For The Love Of Jesus Christ

[ironmonk]

Truth is not subject to emotion.

Truth is based on fact.

There are many people that make emotional decission when it comes to God. With our sinful nature, we cannot afford to allow our emotions to lead us in something that is based on facts.

At certain points in all of our lives, we are starved for the spiritual, we hear God's calling, but sometimes people do not know what to make of it. Some people get on fire for Christ and want to know everything about Him. Think about when you got head over heals for someone... you don't just want to know everything about them, but you also want to know the whole family, you want to know the life story... you want all the details. Likewise, when the spark hits us about Jesus, we explode into an inferno for Jesus... We are always looking for a way to talk about Him, and we want to know everything. That is something that transends all faiths. All who label themselves Christian.

Some people however are very emotional with what they first heard about Jesus, they do not want change, they were guided by someone who had "good" knowledge of the scriptures and "that person is a good man, he would not lie to them or be wrong".

These people have a hard time with correction because of their emotions. Emotions can be very strong and lead us astray... They are lead to the water of Truth, but they refuse to drink. Sometimes, the real reason for not drinking of the truth does not show on the surface, but is actually buried deep. It could be because someone they love dearly is outside the truth and they are in denial, and it could be something else like sins they wish not to give up. Whatever the reason, the best thing to do for these is to pray. Because their emotion will force them to ignore the Truth that you have set infront of them.

To those people who are not Catholic, and question the faith... I ask this in Jesus name... I ask that you find a Catholic Church, one with an adoration chapel. With an open heart to Christ, enter the adoration chapel, for at least 10 minutes. I ask that you pray to Christ in that chapel... if it's just a waffer, then nothing will happen... If it is the Body, Blood, & Divinity of Christ; then you will be in the physical pressence of God.... I ask that you pray this prayer while in the Chapel:

"O God, I humbly beseech you to teach me your true religion, that leads to everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Amen."

If it's just a waffer, then you'll be in a nice quiet comfortable place to pray to God, if it's Jesus; then you will be with the one you love above all things.

God Bless, Love in Christ & Mary,

ironmonk

Edited August 20, 2003 by ironmonk

[mulls]

why do i have to do that in a catholic church? why can't i do it from my bedroom?

the Book of Mormon uses the same tactic:

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your heart.

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Moroni 10: 3-5

after reading the Book of Mormon, you are supposed to pray to God with an open heart and ask Him to reveal whether or not what you have read is true.

Now, Ironmonk, you always warn of using emotions over reason. With that being said, I think it is clear that after an unknowledgeable, spiritually hungry person is finished reading the Book of Mormon (and if they actually finish the whole boring thing, that is a testimony in itself) and prays to God to see if it is ultimately true, they may be on an emotional high. While feeling this way, I doubt that they would reason with themself that all of what they read was pure BS, and they may come to the conclusion that it is actually true.

In the same sense, let's say a spirtually hungry person walks into a beautiful Catholic church, possibly a cathedral, with its gorgeous stained-glass windows, large altar, and a large depiction of Jesus hanging on the cross in front of them. they kneel in front of an adoration chapel, and whole-heartily ask "O God, I humbly beseech you to teach me your true religion, that leads to everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Amen," what do you suppose will happen? In that setting, possibly with devout people praying alongside of him, how would a person not feel a connection to the Catholic church?

You argue against making 'religious' decsions based on emotion, yet you would be putting a person in a very emotional setting to pray for such a decision.

[ironmonk]

You can just pray it in your bedroom... but this is nothing like the mormons.

No other church dates back to 33 AD.

Like I said... there are facts, facts which no one can deny; without being wrong or lying.

No other church was built on Peter.

Out of all the Christian churches that are around today, the second oldest is Greek Orthodox which began in 1054 AD, next Luther's church that bares his name at 1517 AD... and so on.

No other church gave us the 27 books of the New Testament Canon... Out of over 200 that were considered...

These are facts... people can deny them all they want, but they will always remain true.

People who love Christ, change for Christ based on the facts that the Apostles taught, and the succession of bishops they left, that gave us the New Testament... That have protected the Scriptures for 2000 years... A Church that will never be overcome by the netherworld (St. Matt 16:18-19).... a Church that people will leave to start their own churches drawing away true believers (Acts 20:30).

God had a organization during the Old Testament times, the Jewish Priesthood, it was the Pillar and Foundation of Truth before Christ... The Jewish Priesthood was guided by God in the Truth that was available to man... The Jewish Priesthood guided by God, determined the Old Testament Canon... After Christ, God did not leave us alone... He left us with a New Church (St. Matt 5:13-15, 16:18-19, 28:18-20, St. John 1:42, 21:15-17, St Luke 10:16)... With New Authority(1 Tim 3:15, St. Matt 18:17, 28:18-20, 2 Tim 3:14-16, 2 Thess 2:15, 2 Tim 2:2, Romans 10:17, Eph 2:20, 3:5, 1 Corin 11:2, 1 Corin 15:3, 11, Acts 8:27-31 ).... Given to them by Christ... built on Peter and the Apostles, One Faith(Eph 4:5).... The Pillar and Foundation of Truth (1 Tim 3:15). This Church built by Christ will never be overcome (St. Matt 16:18-19)... has been with us since 33 AD.... And will be with us until the End of Time(St. Matt 28:20), guided by God in all matters of Truth(Acts 15:27-28). This very Church (Ekklesia) built by Christ, was guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:2, 15:27-28, 22:4; 24:14,22) in giving us the New Testament Canon.

With the unity preached by Christ and the Apostles... Anyone who leaves the original is wrong in doing so. Now I am speaking of Luther, Knox, Calvin, etc... People who were raised in non-Catholic churches, it's not their fault.

