Only Catholics go to heaven?

[Friend]

What catholics believe (I mean real catholics who stick to the teachings of the Pope and the Magisterium) is that the Catholic church is the only valid church for one important reason:

Jesus Christ founded the catholic church and he intended it to be the only one, all the other christian denominations come from groups of people divided or derived from it.

Catholics believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ ALWAYS, and since the Catholic Church is his church, in it are all the means of salvation. Being the sacraments special ways of recieving his grace and becoming closer to him and achieving the salvation he brought for us.

Now, a very important point to take notice. The Catholic Church says that other christian denominations do have some means of salvation (some more and some less....) but the only one whith all the means is the Catholic church.

So you could be saved by being a christian in another church?...yes, catholics think you can, but it is more difficult, you dont have all the means and you dont have all the truth.

All this is explained very nicely in the enciclica Dominus Iesus. This document was very criticized by people who didnt understand it, but it explains it very well.

[Tony]

Well Wolf, after you complete the RCIA, you'll have the opportunity and privilege of taking Francis as your confirmation name.

Rootin' for ya!

[WolfVanZandt]

Friend, that would make sense if denominations were churches but they're not - they're simply subsets of the secular organization of the church. The true church was certainly founded by Jesus and it certainly was extant in the Catholic church (and is), but it is also extant in the other denominations. He didn't found the Catholic church - He founded the Church, period.

Heh, Tony, Francis is a respected role model. That's enough. Don't hold your breath waiting for me to go through the RCiA. I'm happily nondenominational.

[Tony]

[Friend]

[WolfVanZandt]

[rusmeister]

Friend, unless you want to go around in circles forever you should read all of the last 21 pages of this thread.

[WolfVanZandt]

[Pete]

[rusmeister]

[WolfVanZandt]

[woodelk]

[quote="Friend"]What catholics believe (I mean real catholics who stick to the teachings of the Pope and the Magisterium) is that the Catholic church is the only valid church for one important reason:

Jesus Christ founded the catholic church and he intended it to be the only one, all the other christian denominations come from groups of people divided or derived from it.


Friend, the Catholic church came about from a skism and seperation from the Orthodox Church. Also Jesus was crucified before he started any "churches"

[WolfVanZandt]

Also, the church figure in the New Testament was not the Catholic church - the Catholic church was generated soon after when peole (including the ECFs) began elaborating on what Jesus did found.

Given the nature of the Human heart - can't be satisfied with what they've been given, always wanting to elaborate, always playing games - is it any wonder that the church was corrupted almost as soon as it was started - I don't find that surprising at all.

So, yes, the Catholic church was early. That was to be expected.

[Stanley Anderson]

[WolfVanZandt]

Stanley, that young man that Jesus caught up into heaven was Paul. He spent quite some time with Jesus before he began his ministry - his message was not an elaboration. None of the things you mention imply any elaboration after Christ - they do imply work, but not innovation. In fact, the Bible warns against innovation over and over. You cannot derive the Catholic church from the New Testament (or the Old). It's just not there.

But please don't forget that I'm not just talking about the Catholic church. As soon as the Reformers discovered the corruption in teh Catholic church and pulled away, they began elaborating on their own. The Catholic church, like all denominations, is a product of human nature.

If the Bible said that we were to elaborate, then it would be reasonable - it doesn't and it isn't.