Opening

Recorded with Rick Lee James for voices in my head shortly after Ben became catholic.

3:41 Sci-Fi Christian Story Time: Matt painted a picture of a time he almost died

Main Topic

Rick is a member of the Church of the Nazarene.

12. Catholics can sin all they want and then confess it away.

Penance has been abused at times.

Grace shouldn't be a "Get out of jail free" card, but is treated that way by some Catholics and Protestants.

11. Catholics pray to saints

Not in the same way they pray to God. More like asking a friend to pray for you.

10. The church discourages Bible reading

The catechism says ignorance of the scripture is ignorance of Christ.

9. Catholics worship Mary

Mary is given special honor. Unlike Christ, she was born with sin but cleansed immediately.

She is a picture of the church.

She has a special relationship with Jesus.

Mary is the moon, only reflecting the Son's glory.

8. Catholics aren't Christians

All Protestant denominations came from the Catholic church.

7. The pope is infallible in all things

In rare and specific circumstances, the popes statements on doctrine are infallible because the Holy Spirit is guiding him.

The idea is infallible, but the words may be fallible.

6. The Catholic church opposes science and evolution

The church establishes boundaries, allowing a large range of views on topics like if Adam and Eve were historical.

5. Indulgences let you pay to get your sins forgiven.

Selling indulgences was a historical abuse, and Luther was right to be upset. The Catholic church has condemned the practice.

The doctrine of purgatory just says we must be purified between death and heaven. That may be instantaneous or not. The church is connected so we can help each other in that purification process: that is an indulgence.

4. Priests are more likely to be pedophiles

Even one case is a tragedy. It is rare.

3. Catholic priests can't be married

Unmarried priests take a vow of celibacy. A married Anglican priest that converted to catholicism would be a married Catholic priest.

It's not a moral issue, it is a discipline.

2. The church added books to the Bible

The history of the canon is complicated. The Catholic church settled it's canon around AD 500.

1. Real presence of Christ at Communion

Catholics take "this is my body" literally.

Disciples left in John 6 when he said they must eat his body and drink his blood. Nobody leaves when he said, "I am the door".

Catholics don't resacrifice Jesus, but at the Eucharist are connected through time to the once-for-all sacrifice.

Vatican II allowed for vernacular mass and affirmed that Protestants are Christians.