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not by dint of a mandatory tax by the church itself.
Last I checked, I'm not mandated to give money to anyone...and no one is ever mandated to give to the church. The 'suggested' donation is I believe 10%. I gave what I could when I could as far as monetary donations. Usually I gave my time, not money because I didn't have the money. Yes, I say that in a 'past' tense because I haven't been to Mass in quite a while.
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Which is exactly my point. All denominations have their flaws. Yet, given some rather breathtaking lapses in the Catholic Church over the centuries and even in its most recent history, it's very hard to make the case that the Catholic Church is superior to all other churches, particularly when it has proven more fallible than most in a great number of ways.
So you're telling me that there is a church that is superiour to another? To be honest, I don't believe there is one church that is superiour to another. Everyone is so quick to point out the flaws of the Catholic Church and tell people that they are going to hell for being Catholic, but they fail to look at their own churches. Once again...take the plank out of your own eye before trying to take the splinter out of someone elses. Let's go to the Quakers...Salem Witch Trial, anyone? During the Protestant reformation there were plenty Catholics murdered and imprisoned, so don't give me the "Well the Catholics did it more." So...the guy that beat a little girl to death for no reason is less guilty than the guy that shot and killed a few Amish kids in a schoolhouse? And don't tell me I'm comaring fruit...'cause I'm not.
Nondenominational is starting to sound a lot like Catholic/universal
I tend to be a lot more suspicious of Nondenominational than Catholic. For God's sake, define who you are and what your beliefs are without hiding behind the fig leaf of "Bible believing church," for all churches look for truth in various sections of the Bible.
I tend to be a lot more suspicious of Nondenominational than Catholic. For God's sake, define who you are and what your beliefs are without hiding behind the fig leaf of "Bible believing church," for all churches look for truth in various sections of the Bible.
From my own personal experience, I do believe you are correct!
We should never allow mans religious doctrines to enter into our lives. The holy scriptures are the only written authoritative source for doctrine and instruction in righteousness.
JESUS rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for giving additional requirements to the people that even they themselves could not carry out. Isn't there plenty enough in the holy Bible given unto us to know and to do? So much that we must spend a lifetime reading and studying and doing.
I recommend that when comparing one group to another, we carefully weigh each of their doctrines to see if it is clearly written in the scriptures or not.
We can be sure that GOD is the only true GOD and His Word the only true Word. Those who obey Him in JESUS CHRIST are His only true people.
We must focus on JESUS and His holy commandments, for He declared that the Words which He has spoken will judge. Now what was it that you ask concerning superiority? What I say to one group I say to all and most of all to the man who stares at me in the mirror. Thank You LORD JESUS!
We should never allow mans religious doctrines to enter into our lives. The holy scriptures are the only written authoritative source for doctrine and instruction in righteousness.
JESUS rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for giving additional requirements to the people that even they themselves could not carry out. Isn't there plenty enough in the holy Bible given unto us to know and to do? So much that we must spend a lifetime reading and studying and doing.
I recommend that when comparing one group to another, we carefully weigh each of their doctrines to see if it is clearly written in the scriptures or not.
We can be sure that GOD is the only true GOD and His Word the only true Word. Those who obey Him in JESUS CHRIST are His only true people.
We must focus on JESUS and His holy commandments, for He declared that the Words which He has spoken will judge. Now what was it that you ask concerning superiority? What I say to one group I say to all and most of all to the man who stares at me in the mirror. Thank You LORD JESUS!
Problem here is that everyone interprets scripture differently.
Last I checked, I'm not mandated to give money to anyone...and no one is ever mandated to give to the church. The 'suggested' donation is I believe 10%. I gave what I could when I could as far as monetary donations. Usually I gave my time, not money because I didn't have the money. Yes, I say that in a 'past' tense because I haven't been to Mass in quite a while.
So you're telling me that there is a church that is superiour to another? To be honest, I don't believe there is one church that is superiour to another. Everyone is so quick to point out the flaws of the Catholic Church and tell people that they are going to hell for being Catholic, but they fail to look at their own churches. Once again...take the plank out of your own eye before trying to take the splinter out of someone elses. Let's go to the Quakers...Salem Witch Trial, anyone? During the Protestant reformation there were plenty Catholics murdered and imprisoned, so don't give me the "Well the Catholics did it more." So...the guy that beat a little girl to death for no reason is less guilty than the guy that shot and killed a few Amish kids in a schoolhouse? And don't tell me I'm comaring fruit...'cause I'm not.
