Why do catholics believe these things?

Question~ "Why is it that Catholic doctrine states the Pope is infallible"

God says "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in MAN"

Psalm 118:8

"As it is written, There is NONE righteous, NO NOT ONE:"

Romans 3:10

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Question~ "Why does Catholic doctrine state that Peter was the first Pope"

God says "And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw HIS WIFE'S MOTHER laid, and sick of a fever."

Matthew 8:14

The Bible is very plain here. It easily states that Peter had a wife that had a mother that was ill. Notice the next verse... Matthew 8:15 "And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them." Jesus not only met Peter's mother-in-law, He HEALED her, so she could cook for Him.

God says "And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into *Simon's house. And SIMON'S WIFE'S mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her."

Luke 4:38

*Notice that Simon and Peter are the same person. Matthew 4:18 says... "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother..." Jesus was actually the one who gave Simon the name Peter. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says... "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Simon-Peter was indeed an Apostle of our Lord as well as a married man.

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Question~ "If Peter's a Pope, than how is it he was married? doesn't Catholic doctrine forbid marriage?"

God says "A BISHOP then must be blameless, the HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"

1Timothy 3:2

According to Strong's Concordance, A Bishop is defined as an OVERSEER or PASTOR (Strong's # 1984) Would not the Pope be considered an Overseer or Pastor of the Catholic church? Why then does Catholic doctrine forbid marriage when the Bible states that it is ok to be married, if not preferred.

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Question~ "Why does Catholic doctrine require one to repeat certain prayers while saying the rosary"

God says "But when ye pray, use not VAIN REPETITIONS, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking"

Matthew 6:7

I use to pray the entire rosary every single day. That's 45 minutes of repeating the same prayers over and over again while meditating on the Lord and His Five Joyful Mysteries... Five Sorrowful Mysteries... and The Five Glorious Mysteries. This is indeed vain repetitions without a doubt.

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Question~ "Why does Catholic doctrine state that Jesus had no brothers and sisters, and that Mary was a virgin until her death"

God says "Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his BRETHREN, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his SISTERS, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?"

Matthew 13:55-56

This verse confirms people in Jesus' home town that watched Jesus grow up from a young man helping His father in his trade as a carpenter, to doing great miracles right before their eyes. They remembered Jesus lived there as well as the fact that He had four brothers. PLUS they still have Jesus' SISTERS living among them. How many sisters did Jesus have? The Bible doesn't say. Why are they still living there? Did they get married and settled down in their home town to raise a family? It makes no difference. The fact is the Bible accurately records that Mary had many children.

God says "While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his BRETHREN stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy BRETHREN stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my BRETHREN? and he stretched forth his hand TOWARD HIS DISCIPLES, and said behold my mother and my BRETHREN!

Matthew 12:46-50

Many teachers of Catholic doctrine believe that Jesus called only those that believed in Him His brethren. Did you notice the statement made to Jesus BEFORE He calls all in the room His brethren. A person comes to Jesus to tell Him that His mother and brethren are out side waiting on Him. Jesus took this opportunity to illustrate to the believers (disciples) and apostles in the room that THEY are considered brethren now because they believe in Him. Jesus actually says in Matthew 19:29 "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." This verse is for believers that have to deal with unbelievers close to them. Does this verse not show Jesus calling those people that are not believers BRETHREN as well? It is no different than today, people from all walks of life call there fellow man brothers or sisters. What of the term, brothers in crime? And yes, just like back then, we have brothers and sisters in Jesus. Just because Jesus explained that if they believe in Him they become His brethren, does not say that Jesus denied His siblings. He just gained more brethren on this day.

God says "And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and WITH HIS BRETHREN.

Acts 1:13-14

These verses are now calling the Apostles by name, and then Mary the mother of Jesus with His brethren are now mentioned. Are not all in the upper room Brethren? Yes they are, it's just illustrated here that Jesus' Mother and siblings are in the room as well. What better way to illustrate the fact that Jesus has an earthly family as well as His Church family. Think about it, all the Apostles are mentioned by name, THEN Mary and the BRETHREN of Jesus are mentioned. Is this an attempt to show the two types of brethren? Indeed it is.

