Catholic Misconceptions

Published on November 2, 2005 By Dr Guy In Religion

I am putting this under religion because lately there has been a lot of misconceptions about Catholicism.

Now I will be the first to say that I don't understand all other religions, but I am willing to and have learned from the believers of said religions. And when I am wrong, call me on it, although as I don't assume about other religions much, I don't guess I will get many calls.

But lately, someone has decided Catholicism is a cult! And they listed reasons, 6 of 7 wrong! and the 7th? Something practiced by all Christian, Judiasm and Muslim religions! I guess that makes 3/4 of the world a sect! Duh!

Today we are going to discuss Annulment. For those who know the truth, fine. This is for the other 75% who don't have a clue, including many Catholics!

In Catholicism, we believe that when a man marries a woman, and it is blessed by the church, the love of Christ has entered into the union. And I suspect every one hopes that as well. But we must promise that we will allow that love to guide us in raising our children! Yep, that may be Cultish, but one of the promises is to raise the children Catholic!

Now all is well for 1, 2 5, 10 20 years. And then Mommy and Daddy get divorced! Something went wrong! Indeed it did, although, yep! I was totally clueless (My family was not).

So I got a divorce. I found out, via her shrink, for a non event about her brother raping her (he did not, they were just....well...I did not know it when I married her, and not until the divorce)., that she never loved me.

Excuse me? I spent 20 years of my life married (plus a couple dating)! But that was an epiphany. And no, it was not a spite thing. This was her shrink! (she still needs one BTW).

So we divorced. I should have known she was and is a complete psycho! her mother is and was! But I thought we could be peaceful! hehehehehe! yea I am stupid!

So you see the set up. The Judge nailed her and her quota kid lawyer to the wall! (Never hire a quota kid if you want to win).

So she jumps in bed with some witless wonder, and I am sitting on a bunch of assets, and a lot of income. Only child support now!

Then I met a goddess! A woman who loves me, and yea she bitch slaps me (Note for Trudy - it is not always bad) when I deserve it (and sometimes when I don't). We marry years later. But her family is Catholic. She is not a good one, but once a Catholic, always a Catholic!

So I do the Annulment thing. It was long but not hard, as since my first wife never loved me (she used me to get away from an abusive situation), it was never in doubt. I did not lie (I did not have to). And she never contested it (although her stories to the kids leave a lot to be desired).

Why was the annulment so easy? Did it make my children bastards?

The answer to the first is simple. You cannot have the love of Christ in your Marriage when one party lied at the vows! And the second part is just as easy. No they are not. We were married, legally and in the eyes of the church. But Man is not infallible, and they need to acknowledge their errors.

The Church did. period.

So all you who get on your horse about annulment, chill! It has nothing to do with bastardization! It has nothing to do with making something disappear!

it has everything to do with realizing that sometimes, marriages are flawed from the get go!

So if you want to hate my religion, please do so for the right reasons! not for some ignorant ones.

Comments (Page 3)

Sir Peter Maxwell

on Nov 03, 2005

"At least we dont worship the king of england."

There is no King of England you stupid boy! Good true English Protestants worship God, not a bloody statue.

Sir Peter Maxwell

on Nov 03, 2005

" the only thing that matters in Christianity is accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Period."

That is incorrect, all true Christians must accept the one true Church of England.

England and St George.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

I only say that because its sounds like something that would happen in my family if the DIL wasn't "up to snuff" so to speak.

But she is also the type that gives MILs a bad rep if that is true.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

"At least we dont worship the king of england."

There is no King of England you stupid boy! Good true English Protestants worship God, not a bloody statue.

I stand corrected. The Queen of England.

Texas Wahine

on Nov 03, 2005

Dr.Guy:

He should have asked, but in his defense, he just thought he was doing you a favor. That does not make it right, and I am sorry for your experience

No, I don't think he had any malicious intent. I'm sure he thought he was doing something wonderful for my family.

Tova:

Hey Tex...maybe your MIL SET YOU UP!! She may have had this all worked out with the Priest before you even got there for your visit.

Haha. The thought has crossed my mind.

She knows your not Catholic, and maybe it bugs her that her grandkids aren't baptized so she had to get SOMETHING!

She's very devout, and she is CONVINCED that she is right, but she's not really one to push it on others, thankfully.

I only say that because its sounds like something that would happen in my family if the DIL wasn't "up to snuff" so to speak.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

That is incorrect, all true Christians must accept the one true Church of England.

