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Now your story is changing. Before this, your claim was that genuine faith came from immersing oneself in Sacred Scripture. Now, seemingly, your claim is that faith springs from repentance.
This is simply not accurate with respect to the Catholic Church. What you write may hold true for other communities. I wouldn't know. But it is not true of Catholicism.I'm not aware of any church which claims one has to make a private confession, only that private confession is available because Christ gave it to the Church as an instrument of grace. One is not "more forgiven" by confessing to a pastor than by confessing by oneself or as part of the public confession of sins in worship
Sacramental absolution. That can only be obtained in Confession.Catechism Of The Catholic Church said:1457 ... Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution...
John 20:23 means something. Historically, the Church has interpreted that passage to mean that she has the authority to pronounce forgiveness or retention on sins. Indeed, this doctrine went unchallenged for centuries.That was really helpful. I guess it one of those “to each’s own”... I thought this was a requirement in the Catholic Church but I see I am wrong. Thank you
But what else is there besides each individual trying to figure it out as an individual? It can be hard to ask people to put there thoughts and beliefs about God in the hands of another person or group. I realize a lot of people people do it and that’s completely fine but we can’t expect everybody will be comfortable just following along and hoping the people they are learning from are right.Yet everyone claims to have the spirit and comes up with different ideas, it's all chaos. There must be something better than rampant individualism gone amok
If I didn't know better, I just might think that private interpretation of Sacred Scripture has done far more to divide Christians from each other than it has to unify them. A very strange situation, I must say...
But what else is there besides each individual trying to figure it out as an individual? It can be hard to ask people to put there thoughts and beliefs about God in the hands of another person or group. I realize a lot of people people do it and that’s completely fine but we can’t expect everybody will be comfortable just following along and hoping the people they are learning from are right.
Lengthy history in my opinion is never a good enough reason to not challenge something. I’m not saying your wrong I’m just saying everything should be challenged unless there is 100% certainty. Through challenging someone can maybe become comfortable accepting an idea or belief but it can’t be just because said interpretation, belief or idea went unchallenged for so long so I will just accept it.This is simply not accurate with respect to the Catholic Church. What you write may hold true for other communities. I wouldn't know. But it is not true of Catholicism.
Sacramental absolution. That can only be obtained in Confession.
John 20:23 means something. Historically, the Church has interpreted that passage to mean that she has the authority to pronounce forgiveness or retention on sins. Indeed, this doctrine went unchallenged for centuries.
Frankly, I think the onus is on Protestants to explain why they reject a practice with such a lengthy history.
In this particular case, the practice goes back to people who were personally taught and instructed in the faith by the apostles.Lengthy history in my opinion is never a good enough reason to not challenge something.
This is a peculiarly American attitude. I sometimes get the idea that a certain type of American Protestant sincerely believes they're the first person in all of history to question a given idea or doctrine.I’m not saying your wrong I’m just saying everything should be challenged unless there is 100% certainty. Through challenging someone can maybe become comfortable accepting an idea or belief but it can’t be just because said interpretation, belief or idea went unchallenged for so long so I will just accept it.
"Actually not all branches of Christianity agree even on historic doctrines. At the moment there are over 40,000 Christian branches, churches, denominations."
"Wow! I'd hate to see a post you weren't "making in love." LOL"
I’m curious how that works. Both people have the Holy Spirit leading them on specific issue and come to different conclusions? How does this work?
In an odd way, this is related.If this is true then why all of the arguing and debating you think? If it’s clear that it’s possible for someone to be wrong in their opinion or interpretation why are people so rude on the forums then?
Let me ask you something.... you list as being 28, can I assume you have been a Christian for at least a few years? You should still get this even if not.How does this work?
Maybe so, maybe not. I personally wouldn’t know but I can’t see why it would be wrong to ask questions. And when the answers given are merely the opinions of a person or even that of the larger group as a whole it’s still ok to leave room for the possibility that there is some misinformation or possibly just flat out wrong.In this particular case, the practice goes back to people who were personally taught and instructed in the faith by the apostles.
So I'm rather curious what makes anybody think they know better than the ancients when it comes to this.
This is a peculiarly American attitude. I sometimes get the idea that a certain type of American Protestant sincerely believes they're the first person in all of history to question a given idea or doctrine.
In practice, this tendency has had the unfortunate effect of the Christian faith being continuously pared down. Today's "reformed" Christians reject ideas and beliefs which the original "reformers" considered sacrosanct. My theory is that in one century or less, certain parts of Protestant Christianity won't even be recognizable as Christianity anymore.
But isn’t wise to consider what if the church or group is wrong? Unless there is certainty. Not certainty in what the church or group believed but certainty that what they believed or interpreted was actually the truth. I don’t see the harm in asking some questions and then deciding do I trust what is being said or not.You'll never find Jesus saying to find out alone and you'll never find that idea in the Bible anywhere. It was the Church that figured things out in the Bible and the early centuries and than when Luther came along all of a sudden everyone could figure out things for themselves. If one is a believer in Christ then they just follow along with Christ, Christ founded a Church not just people running around saying this is how to believe with different ideas. Even in the NT people did not figure things out by themselves but the Church held a council and as Christ had St. Paul put in the Bible "the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth" not the individual person.
But isn’t wise to consider what if the church or group is wrong? Unless there is certainty. Not certainty in what the church or group believed but certainty that what they believed or interpreted was actually the truth. I don’t see the harm in asking some questions and then deciding do I trust what is being said or not.
But isn’t wise to consider what if the church or group is wrong? Unless there is certainty. Not certainty in what the church or group believed but certainty that what they believed or interpreted was actually the truth. I don’t see the harm in asking some questions and then deciding do I trust what is being said or not.
I realize we are all different. And I think if that works for you then that’s awesome! And I realize it’s possible I could be wrong in my approach, but I will always ask questions of any human being. I have seen what we are capable of even in large groups and I cannot trust humans 100% with the truth about God. It doesn’t mean I won’t choose to believe humans at times, all I’m saying is I will leave room for the possibility that infallible humans showed their infallibility. I do appreciate our conversation also. Thank you!Well Christ said the pillar and foundation of truth is the Church. I know to us Americans we must do things for ourselves but God wanted us to trust the Church not ourselves. Now there are times people in the Church could be wrong but the Church overall would never be. Christ said the gates of hell would never prevail against the Church, he never mentioned us.
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