God says "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For [there is] no man [that] doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe

in him."

John 7:1-5

This I must concede is my favorite verse on this subject. How can it not be realized that "His brethren" here is BLUNTLY speaking of siblings? The argument is mute for those that would claim, "brethren" = "disciple" as well. How? The BRETHREN in this passage are telling Jesus to be on His way and go perform His miracles so that His "DISCIPLES" will see it "For neither did his brethren believe in him."

God says "But other of the apostles saw I none, save James THE LORD'S BROTHER."

Galatians 1:19

How blunt can you get? Is this not an obvious verse? We found earlier in Matthew 13:55 that one of Jesus' brothers was named James, and here we see James is mentioned again as The Lord's Brother. By the way, this is the same James that was inspired by God to write the book of James in the New Testament.

God says "And he knew her not till she had brought forth her FIRSTBORN son: and he called his name JESUS."

Matthew 1:25

Did you notice that the Bible calls Jesus the firstborn son of Mary? Why would the infallible Word of God call Jesus the Firstborn if He is supposed to be the last-born, as well as the one and only son of Mary? According to Catholic doctrine this can't be. But I ask, how can Catholic doctrine call Mary a virgin until death when the Bible states the exact opposite numerous times?

Notice the word "till" in the above verse? The verse preceding this one tells us that "Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son:" [Matthew 1:24,25] It seems rather plain. Joseph went ahead and did as the Angel told him to and married Mary. Then we see the Bible tells us Joseph "waited" to consummate the marriage "till she had brought forth her firstborn son" This easily proves Mary was no virgin. It is easy to say that her "firstborn" actually means she had MORE. And that declares openly that she had children other than Jesus..

On more obvious note to ponder... As blessed and loved as Mary was of God, do you honestly believe that the Almighty would punish her with a barren womb after submitting to His will and having His Son? Remember that it was considered a blessing to have children back then, unlike todays society with their millions of self centered flesh pleasing abortions. PLUS, would it not be considered sin on Mary's part to DENY Joseph's carnal desires towards his wife? Is it not written.. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, "Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency."

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Question~ "Why does Catholic doctrine teach "purgatory -or- limbo" when the bible makes absolutely no mention of it at all"

God says "And beside all this, between us and you there is A GREAT GULF FIXED: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."

Luke 16:26

The Bible says plainly that there is a Great Gulf Fixed between Heaven and hell. Those in Heaven cannot visit nor even see those in hell. And those in hell can in no way leave from their eternal punishment of death. (More on this later)

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Question~ "Why are there statue's everywhere of one form or another in the Catholic church"

God says "Thou shalt not make unto thee ANY graven image, or ANY likeness of ANYTHING that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."

Exodus 20:4 (this also happens to be *COMMANDMENT #2)

God says "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to GRAVEN IMAGES."

Isaiah 42:8

God says "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, GRAVEN by art and man's device."

Acts 17:29

There is one thing I have noticed since becoming a true child of the One and Only Ever Living God of the ages. Whenever I walk into a Catholic church I see a dead Jesus on the cross, or a see a helpless baby Jesus in the arms of His very much alive human mother. He is depicted as being unable to help us in any situation. But when I see Mary, Joseph, Anthony, or any of the other statues of Saints, they appear very much alive and able to help. (More on this later)

*Notice that Commandment # 2 has actually been deleted from Catholic doctrine, you can find this evidence in the current day text of the Saint Joseph's Catechism.

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Question~ "Baptism is undergone by BELIEVERS...Why does Catholic doctrine teach to baptize infants when they can make no rational decisions for themselves."

God says "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? *And Philip said, IF THOU BELIEVEST with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and THEY went down both into the water, BOTH Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."

