There are some questions that I've been asked about why Catholics do certain things. The more I learn... the more questions I seem to have or are asked by others. It's overwhelming really and I don't want to get stuck
on the small things but I can't seem to shake them either. So, maybe I can find these answers through blogging about it.
1) All Christians feel strongly that their faith is the right one. There is such disunity in the Christian world and it's bothersome to me that there are so many of them. New ones open up each year while others close... it's not a business! How can this be happening? Hartford Institute estimates there are roughly 335,000 religious congregations in the United States. Of those, about 300,000 are Protestant and other Christian churches, and 22,000 are Catholic and Orthodox churches. Non-Christian religious congregations are estimated at about 12,000.
2) How can all of the Christian religions NOT be pro-life? I'm flabbergasted at this one. I watched an interview with Abby Johnson, a former Director of Planned Parenthood, who wrote the book Unplanned and she stated she used to be Episcopalian and when she left the abortion clinic and became pro-life, she claims her church "asked her to leave." WHAT?? She went on to say the reason she first became Episcopalian was because "they were pro-choice and they fit in." I cannot believe that it's a universal truth in the Episcopalian Church, right?
3) Then my sister tells me she was told by a non-Catholic that the reason Catholics tithe 10% was because the pope was money hungry or something to that effect. I need to research this one but again, WHAT?
If anyone has any information that would help me find the answers to these questions, I would be very grateful.
noreen
http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/fastfacts/fast_facts.html
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#3- are you serious? money hungry pope? you can't seriously be questioning this! LOL. the pope is not money hungry and Catholics are NOT asked to tithe ten percent. It's in the bible- not in the Catechism- and not taught by any one in the Catholic Church. give what you can. 10 percent is a good starting point, but it's the heart that matters- not the amount.
ReplyDeleteNoreen,
ReplyDeleteAs Sarah stated, I was a bit alarmed by #3 myself. Oh dear!
I also agree with you about Christian disunity. There is far TOO much of it, and it's quite bothersome.
You're also right that all Christians should believe in saving the life of a child, but unfortunately, this is not the case. There are many, Christian and non-Christian that support abortion, or the use of medications that prevent the life of a child. It's quite a disheartening fact, indeed!
-Lady Rose
It seems to me that the fact that there are many Protestant churches, and more forming all the time, means that people are picking and choosing according to what they WANT to believe. In the Catholic Church, we don't pick and choose but accept the whole of the deposit of Truth handed down to us and kept safe by the magisterium. It is the only church where beliefs have remained the same from the beginning, as Jesus promised. I think it is very hard to convince others of the truth of our Faith because their hearts aren't ready to listen. So many people are suspicious of the Catholic Church and will run it down. They don't understand the beauty of our faith at all. I guess God can work through all churches but I am sad when I hear of people leaving the Catholic Church and leaving the great gift of the Holy Eucharist. How could they leave the Real Presence of Jesus if they really understood?.. As far as Pro life goes, there are many protestant churches which allow divorce and contraception, and don't believe in Hell or Satan. Our beliefs on these issues can be backed up by our Bible and theirs, but it doesn't stop people from passing over what doesn't fit in with what they WANT to believe. Very frustrating. I don't have any answers, Noreen but good to share!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments ladies! I would have to go back through my notes, but I did take a History of the Catholic Church study at my church and was dismayed to learn that some of the earlier popes were more interested in being princes of the state than successors to the seat of St. Peter.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly, one of the popes "bankrupted" the vatican with his purchases of art... or something like that. Then Martin Luther's legitimate claim of "the church selling indulgences". I lent that study book out to a friend so I'll have to get it back so I can be more accurate.
I have no doubt that the majority of popes were good and holy men yet there is a history of not always being so...
What I have learned from experience people forget who they are supposed to be focused on. They focus on man when they are to have no gods before Him.
ReplyDeletePeople have been hurt by Christians no matter what religion they are. Christians tend to be more judgmental than non-Christians. I never thought I would be friends with a Catholic, but once you open your eyes to Love there should be no separation.
I have friends who are Mormon, Seventh-Day-Adventists, Jehovah Witness, Muslims, and too many other religions to name. As long we agree that we are serving the same God what difference does it make.
Traditions of men.... That is what Jesus warned against, and I for one am not going to allow traditions to stop me from loving another child of God.
You are right, Noreen. There were many money and power hungry popes. But the pope is not the Church. Popes are sinners like the rest of us. We have just been so very fortunate to have had some wonderful Holy Fathers in recent years. What I find fascinating is that even when there has been an awful pope at the helm of the Church, the deposit of Faith has remained secure. No truths of the Church were ever eroded away regardless of whose hands the Church was entrusted to. Infallibility prevailed. I read somewhere that all the works of art etc of the Church also are being kept safe for everyone within the Church. They belong to us all and are a treasure that should be protected. They don't belong to the pope but to the people and we can all enjoy them. They are a reflection of what is most beautiful and they honour God. Selling indulgences...that is a long and complicated issue. The Church was never perfect and is still not perfect. How can it be when it is made up of sinners? But we can't throw everything away including the good,like Luther, just because there are some problems. Sorry, Noreen: another long rambling comment. God bless.
ReplyDelete@Sue Elvis. Amen. Beautifully put. Viva la Papa!
ReplyDelete@Noreen...Wow...What a thought provoking post. I'd like to say that Protestantism is like a divorced woman, always on the hunt for a good man but never to remain Faithful to him. They're always out there searching for who they "think" Christ is, but when they become disillusioned by His revelations to their soul, they dump for their own version (be it second-, third-, or fourth- rate.) I don't believe in all that Protestants are damned to hell nonsense either (for those of you who didn't like my comparsions above). I have Christians friends whom I believe have a foot in the doorway to Heaven ahead of myself. Most of them get turned off by the Institution of the Catholic Church. I get turned off by their blatant disregard of any Institution, even those divinely established.
Tithing...What can I say...This is a journey. But if you don't give until it hurts, are you really imitating Christ? Egad! I'm not there yet either on this one! I'd like to say I give 10%, but sadly we don't. We give less than 1 hour of our combined gross income. What else can we do? We give to charity as we can, and give our time too. I have to work more in these former categories to make up the latter, as right now, we just don't have it...