Introduction

[Quaeritur]

Hello there. Sorry I now something more grand is usually done but I tend to be bad with introductions.

Now to save the good people of this site some time and effort I will start by telling you that I was raised Catholic and still for the most look to their teachings for guidance. In addition I tend to read up on various religions and take what I will from them, for instance I take from Buddhism the practice of meditating and helping others before all else. Not sure what subtitle that makes me but feel free to apply it to me if you wish.

Now for as to why I am here. To be perfectly honest I am not be here to be saved or to join the baptist church in any fashion. Admittedly I do find some of you ideals very noble especially your commitment to help others of your church and form a community. However there are a few beliefs we do not share, and let's just leave it at that.

In all honesty I worked at a restaurant several years ago with a devote baptist and he was a great guy to talk to about religion. He accepted my own opinions and was happy to explain baptist philosophy and never pressed me converting, though he did invite me to church many times. I ended up moving to attend college and haven't seen him in years which is why I am here. I am hoping that there are those among you like him, those who will put up with the unsaved trash asking questions because they are honestly curious.

Now then, back to the introduction.

I was raised Catholic as I already said and attended church regularly until I was about 11. I was in Catholic school mainly because my mother believed that I should have religion in my life. After I left I did not attend church, mainly because I grew disgusted with it to be utterly honest. All the stories about pedophiles who used it for hunting grounds, the greed, the utter indifference to those in need, it disgusted me utterly. In all honesty I lost my faith in the church, and almost the lord.

However someone said something to me when talking about it about a year ago, "the church is not the religion". Honestly those words struck me, because I sometimes forget that the old men in the funny hats are not what it is all about. It's about the Big Guy Upstairs and no one else. So effectively I have found my faith and slowly becoming more and more devote, though I do need to work on not indulging in Wraith.

Now I do own a copy of the King James bible, though honestly I have been looking up a few verses from this site and the words seem a little different so I am wondering what's up. It was printed by the American Bible Society in New York if anyone knows anything.

Now for favorite verses.

Leviticus 19:17 "Though shall not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any rebuke against thy neighbor, and suffer not sin upon him." I like this verse as it shows that the Lord wished us to stand together, not to be against one another.

Ezekiel 25:17 "And I will execute great vengeance upon them with great rebukes; and they shall know that I am Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them." Now first off, yes this is the verse quoted by Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction and I am sure more then a few of you will have something to say about that, but it's a good verse. I like it because it shows that while he may be a loving god, he is a loving god like a woman is a loving mother. He loves everyone, but he shall smite you if you have the foolishness to harm his children.

So yes that's my intro. I also suck at endings.

[Redeemed Papist]

Re: Introduction

Then you will burn in Hell.

Diluting your faith with the works of false religions like Buddhism and Catholicism is a slap in the face for Jesus who temporarily died for you.
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[Quaeritur]

Re: Introduction

If the lord sees fit to cast me there then that is where I shall go.

Redeemed Papist if I may ask what drove you from the Catholic Church and into the embrace of the Landover Church?

[Redeemed Papist]

Re: Introduction

Reading the Bible and comparing it to the Catholic tradition.
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[Quaeritur]

Re: Introduction

Can't argue with you there at all. That little loophole was at least clever, allowing the church to change the bible is a great idea that should be embraced whole heartedly.

But I am glad you found your faith because you were looking for it and not because of a bad experience. I can honestly say I feel truly bad for those who lost faith and cannot find it for the actions of mortal men turning them away.

[Redeemed Papist]

Re: Introduction

Can't argue with you there at all. That little loophole was at least clever, allowing the church to change the bible is a great idea that should be embraced whole heartedly.

But I am glad you found your faith because you were looking for it and not because of a bad experience. I can honestly say I feel truly bad for those who lost faith and cannot find it for the actions of mortal men turning them away.

Do you think that finding one of your friends on his knees with his head up a Father's cassock, going and reading the Bible to try to make sense of it and then realising everything you've ever been told is a lie is a good experience?

[James Hutchins]

Re: Introduction

Welcome friend! It please me to no end that you are questioning the catlick criminal Church
The KJV has the Word of God in a plain, simple, everyman wording. No mystery, just cold, plain hard facts regarding Gods Love.

Tell me friend, how many sons has God seem fit for you to remove from your wifes gut?

[Quaeritur]

Re: Introduction

Actually no Papist. My apologies but you neglected to mention that detail when you told me why you left the church. I am sorry that you had to experience such a horrible thing because of the predators that have infiltrated the Catholic Church.

I have no wife unfortunately Mr. Hutchins so no sons or daughters right now.

[Redeemed Papist]

Re: Introduction

Actually no Papist. My apologies but you neglected to mention that detail when you told me why you left the church. I am sorry that you had to experience such a horrible thing because of the predators that have infiltrated the Catholic Church.

I have no wife unfortunately Mr. Hutchins so no sons or daughters right now.

That still doesn't explain why you want to go looking to crazy foreign philosophies to substitute for good honest Bible-based religion.