Acts 8:36-38

*Notice that in the Catholic Bible this verse is missing altogether. Also notice that the Bible records verse number 36... and then skips right to verse 38. Even the number "37" has been removed. The reason the Catholic church removed this verse from their Bible is mainly because this verse proves that a person must first BELIEVE that Jesus is the Son of God BEFORE being baptized. An infant cannot make this statement, so rather than change their doctrine, they try and change the Bible to save face. Didn't they know that God's children would find out about this? Obviously not. (More on this later)

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Question~ "How can Catholic doctrine state that people receive the Holy Spirit during confirmation"

God says "Then Peter said unto them, REPENT, and be BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall RECEIVE the GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST."

Acts 2:38

Seems rather plain what the order of events are here. REPENT... be BAPTIZED... and then RECEIVE the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now it is true that all Catholic children are baptized at infancy, this is most definitely before confirmation. However, how is it possible for the Catholic receiving confirmation to ever gone into repentance before baptism? An infant cannot do this, plain and simple. It is impossible to effectively baptize a person without their consent, let alone their knowledge. Do you remember being baptized? I don't remember, nor do I recall repenting before being baptized. So how is it possible for me to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost at confirmation when I didn't follow the method God's Word stipulates as the order of events needed for reception?

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Question~ "Why does Catholic doctrine acknowledge confession of sins to a priest"

God says "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an ADVOCATE with the Father, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS: And HE is the propitation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

1John 2:1-2

Jesus is the "propitation for our sins" because by becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he absolved our guilt, and covered it, by the vicarious, or substituted punishment which He endured for all of us. In others words, Jesus is the reconciliation for our sins.

God says "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but GOD ONLY?"

Mark 2:7

It is absolutely impossible for man to forgive man for sins committed against God. Think about that for a moment and notice the simplicity of truth in Scripture.

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Question~ "Why does Catholic doctrine state that the priest must sacrifice Jesus daily during the mass"

God says "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this HE DID ONCE, WHEN HE OFFERED UP HIMSELF."

Hebrews 7:27

God says "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

John 19:30

God says "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God;"

Hebrews 10:11-12

When Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, He did something that is easily understood. He FINISHED what He came to do. In continuing with the daily sacrifice of the Catholic mass, the Catholic church is leading their worshippers into believing what Jesus did on the cross was insufficient. Catholic doctrine cannot change what the Scriptures record as the one and only answer to sin. As Hebrews 7:27 mentioned earlier, what Jesus did for us, "HE DID ONCE, WHEN HE OFFERED UP HIMSELF." Thank you Jesus!

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Question~ "Why is it written within Catholic doctrine that Mary is the Bright and Morning Star"

God says "I JESUS have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR."

Revelations 22,16

This particular doctrine of the Catholic church is one that makes no sense whatsoever. The reason I say that is the Bible actually names Jesus as the Bright and Morning Star in the last book of the Bible. It makes me wonder if there are any priests reading the Bible. This is so easily found to be a false doctrine on the last page of absolutely every Bible on planet earth. See for yourselves.

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Question~ "Why is it that the Catholic bible is the only bible to contain the additional books of the "Apocrypha" located just before the new testament, when not even the original manuscripts of the bible contain such books. PLUS Neither Jesus OR his Disciples EVER quoted from it?"

God says "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach ANY other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED."

Galatians 1:9

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Question~ Why is it written on PAGE 346 of the VATICAN II COUNCIL that, "Christ's Catholic church ALONE which is the ALL EMBRACING MEANS OF SALVATION"

(by the way... this book can be found in your local library!)

or

Question~ "Why is it printed on the back of scapular's..."If the wearer of this scapular shall die, he-or-she shall be SAVED from the eternal flames of hell"

or

Question~ "Why does the Catholic doctrine call Mary Co-Redeemer -or- Co-Savior"

God says "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. Neither is there salvation in ANY other: for there is NONE OTHER NAME under heaven given among men, whereby WE MUST BE SAVED"

Acts 4:10,12

A rather plain and easily un-oppinionated verse, is it not?

