You can't hear Him say "Your sins are forgiven" so HOW do you know? This is why we have priests who act in Persona Christi. They can say "You are absolved of your sins" if you've confessed properly
OK as long as you understand this is complete bullshit invented by the Catholic Church to control your soul. Priests are not ABLE to stand in for Christ. Moreover, you don't NEED any human holding himself out as "holier than thou" to intercede with God on your behalf or speak for God and grant your forgiveness.
You don't need some pedo faggot in a black frock to "SAY" you are absolved of your sins if you believe God likes to forgive and that he hears and answers prayer. You don't NEED to "hear" a human voice say "You are forgiven;" it's just your earthly internal self-doubting human voice making you think you need that.
Your faith informs you that, of COURSE you are forgiven by an all-loving God who just heard your fervent, honest prayer.
You don't. Need. A priest. To tell you. You're forgiven.
Stop whining. Here's my answer, can you read this much?
Why Confess Our Sins To a Priest?
Through the sacrament of reconciliation, and by confession our sins to a priest, we have the assurance of Jesus’ own words that we shall be forgiven of our sins.
This is especially true for mortal or very grave sins. Isn’t it true that when we sin gravely, we find it difficult to believe that we can still be forgiven of our sins? Isn’t it true that our human nature somehow finds comfort in actually hearing the words that we are indeed forgiven them no matter how terrible such sins may have been? By confessing our sins to a priest, we are given a vehicle by which we can be comforted in our guilt. We are given an opportunity to personally witness how God’s mercy works. And we know we can believe that with wholehearted repentance, we are indeed forgiven because we have the promise of Jesus Himself.
“When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.’” — John 20:20–23, WEB-BE
“And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” — Matthew 18:17–18, KJV
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1445 states: “The words bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded from communion with God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God will welcome back into his. Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God.”
“Is any amongst you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is any amongst you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.” — James 5:13–16, WEBBE
Confessing our sins to a priest helps us develop HUMILITY.
To humbly admit our sins to another is to overcome our self-righteousness and self-sufficiency.
Knowing that we shall need to confess our sins to a priest may help us avoid falling into them ever so easily.
It is one thing to say that we can directly confess our sins to God since we do not see Him nor do we tremble at His presence. It is another thing to know that we need to declare our unrighteousness before another man. We need to be reminded of God’s justice. How would it feel like at the end of our lives, when we finally come before the judgment seat of God where we can hide nothing and make no more excuses for our sins?
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a channel of God’s mercy. If we ever lose the life of our soul through mortal sin, it is here where it can be restored back to life.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1446 states: “Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as ‘the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace.’”
LOL if erecting a wall of text so thick it won't be read by anyone with a life feels like victory, then this kinda proves you have a strange definition of victory
Funny how the prots can dish it out but as soon as I try to explain why they're wrong they're like, "lol you're assuming I can read anything longer than 3 sentences, very bold, lol I won't read it therefore I WIN."
No one's obligated to read your wall of text, sorry. We know it looks wonderful to you, and you poured hours of your heart and soul into writing and rewriting it, but you have to understand other people have stuff to do besides read your book just because you wrote one. Don't feel bad, there are lots of authors out there, who actually get paid to write, whose books I also haven't time to read. Don't take it personally.
Internet 101, if you can't encapsulate, you won't get read.
You:
I read yours, now read mine or admit you're ignorant.
And thanks for mentioning the pedo gay priests, it's true it's a problem, BUT it turns out that elementary schools have more pedos and predators teaching than Catholic churches have. Probably because school teachers are ALWAYS around little kids, but Catholic priests are around all kinds of different people, NOT just kids. Elderly, adults, young adults, teens, and children and babies, but there are far fewer children and babies at churches than there are at schools, where it makes up 98% of the schools population.
