Is Roman Catholicism Evil?

[Shyness]

To tell you the truth, this video should help

YouTube - ‪Understanding the Roman Catholic Church‬‏

This video should help in understanding more about the Catholic church

 

[Vladimir_Ukr]

I agree with you on this one it does talk about the Papacy, we must remember that it is the system not the people God has people in all churches although there can only be one truth
John 10:16
(16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Sorry. I can't agree with you. It was said about jews and gentiles.
We need to accept what "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it"(Matthew 7:13-14). Besides I guess you know the parable of the ten virgins in the 25th chapter of Matthew. Five of the virgins were wise and five were foolish. Why? What does the oil represent? If the oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit then how us recieve the Holy Spirit. Even today the oil of the Holy Spirit is available. The time for the procuring of oil. Let us seek the oil, and the fullness of His Holy Spirit now.
God bless you

 

[jesusalive]

not evil Catholic church is established by Jesus it having 12 crore members. even it had bad side still it is there to lead the world . even after Lutheranism the protestant churches divided in to 33800 +denominations by mis using word of God for money propose and self projections by pasters even Iam belongs to a protestant denomination now i found that catholic church is better for charity etc like mother Teresa many saints chosen catholic church shows that even sons of church may do some mischief but mother always awaiting for a change that was happened now in catholic church now it having more bible oriented members and word living members than any church that is why I also wanted to Join Catholic church

 

[FSUBoy966]

In response to the question that is the title of this thread... No.

 

[Crypto]

The teachings of Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, passed on to us through His Church both in Scripture and Holy Tradition.

Let me rephrase my question: what does the Roman Catholic Church teach as the way to receive eternal life?

 

[SantoSubito]

Let me rephrase my question: what does the Roman Catholic Church teach as the way to receive eternal life?

I'm always wary of these kinds of questions, because generally the Catholic will give an answer and then they'll be bombarded with a bunch of proof-texts for the Protestant position. Baptist missionaries used to do this at my school all the time. You can tell I've spent way too much time in Oklahoma when I know the ins and outs of Baptist missionary methods.

 

[Crypto]

I'm always wary of these kinds of questions, because generally the Catholic will give an answer and then they'll be bombarded with a bunch of proof-texts for the Protestant position. Baptist missionaries used to do this at my school all the time. You can tell I've spent way too much time in Oklahoma when I know the ins and outs of Baptist missionary methods.

It is the most important question any human being has to address.

 

[SantoSubito]

It is the most important question any human being has to address.

I do not doubt that the question you asked in it's original form is one of the most important questions man must address. I am just wary of the way it's asked, because you probably anticipated a certain group of answers and already had your response more or less planned out. You are just waiting for someone to take the "bait" so to speak. My way of thinking towards these kind of questions may have been tainted by having the same method tried on me by a number of Baptist missionaries and youth pastors, but thats just the way I view these kind of questions now.

Also, because of the catechism I don't think there is any need to ask Catholics these kind of questions because all of what we believe is laid down in writing for all to see.

 

[Crypto]

I do not doubt that the question you asked in it's original form is one of the most important questions man must address. I am just wary of the way it's asked, because you probably anticipated a certain group of answers and already had your response more or less planned out. You are just waiting for someone to take the "bait" so to speak. My way of thinking towards these kind of questions may have been tainted by having the same method tried on me by a number of Baptist missionaries and youth pastors, but thats just the way I view these kind of questions now.

Also, because of the catechism I don't think there is any need to ask Catholics these kind of questions because all of what we believe is laid down in writing for all to see.

It's an honest question. And not everyone agrees with what their church teaches formally. Let me rephrase. How do YOU believe a person is saved?

 

[SantoSubito]

It's an honest question. And not everyone agrees with what their church teaches formally.

Some Catholics simply can't articulate or don't know what the Church believes, others do formally dissent, but that is a different case altogether. Like I said I'm just wary of these questions because there used all to often for the "bait & bombard" tactics used by JW's, Mormons, Baptists, and others. But I'll go ahead and post the pertinent sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.