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Question~ "Why does Catholic doctrine teach their parishioners to pray to dead saint's"

God says "Jesus saith unto him, I AM THE WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME.

John 14:6 (More on this later)

PLEASE!

"Understand, I have not written this document to anger you. I write it because I am convinced, MOST faithful and loyal Roman Catholic's aren't aware of these particular FACTS"

FOR, GOD ALSO SAYS...

Now the SPIRIT SPEAKETH EXPRESSLY, that in the LATTER TIMES some shall DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to SEDUCING SPIRITS, and DOCTRINES OF DEVILS; Speaking LIES in HYPOCRISY; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; FORBIDDING TO MARRY, and COMMANDING TO ABSTAIN FROM MEATS, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which BELIEVE and KNOW THE TRUTH.

1Timothy 4:1-3

Having a FORM of godliness, but DENYING the power thereof: from such TURN AWAY.

1Timothy 3:5

For I bear them record that they HAVE A ZEAL FOR GOD, but NOT according to knowledge. For they being IGNORANT of GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, and going about to establish their OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, have NOT submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Romans 10:1-3

BEWARE lest any man spoil you through PHILOSOPHY and VAIN DECEIT, after the TRADITION of men, after the rudiments OF THE WORLD, and NOT after Christ.

Colossians 2,8

But in vain they do worship me, teaching FOR doctrines the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN. Let them alone: they be BLIND LEADERS OF THE BLIND, both shall fall into the ditch.

Matthew 15:9,14

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, THAT YE BE NOT PARTAKERS OF HER SINS, AND THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES.

Revelations 18:4

Why do catholics believe these things?performing arts

I was brought up Catholic from birth and was brainwashed into believing what I was taught as teachings from the Bible. I have always believed and honored my spirituality in God, but too many years of it was not based in His Word.

Luckily, I was led to the Bible %26amp; I have been trying to sort out the Truth from the lies. It's a hurtful issue that I am working hard to overcome and find acceptance with. I am very confused, and somewhat bitter as well, but, at the same time, am I VERY thankful for the wonderful people here who share their knowlegde with beginners like me and are helping me along. That in itself defines truth Faith in God to me and the power of believing he always there for you if you seek him. Thank You everyone.

Why do catholics believe these things?binoculars opera theaterSo, you ask questions about what Catholics believe, you get honest answers that are NOT judging, and you go with an answer that doesn't address a single question you ask? If you are only looking for someone to agree with your point of view, say so and I won't waste my time on your questions. Report It


Thank you peace maker... Report It


david: i ask, you answer, i choose which one's best, but the main point is: you exposed your thoughts/opinion, that's what i wanted from all of You, God bless... Report It


You are correct. I was in the middle of a VERY bad day and took it out on you. How wrong is that?

BTW - I used to be david_in_milwaukee - changed it for personal reasons. Report It


I should have waited until later to make my statement. Please accept my apologies. Report It


There was nothing to apologize over here in my opinion. The question was posed to make a statement, not illicit answers, which is against the spirit of this service. Report It


Let us pray for all fallen away Catholics who run away from the Church for various reasons all selfish and all never good enough to do it Report It


So Catholice who run away from "MAN'S first organized church", the one built on dead bones, for any reason is selfish even if is for the truth sake vs man's traditions? Report It


This will take a little while, please stand by while I type my answer.

signed,

A devoted Roman Catholic

******

You win the prize for the longest question that I have ever seen here. Also want to say that this is a very good question (or rather series of questions) that have been well worded and carefully thought out.

Question 1 – Papal infallibility

The Pope is infallible ONLY as it concerns the teaching and doctrine of the Church. It does not mean that he is without sin, and I am sure that all of us could come up with a handful of Popes throughout the past 2000 years that have been less than ideal.

