Catholicism Questions

[Mallz]

Phillip, great distinction. Melanie, awesome post

[Philip]

Melanie: So Jesus was born with a propensity to sin like all of us?

And that is the obvious implication of what it meant for Jesus to also be fully human.

Of course, Jesus was also FULLY human. Meaning EVERY thing our human nature has cast upon us (that we inherited), HE had to also deal with. HOWEVER, Jesus was not ONLY human, but He was also fully God. So, while tempted in every way common to man, and also meaning he HAD to have a a HUMAN sin nature (or else, He could not have been tempted), His human nature and desire's were completely over-ridden/overcome by His Divine nature and essence. Jesus was NOT, unlike ourselves, captive to His human nature, as He also had His God nature.

Hebrews 4:15: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

[Mallz]

Question, or an idea for you, could Christ be using His mother to draw me closer to Him? I yearn for a mothers love, my relationship with my mum is non existent. She never showed me love or affection. So yeah, I probably think more of, and relate better to, Mary.

Christ will use everything and anyone to draw people to Him. But once you are drawn to Him, and know of Him, He will continue to make Himself more known, more apparent as the relationship progresses. But I'd like to clarify that people (including Mary, you and I) are used to witness Him. Just witness; that's it.

Could it have been the HS? Sure, but it felt different. I have had three, shall I say, spiritual encounters now. Each felt different.
I absolutely feel the HS working within and I am learning to understand it all.

Felt different than what? How could you tell it was anything other than the HS? You're not going to get just the same encounter over and over. You can have similar encounters but I would suspect they would change depending on your relationship with Him. No, I don't think it was Mary. And throughout scripture, people were never used to deliver messages from YHWH. Check out: http://www.gotquestions.org/apparitions-of-Mary.html, and http://www.gotquestions.org/lady-fatima.html for two sources to get you started. Let me know of any questions or elaboration you'd want. Also, read 1 Samuel 28:1–25. What do you get from that?

As for the gender thing, I know God isn't about gender, its about spirit and wholeness. I think all of human relationships are so we can learn about love, about relationships. I think we are born yearning to return to our original state, united with God. Our earthly lives give us a chance to experience a glimpse of what that love is like.

I like that

Christ is a better role model, yes, but for me, I just can't "connect" with Him, not as Christ, not yet. No idea why but I do connect with the HS. Maybe my path to Christ is through His mother.
I am praying, reading, and trusting.

It's funny you say that. I have a hard time connecting with Him, too. No problem with the Holy Spirit or our Father. The path to Christ is through the Holy Spirit, no one else. It is he who draws us to Him. Which is another reason why Mary, nor anyone (including you or I) are the path to Christ. The Father calls us by His Spirit to the narrow path of being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Perhaps why it's hard to connect with Him is because we are still in a state of progression towards Him.

[Storyteller]

It was a false gospel (Gospel of Thomas) that first sparked my interest in Christ so yeah, He will use everyone and everything.

I concede that what I felt may have been demonic BUT it didn't feel it, y'know? And I pray a lot about this, I felt God, or the HS once when I was praying. I am convinced it was God - showing me that as fallen and sinful I am, He loves me.
I have felt Satan too. I was pondering and this feeling of nothingness, a deep, dark, terrifying nothing. It was like standing at the gats of hell. I prayed hard then, read the Bible and later I felt safe but it took a while.

Read the passage, I take from thatto be very wary of any supernatural prescence I feel.

Have you read Four Loves by C.S. Lewis? He describes the different sorts of love we experience, it started me thinking about my relationships.

Your idea of finding it difficult to connect with Christ because we are still progressing towards Him, that makes sense to me.

I'm reading Jacs book on DS which is just brilliant! It appears I have instinctively been believing in DS though I am still working throughit. It actually helps sort the Trinity for me too, organise the relationship kinda thing.

[Mallz]

I concede that what I felt may have been demonic BUT it didn't feel it, y'know? And I pray a lot about this, I felt God, or the HS once when I was praying. I am convinced it was God - showing me that as fallen and sinful I am, He loves me.
I have felt Satan too. I was pondering and this feeling of nothingness, a deep, dark, terrifying nothing. It was like standing at the gats of hell. I prayed hard then, read the Bible and later I felt safe but it took a while.

Just to clarify, I don't think what you felt was demonic. I think you were in the Spirit. Communing with Him. Everything gets lighter with him, the air smells sweet, life comes around you, and more...
When you felt satan, realize you felt yourself. Understand this: Matthew 16:23
Once you delve further in your relationship with Him; Go past those gates before you run to Him and let Him show you with you what is past those gates.

Read the passage, I take from thatto be very wary of any supernatural prescence I feel.

yes, and he wasn't too happy to be called from the dead.

Have you read Four Loves by C.S. Lewis? He describes the different sorts of love we experience, it started me thinking about my relationships.

I haven't ready anything from Lewis beyond some quotes I've seen from people.

I'm reading Jacs book on DS which is just brilliant! It appears I have instinctively been believing in DS though I am still working throughit. It actually helps sort the Trinity for me too, organise the relationship kinda thing.

Jack is an excellent teacher.

[Storyteller]

Why roses though?

There are none in the garden.

[Mallz]

What garden? Roses are sweet.
Before I say anymore, I haven't even properly assessed your situation.
During your experience, what was going on in your mind? And in relation to what you experienced?
And did you test the spirit?

[RickD]

Why roses though?

There are none in the garden.

FYI,

My farts smell like roses.

[Mallz]

Mine suffocated myself and another nurse last night in the med room. I smelt it and had to leave, and he smelt it as I was walking out

[Philip]

FYI,

My farts smell like roses.

Uh, I'd say by the time someone introduces a fart joke, the thread has gone WAY off topic! As for that comment, well, it really stinks!

[RickD]

FYI,

My farts smell like roses.

Uh, I'd say by the time someone introduces a fart joke, the thread has gone WAY off topic! As for that comment, well, it really stinks!

Actually it's still on topic. I was suggesting that Storyteller may have been smelling my rose scented farts coming from inside her closet.

[Storyteller]

What garden? Roses are sweet.
Before I say anymore, I haven't even properly assessed your situation.
During your experience, what was going on in your mind? And in relation to what you experienced?
And did you test the spirit?

Will get back to you on this one, need more time than Ihave now x

oh, and it will give ricks "perfume" a chance to mellow

[swordfish7]

I have a problem with Catholicism where salvation is based on works plus faith. Salvation is based only on faith (see Eph. 2:8,9).

[Storyteller]

I have a problem with Catholicism where salvation is based on works plus faith. Salvation is based only on faith (see Eph. 2:8,9).

I`m not sure it is.

I`m not a Catholic but I am exploring the faith. My impression is that Catholics feel that once you accept Christ into your heart then the Holy Spirit starts to work within you, creating a desire, a need to do "good works".
I don`t think Catholics believe in a works based salvation as it is given purely through Grace, but perhaps do believe that good works follow salvation.

Welcome to the forum btw

[RickD]

Storyteller wrote:
I`m not a Catholic but I am exploring the faith.

Thank God, Mary and Joseph!

I almost thought we had lost you!