Common Questions For Catholics

    The reason I’m writing this is that I often get asked questions upon people learning that I am Catholic. This entry is simply to answer some of the questions some of you may have so you don’t have to ask out loud. I would Like to thank the Cellulites for contributing the majority of these questions.

“Is there a reason there's so many rules?”

Yes. It's a pretty basic reason too. The only thing separating the Catholic Church from many other religions, such as the orthodox or protestants, is our basic beliefs. Often times the only way to show our beliefs is by living them. The rules are set in place as a means of letting us know what is and isn’t within the beliefs of the Church. If it helps don’t look at them as rules so much as guidelines to help you be the best Catholic you can be.

    “How often do people actually go to confession? Is it supposed to be every week or just whenever you do something bad?”

Well, you can honestly go as often as you would like. I think the requirement is once a year but it is best to go as often as you can. It all honestly varies on your religious life and schedule. I suggest going at least once a week. Most priests usually offer confession on Sundays before masses.

   

    “Does the Church not allow/recognize divorces between members?”

No. The only way a divorce is recognized, per se, is if it is annulled. An annulment is an official statement by the church that a marriage was never valid. There are several things that can make a marriage invalid. The main reason for annulments that I’ve seen have been consensual issues. One or both members didn’t fully want to get married but went with it anyway. They didn’t outwardly express their discontent at the notion of the marriage. This is also heavily abused within the United States and is a major reason why we “hand out annulments like candy.” If you would like a full list of things that make a marriage invalid check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I can’t give you a paragraph number at the moment but I will update later with one.

    “Where do you believe God came from? At some point in time, there must have been NOTHING, right? No universe, Galaxy, nothing. Where did this come from?”

Actually, we believe that he has always existed. God doesn’t exist within time. Time is something that can be molded and formed. It always flows forward but it can be easily changed with the right forces. What’s to say that something can’t exist outside of time? God could easily exist outside of our dimensions, outside our limits of time and space. God is infinite.

    “Why do you have to believe in a higher power to make yourself feel better?”

I don’t. I believe in a higher power because I do. My self-worth and dignity are enough to make myself feel better. When I’m feeling especially down I have friends that I know will always cheer me up.

“ How do you feel about the concept of evolution and it's contradictions to much of what's told about in Genesis.”

The church stands that not all of the bible is to be taken literally. The people that take the bible literally are called fundamentalists and it's a really good way to get yourself excommunicated. The holy father Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II called fundamentalism a disease of the church. On that, the church doesn't believe the book of Genesis is literal. It's pretty impossible to create a world in 7 short days. Science has very clearly proven this. The book of Genesis was also written approximately 400 years before Christ was born. That's a few billion after the beginning of the world. It's also a time when science wasn't very developed so the writers had no way of knowing whether or not that actually happened. Instead the church states that Genesis is an explanation of how humans got their souls. My view is that it explains the evolutionary jump. The point where humans went from scavengers to hunters and farmers. When they started using tools. I believe that is when they were given souls. My idea is a generally accepted idea in much of the better educated portions of the church. (It's not mine technically, I didn't come up with it). But based on this view evolution and religion go hand in hand.

    “Do you believe Jesus is God?”

Yes. Jesus is God. God incarnate hence the incarnation.

The word made flesh.

    "If Jesus is God how can he be the son of God?" 
As the Trinity we believe that there are is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We call him the son of God because He specifically said he was the son of God. Now he called him the son of God because 1. It was easier for us to understand and 2 because the son is being that of his father, in this case, Jesus being that of his father is by his very nature God. Just as because I am of my father Michael, I am Henry Michaelson. But because I come from a family, I am Henry Cain. By nature Jesus is God because he is of the Father.

    “What are your opinions on transubstantiation.”

Considering that is one of the key elements of our faith, I wholeheartedly believe in it.Transubstantiation is possible under the idea that God is able to do anything. But to me its more of an illusionist, who makes it seem like its bread and wine where in all actuality its Christ's body and blood

    “Can god microwave a burrito so hot that he himself cannot eat it?"
Logical fallacy of circular argument. Basically the idea behind this is to trap the arguer into a circular argument. This is no different than the "can God create something so heavy so that he Himself cannot lift?" 

    “How do you feel about the similarities between Christianity and Islam?”

Muhammad based Islam on a handful of religions. Christianity and Judaism being two of the main components. He liked many of the ideas of the "prophet" Jesus and used a lot of his ideas when establishing Judaism. 

    “How do you feel about the use of religions like Christianity and Islam being used to control and govern men throughout history?”

Humans are human and many will attain power in any way they can.-Henry
I feel that human use religion to disguise their greed for glory lower and money, religion itself isn't meant to be controlling, but that those who desire power will use ideas from the religion to justify their cause. -Anthony

These are just some general questions and if anyone else has any more feel free to ask and I’ll update the blog post.

    Thanks!