living, as a commentary to the bible, and it is recommended to be used in conjunction with the bible. If you read through the catechism, you will notice Scripture references throughout. Now if I spent a...more

Online I spend more time reading my bible, daily I'd say, plus a bible study on Thursday evenings. My catechism as I said earlier, kind of "puts it nicely" as a guide to Christian living, as a commentary to the bible, and it is recommended to be used in conjunction with the bible. If you read through the catechism, you will notice Scripture references throughout.

Now if I spent as much time reading my bible as I've spent on this site lately....

Forgiven, that's a perfect way to explain it! For me, reading through the catechism is exactly the same as when I read though my New Living Translation Life Application Study Bible, you know the one, green cover, about 3 inches thick. You can buy it at any Christian bookstore.

Commentaries to the traditions past down would be referenced in the catechism.less

Daniel Paul, I'm still investigating and learning my faith, and thus haven't spent much time researching the Church's view on Purgatory. All I know is that the Catholic Church doesn't take anything lightly and they would not have determined this doctrine from thin air. I'm the wrong guy to ask, hopefully Fr. Fleming, or someone like Chris can join in and offer the Church&#...more

Daniel Paul, I'm still investigating and learning my faith, and thus haven't spent much time researching the Church's view on Purgatory. All I know is that the Catholic Church doesn't take anything lightly and they would not have determined this doctrine from thin air. I'm the wrong guy to ask, hopefully Fr. Fleming, or someone like Chris can join in and offer the Church's doctrine. I did pick up a book on the subject a while ago but have not read it yet.

Think of Penance this way. If you stole someone's car and smashed it up, got caught, repented, and asked the owner's forgiveness, and they forgave you thus all is well. Except since you are repentant, you most likely will offer to repair the damage to the car. It's kind of like that with penance. You are forgiven, and Christ has atoned for your sin. There is Nothing you can add to His Atonment for your sins, thankfully He has done that for you. Yet you can do your part to personally repair the damage your sin has caused to yourself or to someone else, in a small prayer for someone, or to maybe read a short scripture that would apply to the sin you have committed, etc. It's no more than that.less

Forgiven, the Bible still rules. The Catechism is a guide to Christian living. I bought my first copy only about a year ago, and WOW I was really impressed! It's incredibly well written, speaks of Life in Christ, Christian Prayer, and a guide to the way we celebrate, worship, and profess our Faith, etc. Pick up copy if you enjoy reading. You might not agree with all of it, but I'm wil...more

Forgiven, the Bible still rules. The Catechism is a guide to Christian living. I bought my first copy only about a year ago, and WOW I was really impressed! It's incredibly well written, speaks of Life in Christ, Christian Prayer, and a guide to the way we celebrate, worship, and profess our Faith, etc.

Pick up copy if you enjoy reading. You might not agree with all of it, but I'm willing to bet you'll see wisdom in a lot of it. Books stores like Barnes & Nobel, or Chapters up here in Canada usually carry a copy for less then $10.

You can also get it for free online at:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htmless

Hey Daniel Paul, you're misinformed about our salvation being Jesus ++ The following comes directly from the Cathechism of Catholic Church as officially written by the Vatican: 1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with...more

Hey Daniel Paul, you're misinformed about our salvation being Jesus ++

The following comes directly from the Cathechism of Catholic Church as officially written by the Vatican:

1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.

1991 Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness (or "justice") here means the rectitude of divine love. With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.

1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal lifeless

Online, if Enoch can be assumed Gen 5:24 and if Elijah can be assumed 2 Kings 2:11 then why can't the mother of Jesus? I wasn't sure about this one myself and asked a lot of questions. Don't think for a minute that the Holy Catholic Church flippantly comes up with this stuff, you need to understand that they don't just throw darts at a dartboard to define dogma. Read it f...more

Online, if Enoch can be assumed Gen 5:24 and if Elijah can be assumed 2 Kings 2:11 then why can't the mother of Jesus?

I wasn't sure about this one myself and asked a lot of questions.

