The death of the Pope has become a lesson in the history of Catholicism for many people including myself. My exposure to Catholicism comes from watching Mass on TV (usually on Christmas Eve) and in events like this. I’ve never been to mass, been inside a Catholic church only a handful of times in my life. I fail to understand Catholicism. For many people who grew up Catholic, it is a way of life. Not just a religion, but a subculture.
Catholics have alot of stuff they’d like to forget. Including….

• The selling of indulgences…which caused Martin Luther to start the Protestant movement.
• Collaboration with the Nazis. In many ways the Catholics were neutral toward the Nazi’s during World War II, not showing rejection of their dogma, and even supporting anti-semitism.

All religions have checkered pasts. Some more than others. Since the Catholic church has been around alot longer than most other major religions, it’s going to have a much more jaded past than newer religions.
Still there are stuff that the Catholic church clings to, that I feel is not what God intended.

• Veneration of Mary (and the rest of the saints). This takes away from our first and foremost target of worship…God Himself. Admiring past Christians for their roles in Christentom is fine, but when too much emphasis is put on them, then we loose sight of our true adoration.
• The infallibility of the Pope – This is contrary to 1 John 1:8-10. Certainly any religious man can make mistakes. Even if one is acting as official capacity of the church doesn’t make one immune from sin. It is our obligation to continue to study the scripture to determine if what our religious leaders is speaking the truth.
• Elevation of the Pope as being God’s sole representative on Earth. – No one man should have that much authority. Sure, Pope John Paul II was a good man, but the church hiarchy wasn’t what God intended. Kissing the Pope’s ring? Asking the Pope to bless your child? This is all foreign to me….and Biblical examples.
• Birth Control and allowing priests to be married (as discussed previously)

What I’m seeing now is an outpouring of ridiculous sadness for a mere man who many people don’t know personally. They regard him as almost a king. I don’t get it. And I still don’t get similar fabricated grief for Terri Schiavo. People, get a grip. This type of emotion should only be reserved for immediate family or close friends.

Something tells me the Pope is going to go soon.
This guy can’t even sit up straight. (He hasn’t been able to for years) What make you think he can lead the world’s largest Christian denomination?
Once there is a new pope installed, I hope they do a couple of things.
1. Allow the priests to marry. I’m guessing this would be earth shattering for some Catholics. I grew up in a fellowship where having a married preacher is not only very desireable, it would be virtually the only option. Why does this denomination require those who lead congregations to be celebrate? How can he minister to married couples with sexual problems? How can he speak from experience?
2. Allow birth control. It still leaves me bewildered why Catholics find birth control unscriptual. Their position on the matter is that sex is for pleasure and procreation. They think if you’re using sex strictly for pleasure, then it is against God’s will.
The above two items show that Catholic church leaders apparently have alot of hangups about sex.

Terri got a drop of communion wine recently. I’m not going to bother arguing about this case. Everything that needs to be said, has already been said.
However the news that a priest would administer communion on a person who has no concept of reality did make me come to a conclusion. The conclusion is Catholics are more concerned about the ritual itself rather than personal belief. Administering communion on Terri is like administering communion on an infant. The Bible is specific on belief, especially on communion. “This do in rememberance of Me,” something that a person in a vegetative state is unable to do. Religion is empty and ritualistic without true belief. Does simply going to church and singing, bowing your head in prayer, and eating bread and wine make someone a Christian? NO! First and formost it takes personal belief. Something that I’m sure Terri once had, but no longer has. Sure it makes her parents and supporters feel better that she had communion. But was she really worshipping? No! She has no concept of that. Doing something for the sake of the ritual, without belief is wrong and not what God wants.
Another course of action where the ritual itself is more important than belief is infant baptism. Those who practice this are showing this somewhat as a promise of the parents/guardians to raise their child in a Christian environment. Seemingly the baptism ritual is more important than belief. For Catholics this belief will come to the child later in life (hopefully).
Many times we get caught up in the ritual itself rather than worship. Its time to ask ourself do we truly believe or are we just going through empty rituals?

Family Scuffles, Pastor Says Jeans a Demon
Quote:

“You’re not wearing pants in my church, you demon,” Storey claimed the preacher said. “I said, ‘I’m glad I serve a God who can work through my pants.'”

And I’m glad I serve a God who can work through my pants too. Nothing like brotherly kindness.

I drove by the local Baptist church today on my way out of church. There are about half a dozen protestors, many of them children, holding up signs with the obligatory “Abortion Kills Children.” It was no surpise why they are doing this now. January 22 is the 32nd Aniversary of Roe v. Wade.
I am of the opinion that abortion does kill a living being. It’s sad and horrible. However I realize that it isn’t such a black and white issue that some people would like it to be. I also realize that some women have made the mistake of abortion at one point in their lives. Instead of holding up signs about abortion, I am proposing that we show love toward our fellow man. Realize that no one is perfect and no one should dwell on the past. Only then can we truly see God’s love, when we show it unconditionally toward our fellow man.

