If I understand you correctly, you mean that sometimes Catholics speak "from both sides of their mouths". Most likely, you're right. On the one hand, the Catholic Church has proclaimed that it is the one true church, outside of which one cannot be saved.
The Church has taken a less stringent position since that decree.
Though it may not be relevant to the subject, I was baptized a Catholic and attended Catholic schools for 12+ years. Throughout my years I've known many Protestants who are/were good-living, caring people. My father and husband were Protestants---hard-working, reliable men who took care of their families.
Aside from the fact that both of them became Catholics later in life, there's no way I will believe that God would have damned them to hell before that.
Thanks.
Thankfully, I’ve met many RC’s who are reasonable, sane folks who by all evidence Love God above all else. I expect to see them in Heaven, too.
No was was Christ . . . so chronically fiercely hostile to the political, bureaucratic, haughty, self-righteous, pontifical, !!!!TRADITION!!!!-bound, authoritarian-to-the-max, . . . RELIGIONISTS of 2,000 years ago
remotely interested
in setting up another such organization/operation.
Sadly, it seems to be human nature in groups—and all the more so in RELIGIOUS groups of all stripes—particularly those the least bit authoritarian.
Have you read THE SHACK? or Wayne Jacobsen’s HE LOVES ME?
I think they make excellent points about relating to The God of The Bible.
I have a dear friend I helped lead into a fuller walk in Holy Spirit 30+ years ago . . . an engineer . . . he sent me emails about how THE SHACK is supposed to be full of demonic heresy. Turns out, he hasn’t read it! LOL. I told him last night that sometimes he’s far too prissy for his own good.
It is sooooo human and soooo easy to imagine that we CAN put GOD ALMIGHTY in some tidy little box. What arrogance.
Certainly He is within His Nature . . . and He is NOT nonsense. However, He’ll never fit within any human tidy little box regardless of how “Biblical” folks think it is.
Anyway—I was blessed by your reasonableness. Tends to be a rarity on these threads.
God’s best to you and yours.