My replies to aspen in blue.
I think you are over reacting to my word "silly" and "game." I do apologize.
Accepted.
Thank you.
I only speak of what the Bible says.
As do I. Selene, you and I have been sharing verses for the past 3 hours.
No, you two have been defending the false doctrines of the Catholic Church.
Why would you possibly stumble when you hear some truth about the Catholic Church?
I am not worried about myself. I am also not worried about hearing truth about the Catholic Church, however - no offense, I haven't heard any from you yet. I've heard you reinterpret what the Church teaches. Again, if you said something like, "Some Catholics worship statues" or it sure looks as if the Catholic Church teaches it's people to worship statues - I couldn't argue with you. But to claim that the Church actually teaches this falsehood - a practice it condemns - is going to lead me to correct you. Let's say I noticed that several people in your church had wildly different understandings of one of Christ's teachings and I decided that your minister teaches private interpretation of the scriptures; this would be a falsehood that needed to be corrected. I would be misleading if I asked "why would you possibly stumble when you hear some truth about the church I attend" because it would not be truth, but a distortion of the truth.
Oh yes you have heard the truth from me about the Catholic Church. I think some Catholics don't know the extent of what their church teaches. I have proven to you what the Catholics teach...you just don't want to admit it.
As far as me worrying about anyone else stumbling, I value a justified and sanctifying relationship with Jesus over doctrinal correctness. So, if I run into a person who has a relationship with Jesus, I am not going to jeopardize their relationship or belief in Christ by ripping out the foundation of the doctrine just because I disagree with parts of it. And I have seen it happen many times - Richard Dawkins does it all the time - he under minds people's faith by destroying their doctrinal foundation simply because he finds it to be silly.
I'm not going to stop talking about God's Truth. Anyone can look up in the Bible to see if what I'm saying is true. In fact, I hope that is what they do.
The Catholic Church isn't Jesus. The Catholic Church didn't die for you.
I will not argue that.
Then you shouldn't worry about someone losing faith in Jesus because they found out they were in the wrong religion.
You keep your faith in Jesus. You want to please the Lord, right? So do what the Bible says, and not what the Catholic Church says.
Here's the problem you do not understand; you are proceeding on the assumption that I am indoctrinated by my church and if I simply opened my eyes by leaving the church, I would see the Bible for what it really is - just like you do. Unfortunately, you have no idea that you are also interpreting the Bible according to the tradition of the people who have taught you hermenutics. You also rely on teachers and concordances and commentaries from your own tradition, which claim to teach you the Bible, plainly. This is not true - but they have taught you to believe it - the fact is, you didn't even know that you are a Protestant until I told you. One of the saddest parts of being a Protestant is not learning church history - they have a great tradition of teaching the Bible, but discount the 1500 years between Christ and Luther.
I'm not a Protestant. So no, you didn't teach me anything there.lol You can call me a Protestant over and over if you like. I have the same beliefs as what Jesus and the apostles taught. And they are before Catholics and the Protestant movement. I know you think you are insulting me by calling me a Protestant.
There are a lot of false teachings of the Catholic Church, one of them is that the Pope is called "Holy Father." "Holy Father" is a name only reserved for God. I have a hard time understanding how anyone can stay in a religion that does such things.
The titles of father and teacher are also condemned in the Bible. Catholics rely on Sacred Tradition and the Bible as authoritative. We do what the early church did as long as it it not contradicted in the Bible. Now, I have not heard the Holy Father title, but I have heard others. The Pope is a man. His office is Holy because it was set up by God. Acceptance of the Pope doesn't define you as a Catholic, nor does it interfere with salvation. Catholics venerate the office of Pope, but they will not be damned if they do not. Hardly any Popes have been considered Saints - it is the office, not the man.
There is no such office as "the Pope" that is a made up man doctrine. And maybe you need to do some more searching on what your religion teaches. The pope is called "Holy Father."
If you desire Jesus, and you find yourself in a religion that is not of the truth, then repent and go on.
Indeed. I did that 10 years ago.
You aren't suppose to loose your faith, but your faith should grow when you accept the truth. The Truth should make you feel closer to God. Please keep the communication going. Okay?
I will - as long as they let us talk. There is no comparison between my prayer life as a Protestant and now as a Catholic - it is sublime. It is body and soul - thought, emotion, and action - it is never ending. It is diverse and personal; dynamic and disciplined......alive.
You were in a false religion before, and now you are in a false relgion called "Catholic." How would you know what is better when you were only in Calvinism and Catholicism?