Thread: experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
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experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 15 Oct, 2010 10:06 AM
i want to ask the community here if some of you have experiences with relationships between catholics and born again christians themselves or knowing through persopnal friends.
any story or witnesses are welcome.
the more both are strongly into theire believes the more it interests me.
thanks to all --- eaven when u just can say : never heared about and know nobody who heared about it ;-)
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 17 Oct, 2010 08:11 AM
John 3:5-6 Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
I submit to you that this speaks to Baptism with water and The Holy Spirit. The Church has always believed that this regenerates the Soul, removing all sins (especially Original Sin) and inclusion into The Body of Christ. In other words � The Second Birth � being REBORN.
The Flood was a type of Baptism. The Earth was made new by the Baptism of water and The Holy Spirit. The land rising from Death up out of the waters...a Rebirth.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name, Who were begotten... of God.
The �Key� word here is �Begotten�...Made.
Romans 6:4 We have been buried therefore with Him through baptism into His death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we might walk in newness of life.
�We have been buried (died)...
therefore with Him
through baptism (Water and The Holy Spirit)
into His death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we might walk in
newness of life.� (Being ReBorn)
2 Corinthians 5:17 So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, they have become new.
This speaks for itself.
The Church has always looked at being reborn as being baptized into The Body of Christ. Our Protestant Brothers and Sisters have changed it to reflect their belief that it happens when one makes an �Alter Call�...a conscience decision to accept Christ as your Savior.
I agree that we need to do that...that we need to have a Personal Relationship with Our Lord and Savior, but we also need to submit to The Authority of The Church, not to mankind. We as men tend to want to change things so that it fits us better or it pleases us more. God set His standards for us to achieve. We have lowered them so that we can say that we are achieving them.
A Catholic and a Non-Catholic will find many difficulties in their Beliefs. All Catholic have just one Church and Her Doctrines, while Protestants have many, many different churches with their own separate beliefs.
As for me...if someones believes that Christ is the only way to Heaven and if they believe in the Trinity and that the devil exists...we have a strong basis for mutual discussion and beliefs.
I ask only one thing and that is before you make any statement about Catholics and what they believe...please do some research.
I am still trying to ascertain the purpose behind your question. Are you asking what problems might arise from a relationship or is it possible to have a relationship?
I married a Protestant. We would attend services at her church and then we would attend Mass at a Catholic Church. We did this for over a year. We had decided to �Let The Holy Spirit handle it�. She was very open and would research our differences. What eventually got her thinking was the books that The Catholic Church supposedly �added� to The Bible. Once she learned that they were there from the beginning...she started giving her beliefs a second thought.
Being Catholic or Protestant does not decide whether you are going to Heaven. What does is whether you do what God wants you to do.
I hope that answers your question. If not I would be very happy to elaborate.
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 17 Oct, 2010 06:35 PM
Yay! Archi's back!
As for a relationship between a Catholic and a Protestant, I think it could work depending on the people involved. I know happily married couples who have never had a problem with it throughout years and years of marriage.
However, I also know that I would have a difficult time with it personally. I respect and understand the liturgical service, but I don't find it to be fulfilling in my own spiritual walk. I also deeply desire to attend church services with my husband (when/if I get married), and it seems like if I married a Catholic, the chances of us actually attending together every Sunday would be slight.
(Oh, and Steve, I take issue with you saying that ALL Catholics are Christians...that would be like me saying that ALL Protestants are Christians. A lot of people who claim to be Catholics and Protestants are Christians, and a lot are not. Only God really knows the heart. I think we'll all be surprised at who IS and who is NOT in Heaven when we get there.)
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 18 Oct, 2010 01:07 AM
specifications:
when i ask for experiences i am interested in any --- not only the difficulties --- and i mean not protestant believers that are in churches with a long ecumenical way where a lot of discussed questions are not so far from each other and the way how to understand the bible is not so differing:
maybe the precise question is : under which conditions is it possible
and those who have a relationship beween a newborn christian and a catholic or now about it how did the two manage / organise the practical things.
experiences can mean for example:
most who tried gave up
those who came to a point where one not too much engaged into own community
both communities attnded by both regulary - no problems
of corse its allways also a very personal thing -- just asking more about success storries
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 19 Oct, 2010 11:51 AM
Vienna-she attended one "regular Sunday morning service." She also attended one Christmas eve meeting. We went later that same night to the Mass at her Church. She didn't really say anything about my service. (And I mean anything) As soon as we said goodbye to my parents, she was giving me directions to her church.
Most of our religious discussions focused around the Crucifixion itself, and The Great Commission.
I know you've asked for more success stories, and this is not one, sorry.
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 20 Oct, 2010 07:42 AM
@skinny
thank u a lot for sharing your personal story - any story is helpful // i sensed that u went somehow far but did not feel quite comfortable with, so i was interested to hear how much the other side went into your direction.
from the success stories i know one couple from internet-researches from my town where both are engaged in their churches --- but as far as i know the catholic one is at least believing in a charismatic way.
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 20 Oct, 2010 05:56 PM
BC,
You are so right! I fear that a lot of Catholics are in for a big surprise. I call them Professors...they profess their Faith, but there are no Works (Fruit).