When Jesus said in Luke 10:16 “He who hears you, hears Me”, and in Matthew 18:18 “What ever you bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven”, he was giving the Apostles and their successors, the body of Bishops, infallibility, when in doctrinal unity with the pope, they solemnly teach a doctrine as true.

Infallibility belongs in a special way to the pope as head of the bishops (Matt. 16:17–19; John 21:15–17). As Vatican II remarked, it is a charism the pope "enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith (Luke 22:32), he proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine of faith or morals. Therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly held irreformable, for they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, an assistance promised to him in blessed Peter."

The infallibility of the pope is not a doctrine that suddenly appeared in Church teaching; rather, it is a doctrine which was implicit in the early Church. It is only our understanding of infallibility which has developed and been more clearly understood over time. In fact, the doctrine of infallibility is implicit in these Petrine texts: John 21:15–17 ("Feed my sheep . . . "), Luke 22:32 ("I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail"), and Matthew 16:18 ("You are Peter . . . ").

I don’t think it fair to pull in the Old Testament to dispute the infallibility of the Pope, since the office of Pope is clearly something that Jesus gave to Peter, in the New Testament, but since you did, I will try to address that as well.

The people of Israel have also put their confidence in a MAN, when they would go to the Head Priest for instruction and help in understanding the scripture. They asked someone else, someone who had studied the Torah and is considered an expert. That is also the role of the Pope, he is considered an expert in the Bible and we follow his teaching based on his knowledge, a knowledge that was given to him by the Holy Spirit.

Question 2 – Peter, the first Pope

I answered this earlier. Matthew 16:15-18 when Jesus asked the disciples who THEY say he is, Simon says “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." To which Jesus replies, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Question 3 – Peter Married?

Yes, current Latin Rite Catholic teaching predominately says that Priests can not be married. I make this distinction because the Orthodox (or Eastern Rite) Catholics are allowed to be married, and the Latin Rite (normally referred to as Roman) Catholics allows Priests to be married IF they were ordained in another denomination AND married before they became ordained as a Catholic Priest.

The Second Lateran Council, in 1139, mandated celibacy for priests, but they still ran off and got married in secret. The Council of Trent (1545-1563), forbid ALL marriages held in secret and mandated that marriage take place in public and with witnesses, otherwise the Church would not recognize the marriage as valid, thus putting an end to Catholic Priests being married.

But why? Honestly, it was economic and not scriptural. The Vatican at that time was VERY powerful and controlled many rulers of countries. I imagine that the Pope told them to do “this, or burn in hell”, so they did it. When Bishops and Cardinals started to die off and leave their land and property, which was technically property of the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church, to heirs, the Church started to lose money. So, to stop the funds from leaving the Church, they banned marriage. Plain and simple.

Today, however, it isn’t so much economical as it is spiritual. A priest isn’t married so that he can devote his life to the Church. He could be called to go anywhere, at any time and to uproot a family, with children and all, just isn’t fair.

As a Catholic, I am not sure that I agree with the practice, but I will support it until the Vatican says otherwise. The same goes for women ordained as a Priest. I know several women who know the Bible forwards and backwards, and personally, wouldn’t mind seeing one or two of these women as a priest.

Question 4 – the Rosary

I pray the Rosary every day and find the repetition comforting because it is something that I do not have to think about while I meditate and offer other prayers while saying the Rosary.

On top of this, the Rosary isn’t used as a prayer, exactly. By having a simple thing to say, that never changes, and using beads, then you are free to offer other prayers as well as meditate. Think of it as a “mantra” or “chant” that, because it is short and easy to remember, allows you to do something else.

I know exactly where I am in my Rosary and what has to be done.

I would also point out that the Rosary isn’t a prayer to Mary, it is a prayer THROUGH Mary. Asking her to pray for us (Pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death). Also, the basis of the Rosary is found in the Bible.

