Seems like over most of my life most my friends and colleagues were Jewish and Catholic. My Catholic friends have lit many a candle on my behalf. The Jews wished me well but alas no candle burning. When in Korea in 1953 the Catholic Chaplain saw the St Christopher that I was wearing and asked why I didn't go to Mass. When I told him I wasn't Catholic he invited me to attend some classes. I did, but drove every body crazy with all my questions and I discontinued going. I would make a lousy Catholic any way, but the one thing that I always thought was pretty cool is RITUAL. Genuflecting, crossing one's self. Incense Pots, Holy Water containers etc. After all, aren't all the Fraternal & Sorority organizations imbued with ritual? Hell--even Politics has it's rituals. The one thing that comforts me and gives me peace of mind, and will right up to the day I draw my last breath, is knowing I had all these believers praying, burning candles etc. on my behalf.
I think that's what always has appealed to me about the Catholic Church...the rituals. I actually liked it better when mass was in Latin when I was little. Anyway, I'm not a good catholic and have been away from the church for a long time but in my view...if there is a God, it's the Catholic one. All these newer religions came later. Even when I wasn't being a good catholic I still had my kids baptized Catholic. They went to catechism classes and did all their sacraments too. At the last minute when my husband was dying I scrambled and got a catholic priest to come to my house and give him his last rites. Then everybody that was in the room sang Amazing Grace. He was a very handsome priest too. My friend Bev and I joked about it that day....bought some laughter into a very somber and otherwise horrible day for me. She was with me from early morning until he died that evening, making coffee for all the Hospice nurses that were coming and going etc.
The Catholic hierarchy changed Jesus' message to suit their own purposes. Over the centuries, they killed anyone who refused to convert.
Gosh Shirley/- I guess that means that you are not a Cstholic and probably would never be one. Hang in there with your faith.
@Shirley Martin My grandpa always firmly explained that he left his birthplace in Bohemia specifically because of the Catholic Church's constant insistence that folks become Catholic. Sometimes, forceful insistence. He had heard it was not so here in America, so emigrated in 1892 at age 16, and was just in time to attend the wonderful Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Frank
Religion - belief, is a private thing for me I pray for others and when I need guidance. I say I'm sorry when I get things wrong and I truly am I do this for myself to cleanse my spirit and give me focus I'm a believer and that's all that matters to me, my home is my Church, my soul, compassionate
Patsy, I think that you have hit the essence of what spiritual belief is all about. It is a private thing, a special relationship with our Heavenly Father, and not which church we attend, or even how well we understand church doctrine. I am pretty sure that God is not going to look at labels when we all get to heaven, to see whether it says Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, or whatever. He is just going to say "Welcome home, my child" and give us a big fatherly hug.
I agree. I usually never talk about religion unless I'm goaded into it. I don't have the need to convert anyone to any religion because in my opinion it has the opposite effect...if only those that do it would see that. If I ask about something then yes, tell me. No matter how much someone believes in their own religion it's only an opinion and not fact. Nobody knows for sure, not even atheists. There are no true hard facts. The Bible was written by man and not in English. Translations are even inaccurate now, so I can imagine how bad they were long ago. Belief in a religion is based on faith and not fact. I have some friends on FB that are Hungarian and Romanian and when I click on the translation it is laughable....not even close. Of course this is my opinion and everybody can believe whatever they want....I honestly don't care.
It's also very sad that Religion is the cause of so much hate in the world, it shouldn't be that way but it is.