1) 1)How has Christianity and/or the Catholic denomination shaped your life?
2) For me, Christianity has given me a purpose driven life. Though there is an ultimate goal, there is the encouragement to view the scenery along the way, and know it was placed there just for you.
2)What is your understanding of God from the Christian point of view?
3) God, is a mysterious friend and Father. Though it is not understood clearly, his existence is expressed in a “trinity” or three personages, one Godhead. This God made us to commune with him, and apparently has a great deal of patience with us, to that end.
3)How is the Catholic denomination different from other Christian denominations? I know that there are many similarities.
4) The Catholic Christian (it is one and the same), enjoys a great deal of tradition, and mystery. However, the core beliefs are identical to that of other mainstream Christian denominations. (Trinity, Jesus resurrection and payment for our sins, the gift of salvation, and our responsibility to make use of that gift for the benefit of others).
4)What are the important holidays and traditions of Christianity, specifically Catholicism?
5) Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentacost, Ascention, and various other holidays pertaining to the Catholic denomination.
5)How do these holidays differ from other Christian denominations, if they differ?
6) Wherein other denominations give quiet nod to events that are recognized, Catholics go one step further, usually by attending mass or fasting or going out of their way to do something (such as charity work)
6)What is the Christian meaning of Christmas and Easter, and how has commercialization and the secular world taken away from that?
7) Christmas is “Christ’s mass”. It heralds in the celebration of the birth of the Savior of man. It is an awe inspiring time of reflection on what was done for all of us (including you). The commercialism of Christmas is fun, but not the primary reason for celebrating.
8) Easter, is the acknowledgement of the pain that man causes God, and for the conscientious, the sorrow that accompanies the acknowledgement. But it is also the joy that such a God would deliver us from ourselves and be victorious over death, in order to bring us back to Him.
7)I live in Louisiana, and have noticed that Lent is very much observed. What is lent, and why does it exist? Why does it seem more important in the Catholic denomination than in other Christian denominations?
9) Lent, acknowledges the 40 days that Christ spent fasting in the wilderness/desert, prior to Satan’s temptations of a weakened Jesus. It is the perior of 40 weekdays before Easter observed in some Christian churches as a period of prayer, penance, fasting and self-denial. It starts on Ash Wednesday in Western Churches.8)What is the significance of Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras?
10) Debauchery, and goofy fun prior to the seriousness of lent. Some say it is the nature of man, before he accepts Christ and becomes a new man (leaving his natural state behind him).
9)Are there certain foods that are sacred or important? And why?
11) All food is sacred, as it is a gift from God. Bread and Wine at mass become body and blood of Christ (in most Christian denominations it “represents” the body and blood of Christ during communion). To Catholics, it becomes literally the body and blood of Christ. We look at it this way because of the words Jesus spoke to his disciples during the breaking of the bread at the “Last Supper” He said “This is my Body, this is my blood, do this in memory of me.”
10)Why is it so important that priests not marry?
12) The argument for catholics here is that a wife and family would distract a priest or a huband, a nun from fully dedicating themselves to God and his work for them. This is not a shared view from other catholic churches such as the Anglicans, or Episcopalians, who have married priests and nuns.
11)Why can’t women become priests?
13) In the Roman Catholic church, Peter and Paul’s statements are used to point out that woman caused the fall of man, because she was beguiled by the serpent. It is also argued that the first counsel in order to secure a patriarchal structure, banned women from being priests in the Roman Catholic church. This did not apparently apply to the Irish Catholic church (at least not for about 300 years). Genesis also states that woman shall desire after man, and he shall rule over her. In matters of faith over the community, it is the male that presides. In matters of faith in the home, it is the female that presides with her children. It gets very complicated and is contentious at best among people.
12)What is the purpose of Communion and Mass?
14) Mass comes from the desire to celebrate the mystery of God and his goodness and sacrifice to man. Communion is a means by which to remember exactly what the cost was to save man (from himself).
13)What is the significance of Baptism?
15) To Catholics and other Christian denominations, Baptism is a promise to live a Christ like life (or to raise a child in a Christ like life). It is an announcement to the world of the parents’ or the baptized’s intention. It comes from when John the Baptist began his service prior to the arrival of Jesus. Jesus then cemented the concept when he submitted to being baptized by John, in which the bible says the Father found great pleasure in Jesus’ submission to this ritual, and the meaning behind it. It means a man dies to his old ways, and comes from the water fresh and clean and new.
14)Why do Catholics and other Christian denominations baptize children at birth?
16) See the above…
15)What is a Rosary for?
17) During the Crusades, the knights went many places, and discovered many faiths toward’s God. In some areas of the world, they discovered people using “worry beads” as a way to focus on God, and not be distracted by the outside world. These knights took these worry beads back to the pope who saw wisdom in their use to help focus a man’s mind on God. So the church adopted the concept with Christ, The Father, The Holy Spirit, and the virgin mother at the center of the purpose for using the “rosary”.
16)What is confirmation? And, what is the importance of it?
18) Confirmation is just that, a person confirming before the populace that their intention is to follow the ways of Christ.They acknowledge they will live as a Christian.
17)What are the challenges, if any, to practicing the Christian religion?
19) Many, lol. Take a look at the world around you. There are so many temptations, and naysayers. There are people who hate Christians for various reasons. There are things we’d love to do, but know they are wrong for us to do. There is the issue of dealing with wrath (rage), greed, laziness, gluttony, lust, envy and pride. And then there is actually believing that we are saved (self doubt), even though we accept Christ’s gift of salvation. There is also guilt that we never express to others, but we all have it inside us.
18)Why do you think that Christianity has become the majority religion in the world today?
20) Who else has ever said to man “I don’t care who you are, what you are, how bad you’ve been, how dirty you look, how disfigured you are, how hateful you’ve been, how damaged you are, what you’ve done…I love you and want you with me, forever.” ????
19)Historically, Christianity, Judaism and the Islamic faith all start from the same point? What is your opinion on the reason why they began to split and have become so different in today’s world
21) Judaism is first. It contains the founding principals upon which the three (some say four with Ba’hai faith), faiths come from. Some would argue that Islam almost began with the birth of Ishmael (Abraham’s first born son). But Ishmael let go the opportunity. Issac did not, and Judaism took off. After Christ’s resurrection and ascension into heaven (according to the bible), Judaism and the new Christians were for the most part, part of the same faith. When Saul of Taursus observed and approved the stoning to death of Stephen some seven years after Christ, the two split. On the way to Damascus, Saul was blinded and according to scripture met Christ, became a convert to the Christian way, and that widened the split into two similar but separate faiths. Christianity is definitely based on Judaism. Islam came 600 years later, when Mohammed had revelations and instructed scribes to write what he saw. There is an argument out there that goes: Mohammed wanted the Jews and Christians to get together with his visions and form a SUPER FAITH between the three. He believed his was the last point needed in order to make the correct belief in God, reality. Of course the other two faiths declined. Hence the third monotheistic faith of the times began.
20)Is there any other significant or important information that you would like me to know, or that I have neglected to ask?
22) There is lot’s of information you lack, and I fear it would take you a whole volume of books to get every detail. But, this should help you find what you are looking for (it’s a start).
Thank you all for the answers that I recieve.
You’re welcome.
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