Question 5 – Jesus, an only child

Paragraph 499 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that Mary was a virgin when the Archangel Gabriel came to her, she was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus, and she remained a virgin when she ascended to heaven. Even the birth of Jesus did not "did not diminish” the virginity of Mary. This is one of the tenants of the Faith, and one must accept this, or one can not be Catholic.

Jesus often called the people around him his Brothers and Sisters (and we still do, haven’t you ever heard, especially Baptists, call each other Brother Bob, and Sister Sally?), but did not have any siblings. It would be impossible because of Mary’s eternal virginity. It is thought that St. Joseph, who was a bit older than Mary, was widowed and had children from a previous marriage, making Mary the step-mother, and Jesus would then have half-siblings, but there is no hard and fast evidence one way or the other.

Question 6 – Purgatory and/or Limbo

“making a gathering . . . sent twelve thousand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead). And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” (2 Maccabees 12:43-46)

Now if you believe that when you die, you go straight to Heaven or Hell, and once in heaven you have no need for prayers, and if in Hell, prayers will do no good, then this is wrong, but it is in the Bible, so it can’t be wrong.

There are also examples in the New Testament, as seen in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthisans (1 Corinthians 3:11-15): (Keep in mind that the Catholic idea of Purgatory is a “cleansing fire” )

"For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble: Every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire."

As for Limbo. . . The Catholic Church no longer teaches the concept of Limbo, so I am really unable to answer at this time. If I find something, I will edit later.

Question 7 – Statues

Take a look on your desk, or in your wallet. . . do you have a photo of someone? Is this that person? NO, it isn’t. It is a reminder to you of that person. That is all these icons are, representations.

That crucifix you see when you walk into a Catholic Church isn’t Jesus nailed to a cross, it is a reminder to us that Jesus died on a cross. The statue of Mary, Joseph and all the saints aren’t the saints, they are a way for us to remember that these people are just that, people. Sometimes it is difficult to think that someone who has been elevated to the level of Saint was just a regular “Joe” like me. He (or she) had faults, sinned, got angry just like I do. It is a reminder that God will call any one of us to be a saint.

If you remember when God gave Moses the 10 commandments, what did He have him do with them? Put them in a box and decorate it with what? Two cherubim of beaten gold, looking towards each other, and spreading their wings so that both sides of the propitiatory were covered.

The 10 Commandments are:

1.I am the Lord your God: You shall not have strange Gods before me.

2.You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

3.Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

4.Honor your father and mother.

5.You shall not kill.

6.You shall not commit adultery.

7.You shall not steal.

8.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9.You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

10.You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

As for your charge of Catholic Doctrine deleting “Graven Images”, I think you have it backwards. Calvin and other Reformers, relying more on Exodus 20 and its presentation of the Decalogue, and wanting to make a strike against the statuary and icons in the Catholic Church, enumerated the commandments in a different way.

Question 8 – Infant Baptism

Baptism is a sacrament, and many fundamentalist see it as an ordinance, meaning that one must be able to accept Jesus Christ and one can only do that as a free thinking adult. It does not in any way convey the grace it symbolizes; rather, it is merely a public manifestation of the person’s conversion. Since only an adult or older child can be converted, baptism is inappropriate for infants or for children who have not yet reached the age of reason.

But, Peter explained what happens at baptism when he said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). But he did not restrict this teaching to adults. He added, "For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him" (2:39). We also read: "Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16). These commands are universal, not restricted to adults. Further, these commands make clear the necessary connection between baptism and salvation, a connection explicitly stated in 1 Peter 3:21: "Baptism . . . now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

Question 9 – Confirmation

I clearly remember being Baptized, but that is unfair; I was Baptized last year (at the age of 39). Why do I mention it? Well because this is how the first Baptisms went. Very few Christians were Baptized as babies, because so many of the first Christians were already adults when they became Christian.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are what we receive at Confirmation. Those gifts are:

the spirit of [I] wisdom and [2] understanding,

the spirit of [3] right judgment and [4] courage,

the spirit of [5] knowledge and [6] reverence.

