WHY I NO LONGER FOLLOW MY ROMAN CATHOLIC UPBRINGING by Saint Tuese Ahkiong
I grew up in a Catholic home and later left this religion by the end of high school (1988). There was just too many inconsistencies with the Bible and I wasn't even a Christian yet. Plus, I became a pagan and lived an ugodly life for several years.
In 1994, God showed mercy and grace upon me and rescued me from my sin. It was God's grace alone that changed me and nothing that I could do. I was powerless to change myself. Unless God acted, I would just be a dead man walking.
God's Gospel changed me. The Gospel is The Goodnews that Jesus came to save sinners. It's Goodnews b/c the soul that sins shall die and needed a savior. The Goodnews is Jesus lived the perfect life that God demands and that I couldn't live; he died the death that I deserve for my sin, resurrected from the grave in power over it and intercedes forever on my behalf. I have peace with God and the gift of heaven b/c of what Christ has done and not by anything I could do. Jesus says He is the way, The Truth and the Life and that no one can go to the Father except through Him. So by placing one's complete trust in Christ alone, one will have peace with God.
Rome teaches a different gospel. A gospel that cannot bring peace with God. I've called about a dozen catholic churches in the area (Holy Angels, OLPH, St. Andrews, St. Veronicas, San Bruno Catholic Church, St. Augustines...) and asked the priests on the line, "What must I do to go to heaven?" Not one of them knew. All responded with "just be a good person." I responded with "how good do I have to be?" and "if I can be a good person to go to heaven then why did Jesus have to die?" NOT ONE PRIEST KNEW IF HE WAS GOING TO HEAVEN. And these guys are teaching people! Scary! Plus, I have held several forums at Skyline College with 7 different priests and catholic representatives and not one of them knew if they were going to heaven.
Rome's Gospel is faith plus doing good works will earn/merit you heaven. This CANNOT be found in THE BIBLE.
I wish my Roman catholic peeps would read the Bible but they're commited to their traditions, rituals and mysticism, just like I was. Many catholics that I know would continuously go to mass through out the week but never knew if they were going to heaven. I believe many catholics do this because they are trying to rid himself of their sins. Church attendance, prayers, good works can never take away your sin. If you commit adultery on your wife, will doing the good work of the dishes make up for it. ONLY JESUS AND JESUS ALONE CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR SIN.
The 2 MAJOR ISSUES I HAVE WITH ROME:
1) WHAT IS YOUR AUTHORITY?
2) HOW CAN YOU KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAVEN?
Roman Catholics would answer
1) Roman Catholic Church Traditions and The Bible are their authority
2) Have faith and be good but they still can't know for sure if they are right with God.
Christians would answer
1) THE BIBLE ALONE is our authority
2) BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE I am given peace with God and the gift of being with Him forever in heaven.
Some side notes:
-Roman Catholic pedophiles SHOULD BE PUNISHED LIKE EVERY OTHER CRIMINAL AND NOT GIVEN SPECIAL PROTECTION. SHAME ON THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR JUST RELOCATING THESE CRIMINAL PERVERTED PRIESTS! SHAME!
There was a perverted priest at Holy Angels in Colma Daly City sometime around 1978. I remember him asking me during confession leading questions about masturbation and so forth. These perverted priests need to be PUNISHED!!! -For you parents, would you want your child abused. Remember, Rome has men who have a suppressed sex drive around your children. They are but men with wickedness in their hearts as the Bible says in Jeremiah 17.9.
-It is unBiblical for Catholics to re-sacrifice Jesus (don't worry it's not jesus but a different jesus) during their communion and say "may this sacrifice be acceptable to You (God)." What!? May it be...? It already was. Jesus said, "It is finish!" This is so unbiblical but they don't read their Bibles. They follow their leaders without even questioning them.
Heb 7.27 "Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself"
heb 9.28 "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people..."