Actually, I referring to the church's practice in the medieval and Renaissance period, where large areas of Europe, Germany especially, were practically denuded to pay for the glories of St. Peter's.
Now, the Salem Witch Trials wound up with oh...13 innocents killed. By the Vatican's own conservative records, over 800 died at the stake in the Inquisition, not to mention the estimated tens of thousands of Huguenots killed.
But, once again, you utterly missed my point. And it's a pretty simple one: Based on the history of the Catholic church, it is very difficult to defend a position that it is morally superior to any other church. Period.
Actually, I referring to the church's practice in the medieval and Renaissance period, where large areas of Europe, Germany especially, were practically denuded to pay for the glories of St. Peter's.
Now, the Salem Witch Trials wound up with oh...13 innocents killed. By the Vatican's own conservative records, over 800 died at the stake in the Inquisition, not to mention the estimated tens of thousands of Huguenots killed.
But, once again, you utterly missed my point. And it's a pretty simple one: Based on the history of the Catholic church, it is very difficult to defend a position that it is morally superior to any other church. Period.
Really? Only 13? You sure about that? It was actually 25 that died and a good number more imprisoned (56 or so I believe)....now think about the number that died and were imprisoned in surrounding towns. It seems you missed my point as well. I'll make it again. Is the man that beat his innocent child to death for no reason any less guilty than the man that shot and killed multiple Amish kids? All denominations/sects/religions are guilty of killing in the name of God.
I suppose a claim could also be made for Eastern Orthodoxy, but by all accounts, in RCIA we are taught that even though we should respect the views of our protestant brethren, they are of lesser status in terms of how to be faithful to Jesus. The teaching is that protestant Christians are inferior to Catholics. I myself do not like such a title, 'inferior', but I suppose it makes sense when you think about it. The Catholic Church is the Church as Jesus intended it to be, while the protestant religions have 'watered down' in a sense what it means to be Christian, and have even warped many of the views.
The Eastern Orthodox church is Catholic and not Protestant. The term Eastern Orthodox came into use at the time when the Roman Empire was divided into Western and Eastern empires in 395 A.D. The Orthdox Church has been called Eastern in contrast to the Western Church, as the Roman Church has been frequently called especially since her division from the Orthodox Church in 1054 A.D. A characteristic feature of the Orthodox Church is that is is Ecumencial or Catholic. Ecumencial means "Worldwide" and Catholic means 'Universal". Both terms have virtually the same meaning, and both are valid. Orthodox is a Greek term that means "the right kind of believing". It signifies also faithfulness and devotion to the pure Christian doctrine. The Orthodox Church is called the Apostolic Church because it was organized by the Holy Apostles and because it has preserved the Apostolic traditions. That's my lesson for the day.
The Eastern Orthodox church is Catholic and not Protestant. The term Eastern Orthodox came into use at the time when the Roman Empire was divided into Western and Eastern empires in 395 A.D. The Orthdox Church has been called Eastern in contrast to the Western Church, as the Roman Church has been frequently called especially since her division from the Orthodox Church in 1054 A.D. A characteristic feature of the Orthodox Church is that is is Ecumencial or Catholic. Ecumencial means "Worldwide" and Catholic means 'Universal". Both terms have virtually the same meaning, and both are valid. Orthodox is a Greek term that means "the right kind of believing". It signifies also faithfulness and devotion to the pure Christian doctrine. The Orthodox Church is called the Apostolic Church because it was organized by the Holy Apostles and because it has preserved the Apostolic traditions. That's my lesson for the day.
It might be important to point out the main reason the Eastern Churches separated from the group in the west. The Eastern Churches refused to submit to the claim of the universal authority of the Pope.
That's correct, joersaved. We don't recognize the Pope at all. I was married at the altar in a Catholic Basilica and am the Godmother to a Catholic boy. So it seems that in the eyes of the Catholic church, my religion (Eastern Orthodox) must be very similar.
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