Comments on: Five Catholic teachings that just kinda made sense to me http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:43:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Michael http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-41891 Michael Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:02:58 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-41891 Love this post, just unsure about one point though: ''Some people, of course, probably do use their time on earth wisely, to purify themselves enough during this life to be able to go directly to God when they die.'' I'm not certain, but I once heard that only one person ever avoided purgatory and went directly to God: Padre Pio. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Many thanks Love this post, just unsure about one point though:
”Some people, of course, probably do use their time on earth wisely, to purify themselves enough during this life to be able to go directly to God when they die.”

I’m not certain, but I once heard that only one person ever avoided purgatory and went directly to God: Padre Pio. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

Many thanks

]]> By: Jennifer F. http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-5405 Jennifer F. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:15:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-5405 <i>Purgatory is a big issue for me. It was actually invented in the middle ages so as to extort money from the congregation for indulgences.</i><br/><br/>I researched that when I was looking to Catholicism, and that's not what I found. <a HREF="http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HOW2PURG.htm" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Here</a> is a decent summary of the info I found if you're interested.<br/><br/>Thanks for your comment! Purgatory is a big issue for me. It was actually invented in the middle ages so as to extort money from the congregation for indulgences.

I researched that when I was looking to Catholicism, and that’s not what I found. Here is a decent summary of the info I found if you’re interested.

Thanks for your comment!

]]> By: Deb http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-5388 Deb Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:33:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-5388 This was an interesting post for me. I was raised Catholic in Ireland, so very very conservatively. Given this and the horrific recent history of the church in our country I wandered. I have recently realised something is missing in my life and have begun coming back to God. I have researched several religions, but keep coming back to Catholicism. Maybe it is like the mafia! ;-) I agree with all your points except for number two. Purgatory is a big issue for me. It was actually invented in the middle ages so as to extort money from the congregation for indulgences. I discussed this with one of my religious role models, a priest who recently passed away. I told him I had issues with a Dante style hell and purgatory. He told me the only way of looking at it that made sense to him came from an eight year old child. "Hell is where God ain't." So I guess maybe pergatory is where I am right now... where God is "sort-of!" I will continue reading with great interest. Blessings! This was an interesting post for me. I was raised Catholic in Ireland, so very very conservatively. Given this and the horrific recent history of the church in our country I wandered. I have recently realised something is missing in my life and have begun coming back to God. I have researched several religions, but keep coming back to Catholicism. Maybe it is like the mafia! ;-) I agree with all your points except for number two. Purgatory is a big issue for me. It was actually invented in the middle ages so as to extort money from the congregation for indulgences. I discussed this with one of my religious role models, a priest who recently passed away. I told him I had issues with a Dante style hell and purgatory. He told me the only way of looking at it that made sense to him came from an eight year old child. “Hell is where God ain’t.” So I guess maybe pergatory is where I am right now… where God is “sort-of!” I will continue reading with great interest. Blessings!

]]> By: ryple http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-5365 ryple Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:27:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-5365 Roger,<br/><br/>I for so many years of my life shared your view that trying to get into some heavenly club was selfish and despicable. It was what took me so long to get here. I think this: There are a lot of hurdles to clear. Heaven is an eternal concept. It is difficult for the earthly mind to grasp. We all struggle, and many write about it. It remains a mystery. Neither did I have any ambition to be good just to 'save my arse'. It seemed like cheating on a test you didn't study for rather than knowing the material. Being faithful and good is more like knowing the material, and loving and choosing it, vs. scrambling as a last ditch effort to pull it out of the bag.<br/>The more I know this Jesus I have come to love, the less I want to spend eternity away from him. That's worth seeking. (And) as for those who aren't more inherently nice, who better for a saviour? Haven't you ever wished to be saved FROM yourself? Have you ever said or done something you wish you could take back? What if believing in a natural order consistent with an intelligent design and ultimately leading to a knowable, loving God, helped you understand what makes you do things you wish you could take back? What if it somehow DOES make us better people?<br/>I was pretty good to begin with. I believe in RIGHT and WRONG. (Black and white. The greys start to pull to one side or the other, eventually....) The kind of absolute thinking I tended toward led me on a very natural path toward a creator. I would never worship anything malicious, creator or not, so the creator had to be benevolent. God is just such a benevolent being. If we try to grasp the scope of Him always being the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, before long, you get a sense of an eternity that is too difficult for us to really absorb.<br/>We can just stand in awe, and learn, and hope. I hope you get to know enough Christians of deep faith to see that we're not all 'arse savers'.<br/><br/>God Bless! <br/>He is Risen!<br/><br/>Renee Roger,

