Make up my mind.

[Katzpur]

Hi all. This is my very first posting to this site. I was a Protestant for 42 years when I felt an inexplicable call to join the Roman Catholic church. I studied to find reasons not to join but instead all the arguments for Catholicism made sense. I joined the RC church 8 years ago. I am now in a bible study group with two friends who are Protestant. The things they teach against the RC church have caused me to question my switch to Catholicism. I really felt the earlier call was from God. Why would He be sending me back to Protestantism? I just want to worship Him not offend Him. With the differences between RC and Prot, SOMEONE has to be wrong. Any thoughts?

Hi, Carol. While I am Christian but neither Catholic nor Protestant, I would advise you to go where your heart tells you to go and to pay as little attention as possible to people who figure they know better than you do where God wants you to be. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who has to try to undercut someone else's position in order to make their his own position look good doesn't have much of a position in the first place. As to your statement that "Someone has to be wrong," you're right. But I'd listen to what the Holy Ghost is telling you and trust God to be merciful and loving. I'm not saying He doesn't want us to make the right choice, because I think it's actually very important to Him. On the other hand, I don't see anywhere in the scriptures where we're told that if we pick the right denomination, we're home free and if we're not, we're damned. What kind of a God would condemn everybody who was sincere in an attempt to find the truth but ended up picking the wrong denomination?

 

[Kathryn]

Catholics, but generally only the celebrant is allowed drink the blood.

At Mass, all Catholics present partake of both the Body and the Blood, unless they feel they shouldn't. Non Catholics should not participate in Holy Communion at a Catholic Mass, though they are encouraged to go forward and receive a blessing instead of the Eucharist.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I just wish I could have a Jesus wafer sour cream and onion flavoured or something. The wafers they give out at mass are bland and dry.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Hi, Carol. While I am Christian but neither Catholic nor Protestant, I would advise you to go where your heart tells you to go and to pay as little attention as possible to people who figure they know better than you do where God wants you to be. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who has to try to undercut someone else's position in order to make their his own position look good doesn't have much of a position in the first place. As to your statement that "Someone has to be wrong," you're right. But I'd listen to what the Holy Ghost is telling you and trust God to be merciful and loving. I'm not saying He doesn't want us to make the right choice, because I think it's actually very important to Him. On the other hand, I don't see anywhere in the scriptures where we're told that if we pick the right denomination, we're home free and if we're not, we're damned. What kind of a God would condemn everybody who was sincere in an attempt to find the truth but ended up picking the wrong denomination?

how is mormon not protestant?

 

[Just_me_Mike]

I think it might help to start with some fundamental questions.

How do we know God is real? How do we know what books are from God if any?

If you don't have a real answer for those, choosing a religion really doesn't matter, because it would be based on something you have no real explanation for.

Good luck...

 

[Father Heathen]

Why does someone HAVE to be wrong?

When two things directly contradict each other, one or both have to be wrong. The desire for everything to be "equally right" is a tad wishy washy.

 

[Father Heathen]

If I got to drink Jesus' blood, I'd always be celebrating.

I wonder if Catholics hate garlic.

 

[Katzpur]

how is mormon not protestant?

It's Restorationist. There's a difference between reformation and restoration.

 

[Kathryn]

I think it might help to start with some fundamental questions.

How do we know God is real? How do we know what books are from God if any?

If you don't have a real answer for those, choosing a religion really doesn't matter, because it would be based on something you have no real explanation for.

Good luck...

Devout Theists don't generally believe in God because they're crazy. They generally believe in God because God has proven to them that He exists. How He has proven that to each individual differs, but devout, practicing Theists realize that it's just as reasonable (if not more so) to believe in a Diety as it is to determine that there's no Diety, based on limited human understanding.

As for "which books" - the history of the Bible is quite impressive. If ever the integrity of a book has been protected down thru the ages, it's the Bible. It's gone through many hands, governments, rulers, kings and bishops, but the gyst of the original teachings is not only incredibly intact, but also refreshingly timeless.

Few, if any, books, and few, if any, religions can claim such a reach, such depth, such consistent development, and such impact in the course of human events.