-I know hundreds of Catholics and I don't know any of them who has a regular Bible study or even opens the book up on a regular basis. The Catholic church exalts its rituals and traditions over The Word of God.
-I hated going to mass with my father. He was such a hypocrite. My cousins hated sleeping over on Fridays b/c instead of waking up to watch Saturday morning cartoons and sleeping in, we would go to mass. Arrrrrhhhh!!!! lol. Catholics believe going to mass will earn them points. Wrong!!!
SCRIPTURES TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM.
http://www.biblebc.com/Studies/Cults/answers_from_scripture_to_show_p.htm modified
1. FINAL AUTHORITY BEING ONLY THE BIBLE.
2 TIM 3:15-17 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
HEB 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
MATT 4 4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[1] “
ROM 3 4Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”[1]
JOHN 17 17Sanctify[1] them by the truth; your word is truth.
JOHN 8 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
2. SALVATION IS NOT BY WORKS AT ALL, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEY ARE.
EPH 2:8-9For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
GAL 2 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
1JOHN5.12-13 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
4. ALL PASTORS ARE TO BE MARRIED AS A GENERAL RULE. PETER WAS MARRIED.
1 TIM 3.2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
MATT 8.14When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
6. JESUS DOES NOT APPROVE THE ROSARY (MATT 6:7), AND ANY OTHER REPETITIOUS PRAYER!
MATT 6 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
7. THERE IS NO PURGATORY
2 COR 5 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
HEB 1 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
HEB 9 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Romans 8 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
8. A PERSON IS JUSTIFIED ONLY BY FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST JESUS ALONE.
ROM 1 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[1] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[2]
GAL 2 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
9. JESUS FINISHED PAYING FOR ALL OF MY SINS ON THE CROSS.
JOHN 19 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
10. SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE WORST SIN.
1 JOHN 1 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. Romans 10 3Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
11. “I KEEP THE 10 COMMANDMENTS” IS IMPOSSIBLE. EVERYONE MUST REPENT AND BORN AGAIN.
JAMES 2 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
TITUS 3 5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
Thinking that “My church is better than others” is not what Matters with God. JOHN 3 3In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.[1] “
12. MARY WAS A SINNER - NOT SINLESS
LUKE 2 21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
22When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[1] ), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[2]
ROM 310As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
13. MARY NEEDED A SAVIOR
LUKE 1 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
14. JESUS HAD BROTHERS AND SISTERS
MATT 12 46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”[1]
48He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
MATT 13 55”Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
MARK 6 3”Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[1] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
GAL 1 19I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.
15. THERE IS NO NEED TO PRAY TO MARY, OR ANY SAINT ! -GOD FORBIDS CONTACT WITH THE DEAD. - IT IS IDOLATRY TO PRAY TO ANYONE ELSE BUT GOD. MARY & THE SAINTS ARE NOT GOD. THEY ARE FINITE CREATURES.
1 TIM 2 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
DEUT 18 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in [a] the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or WHO CONSULTS THE DEAD. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
16. RELIGION ENDS UP SUBSTITUTING THE TRADITIONS OF MEN IN THE PLACE OF THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD
MARK 7 7They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’[1] 10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[2] and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’[3]
In 1994, God showed mercy and grace upon me and rescued me from my sin. It was God's grace alone that changed me and nothing that I could do. I was powerless to change myself. Unless God acted, I would just be a dead man walking.
God's Gospel changed me. The Gospel is The Goodnews that Jesus came to save sinners. It's Goodnews b/c the soul that sins shall die and needed a savior. The Goodnews is Jesus lived the perfect life that God demands and that I couldn't live; he died the death that I deserve for my sin, resurrected from the grave in power over it and intercedes forever on my behalf. I have peace with God and the gift of heaven b/c of what Christ has done and not by anything I could do. Jesus says He is the way, The Truth and the Life and that no one can go to the Father except through Him. So by placing one's complete trust in Christ alone, one will have peace with God.