Don't think for a minute that the Holy Catholic Church flippantly comes up with this stuff, you need to understand that they don't just throw darts at a dartboard to define dogma. Read it for yourself, then decide if you want to believe it or if you don't. There are some very good arguements, ideas, and reasoning in the following:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-xii_apc_19501101_munificentissimus-deus_en.html

Peace in Christ...less

Wilderness read your Catechism! Pick up a copy at Barnes & Noble. Read it and then make your flippant little comments if you have any after that. Here's a little sample for you to try pick apart. Tell me what would contradict the Bible or a Christian lifestyle from the following: Part 3 LIFE IN CHRIST 1691 "Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God�...more

Wilderness read your Catechism! Pick up a copy at Barnes & Noble. Read it and then make your flippant little comments if you have any after that.

Here's a little sample for you to try pick apart. Tell me what would contradict the Bible or a Christian lifestyle from the following:

Part 3 LIFE IN CHRIST

1691 "Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God's own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the Kingdom of God."1

1692 The Symbol of the faith confesses the greatness of God's gifts to man in his work of creation, and even more in redemption and sanctification. What faith confesses, the sacraments communicate: by the sacraments of rebirth, Christians have become "children of God,"2 "partakers of the divine nature."3 Coming to see in the faith their new dignity, Christians are called to lead henceforth a life "worthy of the gospel of Christ."4 They are made capable of doing so by the grace of Christ and the gifts of his Spirit, which they receive through the sacraments and through prayer.

1693 Christ Jesus always did what was pleasing to the Father,5 and always lived in perfect communion with him. Likewise Christ's disciples are invited to live in the sight of the Father "who sees in secret,"6 in order to become "perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."7

1694 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, Christians are "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" and so participate in the life of the Risen Lord.8 Following Christ and united with him,9 Christians can strive to be "imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love"10 by conforming their thoughts, words and actions to the "mind . . . which is yours in Christ Jesus,"11 and by following his example.12

1695 "Justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God,"13 "sanctified . . . [and] called to be saints,"14 Christians have become the temple of the Holy Spirit.15 This "Spirit of the Son" teaches them to pray to the Father16 and, having become their life, prompts them to act so as to bear "the fruit of the Spirit"17 by charity in action. Healing the wounds of sin, the Holy Spirit renews us interiorly through a spiritual transformation.18 He enlightens and strengthens us to live as "children of light" through "all that is good and right and true."19

1696 The way of Christ "leads to life"; a contrary way "leads to destruction." The Gospel parable of the two ways remains ever present in the catechesis of the Church; it shows the importance of moral decisions for our salvation: "There are two ways, the one of life, the other of death; but between the two, there is a great difference."less

Wilderness, you have such an uneducated one track mind. You keep trying to tell me that my Holy Church is unbiblical and I'm tired of it! What gives you the right! Quit hiding behind your keyboard attacking Catholics! You want to be a hero for Christ, then head over to the Middle East and preach His message to a Muslim. Oh, maybe you don't have the courage for that? So you really thin...more

Wilderness, you have such an uneducated one track mind. You keep trying to tell me that my Holy Church is unbiblical and I'm tired of it! What gives you the right! Quit hiding behind your keyboard attacking Catholics! You want to be a hero for Christ, then head over to the Middle East and preach His message to a Muslim. Oh, maybe you don't have the courage for that?

So you really think you have it all figured out? You think you know so much more then 2000 years of scholarly people who have intrepreted the bible for us? You think you know how to interpret the bible and they didn't? Can you speak Aramaic, Hebrew, or Greek? Do you understand the culture and methods of writing from the era? Do you think everyone leading and guiding the Catholic Church is stupid? Blind? Out of touch? Where did you get your theology degree?

If the Holy Catholic Church is so wrong, then please explain the amazing good that it has presented through history! Dig a little deeper. What other church has produced so many saints, and not just saint as you call yourself, but Saints - people who have given everything for Christ, followed Jesus as he asks, selling all that they have to follow Him. You talk about simplicity, try to live in a monastery or a convent for a few days and you'll see simplicity. You can do that you know, just call ahead. You will very soon see simplistic lives dedicated to the worship and love of Christ. Maybe watching these people would give you a lesson in humility. Now leave us alone!less

Online, the fact is, the Holy Catholic Church really is God's pilgrim church on earth, and that is a fact which cannot be denied. Online maybe I need to be corrected? Please explain the Holy Sacraments of your church so that I gain a better understanding of them. <><...

