I have been attending a messianic congregation for some time, and for the first time in my adult life, I have a semblance of an organized religion.
I saw some of this organized religion when I was a young Methodist.
However, as a evangelical, we don’t observe religious practices, and that is where I was for the past 15 years or so.
SO- that being said. I do understand that the organized religion can bring comfort, (which is what my Catholic friends tell me is what they like about their Catholicism). They like the order, the routine. I can’t say that I blame them for that.
My concern for Catholics is that they do not study the Bible for themselves, they are not open to revelation, and they do not understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit, from what I have seen.
Therefore they do not understand the victory they have over darkness, while we are here in this place called the world.
I'd like to edit that to say 'the victory they could have...
It's like this pope's homily...He led people to believe that if they do good works they are on the way to salvation, even if Jesus isn't involved...He then refers to scripture to prove his point while distorting the scripture so the people don't know that Jesus is referring ONLY to people that do good works IN JESUS' NAME...
The result is: 'I have faith in the Church (which the Church claims is Jesus) and I do good works...So if I do enough good works, I will eventually burn in purgatory and then go to heaven'...
And that ain't gonna happen...
&&My concern for Catholics is that they do not study the Bible for themselves, they are not open to revelation, and they do not understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit, from what I have seen.**
Oh, my word!! Are you speaking in generalities here?
Haven’t you ever seen the Daily Mass Readings, First reading from the Old Testament, during the Easter season from the Acts of the Apostles, then a Psalm, then a reading from one of the letters of Paul, John or Peter or other letters, then a Gospel from Matthew, Mark , Luke or John.
In a three year cycle, we don’t cover then entire Bible, but we touch most of it.
Catholics, in my opinion, are more open to the revelation of the Eucharist by Jesus Christ than many non-Catholics. As for the Book of Revelation — Catholics can handle it. So why do you make that statement?
Your last point — the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
The Mass includes two points where the Holy Spirit is called down. Have you attended a Catholic Mass? If not, how can you make these assertions.
The first calling down of the Holy Spirit is over the bread and wine that will immediately, through the consecration become the body and blood of Christ.
The second calling down of the Holy Spirt is over the congregation, the people of God.
Are you a charismatic, is that why you are saying these things?