August 13, 2004
Embracing Ignorance
A friend of mine just had a discussion on Catholicism with a protestant that ended along the lines of “Nothing will ever convince me to become Catholic.” I actually have run across this attitude as well and (ahem) may have even said something similar to this at one point in my life. But the question is: Aren’t we all seeking the truth? Are we so enamored of our intelligence or our current way of life that we aren’t willing to change when presented with the truth? The worst part is, often at this stage the other party is no longer willing to discuss the subject with you.
To me this is a terrible problem. If you genuinely want to seek God, wouldn’t you be willing to discuss Him with anyone? If you believe you are following Him, wouldn’t you be open to discussion? I’m really trying to understand what point a man or woman is at when they reach this type of decision. Is it a stage where they realize, “Oh crap, this guy might be right!” and therefore end the discussion so that they can keep telling themselves, “Well, I would have been proven correct in the end”?
I have to say that there are different types of people in the world. We honestly appreciate those who are not Catholic and willing to dialogue with us on this blog. Most times, these are sincere Christians attempting to save our souls literally, and we appreciate the thought. In fact, we’re glad to see anyone who is “hot” rather than lukewarm. In our society, the terrible fact is that most people use religion to suit their personal needs and desires, rather than see the reality that it should drive their lives and their decisions. In other words, some would rather ignore the truth rather than change their life or (even worse) admit they were wrong.
May God grant all of us the humility to openly discuss our faith with others.
God bless,
Jay
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Before I decided to convert, I uttered those fateful words," I will not convert to Catholicism". In my case, I was speaking out of pure ignorance. I didn't even know enough about the Catholic Church to make that statement honestly. I am thankful to God that at that time in my life, I was searching for the one true church of Jesus Christ. I had been raised in the Baptist Church and then joined a Non-Denominational Church. I didn't feel like either church was the Church Christ founded, for various reasons. (My intention here is not to offend anyone, I'm just telling it the way I see it).
So, I was constantly praying that God would reveal the one true Church to me. It was important to me to find that truth. I searched and learned with an open heart and mind (except for the whole," I'm not gonna convert to Catholism thing"). And God revealed the truth to me.
I don't think any of us can see the truth, until we open our heart and mind to that. I feel blessed to have entered in to this mysterious and glorious Church. Praise be to God!
I pray that all of those searching will find truth as well.
In Christ,
Krista
I find your question to be very interesting. Yes, we need to be open to honest and productive dialogue. However, an open mind is not a mind that accepts without searching and understanding. The major problem with the Catholic Church (I have seen many) is that the Catholic Church teaches that the priest MUST give absolution for sin. This goes against all of scripture. Only Christ can absolve us of our sin. We must only trust in HIM alone and live for him to be saved. The Catholic Church comes dangerously close (and debatebly crosses the line) to adding to salvation.
I am pleased to see that you are searching for answers and truth, but I would implore you to look at scripture (with proper exegesis, interpretation) and seek instruction from those wiser than us (on both sides of the argument).
Posted by: Brian at August 31, 2004 12:23 AMBrian,
The Catholic Church does teach that only God can forgive sins. However, Jesus handed this power down to His apostles while on earth. Take a look at this article on Confession and the Bible and let me know what you think.
God bless,
Jay
Jay,
I would have to ask you a question before I suppose to understand you. Do you think that a person who does not seek forgiveness from a priest is not forgiven of sin?
Posted by: Brian at September 1, 2004 09:46 AMBrian,
I hope you read the article. To answer your question: no. You can be forgiven by simply asking God for forgiveness, that's His decision, not mine. However, by going to a priest, you follow the plan Christ laid out while on earth and you can know that you are forgiven for your sins. Remember, this is exactly how Christ laid it out in the New Testament.
God bless,
Jay