Todd led a prayer Sunday night. He said, among many other things was “Help us to forgive ourselves.” I think many of us are putting too much pressure on ourselves and not being able to forgive ourselves or others. Too many people are keeping score on us making us feel guilty for no apparent reason at all. Can one feel guilty for not doing anything wrong?
There is a difference between “Shame” and “Guilt” Being shamed is being made to feel guilty without actually feeling like one has done anything wrong. “Everyone is watching you, Jeff.” I’ve been told that before.
I’ve found an interesting site for those who have left the church. While much of the site is arguing schemantics, unfortunately I tend to indentify with some of what is mentioned on the site. Such as never being sure that one is saved. The old VBS song “Happy and You Know It” comes to mind. Are you saved and you know it? From some of the sermons that I’ve heard, you never would have thought that any of the audience members are saved. One has to constantly re-examine themselves to ask have they done anything or thought anything within the past week to know if they are good enough to be saved? I disagree with this doctrine. If we are earnestly trying to be as good as we can humanly be, then we should be able to say we’re saved. Period. There should be no guilt or shame presented in a worship service. Yet for some reason we are constantly told to get right with God or go straight to hell. Guilt is a reoccuring theme to worship, instead of praising God.
This isn’t “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” God is willing that none should perish. God wants everyone to be saved. We need more sermons on hope and less on pain and guilt.

The past 2 entries I’ve said basically the same thing over and over again, just using different phrases. The bottom line is that I’m trying to grow my faith. Throughout my whole life I’m been under the mistaken impression that it is what I did that would let me be acceptable in the sight of others and my God. Bad theology. God doesn’t care what you do, although faith without works is dead…and vice versa.
So I am trying to grow my faith. Is there enough Bible teaching, enough sermon note taking that would allow me to grow my faith? Ultimate faith comes from within. It takes years to develop. It doesn’t crumble under pressure. It doesn’t suddenly retract when it finds out fellow Christians aren’t perfect.
I just wish I could gain that faith that I had when I first became a Christian. Depression has crumbled my faith. I’m stuck. I’m frustrated. I wish things could get better. Ultimately I think they will. It just takes patiences.

I am getting my faith back. Slowly but surely. Sometimes I feel so jaded toward organized religion. Religion is so much more personal than it was 2 years ago. Two years ago I would have taken things at face value. Now I’m looking for a “thus saith the Lord” on everything. Otherwise your faith is as empty as pagan beliefs.
Some people use their faith to gain a better position in the world. To look good for themselves. I’m trying to gain a faith that grows me closer to my savior each and every day. And it is difficult. Especially when you feel so self conscious about what people at your church think of you. Ultimately the only thing that matters is that God loves me unconditionally. That’s what I keep telling myself.
I just wish things could easily be like they were 2 years ago. It was just a short time ago, but yet it seems so far away. Things seemed to be “just right” then. It was so much simplier.

Unfortunately I’ve grown somewhat unsatisfied toward organized religion. Christianity has become more and more personal, rather than something one does in front of men. But then again, is worship and religion supposed to be satisfying? I think not. Being a Christian is tough. Difficult. God never promised us a rose garden. And I thought things would get easier once I got my education and a job. Now it seems life just gets more and more difficult.
I really am trying to get my faith back. I really am trying to take things seriously. It’s just over the past several months I’ve been so jaded toward life that I’ve hit a slump. God will never ever give up on His children. I need to remember that.

I got a new Bible tonight. It’s got a durable leather cover, so I hope that it’ll be able to withstand some normal wear and tear that go with a loved Bible. My other Bible has its cover torn off of it from overuse.
I guess eventually I’ll get it out and underline some important verses to remember. The thing when you get a new Bible is that you forget where exactly the important verses are located. Whereas with your old Bible, sometimes when you open it up it automatically falls to your favorite verses.
I can remember the Bible I used throughout my elementary school years. Large print KJV. I never understood it. I can remember being baptized at age 12 and then trying to read a chapter each night. It was tough, and I didn’t exactly understand it completely. I must have been doing it just for feeling like I was doing God’s will and not necessarily because I enjoyed or necessarily understood it completely. Now kids have those teen Bibles which seem so much more welcoming than those cold dark KJV’s.
And I almost got a NIV tonight. If I hadn’t found this NKJV, I might have. Then I could have been labeled as liberal for using a NIV, even though it can be easier to read.