One Hundred Fifty Reasons I'm Catholic - And You Should Be Too!

http://www.ourcatholicfaith.org ^ | January 23, 2014 | Dave Armstrong

[NKP_Vet]

1. Best One-Sentence Summary: I am convinced that the Catholic Church conforms much more closely to all of the biblical data, offers the only coherent view of the history of Christianity (i.e., Christian, apostolic Tradition), and possesses the most profound and sublime Christian morality, spirituality, social ethic, and philosophy.

2. Alternate: I am a Catholic because I sincerely believe, by virtue of much cumulative evidence, that Catholicism is true, and that the Catholic Church is the visible Church divinely-established by our Lord Jesus, against which the gates of hell cannot and will not prevail (Mt 16:18), thereby possessing an authority to which I feel bound in Christian duty to submit.

3. 2nd Alternate: I left Protestantism because it was seriously deficient in its interpretation of the Bible (e.g., "faith alone" and many other "Catholic" doctrines - see evidences below), inconsistently selective in its espousal of various Catholic Traditions (e.g., the Canon of the Bible), inadequate in its ecclesiology, lacking a sensible view of Christian history (e.g., "Scripture alone"), compromised morally (e.g., contraception, divorce), and unbiblically schismatic, anarchical, and relativistic. I don't therefore believe that Protestantism is all bad (not by a long shot), but these are some of the major deficiencies I eventually saw as fatal to the "theory" of Protestantism, over against Catholicism. All Catholics must regard baptized, Nicene, Chalcedonian Protestants as Christians.

4. Catholicism isn't formally divided and sectarian (Jn 17:20-23; Rom 16:17; 1 Cor 1:10-13).

5. Catholic unity makes Christianity and Jesus more believable to the world (Jn 17:23).

6. Catholicism, because of its unified, complete, fully supernatural Christian vision, mitigates against secularization and humanism.

7. Catholicism avoids an unbiblical individualism which undermines Christian community (e.g., 1 Cor 12:25-26).

8. Catholicism avoids theological relativism, by means of dogmatic certainty and the centrality of the papacy.

[narses]

So, anti-Catholics really do believe that the real Church teaches that celebrating Easter and Christmas are pagan? My apologies.

[CynicalBear]

God said.

Deuteronomy 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God

But the Catholics said.

“We need not shrink from admitting that candles, like incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and the rites paid to the dead. But the Church from a very early period took them into her service, just as she adopted many other things indifferent in themselves, which seemed proper to enhance the splendor of religious ceremonial. We must not forget that most of these adjuncts to worship, like music, lights, perfumes, ablutions, floral decorations, canopies, fans, screens, bells, vestments etc. were not identified with any idolatrous cult in particular; but they were common to almost all cults” (Catholic Encyclopedia, III, 246.)

[vladimir998]

“I see. So, Catholics really do believe that the real Church is on heavenly mount Sion and not in Vatican City? My apologies.”

Catholics believe the Church is in Heaven, on Earth and in Purgatory for the saints are in Heaven, on Earth and in Purgatory. The Church Triumphant is the Church in Heaven. The Church Militant is the Church on Earth. The Church Suffering is the Church in Purgatory. http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/chura1.htm

“On second thought, if that is true, why did Catholics remove the word “church” from the Hebrews 12 reference.”

Well, maybe you should ask the PROTESTANT translators of the RSV and the ESV and HSCB since they also used the word “assembly” instead of “church” in Hebrews 12:23 and they did it 25 years before and 30 years after the NAB translators. Then ask the PROTESTANT translators of the Darby Translation, Amplified Bible (which has both translations!), the CEB, the ERV (”meeting”), the EXB (”meeting [assembly; congregation; or church]”), the 1599 Geneva Bible (”assembly and congregation”), God’s Word Translation, the GNT (”gathering”), the JUB (”congregation of the called out ones”), the LEB, MSG (”throngs”), Mounce Reverse-Interlinear NT, NET (”congregation”), NLV (”gathered there”), the NLT, NRSV, the OJB (”Kehillat HaBechorim”?), The Voice, the WEB (”general assembly and assembly”), and the YLT (”company and assembly”).

[metmom]

Yep, the illiterate attacks continue.

We can see that with all the pictures posted. They are, after all, easier than reading words.

[vladimir998]

“I don’t know as there are any dumb anti-Catholics here.”

I do - if their posts are anything to judge by.

“I do believe they can all speak.”

Was that in doubt?

“Surely that wasn’t another example of poor understanding of words was it?”

Yes. But what else would you do?