Vienna, I still am not clear on what you are asking for. Are you just wanting anecdotes about Catholics and Non-Catholics? Or are you asking for the difficulties inherent in the two different beliefs?
Blessings
Here's a joke.
Some Christians were being shown around Heaven. The Angel led them into an elevator and pushed the up button. As the car moved upwards there was a lot of excited talking going on. Abruptly, the Angel asked everyone to please stop talking and be silent. Everyone obliged. After a few moments, the Angel told everyone that they could continue. Just as the car began to slow down...one Christian asked
"why did you ask us to stop talking and to be quiet?"
The Angel replied "Oh...we were passing the floors where the Catholic are and they think that they are the only one's in Heaven...so we always ask for silence as we pass them."
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 26 Oct, 2010 09:31 PM
For over 20 years I was as catholic as you could get; catholic school, altar boy, baptism, confirmation etc....
Here are many reasons I am no longer a catholic, but here are the two that actually got me out :
1) The catholc church sets itself up as a mediator between God and man. Scripture is crystal clear on this point;
1Tim 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus
2) The catholic church teaches there is two sources of absolute truth :
-------1) Scripture
-------2) Church Tradition
Where these to conflict. ; CHURCH TRADITION TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER SCRIPTURE.
I have a friend who was raised in Judism. He is now a Spirit filled christian and a pastor. He married a catholic and tried out her church.. His comment is priceless! ; He called it a synagogue with a cross the ro. They are still married and she is no longer a catholic.
@Archimedes
The catholic church teaches infant baptism, you would be more accurate if you applied your scriptures to confirmation.
Protestants teach baptism is a act of obedience after you accept Christ
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 26 Oct, 2010 09:37 PM
For over 20 years I was as catholic as you could get; catholic school, altar boy, baptism, confirmation etc....
Here are many reasons I am no longer a catholic, but here are the two that actually got me out :
1) The catholc church sets itself up as a mediator between God and man. Scripture is crystal clear on this point;
1Tim 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus
2) The catholic church teaches there is two sources of absolute truth :
-------1) Scripture
-------2) Church Tradition
Where these to conflict. ; CHURCH TRADITION TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER SCRIPTURE.
I have a friend who was raised in Judism. He is now a Spirit filled christian and a pastor. He married a catholic and tried out her church.. His comment is priceless! ; He called it a synagogue with a cross the ro. They are still married and she is no longer a catholic.
@Archimedes
The catholic church teaches infant baptism, you would be more accurate if you applied your scriptures to confirmation.
Also,protestants teach baptism is a act of obedience after you accept Christ
experiences ? born again + catholic ? relationships
Posted : 27 Oct, 2010 07:08 AM
Again, you have been misled or are misinformed. The Church teaches that there are two forms of Revelation -- Written (Sacred Scripture) -- Oral (Individual Revelation...as given to The Prophets and then Orally given to worshippers)...which The Prophets then "relayed" to Trustworthy Elders that held on to this information that became Tradition.
Also there is The Full Deposit of Faith that Christ Himself left with The Apostles that was given to them during the 40 days Jesus spent with them before leaving for Heaven. This Full Deposit of Faith (everything Christ wanted them to know in matters of Faith and Morals) and that The Holy Spirit would insure was not forgotten...is what The Church calls "Oral Tradition" or Church Tradition.
Is was these two -- Sacred Scripture (Old Testament) and Oral Revelation (or Church Tradition)-- that The Catholic Church used to decide which of the over 300 books and letters claiming to have been Inspired by The Holy Spirit where indeed Sacred and should be in The New Testament.
Without this knowledge The Catholic Church would have not been able to do so.
Chuck, you admit to the Catholic Church having Full Authority from GOD to decide which books and letters should go into His Bible (and by the way it was the Catholic Church that gave The Bible it's name), yet you rebel against Her Supreme Authority.
She is The Bride of Christ. Peter was His Mouthpiece on earth. God did not want to set His Plan of Salvation spinning through time like a top...going here and there at the whim of man.
He knew what we were capable of (30,000 different religions All Based on SCRIPTURE...yet all of them with many different beliefs). What started out as One Church and remained as One for over 1500 years...is now scattered and splintered and bickering with each other (whom do you think is at us and enjoying our confusion?).
Christ is The Only One Mediator! The Church TEACHES us this (it's Doctrine). What we are also taught is that Christ can pick whom He wants to assist in His work. He will call many to become Pastors...Lay Workers and so on. They are simple "instruments" which God uses...not mediators.
When Christ gave Peter "The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven"
He was not only starting a Dynasty, but gave Peter Powers and Authority.
When Christ said to Peter "What you Bind on Earth...what you Loose on Earth...". He was giving Peter (and He also gave this Power to The Apostles) the Power to Make Laws that "would be binding" to His Flock.
It appears that there is much for you to learn about The Catholic Church. I would be most willing to dialogue with you.
Twosparrows, The Catholic Church has been Baptizing infants since the very beginning. Why were there not such a vast outcry against it if it were wrong? If you were to go back in time to a Mass just 30 years after Christ's Death and see them Baptizing an infant and if you were to say
"Wait a minute...where in Scripture does it say to do that?"
They would answer
(Remember that they only has The Old Testament and what Christ taught them)
"We do not know who you are but I was just a child when Paul The Apostle came and taught us how to do this."
at us and enjoying our confusion?).