I don't believe this. Just because there is an institution which calls themselves this does not make it true. I don't believe it based on my judgment of the people leading it over history and my own personal Scripture based belief that religion is contrary to a man's salvation. You saying what the catholic church does and does not teach does not make it fact. I have attended both catechism and RCIA and been taught different. Historical record of requiring money to be paid for the forgiveness of sins. There is only one doctrine which is essential for the salvation of men, and that is that Christ died on the cross for your sins. The doctrines of the Church take away from the emphasis on that very fact and instead amplify man's obligations to perform rites, rituals and processions in order to ensure the hope of salvation. In addition to that, it is a known fact that historically corrupt men were in charge of both dioceses and the Church and it became necessary for people to leave it so that they no longer had to pay money for the forgiveness of sins, among other terrible atrocities.
This is your belief, but not reality. The Catholic Church does not teach that works save. It teaches us that Christ saves. The tools of religion help us to build and strengthen that faith. Baptist doctrine does not teach that you are saved by your works. If you are depending on that, you will probably not be saved, according to our doctrine. The Bible says that you are NOT saved by your works or anything else you might have done. It DOES say that if you are saved that you will have works to show. In other words, you will participate and help spread His word, care for his sheep, etc. But we are taught that we are only saved by our faith and His grace. .
Red- A while back, you posted ten VERY good questions. I had a little time today and worked on my answer to one of them. You may not agree, but here goes. your question: What of the dead? (Job 7:9) the dead will never rise again they will have no further reward. Here Job is saying that man will return no more to his "earthly" home. His life here has vanished like a cloud. Other clouds will arise. (other men will come) The same man never returns. He is not talking about man's Heavenly home or new body in Christ. (Ecclesiastes 9:5) The dead will never rise again. They will have no further reward. Solomon shows the advantages which the living have above those who are dead. If a man's condition is, on any account, bad, there is hope it will be amended. If the heart is full of evil, and there is madness in it, yet while there is life there is "hope" that by the grace of God there may be a blessed change. The living know they will die; it is a thing yet to come, and therefore provision may be made for it. The dead know nothing. They have no further rewardfor their toils about the world, but all they got must be left to others. They have a reward for their holy actions, but not for their worldly ones. The things of this world will not be a portion for the soul. The world can only be an annuity for life, not a portion forever. There is an end of their affections, their friendships, and enmities. Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished. Solomon infers that it is our wisdom to make the best use of life while it does last. Man will never arise to live on this earth or reap earthly rewards. THESE FIRST TWO WERE MADE BY MORTAL MEN (John 5:28-29) Read it all: v24-Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. v25-Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. v26-For as the Father hath life in himselrf; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; v27-And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man. v28-Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, v29-And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. THESE ARE THE WORDS OF JESUS (I Corinthians 15:16,52) 16-those verses are saying that Christ arose and we will too. 51-53- is talking about the rapture. They are saying we will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye. The trumpet will sound and the dead will arise changed. This is how I believe at least-have a good day
That's fine, just wrong. And you pretending to understand the religion doesn't mean you do. I represent what Catholicism teaches, you represent what the teaching means to you. And that is nearly always wrong. That would be bad if you hadn't made it up. No they don't. The doctrines of the Church point to the cross, not detract from it. The fact that corrupt men run the Church does not dimminish what it teaches. If I teach you it is wrong to lie, but lie myself does that diminish the truth of my teaching? No. The fact that sinners run the Church but it continues to teach truth is testament to the fact that it is guided by the Holy Ghost. Deek I know you think you understand what the Church teaches, but you don't. You refuse to acknowledge any type of logic. Your entire belief system is based on a few verses taken entirely out of context.
This is exactly what the Catholic Church teaches. Any works we do, no matter how good, can save us. Only Christ's complete work on the cross can save us. Religious rites and tools serve to strengthen our faith in the death and resurection of Christ. Deek is being dishonest in saying that Catholics beleive works save.
OK. If what you say is true (which it isn't) then at best, the individual dioceses that I have studied in have presented dogma that is contrary to that of the Vatican. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgence I believe much of what the Church teaches is not truth, and I have presented coherent Scriptural arguments before which you explain away as misinterpretation. Your logic is simply "The Church says so". That's no logic at all.
