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To: D-fendr
The fact is catholics do make the things of God very confusing which is why it's so difficult communicating with them. Jesus spoke clearly to the crowds....the simple and the learned were attracted to what He had to say. But we know that thru His life and the history of the Christian church...not many learned were called to Him...rather the simple...His Apostles attest to this.

A Christians spiritual home should be hidden in Christ... and their communion with is with Him. Those who attend a church reflect Him....the church itself is nothing apart from the centrality of Christ and the relationships individuals have with Him...no matter how many “Sacramental” rituals are practiced.

6,134 posted on 12/28/2010 10:30:37 PM PST by caww
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To: caww
The fact is catholics do make the things of God very confusing

I converted late in life and this was my worry as well. Three realizations of mine apply:

First, the Church is huge. I mean that in terms of individual spirituality and room. Having been three stripes of Protestant, I recognized pieces of each in the Church, but all harmonized. I gravitated toward what was natural to me, but recognized others doing the same in different directions.

The point here is that there is room for all types, but no necessity for any one to be completely familiar with the territory of them all.

Second, the Church is very old and therefore has a long and rich history - art, philosophy, science, politics, spiritual practice, scripture, theology, etc - tons of it.

The point here is there is a lot of stuff, but again, no one need become expert in all of it.

Thirdly, the Sacramental Life, the basics of life in the Church, is extremely simple. To me it was like going from Windows to Macintosh - most of the problem was in trying to complicate what was simple. For example, the Mass is in a very large part, the same each week. And the Eucharist is one degree different than God's omnipresence.

I experience the Church simply. Like experiencing the warmth of the sun. It just is. Truth is not an argument. The Word is not reducible to words.

It's arguing theology that's confusing.

:)

6,136 posted on 12/28/2010 10:50:24 PM PST by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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