Sure I do.
I was raised Catholic.
Catholics think they have to eat Jesus to have Him give them life and get Him inside them.
They have to do penance to earn forgiveness and pardon.
They pray to Mary to protect them from *Jesus, my judge*.
*Jesus, my JUDGE*???? For real? What a warped and perverted view of Jesus. He is the SAVIOR of those who trust in Him, who came to seek and save the lost, a FRIEND of sinners, our elder brother.
Yup, Catholic relationship with Jesus is coming groveling to Mary to beg for forgiveness from God and Jesus.
Now, where did I tell you that because you are Catholic that you can’t enter into a relationship with Jesus? Where did I do that? Provide the post number and post it. I’d like to see that.
Also, by telling me that your relationship with Christ is more than I could ever understand, you are passing judgment on MY relationship with Christ. You have no concept of what I understand about Jesus and a relationship with Him because you can’t read my mind.
So you are doing the very thing you just condemned me for.
Just because you were once a Catholic doesn't make you an expert.
And like I said you really could be a little more charitable than to tell someone they are wrong for believing a certain way.
Or can't you?
" Catholics think they have to eat Jesus to have Him give them life and get Him inside them."
This is not true. Although the Eucharist is a privileged way, given by Christ Himself, to approach this kind of intimacy with Him, it's not the only way.
Paul teaches us that "Christ dwell(s) in your hearts through faith... through being rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17). Spiritual Communion (when you are unable to receive the consecrated elements) is real Communion, as any Catholic should know.
Where two or three are gathered together in His name, there He is in the midst of them.
(John 14:23)
Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."
"They have to do penance to earn forgiveness and pardon."
This also is a misconception, since no one can "earn" forgiveness. Penance (as in the requirements following a sacramental Confession) is intended to --- when applicable --- do literal repair for the damage you've done. (Stole money? Return it. Smashed his car? Repair it. Insulted your mother? Apologize. Need to get closer to Christ? Read next Sunday's gospel before Sunday) and demonstrating your changed heart. Matthew 3:8 - “Produce therefore fruit that is fitting of repentance.”
You can have forgiveness from God and still be obliged as a matter of justice to make reparation for the evil you did. A repentant inmate in prison may be forgiven by God, but still needs to serve out his sentence. The repentant criminal on the cross next to Jesus, was forgiven: but Jesus did not take him down from the cross, because he admitted he deserved it by his evil deeds.
"They pray to Mary to protect them from *Jesus, my judge*."
Once again, this is a matter of intercessory prayer. I pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day, asking God to grant mercy to me and to the whole world. Mary is also a member of the Communion of Saints, just as I am. Just as, I presume, you are. Like us, she, too, makes intercessory prayers.
*Jesus, my JUDGE*???? For real? What a warped and perverted view of Jesus. He is the SAVIOR of those who trust in Him, who came to seek and save the lost, a FRIEND of sinners, our elder brother"
He is also the Judge of the living and the dead.(Matthew 25:31-46) You know the Bible well enough. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to, and don't even have to look it up.
There's also this:
Acts 10:42
"And He (Jesus) ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead."
2 Corinthians 5:10
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."
Acts 17:31
"...because [God] has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
John 5:22, 27
"For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son... and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man."
So is it that the New Testament "warped and perverted" about this? Or that Catholics are "warped and perverted" because we believe the New Testament?
None of this takes away from the fact that Jesus is our Savior and Friend. In fact, that's one of the amazing paradoxes of God's Divine plan: the the Judge is also, so to speak, our Brother and Defense Attorney!
I need to think about that some more.
With all due respect, your post, however it was intended, came off as being a bit of a put-down.
As for this last post, I'm sorry about your perceived impression of Catholicism, and the negativity expressed in forum. The encapsulated description reflects the fullness of our beliefs so incompletely, and thus less than accurately to the reader. God bless you, and give you peace!
Again, judgement of another's, in this case, 1.2 billion others' relationship with / experience of God in their lives is neither accurate nor possible.