Funny you should say that since they now ordain Gay Ministers. Thought you were against them. Or are you really secretly in love with Phoenixboi as he claims?

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

Reply By: kingbeePosted: Thursday, November 03, 2005

No, the Prayer is the Hail Mary, not Holy Mary. You dont have to like it, but that is what it is. I never said it did not have "holy Mary" in it. If you are going to criticize it, do it out of intelligence, not ignorance.

take your own advice. the original comment didn't claim to be stating the name of any prayer...only the statement you jumped on in error.

You just stepped into it. Hail Mary mother of God, PRAY FOR US SINNERS

that particular sentence (remember he didn't say a thing about it being the name of the prayer) is not 'hail mary mother of god, pray for us sinners' cuz it is 'holy mary mother of god, pray for us sinners.'

but i'm so sure you're gonna try to dodge your way outta that i'm not gonna waste any time praying you could find the strength to admit you screwed up.

Kingbee, Dan has asked that his thread get back on topic, and as your comment fits in here better, I will answer you here with the following:

Reply By: Dr. GuyPosted: Thursday, November 03, 2005

jeezus drguy. you one of them people who race thru a rosary or penance by only saying the first half of that prayer?

No, I am one of those guys that typed too fast.

Locamama

on Nov 03, 2005

If anyone wants more information on Catholic beliefs, here is a good website to check out. I am a non-practicing Catholic. I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school but I do not agree with all of the church teaching. I still defend Catholics because when people talk about them they are talking about my grandma and my whole family. It does bother me when people bash Catholics. I guess that's the whole once a Catholic always a Catholic thing coming out.

Link

I just wish everyone could let everyone be happy in their own beliefs whether you agree with them or not.

Ziggystyles

on Nov 03, 2005

That is not how it goes.

all righty...I must have been dilusional sitting through each and every service. Why dont you fill me in?

Uh, why dont you check out the Papal Succession. Who was the first pope? What did Jesus say? Some time? Would that be in Days or minutes?

uh...where does it talk about the office or qualifications of the pope? The Bible talks about Apostles, Bishops, Deacons and Elders...but not about the pope.

In all of the letters written to and from rome, the pope is never mentioned.

Did he act like a pope?

All apostles received direct guidance of the Holy Spirit - Acts 2:1-4; Ephesians 3:3-5; John 16:13; 14:26.

Why would apostles need guidance from a Pope if they were guided directly by the Spirit? Paul expressly stated that his teaching was not based on anything learned from man but on direct revelation from Jesus - Galatians 1:11,12,16,17; 2:6-9,11-14.

Paul affirmed he was equal with other apostles in every way - 2 Corinthians 11:5; 12:11.
All apostles were ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). If Peter had authority over all apostles, Paul would have been behind him, but Paul denies this.

There is no proof Peter had authority over other apostles, but much proof shows the others had all that Peter had.

Peter was a married man, but modern Popes are not permitted to marry.
Matthew 8:14 - Jesus healed the mother of Peter's wife.

Peter refused to allow men to bow to honor him religiously, but modern Popes accept and encourage this.
Peter was never addressed by titles of exaltation such as are used to honor modern Popes.

Let me get this straight.....are you Marcie's boyfriend?If so, your Pentecostal and shacking up????? Well shacking up is NOT in the Bible. I wonder how many tongues your church would speak in if they knew about that.

Let me clarify (GASP!). And no, Im not backpeddaling

I grew up in the Catholic and Lutheran churches. Dad was cath, and Mom was Luth. Mom wanted something more and went to an Assemblies church and after a while I started going there. That is were I feel most accepted and where I really realized and felt the presence of god.

Marcie grew up baptist and went to some, I believe, Lutheran churches in college. When we started going out and living in the same town, we started going to her home church and then we started to look for a church of our own and we found a methodist church so we started going there.

I myself enjoy the pentacostal church more than any other church out there. But, Marcie and I are trying to find a place were we both feel comfortable and like at the same time.

Some pentacostal churches are really.......spirit filled, while others are more laid back. We are going to one that leans more towards the latter and is more laid back.

So...while we bounce all over the place I dont really know if we identify with a particular church..but I often say that I am pentacostal because that is where I feel most at home and I became born again in Christ.
Now....having said that...there is nothing in the Bible against living together; and yes folks...that is ALL we do...live together in seperate rooms.
And no...nobody has a problem with this, outside of one extremist pastor.