 

[Father Heathen]

As for "which books" - the history of the Bible is quite impressive. If ever the integrity of a book has been protected down thru the ages, it's the Bible. It's gone through many hands, governments, rulers, kings and bishops, but the gyst of the original teachings is not only incredibly intact, but also refreshingly timeless.

Few, if any, books, and few, if any, religions can claim such a reach, such depth, such consistent development, and such impact in the course of human events.

Have you actually read it, I wonder?

 

[Xafwak]

It's Restorationist. There's a difference between reformation and restoration.

My religion teacher back in high school said that mormons can´t be counted as christians, because they have religious texts in addition to the Bible. I didn´t know mormons themselves think they´re christian.

Besides, I don´t understand what one needs churches for. When I was christian I considered myself denominational, even though I was a member of a protestant church. As a meeting place for people of the same religion they work fine, but teaching doctrine through the church is just absurd. It was relevant last time before industrialization when people couldn´t afford Bibles of their own.

 

[Katzpur]

My religion teacher back in high school said that mormons can´t be counted as christians, because they have religious texts in addition to the Bible.

Well, good for your religion teacher. Did he/she also tell you where the Bible even claims to be complete? Did he/she happen to tell you how many times the biblical canon has changed since Christ's time? Nah... probably not.

I didn´t know mormons themselves think they´re christian.

Well, the name of the church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That should be a clue.

Besides, I don´t understand what one needs churches for. When I was christian I considered myself denominational, even though I was a member of a protestant church. As a meeting place for people of the same religion they work fine, but teaching doctrine through the church is just absurd. It was relevant last time before industrialization when people couldn´t afford Bibles of their own.

Well, my church probably isn't much like the ones you attended. It suits me fine.

 

[Baydwin]

My religion teacher back in high school said that mormons can´t be counted as christians, because they have religious texts in addition to the Bible.

Then they shouldn't have been teaching religious education classes.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Catholics, but generally only the celebrant is allowed drink the blood.

At Mass, all Catholics present partake of both the Body and the Blood, unless they feel they shouldn't.

All? This might just be an American thing.

At every Catholic church I've been to (which have all been in Canada), it's only the celebrant and those assisting in the Mass (usually including the other priests and deacon if present, lay readers, lay extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, those participating in the procession/recession, but not the altar boys/girls) who drink the "blood". Everyone else only receives the "body".

 

[Baydwin]

All? This might just be an American thing.

At every Catholic church I've been to (which have all been in Canada), it's only the celebrant and those assisting in the Mass (usually including the other priests and deacon if present, lay readers, lay extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, those participating in the procession/recession, but not the altar boys/girls) who drink the "blood". Everyone else only receives the "body".

Orthodox churches have the wafer pre-soaked in the wine, I believe, could you perhaps be confusing the two?

 

[Autodidact]

You might enjoy Losing My Religion, by William Lobdell. The journey parallels yours, although the destination diverged.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Orthodox churches have the wafer pre-soaked in the wine, I believe, could you perhaps be confusing the two?

I don't think so. AFAIK, Catholic churches tend to use dry wafers - no wine.

 

[Baydwin]

I don't think so. AFAIK, Catholic churches tend to use dry wafers - no wine.

I don't know what to tell you then. In my experience, everyone who wants to take part lines up, the priest pops the biscuit on the person's tongue and then offers them a sip of wine from the big cup.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't know what to tell you then. In my experience, everyone who wants to take part lines up, the priest pops the biscuit on the person's tongue and then offers them a sip of wine from the big cup.

Yeah... like I mentioned before, this may be one of those things that varies from country to country.

I know that the bishops of a country can apply for a dispenation from Rome to allow dispensing the Host into the recipient's hand instead of only on the tongue, and Canada and the US both receive this dispensation as a matter of course. I imagine there might be other small details of procedure where variation from country to country is allowed as well.

 

[monta]

All? This might just be an American thing.

At every Catholic church I've been to (which have all been in Canada), it's only the celebrant and those assisting in the Mass (usually including the other priests and deacon if present, lay readers, lay extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, those participating in the procession/recession, but not the altar boys/girls) who drink the "blood". Everyone else only receives the "body".

Apparently according to wiki, it's a northern European thing, that the sacremental wine is reserved for the celebrant.