The US Dept of Education has been following these numbers for a long time. Average yearly cases of child sexual abuse are as follows: Catholic Priests, 201 yearly cases, Public School Employees, 29,000 yearly cases. The difference is clear. Look into it if you'd like, it's a sobering read.
Edit * oh this is hilarious that I get down voted for pointing out that in fact Catholic priests DON'T commit the most sexual abuse against children. Let's be real, the Elites and Cabal do THE most, then after that it's the school system, and way down at the bottom probably way below family members is priests. Truth hurts doesn't it prots? Cope with it.
More than 375 leaders and volunteers in the Southern Baptist church have been charged with some form of sexual misconduct over the past 12 years. Over 200 of these volunteers and leaders pled guilty or were convicted for their crimes. However, the Southern Baptist Convention will not take significant steps to stop abuse in churches, claiming that each church should act independently to tend to this matter. As a result, several pastors and leaders who are registered sex offenders or accused of sexual misconduct are permitted to maintain their position in the church.
Several victims were pressured by their church leaders not to report sexual abuse. In some cases, victims were told that they brought on the abuse because of their sinful nature.
Yes, funny how the prots are always quick to say "b-b-b-but the pEdO pRiEsTs!!" but then when you point out that it's actually not that high compared to schools or their OWN ministers they suspiciously become quiet.
(Their) attack on Catholic Priests is simply an attack on the Catholic Church…the root of Christianity. The problem is NOT in one faith or organization. The problem is widespread and I beseech all parents to keep a close-eye on their children’s teachers…mainly due to daily access.
This here explains the myth about "buying your way out of hell":
One never could “buy” indulgences. The financial scandal surrounding indulgences that gave Martin Luther an excuse for his heterodoxy, involved indulgences in which the giving of alms to some charitable fund or foundation was used as the occasion to grant the indulgence. There was no outright selling of indulgences. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: “Among the good works which might be encouraged by being made the condition of an indulgence, almsgiving would naturally hold a conspicuous place. . . . To give money to God or to the poor is a praiseworthy act, and, when it is done from right motives, it will surely not go unrewarded.”
OK as long as you understand this is complete bullshit invented by the Catholic Church to control your soul. Priests are not ABLE to stand in for Christ. Moreover, you don't NEED any human holding himself out as "holier than thou" to intercede with God on your behalf or speak for God and grant your forgiveness.
You don't need some pedo faggot in a black frock to "SAY" you are absolved of your sins if you believe God likes to forgive and that he hears and answers prayer. You don't NEED to "hear" a human voice say "You are forgiven;" it's just your earthly internal self-doubting human voice making you think you need that.
Your faith informs you that, of COURSE you are forgiven by an all-loving God who just heard your fervent, honest prayer.
You don't. Need. A priest. To tell you. You're forgiven.
You just are.
Stop whining. Here's my answer, can you read this much?
Why Confess Our Sins To a Priest?
This is especially true for mortal or very grave sins. Isn’t it true that when we sin gravely, we find it difficult to believe that we can still be forgiven of our sins? Isn’t it true that our human nature somehow finds comfort in actually hearing the words that we are indeed forgiven them no matter how terrible such sins may have been? By confessing our sins to a priest, we are given a vehicle by which we can be comforted in our guilt. We are given an opportunity to personally witness how God’s mercy works. And we know we can believe that with wholehearted repentance, we are indeed forgiven because we have the promise of Jesus Himself.
“And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” — Matthew 18:17–18, KJV
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1445 states: “The words bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded from communion with God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God will welcome back into his. Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God.”
To humbly admit our sins to another is to overcome our self-righteousness and self-sufficiency.
It is one thing to say that we can directly confess our sins to God since we do not see Him nor do we tremble at His presence. It is another thing to know that we need to declare our unrighteousness before another man. We need to be reminded of God’s justice. How would it feel like at the end of our lives, when we finally come before the judgment seat of God where we can hide nothing and make no more excuses for our sins?