Some of the sections for salvation.

161 Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. "Since "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" and to attain to the fellowship of his sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone obtain eternal life 'But he who endures to the end.'"

169 Salvation comes from God alone; but because we receive the life of faith through the Church, she is our mother: "We believe the Church as the mother of our new birth, and not in the Church as if she were the author of our salvation." Because she is our mother, she is also our teacher in the faith.

Some of the entries for gospel.

571 The Paschal mystery of Christ's cross and Resurrection stands at the center of the Good News that the apostles, and the Church following them, are to proclaim to the world. God's saving plan was accomplished "once for all" by the redemptive death of his Son Jesus Christ.

1846 The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God's mercy to sinners. The angel announced to Joseph: "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

The faith of the Catholic Church is not easy for those not raised in it. Most churches' statement of faith takes only one page, ours needs an 800 page book!

 

[Laodicea]

Some Catholics simply can't articulate or don't know what the Church believes, others do formally dissent, but that is a different case altogether. Like I said I'm just wary of these questions because there used all to often for the "bait & bombard" tactics used by JW's, Mormons, Baptists, and others. But I'll go ahead and post the pertinent sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.


Some of the sections for salvation.


Some of the entries for gospel.


The faith of the Catholic Church is not easy for those not raised in it. Most churches' statement of faith takes only one page, ours needs an 800 page book!

Brother I can understand what you are saying I have family members who are catholic, can you show from the Bible why you follow the catholic church?

 

[Crypto]

Some Catholics simply can't articulate or don't know what the Church believes, others do formally dissent, but that is a different case altogether. Like I said I'm just wary of these questions because there used all to often for the "bait & bombard" tactics used by JW's, Mormons, Baptists, and others. But I'll go ahead and post the pertinent sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.


Some of the sections for salvation.


Some of the entries for gospel.


The faith of the Catholic Church is not easy for those not raised in it. Most churches' statement of faith takes only one page, ours needs an 800 page book!

So what does a Catholic believe about good works? Can you cite to me what the Catechism says regarding that?

 

[SantoSubito]

Brother I can understand what you are saying I have family members who are catholic, can you show from the Bible why you follow the catholic church?

The most basic reason is that the Roman Pontiff is the successor to St. Peter the rock upon which Christ said he would build His Church (Protestants dispute this for obvious reasons.)

Another reason which is tied into the Nicene Creed is that the Catholic Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. One because the Catholic Church is not just a union of separate churches, but one Church under the authority of the Pope. Holy because it is filled with holy men and women, and maintains the sacraments as God ordained. Catholic because it spans the whole Earth and has churches that worship in every language imaginable. Apostolic because it's bishops are descended from the Apostles and the Pope is descended from St. Peter himself.

But on a side note I do not feel a need to "prove" my reasons for following the Catholic Church with the Bible because I, as the ancient Christians that have come before me, do not believe in Sola Scriptura.

 

[SantoSubito]

So what does a Catholic believe about good works? Can you cite to me what the Catechism says regarding that?

Actually I can.

2008 The merit of man before God in the Christian life arises from the fact that God has freely chosen to associate man with the work of his grace. The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man's free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, then to the faithful. Man's merit, moreover, itself is due to God, for his good actions proceed in Christ, from the predispositions and assistance given by the Holy Spirit.
2009 Filial adoption, in making us partakers by grace in the divine nature, can bestow true merit on us as a result of God's gratuitous justice. This is our right by grace, the full right of love, making us "co-heirs" with Christ and worthy of obtaining "the promised inheritance of eternal life."60 The merits of our good works are gifts of the divine goodness.61 "Grace has gone before us; now we are given what is due. . . . Our merits are God's gifts."62
2016 The children of our holy mother the Church rightly hope for the grace of final perseverance and the recompense of God their Father for the good works accomplished with his grace in communion with Jesus.70 Keeping the same rule of life, believers share the "blessed hope" of those whom the divine mercy gathers into the "holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."71

The Catechism ties good works in with the section on justification and sanctification, but the gist of it is that good works are meritorious for our salvation because they are united with the grace of God and the sufferings of Christ. Like I said the Catechism is over 800 pages and printed in type so small you need a magnifying glass. So you would be hard pressed to pick a topic even vaguely related to Christianity that it doesn't cover in some way.

