(marksman;47140)
That is precisely what I did. I worked for three years in the catholic education system and besides having to follow their teaching as a condition of obtaining a job, I spent a lot of time asking questions of the devout catholics on the staff. What I told you they told me. I asked one senior catholic "what does wine taste like when it is turned into blood at the mass?"His reply was "Wine."I asked him if he didn't think someone was having a lend of him claiming the wine became the blood of Jesus. He was quite adamant that the wine was blood even though it tasted like wine. Every catholic teacher that I asked said they had to earn their salvation, it wasn't guaranteed and they couldn't understand the fact that I knew I was saved and didn't have to do the right things to get it in the end. Whatever you think the catholics do or don't teach, that is what they believe and live by. By the way, all of them said they prayed to Mary and venerated her in the hope that God might listen to them through her.
all of your objections are true, marksman. the wine and bread turning into Jesus's actual body and blood is a correct catholic teaching and I will defend it as truth until I die. Yes its hard to believe but hey we catholics are crazy. Its going to take way to long to explain so hey read this post
http://www.christianityboard.com/eucharist-t5004.html Your second objection salvation by works and faith : true...somewhat.catholics believe we are saved by grace, we cannot earn our way into heaven, but we also believe we have to accept that grace by following Christian teachings and doing good works. How can you call yourself a Christian and not try to change your life of sin. more on that subject on this post
http://www.christianityboard.com/saved-fai...lone-t4983.htmlYour final objection prayer to the saints ( which is short enough to answer here)its important to remember that catholics have done a terrible job naming this practice we ask the saints to pray for us.Which makes the question Why do you pray to others?? Becuase Jesus himself said " when two or three pray in my name my spirit is among them."but then how do we know the saints can hear our prayers??, Simple, through the bible.
1. All christians are members of Christs body and one another 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. ( roman 12:5)
2. Jesus has only one body4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (
Eph 4:4)15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.( col 3:15)
3. death cannot seperate christians from one another35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ( rom 8: 35-39)
4. Christians are bound in mutual love10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; (
Rom 12:10) 11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. (
1 Thess 5:11) 2Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ( gal 6:2)If you have any questions just ask.