[vladimir998]

Does Yopios help lower cholesterol like Cheerios? :)

[Syncro]

“Not THAT is sad!”

Yep, the illiterate attacks continue.

Sad.

Oops sorry about the thypo!

Meant to say "Now (not "not") that is sad!

For further clarity, before you quoting me, I said "Did you see my post where I quoted popes saying that Mary brings salvation with no mention of Jesus?"

That isn't sad that popes say no need for Jesus, Mary brings salvation?

So who is illiterate, the popes for leaving out Jesus, or the Catholics that don't agree with the popes?

I would think that popes and catholics would agree on that, one way or another.

So what's it gonna be: a graphic, spam "Mother" of God stuff, or crickets?

[CynicalBear]

Dumb - lacking the human power of speech

[Syncro]

That's how we can tell we have sent some truth to Catholism. Either graphic spam, "Mother" of God spam, denial of Biblical truths, or Catholic "vain repetition" spam.

Speaking of which, I'll just bet the beads are getting mighty warm from all the action!

(Not to mention the hateful post that first got me posting on this thread which I had been watching for quite some time.)

[PhilipFreneau]

>>So, anti-Catholics really do believe that the real Church teaches that celebrating Easter and Christmas are pagan?<<

I still am unsure what you are asking. I think it is perfectly acceptable to celebrate the birth of Christ as written in Luke 1-2, and the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. You can have the Santa and Easter Bunny stuff (though I did enjoy those as a child.)

I have a wonderful photo of my wife, when she was about four, hanging on to a box of chocolate Easter Eggs.

Philip

[bonfire]

You might be on to something. hmmmm.....

[metmom]

It was, but after a while it just kind of rolls off your back.

It’s pretty much expected when you hit them with the truth.

[narses]

[CynicalBear]

Bless your heart.

[narses]

In the Religion forum, on a thread titled One Hundred Fifty Reasons I’m Catholic - And You Should Be Too!, CynicalBear wrote (in response to Scripture):

There ya go trying to convince people of that pagan cannibalism again.

How sad.

[PhilipFreneau]

>>>Well, maybe you should ask the PROTESTANT translators of the RSV and the ESV and HSCB since they also used the word “assembly” instead of “church” in Hebrews 12:23 and they did it 25 years before and 30 years after the NAB translators.<<<

You didn't mention the 23 versions that include it. In any case, I asked why the Catholics removed it? The 1899 Douay Rheims included it.

"And to the church of the firstborn, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect." (Heb 12:23 DRA)

Et ecclesiam primitivorum, qui conscripti sunt in caelis, et judicem omnium Deum, et spiritus justorum perfectorum,

I have known for a long time that the modern evangelical (RSV, ESV, HCSB) translations, along with the NWT (Jehovah Witness translation,) fit together quite nicely with the catholic versions.

I also realize that a lot of so-called "scholars" have been trying to push the Alexandrian MSS on us for a long time.

I am pretty sure why Darby did it: dispensationalism. He could not interpret the Bible, so he changed it. How can Jesus return to reign on earth for 1000 years if he is stuck on that stuffy old heavenly throne forever, as David said.

I suspect dispensationalism was one of the HSCB board's primary motives (the SBC is highly dispensational,) along with the money motive (hard to copyright the KJV without a gimmick, like Scofield had.)

Of course there is the Evangelical Industrial Complex (book sales,) that would go broke if there was no horrifying 666 and Babylon the Great books to scare the bejesus out of little old ladies.

I am just as tough on them as I am on Catholics.

So, when did the Catholic Bible eliminate it?

Philip

[redleghunter]

Vlad it is all there in the link. You have to read it. It is the same discourse. Look at all the bolded areas and you will see all are LW304.

[PhilipFreneau]

>>>”But the Catholics said. “We need not shrink from admitting that candles, like incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and the rites paid to the dead. But the Church from a very early period took them into her service, just as she adopted many other things indifferent in themselves, which seemed proper to enhance the splendor of religious ceremonial. We must not forget that most of these adjuncts to worship, like music, lights, perfumes, ablutions, floral decorations, canopies, fans, screens, bells, vestments etc. were not identified with any idolatrous cult in particular; but they were common to almost all cults” (Catholic Encyclopedia, III, 246.)<<<

It is sorta “in-your-face”, isn’t it, like “Holy Father.”

[RichInOC]

I think Chesterton did the Cliff’s Notes (or Father Guido Sarducci’s Five Minute University) version best...ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: That it’s true.

[redleghunter]

Exodus 20:1-6 KJV

And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.