I for so many years of my life shared your view that trying to get into some heavenly club was selfish and despicable. It was what took me so long to get here. I think this: There are a lot of hurdles to clear. Heaven is an eternal concept. It is difficult for the earthly mind to grasp. We all struggle, and many write about it. It remains a mystery. Neither did I have any ambition to be good just to ‘save my arse’. It seemed like cheating on a test you didn’t study for rather than knowing the material. Being faithful and good is more like knowing the material, and loving and choosing it, vs. scrambling as a last ditch effort to pull it out of the bag.
The more I know this Jesus I have come to love, the less I want to spend eternity away from him. That’s worth seeking. (And) as for those who aren’t more inherently nice, who better for a saviour? Haven’t you ever wished to be saved FROM yourself? Have you ever said or done something you wish you could take back? What if believing in a natural order consistent with an intelligent design and ultimately leading to a knowable, loving God, helped you understand what makes you do things you wish you could take back? What if it somehow DOES make us better people?
I was pretty good to begin with. I believe in RIGHT and WRONG. (Black and white. The greys start to pull to one side or the other, eventually….) The kind of absolute thinking I tended toward led me on a very natural path toward a creator. I would never worship anything malicious, creator or not, so the creator had to be benevolent. God is just such a benevolent being. If we try to grasp the scope of Him always being the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, before long, you get a sense of an eternity that is too difficult for us to really absorb.
We can just stand in awe, and learn, and hope. I hope you get to know enough Christians of deep faith to see that we’re not all ‘arse savers’.

God Bless!
He is Risen!

Renee

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-5337 Anonymous Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:22:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-5337 As for Purgatory, I don't think there is one place called Purgatory. I do however speculate that there is a different judgement for each person and some might be given a sort of "work camp" or "parole" and some redeemed might "need more training". It is not mentioned in the Bible but I don't have the abhorance some Protestants do for it.<br/>The idea that non-christians can escape hell has one flaw. If they are saved by Christ they are by definition Christians whatever we call them on Earth or they call themselves. The real question is, "does everyone who fails to give intellectual assent while on Earth go to hell". I don't think that true. Or if it is then God would make special interventions when necessary-like appearing in a dream at the last momment of life.<br/>However I think the point about Mary is flawed. There is no reason she need be a particularly special person. One of the main themes of the Bible is that anyone can be chosen for God's tasks, whatever their station. After all have you ever wondered what if Athens had been the Chosen People? "How odd of God to choose the Jews?" is an old anti-semetic taunt, but it comes back to bite when one realizes that it was indeed odd-and that was the whole point. The same way Mary could have been chosen for her task for any reason.<br/>It probably is true though that she prays for us down here-as do all that have gone before.<br/><br/>Jason Taylor As for Purgatory, I don’t think there is one place called Purgatory. I do however speculate that there is a different judgement for each person and some might be given a sort of “work camp” or “parole” and some redeemed might “need more training”. It is not mentioned in the Bible but I don’t have the abhorance some Protestants do for it.
The idea that non-christians can escape hell has one flaw. If they are saved by Christ they are by definition Christians whatever we call them on Earth or they call themselves. The real question is, “does everyone who fails to give intellectual assent while on Earth go to hell”. I don’t think that true. Or if it is then God would make special interventions when necessary-like appearing in a dream at the last momment of life.
However I think the point about Mary is flawed. There is no reason she need be a particularly special person. One of the main themes of the Bible is that anyone can be chosen for God’s tasks, whatever their station. After all have you ever wondered what if Athens had been the Chosen People? “How odd of God to choose the Jews?” is an old anti-semetic taunt, but it comes back to bite when one realizes that it was indeed odd-and that was the whole point. The same way Mary could have been chosen for her task for any reason.
It probably is true though that she prays for us down here-as do all that have gone before.

