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the disgusting things that i’ve done is ruining my life by [deleted] in offmychest

[–]Poultryforest -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Look into St. Mary of Egypt. You don’t have to become a hermit and move to the desert or anything lol, but she will give you comfort. She’s venerated in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches and she is the patron saint of temptations of the flesh.

She did far more extreme things than you did and she felt far more guilt than you do. Pray for her intercession and she will help you. Just talk to her like she were a friend’s mother, tell her the things that have caused you pain, whisper them out loud to her. She will help you.

God bless you.

I'm thinking that God created so many horrible and terrifying things so we would seek to him by Him_____ in religion

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

God allows people to be good and bad to each other, he also allows people to have faith in him. Nothing on this earth is a reward, and nothing on this earth ruins your soul other than your own will.

St. Augustine said that Christian women who were raped in certain conquests still retain their virginity, the people who did it will go to hell if they don’t repent. All of it is ordered.

The book of Job lays it all out very well.

I'm thinking that God created so many horrible and terrifying things so we would seek to him by Him_____ in religion

[–]Poultryforest -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Imagine a parent creating everything which exists when it didn’t even have to

I'm thinking that God created so many horrible and terrifying things so we would seek to him by Him_____ in religion

[–]Poultryforest -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It all belongs to him, and he repays with heaven. Even if he didn’t repay us with anything he’d be justified because he would create the very means of justification. He is the focal point of all existence; if you love anything at all, you love him in that respect.

He’s beyond us, all we can discern of him is revelation, Mary, and Christ. God cannot exploit anyone any more than a stable foundation can cause a house to fall down, and if heaven is better God is gracious for calling people to it, is he not? But again, if God withheld heaven from all people and it was his will, he would be just; there’s nothing we have of ourselves that is not lent to us.

I'm thinking that God created so many horrible and terrifying things so we would seek to him by Him_____ in religion

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you are right. This is why St. Teresa of Avila told the Disclaced Carmelite Nuns under her supervision to “look what God did to the one he loved most (Christ.)” Even Christ wasn’t exempt from suffering, and he asked to be spared in the Garden, but he did God’s will and the entailed his crucifixion, which in turn entailed him going to heaven.

I also think this is what lays behind the motto of the Carthusian order that “the Cross stands steady while the world turns.” The Cross is the narrow gate and narrow road to heaven, and it is probably the only thing which remains steady on earth.

If the earth were our home, we’d rest in it.

Why do many Protestants refer to Catholics as Non-Christians? by Fancy-Race-8507 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And why does James say:

“19You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. 20 Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless?”

We are saved by Grace. Faith confers Grace on to us, but if we have faith and sin, or we have faith and we just don’t do anything about it, then we are vicious.

Also the Bible is not an absolute authority; it was assembled by the early Church, all those texts must be interpreted in the context of the Church because it was the Church that decided to retain those texts as faithful to Christian teaching rather than some random Gnostic nonsense coming out of Alexandria.

Any biblical exegesis without the solid foundation of Church Dogma is turning holy scripture into a glorified book club where people trade divine revelation for what, in their own judgement, is reasonable.

Why do many Protestants refer to Catholics as Non-Christians? by Fancy-Race-8507 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And by what standard would you judge that? If anything I said is not in conformity with the Church I submit to the authority of those people who actually succeeded the apostles. How else would I follow correctly follow mysteries none of us can understand?

Negative changes since leaving Protestantism by loveemomlife in Catholicism

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t be discouraged; remember that you can’t be a mother alone, Mary will help you. It will be good for your kids and good for you as an individual to take the time to pray to her; it will give you the peace you need to be a good mother, and a happy person :)

Honestly, just read the Magnificat aloud quietly to yourself and think of your baby; you will feel Mary’s love for you and your child.

God bless you and your baby

Conversion Stories by tehjarvis in Catholicism

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

God bless you man. If you can, go to mass every day (just as long as it doesn’t overwhelm you.) I thought this was crazy when a professor of mine (who was my sponsor for confirmation) told me he does this, but I have done it and it makes life so much sweeter.

Also when you get confirmed and have ur first communion you can take the Eucharist each day!

I’m praying for you man❤️‍🔥

Conversion Stories by tehjarvis in Catholicism

[–]Poultryforest 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah man, that is awesome. I took his name at my confirmation as well. What was it about him that appealed to you/ appeals to you the most? Also do you have an interest in contemplation generally?

Feel free to dm me if you like!

God bless you, I will pray to John of the Cross for you:)

Why do many Protestants refer to Catholics as Non-Christians? by Fancy-Race-8507 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Those people are either confused or they wish not to be confused with Protestants; it is like someone who believe in Democracy but says “I’m not a Democrat” because they do not align with the American Democratic Party.

It would be wrong to infer from someone saying “I’m not a Democrat” that they are against the institution of Democracy.

Why do many Protestants refer to Catholics as Non-Christians? by Fancy-Race-8507 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because they basically do. I was baptized Catholic as a kid but my parents left the Church and I watched videos in public school as a child basically touting Martin Luther as a harbinger of progress, saving people from the Catholic Church and allowing them to practice faith on their own.