Thanks a lot jester. You spit right into the words of Jesus in John Ch 17 that we should all be one (1).

Paul Daniel, it's a shame that many people are Catholic in name only and your comment about it being a Shriners club applies to some. Sadly I lived like that myself for the first 35 years of my life. I gave God just one hour each week (Sunday Mass) and then lived the rest of the week as I pleased. I was a real sinner, I was no example of a Christian. Please don't judge all Catholics b...more

Paul Daniel, it's a shame that many people are Catholic in name only and your comment about it being a Shriners club applies to some. Sadly I lived like that myself for the first 35 years of my life. I gave God just one hour each week (Sunday Mass) and then lived the rest of the week as I pleased. I was a real sinner, I was no example of a Christian.

Please don't judge all Catholics by the way that I lived and many live. I'm not very proud of my past.

Yet all faiths have people in their pews who are holy on Sunday and then anything but on Monday. The biggest turn off to Christianity to the world are often Christians who live hypocritical lives.

Yet, I noticed you pointed out the sinners and hypocrits. Why didn't you mention the thousands of righteous people, the tens of thousands of nuns, monks, brothers, and priests who have given their entire lives in dedication to Christ. Who have vowed poverty and obedience, are up at 4:30 every morning to begin their day in prayer for the likes of us. Who spend their entire day serving the Lord. You forgot to mention them.less

believer, it's funny you say you're feeling put down by myself and my fellow Catholics on this site. Sorry you feel that way, and I see it from quite an opposite viewpoint. No matter what the topic on this website, if it has the word Catholic, Pope, Vatican, you and a few others are all over it, with slander and putdowns. Let's look at this another way. I've noticed that if ...more

believer, it's funny you say you're feeling put down by myself and my fellow Catholics on this site. Sorry you feel that way, and I see it from quite an opposite viewpoint. No matter what the topic on this website, if it has the word Catholic, Pope, Vatican, you and a few others are all over it, with slander and putdowns.

Let's look at this another way. I've noticed that if the headline contains the word Baptist, Evengelical, or Protestant, have you ever seen we Catholics getting in there and trying to destroy your church with our words and comments? No.

Yes I get upset with your constant hammering on my faith, leave us alone. Respect your mom, she's Catholic! My overall messagae is that we have about 80% in common, we have some differences, but if we build bridges and work together as one voice, as one Christian community, we will be far more effective as a voice in the world.

Pax Christi....less

cute little discussion....

cute little discussion....

Exactly Online! That's exactly why Christ left one (1) person in charge! Simon - name change to Peter (name changes are always significant in the bible" "I will build My church upon YOU and hell will not win against it", "behold Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen ...more

Exactly Online! That's exactly why Christ left one (1) person in charge! Simon - name change to Peter (name changes are always significant in the bible" "I will build My church upon YOU and hell will not win against it", "behold Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers". "Feed my sheep"

All through biblical history God has left someone in charge - Moses, Abraham, etc. It's the same as now. Whether you like it or not, Christ left Peter in charge who placed Linus in charge, then Cletus, Clement, right up to Benedict 16 today.

Think about it, would God simply leave his children alone to flounder around with no direction the way Protestants do, or would God in His wisdom leave us (and support) a spiritual leader. One who's job is to build us up in Christ. Admit it, the Holy Catholic Church is still around 2000 years later, despite people like you, despite communism, despite some corruption, looks like Jesus' promise of prayer is effective so far!

Admit it, the overall message of the Catholic Church is profound, unmatched by any other. Dignity for all human beings, Life from Conception to Natural Death, ethics in business. Read some of the Papal Encyclicals & letters, Benedict 16's Christmas and New Year's message this year. Stop worrying if we baptize our babies and you don't, who cares! Listen to the overall message the Holy Catholic Church issues to the world, it's actually pretty good! Read the OFFICIAL messages.less

So many interpretations, only 1 Holy Spirit "speaking to y'all", please explain?