Why do people do this?
Please tell me EXACTLY, with URL and/or footnotes, where you find that that is our teaching. I deny it. I say we do not teach it. I say you speak falsehood.
PROVE me wrong or cut it out.
Of curse they do. When the object is not the truth the means is rarely the truth.
In Christianity we find three elements that have been conjoined into a single Truth; Scripture, Tradition; and Church. These have been disassociated in much of Protestantism. In it's drive to assume the authority over the content and interpretation of Scripture Protestantism has to destroy the authority of the Church. This could only be done by destroying Tradition. But then, what did you expect from a theology cobbled together not by God, but by a self absorbed German theology professor and a failed French lawyer?
You said:
Why do people do this? Please tell me EXACTLY, with URL and/or footnotes, where you find that that is our teaching. I deny it. I say we do not teach it. I say you speak falsehood. PROVE me wrong or cut it out.
My entire post said this after those two "choices":
I'd go with 2, mainly because I know what it's like living number 1. Personal faith in Christ was NOT a factor and many people I knew thought they could go to confession on Saturday, Mass on Sunday and then live like hell the rest of the week. There was no life-changing faith and no indwelling Spirit of God that worked within to compel good works. Once I DID accept Christ and receive him as my Savior, my life truly DID change and what used to feel forced became deeds out of gratitude and love for the grace and mercy of God. Go ahead and stick with your Religion that rejects what Scripture REALLY says in favor of what the leaders SAY it says. Place your faith in them. I'll trust God.
I was speaking from personal experience and I will not "cut it out". I have as much right to speak my thoughts as you or anyone else. At no time did I specify this was "exact" church teaching but from my own history as well as others I speak with. I'm glad that you understand the importance in a personal, faith relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ, but that was not what I was taught was fundamental nor even necessary for salvation. It is obvious, to me, that this attitude exist even today and is proven consistently, for example, during elections. That Roman Catholics vote predominately for Liberal Democrats who promote abortion and homosexual "rights" is indisputable. You can insist that "they" aren't "real" Catholics, but they only prove my point that people are taught that going through motions and doing certain things are more important that what is within their hearts. But Catholics are hardly alone in this.