ICTHUS Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 I've heard people accuse us of giving ourselves a heavy yoke that we were never intended to carry, i.e. with penances, indulgences, and purgatory. This from a Protestant who believes in Sola Fide and forensic justification by faith alone. Comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennC Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 (edited) Hi ICTHUS; I've heard people accuse us of giving ourselves a heavy yoke that we were never intended to carry, i.e. with penances, indulgences, and purgatory. ... well, from a former Protestant now Catholic it's surpriseing that I found a Peace here and not there. What I found in the new Protestant Church was an attitude of "easy way out", "nothing that makes me think" and "anything that gives me a personal warm and fuzzy feeling". The final straw for me was, "nothing I did could effect my Salvation yet don't you dare shoot pool in a pool hall especially if serves alchohol". (in my Parish now I enjoyed shooting pool with Father Ian when he had the time) just my observation. Peace of Christ, Ken Edited October 30, 2003 by KennC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 I consider purgatory a blessing from God.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Huether Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Hey, I have a thought. Why burden ourselves with this "yoke" of "believing". If Jesus really died for me, comletely free of Charge, then do I really have to even believe! And if I "must" believe, because the Bible tells me to, then why should we "yoke" ourselves to our guilty consciences! LOL. Nah, ICTHUS, I'm just being sarcastic (if you couldn't tell). Jesus said, "my yoke is light". He didn't say it was weightless! That is what protestantism boils down to, how light can we make the yoke without it setting off red (heretic) flaggs. Like I said, the Catholic faith would be "easy" if it was the only one! Unfortunatly, to many denoms have lowered the benchmark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katholikos Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Protestants bear the heavy yoke of believing in any one of 33,820 man-made religions that are only partially true. Which one to choose? Now, there's a heavy burden! Penances, Purgatory, Indulgences -- all gifts from God. Your friend's question is born of ignorance. The cure for ignorance is knowledge. Does he/she really want it, or does he/she wish to remain ignorant? I once was blind but now I see. Katholikos1@aol.com Ex-Southern Baptist, ex-agnostic, ex-atheist, ecstatic to be Catholic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Sad, I don't think your friend realizes the great joy and relief it is to unburden yourself of sin by simply coming clean in the Confessional, or by doing some pious act that has been granted an indulgence, or even the thought that I know I'm not worthy of heaven, but I think I can make it to the waiting room! (Purgatory) These things are all helps and aids, not burdens! Would I want to have to carry around my sins with me my whole life long, and think that God just covers them over like snow on a dung heap....and I'm the dung heap???????? That was Luther's outlook. I think that's pretty depressing. Read the Enchiridion on indulgences sometimes. The prayers are absolutely beautiful. To think reciting these prayers may assist yourself or some poor soul into heaven is just a beautiful thought....not a burden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloysius Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Amen, Anna! that was an amesome post if it weren't for what you're friend calls "heavy yoke" i would be crushed under the real heavy yoke of slavery to sin and to the devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTHUS Posted October 31, 2003 Author Share Posted October 31, 2003 Sad, I don't think your friend realizes the great joy and relief it is to unburden yourself of sin by simply coming clean in the Confessional, or by doing some pious act that has been granted an indulgence, or even the thought that I know I'm not worthy of heaven, but I think I can make it to the waiting room! (Purgatory) These things are all helps and aids, not burdens! Would I want to have to carry around my sins with me my whole life long, and think that God just covers them over like snow on a dung heap....and I'm the dung heap???????? That was Luther's outlook. I think that's pretty depressing. Read the Enchiridion on indulgences sometimes. The prayers are absolutely beautiful. To think reciting these prayers may assist yourself or some poor soul into heaven is just a beautiful thought....not a burden. My pastor is really harsh (unnecessarily so, in my opinion) in the confessional...and it makes me not want to visit the Sacrament as often as I should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freaky Chik Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Sad, I don't think your friend realizes the great joy and relief it is to unburden yourself of sin by simply coming clean in the Confessional, I understand . I may not go to Confessional, but it doesn't mean I just keep my sins a secret. A confess them not only to God , but to a close friend of mine, and we both pray about it and she keeps me accountable to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 My pastor is really harsh (unnecessarily so, in my opinion) in the confessional...and it makes me not want to visit the Sacrament as often as I should. Find another priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 I understand . I may not go to Confessional, but it doesn't mean I just keep my sins a secret. A confess them not only to God , but to a close friend of mine, and we both pray about it and she keeps me accountable to it. It think its interesting that you would confess to a friend who can only counsel you, but not to a priest who can actually absolve you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulls Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 i believe she allows God to do the absolving for her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasJis Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 i believe she allows God to do the absolving for her So do Catholics. But Jesus set it up for certain humans to forgive sins. It's God's authority, but humans (priests) were given permission AND the responsibility to forgive sins in Jesus' name. It's because we are human, God also speaks to us in human terms. Besides. It's explicit in Scripture that it is set up that way. I don't understand how "Sola Scriptura" followers can ignore that. Can one of you non-Catholics explain that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 i believe she allows God to do the absolving for her Whose sin you forgive, they are forgiven, whose sins you bind, they are bound is rather explicit don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 I understand . I may not go to Confessional, but it doesn't mean I just keep my sins a secret. A confess them not only to God , but to a close friend of mine, and we both pray about it and she keeps me accountable to it. Freaky, It's not quite the same thing. The priest, acting as Confessor, is acting in personal Christi by the actual authority Christ placed upon him. We are therefore, confessing directly to Christ, and Christ is directly absolving us of our sins. Jesus bestowed this power upon His holy priesthood when he appeared to them after His resurection and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive men's sins they are forgiven. If you hold them bound, they are held bound." The apostles then, from that time, began forgiving sins in Christ's name. It is one of our Holy Sacraments. It is humbling, yet cleansing. But I do also understand how good it feels to have a prayerful friend who understands you and advises you. It's just that your friend reaches you, who you are, on a human level, while the priest isn't really supposed to use the confessional for friendship or fellowship, but to peer into your soul and, like the Divine Physician, do some spiritual chemotherapy to rid our soul of the cancer of sin. ICTHUS, There is no need for a priest to be harsh in the Sacrament of Penance, but that may just be his nature. You could do as CMom suggests and find someone with a softer approach. Or, possibly, go even more frequently! Your sins will be less and less, so he'll have less to be gruff about! And going to a gruff priest for confession and penance is almost an extra penance in itself! I never go to confession alone. I always invite Our Lady to accompany me, St. Michael, and my guardian angel. I feel that they help me to get it straight, not sugar coat the things I've done, or failed to do... Even with my pastor, who is so very kindly and holy, I feel like I'm bursting his bubble when I confess; he seems to have a pretty high opinion of lil old stinky me. So, it's hard for me to break it to him just how deformed and wretched I've made my soul... But go often! It makes it easier. I promise. *makes note to take own advice* Pax Christi. <>< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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