Jason Taylor

]]> By: Mary http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-4563 Mary Fri, 23 Nov 2007 03:40:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-4563 I like your comment on the Communion of Saints,<br/>"The longer I'm a Christian the more I see the need for solid spiritual role models." <br/>I love reading the lives of the saints too, and feeling that I have extra "aunts" and "uncles" watching out for me, and even that people like Chesterton & Father McNabb, uncanonized, are sort of "fair game" to ask for prayers (at least that is the impression I have gotten from better-informed Catholics). I like your comment on the Communion of Saints,
“The longer I’m a Christian the more I see the need for solid spiritual role models.”
I love reading the lives of the saints too, and feeling that I have extra “aunts” and “uncles” watching out for me, and even that people like Chesterton & Father McNabb, uncanonized, are sort of “fair game” to ask for prayers (at least that is the impression I have gotten from better-informed Catholics).

]]> By: Jarin http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-4548 Jarin Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:01:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-4548 I don't think we need to be embarrassed about doing good things to get to heaven. All things naturally desire their own perfection. This is what heaven is. Of course, we understand our perfection as rational men to be union with God. <br/><br/>Like C.S. Lewis says, the idea that one should not be happy for doing good comes from Kant, and not from Christianity. I don’t think we need to be embarrassed about doing good things to get to heaven. All things naturally desire their own perfection. This is what heaven is. Of course, we understand our perfection as rational men to be union with God.

Like C.S. Lewis says, the idea that one should not be happy for doing good comes from Kant, and not from Christianity.

]]> By: NotMarian http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-4536 NotMarian Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:34:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-4536 Ok, Roger, I'll say it too - I do live my life doing good and loving others and God because it is the good and right thing to do.<br/><br/>My reward (not my goal) is heaven.<br/><br/>As for reason - I don't see my Faith as the opposite of reason. Check out Catholicism for yourself and you'll see what I mean.<br/><br/>Finally, as far as heaven being a special club - didn't you see her post on reason #4? It isn't a special club and you could and may and probably will end up there after your life on earth is over.<br/><br/>See you on the other side! Ok, Roger, I’ll say it too – I do live my life doing good and loving others and God because it is the good and right thing to do.

My reward (not my goal) is heaven.

As for reason – I don’t see my Faith as the opposite of reason. Check out Catholicism for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

Finally, as far as heaven being a special club – didn’t you see her post on reason #4? It isn’t a special club and you could and may and probably will end up there after your life on earth is over.

See you on the other side!

]]> By: Andie http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-4528 Andie Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:12:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-4528 I'm a big fan of all five of those things. I'm sort of a convert/revert ("raised" Catholic, found it for real on my own), and without much in the way of religious ed, those things always made sense to me too. I’m a big fan of all five of those things. I’m sort of a convert/revert (“raised” Catholic, found it for real on my own), and without much in the way of religious ed, those things always made sense to me too.

]]> By: SH http://www.conversiondiary.com/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html/comment-page-1#comment-4515 SH Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:45:00 +0000 http://gator1217.hostgator.com/~fulwiler/2007/11/five-catholic-teachings-that-just-kinda-made-sense-to-me.html#comment-4515 Roger-<br/>Are you saying there is a special heavenly club? Cuz if there is, I will do anything and everything to get into it. I'll even respond to rude comments charitably! I love you Roger! Roger-
Are you saying there is a special heavenly club? Cuz if there is, I will do anything and everything to get into it. I’ll even respond to rude comments charitably! I love you Roger!

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