Dogmas date into the time of the early church, and a lot of discussion went on as they worked out how to express what the church faithful believed.
but ordinary folk don't have time or energy or even the desire to get deeply into such things, so we go along with the core beliefs as expressed by the experts. We see God's goodness all around us, in our children, in the poor and sick, in science and nature, and in art music and stories.
God feeds us in the bread and wine. The family and marriage is holy because Jesus lived in a family. Parties echo the happiness of heaven. If we stray, we know that not only will Jesus forgive us but that he will seek us out like the good shepherd. And when we mourn, we know Christ will wash away our tears.
most Catholics learn about how God loves us and expects us to live by stories, not from quotations taken out of context.
Interpreting the bible for dogma without a PhD in Greek, history, and how the early church fathers taught what it means is sort of like the thinking of some people who eschew mainstream medicine and think they know more than those of us who studied 8 years plus 3 to 5 years of hands on training. lots of them on FR and all I can do is roll my eyes up in exasperation.
Oh yeah, and they fall for the stories rather than believe what THE QUOTED THINGS SAY, context or not.
No, they don't all date back to the "time of the early church". It has been shown here often that early church fathers did NOT believe much of what the Catholic Church teaches today.
>>most Catholics learn about how God loves us and expects us to live by stories, not from quotations taken out of context.<<
The core beliefs of the Catholic Church are based on "quotations taken out of context" and corrupted interpretations.
>>Interpreting the bible for dogma without a PhD in Greek, history, and how the early church fathers taught<<
"This seal have thou ever on thy mind; which now by way of summary has been touched on in its heads, and if the Lord grant, shall hereafter be set forth according to our power, with Scripture proofs. For concerning the divine and sacred Mysteries of the Faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures: nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures." [A Library of the Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (Oxford: Parker, 1845), "The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril" Lecture 4.17.]
Regarding the things I say, I should supply even the proofs, so I will not seem to rely on my own opinions, but rather, prove them with Scripture, so that the matter will remain certain and steadfast. [John Chrysostom, Homily 8 On Repentance and the Church, p. 118, vol. 96 TFOTC.]
What is the mark of a faithful soul? To be in these dispositions of full acceptance on the authority of the words of Scripture, not venturing to reject anything nor making additions. For, if ‘all that is not of faith is sin’ as the Apostle says, and ‘faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,’ everything outside Holy Scripture, not being of faith, is sin. [Basil, The Morals, p. 204, vol 9 TFOTC]
>>is sort of like the thinking of some people who eschew mainstream medicine<<
An example being the veterans administration? Or maybe like don't eat eggs,,,,,no wait eggs are good, or don't drink coffee,,,,,oh wait,,,,,coffee is good,,,,,. The Catholic Church is just like "mainstream medicine" in that what used to be good has been corrupted. The Catholic Church has incorporated paganism which was strictly prohibited by God and has not only corrupted what God says in scripture but has added beliefs that God abhors. Put your trust in the Catholic Church if you want but God's word is not according to God's word and placing your eternal destiny in that institution will not lead to a happy ending.