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a channel of God’s mercy. If we ever lose the life of our soul through mortal sin, it is here where it can be restored back to life.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1446 states: “Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as ‘the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace.’”
::reads "Stop whining. Here's my answer, can you read this much?"::
::laughs, scrolls past Great Wall of Text, moves on::
Dude why start a fight if you can't even listen to the other sides rebuttals? This does kinda prove you admit defeat.
Apparently the protestant work ethic ain't what it use to be
LOL if erecting a wall of text so thick it won't be read by anyone with a life feels like victory, then this kinda proves you have a strange definition of victory
Funny how the prots can dish it out but as soon as I try to explain why they're wrong they're like, "lol you're assuming I can read anything longer than 3 sentences, very bold, lol I won't read it therefore I WIN."
Child's tactics.
No one's obligated to read your wall of text, sorry. We know it looks wonderful to you, and you poured hours of your heart and soul into writing and rewriting it, but you have to understand other people have stuff to do besides read your book just because you wrote one. Don't feel bad, there are lots of authors out there, who actually get paid to write, whose books I also haven't time to read. Don't take it personally.
Internet 101, if you can't encapsulate, you won't get read.
You:
Also you:
kek
Then you prove you're not capable of debate and only listen to your own words. I read yours, now read mine or admit you're ignorant.
And thanks for mentioning the pedo gay priests, it's true it's a problem, BUT it turns out that elementary schools have more pedos and predators teaching than Catholic churches have. Probably because school teachers are ALWAYS around little kids, but Catholic priests are around all kinds of different people, NOT just kids. Elderly, adults, young adults, teens, and children and babies, but there are far fewer children and babies at churches than there are at schools, where it makes up 98% of the schools population.
The US Dept of Education has been following these numbers for a long time. Average yearly cases of child sexual abuse are as follows: Catholic Priests, 201 yearly cases, Public School Employees, 29,000 yearly cases. The difference is clear. Look into it if you'd like, it's a sobering read.
https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/misconductreview/report.pdf
Sex Abuse its not just a Catholic problem. We just get all the publicity because its used as a hammer to get rid of celibacy. Protestants ignore their own sex abuse problems https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2021/04/how-protestant-churches-hid-sexual-abuse/
More than 375 leaders and volunteers in the Southern Baptist church have been charged with some form of sexual misconduct over the past 12 years. Over 200 of these volunteers and leaders pled guilty or were convicted for their crimes. However, the Southern Baptist Convention will not take significant steps to stop abuse in churches, claiming that each church should act independently to tend to this matter. As a result, several pastors and leaders who are registered sex offenders or accused of sexual misconduct are permitted to maintain their position in the church.
Several victims were pressured by their church leaders not to report sexual abuse. In some cases, victims were told that they brought on the abuse because of their sinful nature.
Yes, funny how the prots are always quick to say "b-b-b-but the pEdO pRiEsTs!!" but then when you point out that it's actually not that high compared to schools or their OWN ministers they suspiciously become quiet.
(Their) attack on Catholic Priests is simply an attack on the Catholic Church…the root of Christianity. The problem is NOT in one faith or organization. The problem is widespread and I beseech all parents to keep a close-eye on their children’s teachers…mainly due to daily access.
This here explains the myth about "buying your way out of hell":
One never could “buy” indulgences. The financial scandal surrounding indulgences that gave Martin Luther an excuse for his heterodoxy, involved indulgences in which the giving of alms to some charitable fund or foundation was used as the occasion to grant the indulgence. There was no outright selling of indulgences. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: “Among the good works which might be encouraged by being made the condition of an indulgence, almsgiving would naturally hold a conspicuous place. . . . To give money to God or to the poor is a praiseworthy act, and, when it is done from right motives, it will surely not go unrewarded.”
The practice of forgiveness thru financial payment ended a long time ago and it was wrong. Try and keep up
You sure blew me away with the facts. I yield to your supreme intellectual fagitry