Why do you think so many lies go around about the Catholic Church in this world?

Why do you think that a baptist and presbyterian call each other Christian but say the Catholics are damned and evil, when they themselves differ greatly on what the truth is?

Some non-Catholics believe in Purgatory, some don't

Some non-Catholics believe Mary as our spiritual Mother, some don't

Some non-Catholics believe Mary Ever Virgin, some don't

Some non-Catholics believe in the Trinity, some don't

Some non-Catholics believe the Catholic Church was first and Peter was the first Pope, some don't

Some non-Catholics believe using statues, some don't

Some non-Catholics believe the Eurcharist, some don't

etc....

All of them have what they call "facts" about the Catholic Church that conflict with each other.... For example: I have seen about 4 different dates that non-Catholics claim the Catholic Church started... 33 AD, 315 AD, 365 AD, 606 AD.

But they all attack the Church... why???

Because it was first and it is true.

Protestant churches must attack the Catholic Church to look like truth.

The simple fact that for every non-Catholic argument against the Church, there is an non-Catholic to believe the Church to have the truth on that point... Yet in most cases both those non-Catholics will believe that the other is 'saved'. This helps the prove that the Catholic Church is True....

So many non-Catholics make it their living saying that the Catholic Church is wrong, instead of saying they are right, this should surely be a sign.

You'll never see the Catholic Church attacking any other church, the Catholic Church teaches us to respect everyones beliefs..... If a Catholic attacks another's beliefs, then that Catholic is going against Church teachings... It is not an attack if there has begun a dialog and a comparison is made...

Look at how the morals of the non-Catholic churches tend to change... i.e. Angelicans, Presbyterians, etc...

The Catholic Church has never changed in morals or faith.

Everything points to the Catholic Church... the Catholic Church is the only Church with an answer for every attack that can be thrown at it.... It is the only Church that matches with the Bible... It gave us the Canon.... that should say it all...

Augustine said it best....

City of God -Book 18

CHAPTER 51 -- THAT THE CATHOLIC FAITH MAY BE CONFIRMED EVEN BY THE DISSENSIONS OF THE HERETICS.

But the devil, seeing the temples of the demons deserted, and the human race running to the name of the liberating Mediator, has moved the heretics under the Christian name to resist the Christian doctrine, as if they could be kept in the city of God indifferently without any correction, just as the city of confusion indifferently held the philosophers who were of diverse and adverse opinions. Those, therefore, in the Church of Christ who savor anything morbid and depraved, and, on being corrected that they may savor what is wholesome and right, contumaciously resist, and will not amend their pestiferous and deadly dogmas, but persist in defending them, become heretics, and, going without, are to be reckoned as enemies who serve for her discipline. For even thus they profit by their wickedness those true catholic members of Christ, since God makes a good use even of the wicked, and all things work together for good to them that love Him. For all the enemies of the Church, whatever error blinds or malice depraves them, exercise her patience if they receive the power to afflict her corporally; and if they only oppose her by wicked thought, they exercise her wisdom: but at the same time, if these enemies are loved, they exercise her benevolence, or even her beneficence, whether she deals with them by persuasive doctrine or by terrible discipline. And thus the devil, the prince of the impious city, when he stirs up his own vessels against the city of God that sojourns in this world, is permitted to do her no harm. For without doubt the divine providence procures for her both consolation through prosperity, that she may not be broken by adversity, and trial through adversity, that she may not be corrupted by prosperity; and thus each is tempered by the other, as we recognize in the Psalms that voice which arises from no other cause, "According to the multitude of my griefs in my heart, Thy consolations have delighted my soul." Hence also is that saying of the apostle, "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation."

For it is not to be thought that what the same teacher says can at any time fail, "Whoever will live piously in Christ shall suffer persecution." Because even when those who are without do not rage, and thus there seems to be, and really is, tranquillity, which brings very much consolation, especially to the weak, yet there are not wanting, yea, there are many within who by their abandoned manners torment the hearts of those who live piously, since by them the Christian and catholic name is blasphemed; and the dearer that name is to those who will live piously in Christ, the more do they grieve that through the wicked, who have a place within, it comes to be less loved than pious minds desire. The heretics themselves also, since they are thought to have the Christian name and sacraments, Scriptures, and profession, cause great grief in the hearts of the pious, both because many who wish to be Christians are compelled by their dissensions to hesitate, and many evil-speakers also find in them matter for blaspheming the Christian name, because they too are at any rate called Christians. By these and similar depraved manners and errors of men, those who will live piously in Christ suffer persecution, even when no one molests or vexes their body; for they suffer this persecution, not in their bodies, but in their hearts. Whence is that word, "According to the multitude of my griefs in my heart;" for he does not say, in my body. Yet, on the other hand, none of them can perish, because the immutable divine promises are thought of. And because the apostle says, "The Lord knoweth them that are His; for whom He did foreknow, He also predestinated [to be] conformed to the image of His Son," none of them can perish; therefore it follows in that psalm, "Thy consolations have delighted my soul." But that grief which arises in the hearts of the pious, who are persecuted by the manners of bad or false Christians, is profitable to the sufferers, because it proceeds from the charity in which they do not wish them either to perish or to hinder the salvation of others. Finally, great consolations grow out of their chastisement, which imbue the souls of the pious with a fecundity as great as the pains with which they were troubled concerning their own perdition. Thus in this world, in these evil days, not only from the time of the bodily presence of Christ and His apostles, but even from that of Abel, whom first his wicked brother slew because he was righteous, and thenceforth even to the end of this world, the Church has gone forward on pilgrimage amid the persecutions of the world and the consolations of God.

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God Bless,

ironmonk

Edited August 21, 2003 by ironmonk

[ironmonk]

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