How do Catholic people view born-agains? Gimmicky like that one scene in Borat? When I was a Catholic, it was just that I felt ... like a zombie. Like noone took the religion seriously, go to church on Sunday then forget everything they learned. I've been to at least 8 Catholic churches in Houston. Did I do the wrong thing? I changed because I felt good when I started attending this born again church. I was inspired by people there. They were really BEING good and had good intentions. I was inspired to read the Bible, and almost complete with it. Something I don't think I would have done under Catholicism. And I'm not saying it's all the Catholicism's fault... it is probably my fault. Perhaps I didn't "try hard" enough.. I don't know.
I was raised Catholic -- as an adult attended a Pentacostal church -- and am now I guess what you would call an Evangelical. I believe that each group has strengths and weakness'. None of them have it all right. There are Catholics, Pentacostals and Evangelicals who have a deeper relationship with God then me. Do any of them have it all right? No. Does each group have hypocrites or apathetic people in their midsts? Yes. Catholicism can create legalistic people more caught in the ritual and rule than the love --- but Catholicsim also created Mother Teresa and Francis of Assisi Pentacostals some times get caught up in the experience not the love -- but I've met and worked with Pentacostals on fire to serve others Evangelicals sometimes come accross as thinking they are better than others but I've also served beside them helping the poor, handicapped and widowed (with not camera's with no camera's or reproters around). Doctrine is debatable -- Love isn't. Mother Teresa (a Catholic) said I don't believe in the big way of doing things but in doing small things with great love. If we all had the attitude despite our label the differences in doctrine wouldn't really matter.
The Roman Catholic Church would like to say so, since they trace the papacy to Peter. The Orthodox Church alleges that they are the oldest and that the Roman bishop was no more an authority than any other, but had adopted a leadership position in later centuries (a move I'd liken to our Supreme Court deciding it was the arbitor of the Constitution in the 19th century). The resulting tension between the Roman bishop and the others eventually led to the Roman Catholic Church splitting off from mainstream Orthodoxy. I side with the Orthodox on this one, despite being born Catholic.
The oldest form of Christianity is a bunch of people meeting in a house or on a hill somewhere talking about eternal things and serving their neighbors in the name of Jesus. I really don't think Peter would like to be compared to the modern popes (for one he was married and for another he would never let anyone kiss his ring).
My eyes opened when I first read the bible completely.... and this was just a couple years ago. So many religions and so many faiths are far from what the bible teaches. This is of course, if you consider the bible infalable. I was raised Pentecostal and I detested as I grew up. Once I've read the bible, I had a new found respect towards the Pentecostal/Apostolic/Evangelical churches. I attend a Pentecostal church now because I have a great pastor. I'll be honest, I could not attend many of the pentecostal churches out there.
I'm not a Catholic either but from what I understand of it is that you ask the Saints to interceed on your behalf as they are closer to God than you are. You aren't praying to them but asking them to help advocate to God your behalf. I believe prayers to Mary are of this nature where Mary isn't being revered as a deity but being asked as someone closer to God to interceed on your behalf.
The most common "prayer" to Mary clearly describes her as a very holy human - not a god. Hail Mary full of grace The Lord is with you. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb -- Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
