I happen to be a Catholic. But I also believe what is written in the Bible. When I question certain Catholic beliefs and practices I am often branded a heretic, or worse, a Protestant (horrors!). I do believe among nearly all Christian denominations there is common ground we can all agree on:
1) Jesus is the son of God.
2) Jesus was crucified and was resurrected on the third day.
3) Jesus performed many miracles and signs in His ministry including casting out demons, raising people from the dead, curing illnesses and disabilities, walking on water, changing water into wine. ETC.
I think we all agree on these basic things and that’s what makes us all Christians who share the same basic view of Jesus and Christianity in general.
Now that I’ve stated all that, here some teachings and practices of the Catholic Church which I don’t agree with and because of this there are some who think I should leave my Church or be excommunicated:
1) Compulsory clerical celibacy. I see no reason for the Church to continue with this draconian policy, nor do I find any requirement in the Bible for such a policy. To the contrary, priests were married men in the Bible.
2) The belief that Mary was ALWAYS a virgin. Even though the Bible only states she was virgin at the time of her conception of Jesus. She was in fact married to Joseph and the Bible specifically mentions Jesus’s brothers and sisters.
3) Papal Infallibility-—a perfectly ridiculous dogma instituted in the 19th Century. Popes like the rest of us are human beings, therefore subject to sin and error and mistakes.
I happen to agree with many if not most Catholic teachings. I love attending Mass, readings from the Bible, I am an active volunteer at my Church I am member of the Knights of Columbus. I am TIRED of being branded a heretic or a Protestant if I don’t always march in lock step with the Church. I think it is possible to be both a Catholic and a Bible believing Christian. I’m sure many will disagree. Too bad. I’m staying put!
Of course! It is ignorant protestants who have made a distinction, not us. What are the authorities of the Church? The Deposit of Faith (big "T" Tradition), Scripture, and the Magisterial teaching through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Without the Bible, there is no Church. Without the Church, we would not have the Canon of Scripture. We are Bible-believing people.
I answered your other challenges on another thread. I invite you to my comments there rather than repeating myself here.
I am Catholic too, I would like to expound on that.
Jesus Christ is the son of God. Jesus is also God himself.
The three points of disagreement seem to be mostly founded in a misunderstanding of the Churches teaching.
1. When a man chooses to take the calling of the priesthood he is aware of what he is giving up. The rule against priests marrying has been there is a disapline, not a dogma, but was found to be a very good one and so has been in forced since very early in the church. On the other hand, there is not a rule against ordaining married men to the priesthood in the Eastern church and exceptions are made on a case by case basis in the West.
In my old parish we had an older priest who was married and had a family and was ordained after she died and the kids were all grown. Having experienced both sides he was a very vocal advocate for priestly celibacy.
2. This is a belief that can be traced to the church fathers and flows out of the oral Tradition of the church rather than the bible. The appearing contradiction can be understood as a problem with translation and words like cousin and brother not nessasarily having direct analogs in the original text.
3. Papal infallibility has nothing to do with sinlessness or always being right. Certainly a claim like that in review of church history would be patently ridiculous as occupants of that office have been subject to every vice and sin as the rest of us as well as ignorance and foolish sayings. All the grace of infallibility does is prevent the popes from teaching error about the faith in a very narrow set of conditions.
Well said; God bless you!
a real easy way around that is to stop spouting heretical protestant nonsense.
I would also suggest that unless you are in the Norfolk VA area that you get together with your Grand Knight and tell him of those points that you disagree with the Catholic Church. I am certain that he will be glad to temporarily suspend your membership until you get your head on straight.
You are not a Catholic in good standing and are not permitted membership in the Knights until you are. I might suggest the Masonic lodge down the road they will put up with that nonsense.