Fill them with the spirit of [7] wonder and awe in your presence.

The biblical origin of these seven gifts is found in Isaiah (11:1-3) where he is foretelling the qualities of the Messiah.

The sacrament of confirmation is found in Bible passages such as Acts 8:14–17, 9:17, 19:6, and Hebrews 6:2, which speak of a laying on of hands for the purpose of bestowing the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 6:2 is especially important because it is not a narrative account of how confirmation was given and, thus, cannot be dismissed by those who reject the sacrament as something unique to the apostolic age. In fact, the passage refers to confirmation as one of Christianity’s basic teachings, which is to be expected since confirmation, like baptism, is a sacrament of initiation into the Christian life.

We read: "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment" (Heb. 6:1–2).

Notice how in this passage we are walked through the successive stages of the Christian journey—repentance, faith, baptism, confirmation, resurrection, and judgment. This passage encapsulates the Christian’s journey toward heaven and gives what theologians call the order of salvation or the ordo salutis. It well qualifies as "the elementary teachings" of the Christian faith.

Question 10 – Confession

Confession to God is the first step in any confession. Before going into the confessional, we pray to God to forgive us our sins.

In order to have a good (valid) confession, we confess our sins first to God (called an Act of Contrition) before going into the confession. We then confess our sins to the Priest who is acting IN PERSONA CHRISTI (in the Body of Christ) gives us the absolution.

This is found in scripture when Jesus was walking down the road and some lepars came to Him and asked to be healed. He said "Your faith has healed you, now go into the town and open your robes to the priest so that he can see that you are healed".

We show that faith to God by confessing, and the "opening of the robes" to the priest is taken metaphorically, to open your heart to the priest and tell him what you have done.

Sin isn't just something that you do against God, it also affects the community. God will forgive all sin if you ask, and by going to the Priest, you are also asking for his forgiveness - and also that of the community - for the sins that you have committed.

In the early stages of the church, confession was done in public, as a way of showing the community that you are sorry for what you have done. That was when communities were smaller, and chances are, people already knew. It has taken on the more private revalation that we see and use today because communities have grown.

A lot of times, just saying something out loud helps us, or at least me, to really hear what I have done. It is one thing to know that I have committed a sin, it is another to say it out loud.

The act of confession is one of the true blessings of the Catholic Church and something I do on a regular basis.

Question 11 – Mary, the Bright and Morning Star

Hmm, I am going to have to defer this question for a little while. I have not heard of this, but as I mentioned earlier, I am a “new Catholic” and will have to do some reading and research on it.

Question 12 – Apocrypha

Well, simply put, Martin Luther and other Protestants decided that these books didn’t agree with their views, and in order to make a valid claim, decided that these books were not true scripture. Some based their claims on the fact that they weren’t written in Hebrew and that the Jews never recognized them as inspired. Others just wanted to have something to change, and still others thought they weren’t “divinely inspired” in any way.

So, it isn’t the Catholics that ADDED to the Bible, it is the Protestants that REMOVED.

Question 13 – Vatican II documents

I do not have the document of the Vatican II but I can address your question. The Catholic Church is the only Church that has all 7 of the sacraments and uses them on a daily basis.

For those that don’t know, the sacraments are:

1. Baptism

2. Confirmation

3. Eucharist

4. Confession (reconciliation)

5. Marriage

6. Anointing of the Sick

7. Ordination (Holy Orders)

you will not find another church that has all 7 of these in practice. That is what is meant by the statement.

I will skip the one on the Scapular. I simply do not know.

But on the Mary portion of the question:

Calling Mary a co-redeemer is a confusing term to non-Catholics, and especially today. The prefix “co” does not always mean equal to. In fact, take a look at it this way, it the co-pilot equal to the pilot? No, that is why he is “co”.

Mary is a conduit, if you will. We pray to her, to ask her to pray to her son, Jesus. The same can be said for your next question about praying to the saints. These people are dead, and in heaven with Jesus. We ask them, through prayer, to pray with us and for us, to Jesus and to God.

