I wasn't raised Catholic, but wasn't raised to be against Catholics either. Religion wasn't a big part of family life. But what was said was that Protestants were right and Catholics, though good people, were very very wrong. :) I've since come to the place where I believe both are probably at least a little wrong, but generally on the right path.

I am good friends with a couple. The man was my friend since high school, and was raised protestant. The wife was raised Catholic but rejected that faith and was saved as a Protestant and married in a Protestant church. In time, both converted to Catholic, believeing Catholicism, though not perfect, was closer to what God wanted in the church. Neither has ever tried to convert me or sway my Protestant beliefs. However, I have recently begun to wonder if maybe Catholics don't have it more right after all.

I have always believed that each believer needed to find his own way in things with the help of the Holy Spirit. I never believed one should let any man (or woman) tell you what you should believe or how you should act in regards to the Christian faith. That was the Holy Spirit's job. And after all, men are imperfect. And if I'm going to get it wrong, I'd rather it be because I misinterpreted the Holy Spirit's leading than because I trusted another human. But I'm beginning to seriously question that belief. Who am I to think that I can discern God's way better than someone that is closer to God than I, knows more about the Bible than I, and prays a lot more than I? It seems quite arrogant of me to think that I know better than a trusted pastor, or deacon, or Pope. I know men are imperfect and can err, but so can I. The Catholic ways are beginning to seem better in that the leaders (who are supposed to be close to God and very knowledgable in the scriptures) decide some of the important positions of the Christian walk. They can be and have been wrong, but at least they're united. How chaotic it is to have each individual making their own decisions on what is and isn't of God. I used to think The Bible was our ultimate guide. But I've seen the Bible interpreted in so many different ways, depending on what each individual WANTS it to say. I think we may need unbiased third parties to make some interpretations. And unless that goes seriously against what our Spirit tells us, I think we need to trust that. If the third parties are wrong, it may cause us some unneeded discomfort, but it won't send us to hell or take us away from God. But as an imperfect fallen people, we want what we want. And if there is ANY way we can justify it, we will. It just doesn't seem to me that God is pleased when we forsake our unity as believers so that we can get as much of what we want and think we need. Of course there are limits on how far we go in letting others tell us what God really wants and what the Bible really says. That's why denominations have formed. When some beliefs or practises go too far against what some committed believers feel is right before God, they split off to form their own group of believers. But these "groups of believers" are getting smaller and smaller. It's almost gotten to the point that each individual is his own group, believing whatever he thinks the Spirit is telling him, and to heck with how many other believers think differently. If we were each totally in sync with God and the Holy Spirit, this might be ok (except for the fact that God wants us to be a united body). But we aren't totally in sync with God. We each have all that baggage we bring with us. The baggage of our upbringing, our experiences, our wants and desires. How can we be so arrogant as to think WE are always the best interpreter of God's desires?

This forum is a good example of the way in which, provided we thrash things out openly and are also able to listen and alter our views, it is possible to discern - amidst the cacophony - new possibilities and altered visions and here, I think, is a veritable sign of the presence of God amongst us.

I'm not sure if I agree with this entire statement. Yes, I believe God's presence is here. Where any two gather in my name, I am there also. Sorry, I don't know the exact verse or reference. But does anyone ever really alter their view on anything here? I sure don't remember seeing anyone changing their minds about anything. Maybe it's happened, but it must not happen often. Most people seem to stick with their views, myself included. That's not hard to understand because our views are formed over a long period. We take what we have seen, read, heard, and experienced and form an opinion or belief. It generally takes more than a few posts on this board to change anyone's mind. All I try to do is give people something to think about to be digested in the future when maybe something happens that tweeks there opinion or belief again. It would be more pleasant for me to repeatedly bang my head against the wall than to try to win a debate here. When I get sucked into one, I always regret it. So I just try to present what I think and why, and let others take it or leave it as they wish.

Enough ranting. You touched on something I've been mulling over a lot lately. So I just put all this out there, as Rod Serling always said at the begiining of the TV show "Night Gallery," "for your consideration."

Dakota