You can look up topics from the catechism for free online from either the Vatican's website the USCCB's website and not to mention hundreds of individual parish websites that have the catechism posted. Or if you want you can spend six dollars and buy one of the cheap editions of it at Borders or Barnes and Noble.

 

[Laodicea]

The most basic reason is that the Roman Pontiff is the successor to St. Peter the rock upon which Christ said he would build His Church (Protestants dispute this for obvious reasons.)

But on a side note I do not feel a need to "prove" my reasons for following the Catholic Church with the Bible because I, as the ancient Christians that have come before me, do not believe in Sola Scriptura.

What if there is a conflict between what the scripture says and what the pastor or priest says? who would you listen to? ForSt.Paul says
Galatians 1:12
(12) For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

[MissTatiana]

The teachings of Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, passed on to us through His Church both in Scripture and Holy Tradition.

Thank you-- this is exactly how I would define what the Gospel is. I'm sorta curious what the poster of that questions is trying to get at???

 

[MissTatiana]

What if there is a conflict between what the scripture says and what the pastor or priest says? who would you listen to? ForSt.Paul says
Galatians 1:12
(12) For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Priests have been known to teach false things--- it still happens today and the Pope or Bishops will make an announcement that the Church does not follow those teachings. Some priests will be excommunicated or will not be allowed to preside at Mass depending on what exactly they are teaching. There are consequences for those in leadership-- priests, bishops, etc should they do something that is clearly against Scripture or Holy Tradition.

For example, some may believe that there are Catholic female priests. The Church has excommunicated any Bishop who has consecrated these women to be priests. The Church therefore does not support the Bishop or any of these false female priests.

Therefore should something clearly be against Scripture, one would not follow the priest at all. Priest or Catholic layman misquoted or misinterpreting the Scriptures, yes that is possible. I have yet though to be shown any evidence of the Catholic Church misinterpreting the Scripture and I have found by having a better understanding of Holy Tradition, I also better understand the meaning behind the Holy Scriptures.

 

[SantoSubito]

What if there is a conflict between what the scripture says and what the pastor or priest says? who would you listen to? ForSt.Paul says
Galatians 1:12
(12) For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

You seem to have taken my statement to mean I do not believe scripture is useful. I do believe scripture is useful and divinely inspired; what I do not accept is the belief that all our doctrines must be derived from the scriptures. For a Catholic Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are both equally inspired sources of revelation.

As for your actual statement I believe MissTatiana answered it quite well.

 

[mpaper345]

Roman Catholicism is a blending of Roman paganism with Christianity,and can be labeled as white magic,but if you look at some objects it appears they have turned to black magic.

This is coming from the Vatican,and I know that Catholics are not trying to be occultic,but the Vatican is going to try to lead them astray with the New Age religion's occult christianity in the future,for the Vatican will change more to the occult side,which she is there,but introducing it slowly to the public.

The Pope says that if someone works to establish the kingdom of God on earth,even if they do not acknowledge Jesus as savior can be saved,and they will change more,at least public to introduce it slowly to where it reflects the New Age religion's occult christianity.

 

[Crypto]

You seem to have taken my statement to mean I do not believe scripture is useful. I do believe scripture is useful and divinely inspired; what I do not accept is the belief that all our doctrines must be derived from the scriptures. For a Catholic Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are both equally inspired sources of revelation.

As for your actual statement I believe MissTatiana answered it quite well.

When a disagreement comes between Scripture and tradition, which takes the greater position?