The Bible says Mary is “Full of Grace”, and “Blessed art thou amongst women”, and she is the MOTHER of Jesus, and to be honest, is there a stronger bond than a mother and her son? And if you want something done by a powerful person, do you not use the people that he surrounds himself with, those that have the “ear” of the person, to help you with your cause?

I am not saved by Mary, or the Saints, I am saved by Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit. Mary is a way for me to have someone else pray with me and for me. Sort of like you asking your friends to pray for you when you are sick, or to pray for a loved one. The only difference is, Mary and the Saints are in Heaven with Jesus, and they will pray for you, directly to Him as well.

Question 14 – Praying to Saints.

I answered this in the previous question, but if you want clarification, please let me know.

*****

Please know that I am not offended (just a little tired of typing) at your question. I love these types of questions because I know that the people who ask want to know. It is far better than some that come out and say “Catholics are morons” – which, sadly, I have seen.

If you need more clarification, please contact me through my profile and send me your email address. I will answer your questions as best I can, and as honestly as I am able.

Yours in Christ,

David
Every religion contradicts itself at one point or another
God-damn . . .that was a book.

Why they believe these thing . . . the same reason while they originally proclaimed the that the world was flat. Control . . . if they don't have control of the masses they have no power.

Problem is . . . Catholicism have been the sole source of Christianity for many centuries (since the early 4th century [325 AD]). And all other denominations sprang up from it . . . taking various teaches they though . . . and attempted to weed out either the unbiblical . . . or things they feel they should not do.

Since the source of most Christian dogma is Catholicism . . . then wouldn't you say everyone believe one or some aspect of the main religion. Such as the Trinity and the Cross . . . which was adopted by The Church of Pergamos . . . one of the 7 founding churches that form Catholicism or Christainity at large . . . during that time period.
I think that you answered your own question! You also did a very good job at it! I sometimes ask some of the questions that you asked and you answered them for me! Thank you!
Toing, don't waste your time, they will find endless excuses. Just like the ones they gave me at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

or other questions I posted. They'll twist and warp everything according to their agenda.
Please provide more information.
why do you care?
DEAR CO-FIGHTER FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION...I NEED NOT TELL YOU THOU MAYEST SUFFER THE WRATH OF CLOSE-MINDED INQUISITORS THAT THINK YOU ARE "ABUSIVE"! PRAY THEE THAT THOU MAYEST ESCAPE THEIR WRATH! UNDER THE DISGUISE OF "OPEN" QUESTIONS,THEY SEEKETH TO DROWN YOUR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION FOREVER! I KNOWEST...LIKE YOU,I GAVE MY OPINION AS GOD HIMSELF GAVE ME THE RIGHT TO DO...ALAS, I WAST SMITED UPON THE CHEEK FOR SUCH HERESY!!! YOU OF COURSE ARE CORRECT IN YOUR COMMENTS--BUT BEWARE!!! "INQUISITION '06" IS HERE! IT WAS MY DUTY TO INFORM THEE....MARTYR OF THE CAUSE.....
Now, don't you think you just answered your own question?
Did you figure that out yourself, or did some MAN help you out? Fundamentalists are just as dependent on man as any other Christian demonination.

*Their arguements for God's existence were written by DeCartes and Aquinas.

*The entire idea of the Rapture was invented by Wesley two hundred years ago.

*The books included in the bible were voted on my MEN 1,600 years ago.

*Your cut-and-paste job only illustrates hypocritical claim you made.

Sola Scriptura is a phrase, it has no meaning as every interpretation of the bible a fundamentalist Christian has is dependent on what OTHER PEOPLE have told you it means. Your parents, Josh McDowell, your pastor.

If it was that clear, there wouldn't be demoninations. Heck, among fundamentalists they can't even agree on Pre-trib or post-trib (not to mention mid-trib!!!).

Take your hypocritical viewpoints elsewhere.