The Bible was written by man. It may have been inspired by Jesus and God, but it was written and edited by man. So that is why so many Gospels did not make it, and the 4 did. As well as many of Paul's letters did not make it. You take your entire faith on a wrok that is by definition fallible, and let no other factors influence you.

The Bible Was writen by man...inspired by God. Gods spirit came into them and he wrote the words he wanted to be written. God didnt say "hey...here is a thought...think of this and then write it." Instead, Gods spirit and everything he is entered the body of the people who wrote...he guided their hands and told them what to write.

If the church isnt based on the Bible and puts the bible on the level of reverence and a history benchmark....then what does it base its beliefs on?

There is a reason for each part of the liturgy as Mass is not only a time for fellowship, but a time for learning and rejoicing in the Spirit.

When was the last time you learned something by watching them trasnform a host into the body and blood of christ? The only time I can see one would learn anything is during the sermon that is placed in the middle of the service.

Fellowship? They say "turn and greet each other, saying peace"...so you turn, and say peace to 15 people. Thats not fellowship. Your buddies next to you dont ask if you need prayer. They dont gather around when you need to be lifted up and pray for you as a church or small group. There isnt a call at the end of the service to come up if you want to dedicate your life to christ or if you want prayer. They dont meet during the week to do a small group study of the Bible or to focus in prayer on God. Of course, there may be things at the church during advent where you can come in and take turns praying during a 24 hour period.

Praise is one way, praising God for all that he has done and has yet to do for you...etc.
Worship is a time where there is a two way thing going on...when you feel the presence of God as you praise him...when you forget about others around you and open into a communication with him and him only....lifting your hands up in a sign of surrender to Christ and asking him to work through you to fulfill his will and his plan for you. Worship is when you have thousands of people filling a church after 9-11, praying together at the alter, away from the pews, hands up praising and worshiping God and praying together as a church body for the country and praying for the enemy (yep....prayed for them to get caught).

When I was a child, I spake as a child, played as a child, learned as a child. When I became a man, I put my childish ways away. Time for you to do the same.

Well, I guess Im not like you....because when I became a man...I kept on learning...and I kept my eyes open to the truth of Christ. The spirit of God is within me and I never felt it before at any other time. God says he is knocking and that you have to open the door. You have to open your heart and let him into your life. I was never told that. I never gave my life to Christ and never had a relationship with him. Now I do.

Sir Peter Maxwell

on Nov 03, 2005

I am certainly not in favour of poofter ministers, it is well known I think they should executed for crimes against humanity. But the C of E is still better than the corrupt and decadent child abusing Church of Papists.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

I guess that's the whole once a Catholic always a Catholic thing coming out.

And you are always welcome back into the church! But I agree with you. I strayed as a young adult because I did not agree with a lot of things. However, as with amny people, my children brought me back and I started learning about the changes (which tells you how old I am), and came back to my faith. I did not go to Catholic Schools, but I did go to a Catholic College - does that count? (No Nuns, just a bunch of Brothers).

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

am certainly not in favour of poofter ministers, it is well known I think they should executed for crimes against humanity. But the C of E is still better than the corrupt and decadent child abusing Church of Papists.

I guess PB is right. You do covet him! You in the closet old dog you!

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

uh...where does it talk about the office or qualifications of the pope? The Bible talks about Apostles, Bishops, Deacons and Elders...but not about the pope.

I told you you cannot find all your answers in the Bible. Jesus called Peter his rock, on which his church would be built. Peter was the first pope.

Now dont you feel silly?

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

Peter was a married man, but modern Popes are not permitted to marry.
Matthew 8:14 - Jesus healed the mother of Peter's wife.

What does that have to do with anything? The ban on marriage was done in the Middle ages, so as to stop Bishops designating their offspring as the next Bishop. I never claimed he was not married and that is not germaine to the discussion.

Now if you want to cherry pick your bible passages, go for it. But in so doing, you are denying the very bible itself, or at least the part where Jesus said he would build his Church on Peter the Rock. DOH! Guess you do need to learn more.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

If the church isnt based on the Bible and puts the bible on the level of reverence and a history benchmark....then what does it base its beliefs on?

How about (I know this is a radical concept for you), The word of and teachings of Jesus?????

Blasphemy!

Sorry Charlie, you lose again.

And your Spirit of God saying is not right either. The New Testament was created about 400AD (give or take 100 years). It was created from previously written works. SO at Best you can say is that the spirit of God (The Holy Spirit - afraid to say that?) helped EDIT the Bible.

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