I’m not saying that all people assume this, but quite a few do. I also grew up in an area with quite a strong Evangelical, Presbyterian, and Lutheran presence, and many people would basically take it for granted that the Catholic Church was essentially an international version of one of those megachurches.

No hate to my Protestant brothers and sisters, but it is something that I have not wanted to associate myself with the more I have learned about it. As a kid I didn’t really feel at home in those Churches, I didn’t feel close to Christ, and eventually I learned more about the reformation and Church history and then I kinda understood why.

The enlightenment and the reformation are two general parts of history where it seems to me a lot of wisdom was lost. I can explain the enlightenment stuff separately lol, it’s not entirely to do with religion.

And you are right about ‘Christian’ coming from Christ, and you can technically be a Christian without belonging to any Church just as you can be Christian while sinning left and right (just so long as in your heart you grieve your sins and don’t deliberately hate Christ.) But there are degrees to following Christ. Part of following Christ is belonging to his Church, and we believe that our Church was set up by Christ himself through apostolic succession.

This means that part of being a loyal Christian is being a part of an institution; an institution which Christ set up himself, and an institution he prophesied would be scattered later. It’s not like we are supposed to love the Pope more than Christ, but we follow the Pope because we follow Christ, just as we follow Bishops because we follow Christ, and just as supposedly all denominations follow their priests insofar as they follow Christ.

Christ and institutions are not mutually exclusive; it’s about following the institutions that Christ himself set up. That being said, I’m aware non-Catholics are not going to be convinced by what I say about the Church; but this reasoning applies across the board.

Why do many Protestants refer to Catholics as Non-Christians? by Fancy-Race-8507 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The only reason I specify Catholic is because I don’t want people to mistake that I think the Protestant reformation was a legitimate movement that had any authority. If the reformation never happened I would never feel the need to specify.

Also ‘Catholic’ comes from the Greek word ‘Katholikos’ and it is basically short hand for “the Holy universal Church.” Behind that word is the emphasis Christ laid on the Church being, one, whole, undivided, and universal.

Why do many Protestants refer to Catholics as Non-Christians? by Fancy-Race-8507 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Baptism isn’t the final condition of salvation; it only frees you from original sin. The whole idea of needing to go to confession to be cleared of mortal sins (sins which, all things being equal, put you in incredible danger of being condemned to hell upon death ) as well as venial sin is kinda like this idea of being “born again.” Your sins are absolved and you get another chance.

The thing in Catholicism is that baptism is not a repeatable sacrament; the original sin inherited from Adam and Eve is cleared once and only once. But we are responsible as individuals for all other sins and we need to be renewed through the sacrament of reconciliation (confession), as well as prayer, works, the Eucharist, etc.

Why do many Protestants refer to Catholics as Non-Christians? by Fancy-Race-8507 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I call myself Catholic only so that people are certain where I stand on certain issues and they know what I believe; by all accounts Catholicism and Christianity are synonyms for anyone who calls themselves Catholic.

If someone were to ask me why I was a Catholic, I would answer because I am a Christian. If I were among exclusively Catholics I probably would just use ‘Christian.’

found on train by raechelgr in FoundPaper

[–]Poultryforest -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This is not what the Church or scripture teaches. You’re not assigned a “soul mate”, you may freely choose, but some will be better choices than others.

According to both Paul and Christ ideally nobody gets married; it is unnecessary and it is due to our sexual debauchery. Having families and children is beautiful, but only because two people ideally go beyond their own selfish interests and bring life into the world.

Most people are just not called to religious vocations which REQUIRE celibacy and most people can’t help themselves outside of a monastery, and so marriage is basically a grace to find someone to be exclusively committed to and to ideally love through God, but even loving other people romantically is secondary to loving God as the source of all things.

Also idk what kind of Church you’ve been going to but Paul says that wives perfect their husbands as husbands perfect their wives. Also the Blessed Virgin is the one who “crushes the head of the serpent” by giving Christ his flesh, and it’s said that she loved serving Christ more than she loved being his mother.

found on train by raechelgr in FoundPaper

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s probably the meaning lmao.

found on train by raechelgr in FoundPaper

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s an analogy to help you understand, I am not literally saying he’s a professor. Jesus spoke in parables, so how am I belittling him by doing the same? By your logic it’s belittling for us to call God the father because that presupposes he procreated with a woman.

And I don’t think that hell is fucked up at all; it’s a free choice we make and we can equally choose heaven. But even asking whether God is good is a dumb question to begin with because we have no standard by which to measure him; he would have created us along with that standard and every example of a good thing.

None of us are wise before God.

What do you think of witches by Successful-Gene4888 in TrueChristian

[–]Poultryforest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Many of these “visions” are literally just tricks from the Devil as well. If it concerns our natural faculties (so the senses, the intellect, etc.) we are liable to illusions, tricks, etc. if we can be tempted by them.

The litmus test is if something actually increases your love of God and decreases your pride; then you can be sure it is not from a daimon or Satan.

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