[Quaeritur]

Re: Introduction

I don't substitute so much as enrich my reading and understanding. I read the bible, but the insights I receive are not the same as some of the respected pastors here. But I am not so foolish as to think that I am the only one to understand the Lord's plan, it is impossible for any mortal man too.

So I look to others for insight. Yes Buddhism is full of some very strange things, especially the way that they think the soul is reincarnated. However one thing they do have right is not to judge others, for it is only the Lord who may judge man and punish him accordingly.

If I had not gained that insight then I might become like one of these individuals who hunt down and beat homosexuals for what they are. How unfortunate that they do not realize that they are so wrapped in sin they think they can take upon the mantle of the Lord and deal out punishment. So prideful they take worship themselves as false gods and so full of Wraith they harm God's children.

So Papist not so much substitute as to help understand.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Introduction

because of the predators that have infiltrated the Catholic Church.

You mean to say, "the predators are now exposed as the catholic church." A cautious welcome, sir, but I should tell you, we value truth here and will not be fooled by this "not a 'real catholic'" kind of evasion.

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Matthew 13:22

[Rev. M. Rodimer]

Re: Introduction

So I look to others for insight. Yes Buddhism is full of some very strange things, especially the way that they think the soul is reincarnated.

Do tell.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/reincarnation.htm

A gross misunderstanding of about Buddhism exists today, especially in the notion of reincarnation. The common misunderstanding is that a person has led countless previous lives, usually as an animal, but somehow in this life he is born as a human being and in the next life he will be reborn as an animal, depending on the kind of life he has lived.

In fact, they believe something very different; rather than progressing from low to high forms over multiple lifetimes, those forms simultaneously exist within the single lifetime:

Traditionally, Buddhism teaches the existence of the ten realms of being. At the top is Buddha and the scale descends as follows: Bodhisattva (an enlightened being destined to be a Buddha, but purposely remaining on earth to teach others), Pratyeka Buddha (a Buddha for himself), Sravka (direct disciple of Buddha), heavenly beings (superhuman [angels?]), human beings, Asura (fighting spirits), beasts, Preta (hungry ghosts), and depraved men (hellish beings).

Now, these ten realms may be viewed as unfixed, nonobjective worlds, as mental and spiritual states of mind. These states of mind are created by men's thoughts, actions, and words. In other words, psychological states. These ten realms are "mutually immanent and mutually inclusive, each one having in it the remaining nine realms." For example, the realm of human beings has all the other nine states (from hell to Buddhahood). Man is at the same time capable of real selfishness, creating his own hell, or is truly compassionate, reflecting the compassion of Amida Buddha. Buddhas too have the other nine realms in their minds, for how can a Buddha possibly save those in hell if he himself does not identify with their suffering and guide them to enlightenment.

I guess you didn't read very MUCH about Buddhism before deciding you liked it, eh?

Have you a similarly thorough understanding of Christianity and of Catholicism?

[Pastor Ezekiel]

Re: Introduction

I don't substitute so much as enrich my reading and understanding. I read the bible, but the insights I receive are not the same as some of the respected pastors here. But I am not so foolish as to think that I am the only one to understand the Lord's plan, it is impossible for any mortal man too.

So I look to others for insight. Yes Buddhism is full of some very strange things, especially the way that they think the soul is reincarnated. However one thing they do have right is not to judge others, for it is only the Lord who may judge man and punish him accordingly.

If I had not gained that insight then I might become like one of these individuals who hunt down and beat homosexuals for what they are. How unfortunate that they do not realize that they are so wrapped in sin they think they can take upon the mantle of the Lord and deal out punishment. So prideful they take worship themselves as false gods and so full of Wraith they harm God's children.

So Papist not so much substitute as to help understand.

Buddha was an obese chink who is now dead and did not die for my sins. Jesus on the other hand, did.

And I don't like your name. It sounds like a queer polack.

[AussieGirl]

Re: Introduction

Buddha was certainly not made in God's image. Maybe the reincarnation myth came about to explain his resemblance to a fattened pig, or a hippopotamus.

[Quaeritur]

Re: Introduction

Mrs. Etheldreda thank you for your welcome. While you are correct that there are a large number of pedophiles in the Catholic church I always hesitate to say they are the church, as that leads to some very passionate chicken and egg arguments. I refer to the fact that those with deviant traits such as pedophilia tend to pick careers in which they can use them for their own means. It's the reason why you hear about so many teachers, parents, school janitors, etc molesting children as it allows them to indulge in their desires.

Rev. Rodimer there seems to have been a minor misunderstanding, I'm not a big fan of Buddhism. You provide an excellent example of one of the things I dislike about the religion. If you are at all curious you should also research how they believe a person dies. As for my understanding of Christianity and Catholicism I don't know every nook and cranny of the religions. After all the Bible is the word of god, the church is the people who follow it.

Pastor Ezekiel, hello to you. The name is a bit of a joke regarding that wonderful little bit of propaganda that Mel Gibson starred in. Also I don't think Buddha was actually fat, but you are right he didn't die for our sins.