Denying Holy Communion: A Case History.

Catholic News Agency ^ | 09/2004

[DBeers]

I guess I should clarify a bit. Catholics services are so strange,, ritualistic, and empty of the Holy Spirit

OK -please explain specifically what the 'display' of Holy Spirit is that you recognize; additionally, do you suggest the Holy Spirit limited in some way so as to 'avoid' bestowing charisms to those 'unworthy' or perhaps charisms are only bestowed upon those asking in the 'right' manner -better yet, do you suggest one must possess a knowledge to receive charisms?

[Jibaholic]

OK -please explain specifically what the 'display' of Holy Spirit is that you recognize

I don't know, you can't measure things like that. But I've been church shopping among various churches and someplaces you feel the Spirit and some places you don't. I'm sure there are Catholic churches where you can feel the Holy Spirit, but they must be a minority because the fact remains that most Catholics don't go to church regularly and those that do are sunday Christians. That isn't to imply that there aren't sunday Christians and non-practicing Christians among Protestants, but overall it is a much bigger problem among Catholics. Case in point: look at the election: in almost every single blue state, Catholics outnumber Protestants, whereas the opposite is true among red states. Don't get mad at me for pointing out the simple fact that Catholics are more likely to be non-practicing than Protestants, and that Catholics are more likely to have secular values than Protestants.

[DBeers]

Don't get mad at me for pointing out the simple fact that Catholics are more likely to be non-practicing than Protestants, and that Catholics are more likely to have secular values than Protestants.

I am not mad -maybe amused that you could not answer my questions.

I suggest the answers may lead to your conversion to the one and only true Church. Where you too may realize errant practices or practioners no matter how numerous are still errant and are not practices to be patting ones self on the back about.

[Jibaholic]

So, the true Church is the one in which it's practicioners have the higher incidence of holding Christian instead of secular values. By your logic that means the true church is Protestantism.

However, as a Protestant I do not subscribe to that logic. I think both Catholicism and Protestantism are true churches because practicioners of both agree that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. My problem with the Catholics has nothing to do with their strange dogmas, but with the fact that they are failing their congregations. The Catholic church is raising congregations with secular values. They are raising congregations that are not steered by the Holy Spirit and shepparded by Jesus, but by secularism and moral relativism.

I think the only real solution to that problem is to evangelize Catholics to Protestantism, but if the Catholics can collectively figure out a way to fix their "secular congregation" problem then I'm all for it.

[DBeers]

-logic? -that is where your ego leads you astray -it is but moral relative exercise...

Faith seeking understanding... The Catholic Church does not require my defense -Truth stands independent...

Your 'logical' argument contrasting protestant errant practice to Catholic practice in attempt to diminish the true Church and somehow legitimate the errant protestant is itself but moral relative exercise...

May I suggest you come to a quicker realization of your error regarding protestant basis by seeking understanding regarding the differences based upon Truth rather than conjecture.