The reason I ask is that I'm thinking about it and I would like to hear from some people who are about what it means to them. You know how if you're not Catholic you can go up for communion, but you cross your arms over your chest so that the priest knows you're not and he gives you a blessing instead of communion? Well I sort of feel like I really am blessed. And lately I have been asking the Blessed Virgin to pray for someone very close to me and I feel that it's really happening, you know I feel a lot of peace about it. So if you could sort of tell me what kinds of meaning it has for you.
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Proud parents of our own "Daddy's Little Girls"
I heard Jesus He drank wine and I bet we'd get along just fine.
You don't ned to pray to Mary. There's nothing in the Bible stating you should or even can. in fact it state's the opposite:
"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
1 Tim 2:5
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"Animals: fun to pet, better to chew."
-Jim Gaffigan
"You know how if you're not Catholic you can go up for communion, but you cross your arms over your chest so that the priest knows you're not and he gives you a blessing instead of communion?"
You know ..personally I will not go to any church which refuses folks communion. Another one that refuses people communion if they are not members are Lutherans. This is very serious because these churches believe that eternal life is in the recieving of the communion.
As far as Mary praying, I am very open and the closest church to a catholic I've attended and explored was the Episcopal. They had some nuns and a statue of Mary as well. I have no problem with honoring mary as the mother of Jesus but I honestly find no place in scripture to pray to her, angels or other saints. The Book of Hebrews says we don't need to go through any priest...we have direct access into the very throne room of God.We are instructed to come boldly with our request.
God bless, C7
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that we may obtain mercy, and find GRACE to help in time of need.
John 14:6-7
[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
[7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
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Jesus said, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" Mark 13:13.
Live Life in such a way that those who do not know Christ will come to know Him because they know you
Yes, I am Catholic. I came from a Methodist & Episcopal background. Been stationed in the desert. I took an interest in the desert hermits & their practices. At the same time, I don't get real wrapped around the axel on doctrine or any one reading of scripture and that bothers some no end. I figger the Bible was put together by the Council of Nicea, and we have a saying at work... "Death by committee." I really would have liked to have been mouse in the corner to see the politics of it and what was excluded. I am aware of alot of diversity in religion and how people pray and "approach" God. It seemed to me that the Arabs and Iraquis I saw with their prayer rugs were pretty much talking to the same Being. Involving Mary, saints and angels in prayer is an old practice. My thoughts are to do what works for you. Some speak in tongues, some rely on ritual practice, the rosary, some meditate or use centering prayer, some get just physically excited and joyful... it seems like we all have our own path. The other aspect to being a catholic is that whatever style you have, there is probably an order that would be willing to provide in depth information, training, retreats etc to help your spiritual practice. Much of this is many centuries old; a very deep well to draw to.
Just my personal viewpoint daddyslittlegirl. Happy Easter.
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Mess Chief, Ft Arroyo
"Tucson sweet. Best chili in the Saguaro."
2. I am a Christian and believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of GOD and died for us all and rose from the dead.
3. The group of Christians I worship with most often are followers of the Catholic "denomination".
Being a Catholic works for me. I see some faults in the way "my church" operates just as I see some faults in my wife of 26 years. I will not leave my wife or my church over them.
Lots of times people get into heated debates over the "faults" of various "denominations". At such times I always try to remember that Item# 1. and 2. are the most important.
Robin in Alberta where spring is dragging its feet a little.
You know ..personally I will not go to any church which refuses folks communion. Another one that refuses people communion if they are not members are Lutherans.
Not a true statement. I've been to at least a half dozen Lutheran churches and all have started communion saying it is open to all believers in Christ. If you had a bad experience with 1 or 2 doesn't give you free reign to bash them all. Lutherans are Protestants and part of the protest that made them break away from the Catholic Church was the exclusivity of it. I've been refused communion by a Catholic priest before and I've been given communion by a different Catholic priest too. In fact the priest that refused to give us communion (this was for a wedding) refused to give communion to the "northern" Catholics too because he felt they weren't Catholic enough.
I may disagree with some of the Catholic beliefs and traditions but that doesn't change the fact that there are plenty of good people and bad people, just like every other denomination.
I've been to at least a half dozen Lutheran churches and all have started communion saying it is open to all believers in Christ. If you had a bad experience with 1 or 2 doesn't give you free reign to bash them all. Pike Tipper
PLease accept my apology. I didn't know there were different types of Lutherans. I also was not too offended ..I just used it as a learning expereince and did not come back..Some other things I wasn't happy with were
was the priest saying"Now your sins are forgiven ".when he made a sign in the air." basically saying he {God's right hand man] had a monopoly on forgivng sins. There could be other types and kinds of Lutherans..I didn't realize that.
Sorry again,
C7
No problem, I just wanted to make sure people didn't think what happened to you was common practice.
Quote:
ORIGINAL: Chuck7
Some other things I wasn't happy with were
was the priest saying"Now your sins are forgiven ".when he made a sign in the air." basically saying he {God's right hand man] had a monopoly on forgivng sins.
Now this Ihave witnessed and am not pleased with in both Catholic and Lutheran churches. But again, not all.
Are there any Catholics here?
We are instructed to come boldly with our request.