Rome teaches a different gospel. A gospel that cannot bring peace with God. I've called about a dozen catholic churches in the area (Holy Angels, OLPH, St. Andrews, St. Veronicas, San Bruno Catholic Church, St. Augustines...) and asked the priests on the line, "What must I do to go to heaven?" Not one of them knew. All responded with "just be a good person." I responded with "how good do I have to be?" and "if I can be a good person to go to heaven then why did Jesus have to die?" NOT ONE PRIEST KNEW IF HE WAS GOING TO HEAVEN. And these guys are teaching people! Scary! Plus, I have held several forums at Skyline College with 7 different priests and catholic representatives and not one of them knew if they were going to heaven.
Rome's Gospel is faith plus doing good works will earn/merit you heaven. This CANNOT be found in THE BIBLE.
I wish my Roman catholic peeps would read the Bible but they're commited to their traditions, rituals and mysticism, just like I was. Many catholics that I know would continuously go to mass through out the week but never knew if they were going to heaven. I believe many catholics do this because they are trying to rid himself of their sins. Church attendance, prayers, good works can never take away your sin. If you commit adultery on your wife, will doing the good work of the dishes make up for it. ONLY JESUS AND JESUS ALONE CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR SIN.
The 2 MAJOR ISSUES I HAVE WITH ROME:
1) WHAT IS YOUR AUTHORITY?
2) HOW CAN YOU KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAVEN?
Roman Catholics would answer
1) Roman Catholic Church Traditions and The Bible are their authority
2) Have faith and be good but they still can't know for sure if they are right with God.
Christians would answer
1) THE BIBLE ALONE is our authority
2) BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE I am given peace with God and the gift of being with Him forever in heaven.
Some side notes:
-Roman Catholic pedophiles SHOULD BE PUNISHED LIKE EVERY OTHER CRIMINAL AND NOT GIVEN SPECIAL PROTECTION. SHAME ON THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR JUST RELOCATING THESE CRIMINAL PERVERTED PRIESTS! SHAME!
There was a perverted priest at Holy Angels in Colma Daly City sometime around 1978. I remember him asking me during confession leading questions about masturbation and so forth. These perverted priests need to be PUNISHED!!! -For you parents, would you want your child abused. Remember, Rome has men who have a suppressed sex drive around your children. They are but men with wickedness in their hearts as the Bible says in Jeremiah 17.9.
-It is unBiblical for Catholics to re-sacrifice Jesus (don't worry it's not jesus but a different jesus) during their communion and say "may this sacrifice be acceptable to You (God)." What!? May it be...? It already was. Jesus said, "It is finish!" This is so unbiblical but they don't read their Bibles. They follow their leaders without even questioning them.
Heb 7.27 "Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself"
heb 9.28 "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people..."
-I know hundreds of Catholics and I don't know any of them who has a regular Bible study or even opens the book up on a regular basis. The Catholic church exalts its rituals and traditions over The Word of God.
-I hated going to mass with my father. He was such a hypocrite. My cousins hated sleeping over on Fridays b/c instead of waking up to watch Saturday morning cartoons and sleeping in, we would go to mass. Arrrrrhhhh!!!! lol. Catholics believe going to mass will earn them points. Wrong!!!
SCRIPTURES TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM.
http://www.biblebc.com/Studies/Cults/answers_from_scripture_to_show_p.htm modified
1. FINAL AUTHORITY BEING ONLY THE BIBLE.
2 TIM 3:15-17 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
HEB 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
MATT 4 4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[1] “
ROM 3 4Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”[1]
JOHN 17 17Sanctify[1] them by the truth; your word is truth.
JOHN 8 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
2. SALVATION IS NOT BY WORKS AT ALL, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEY ARE.
EPH 2:8-9For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
GAL 2 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
1JOHN5.12-13 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
4. ALL PASTORS ARE TO BE MARRIED AS A GENERAL RULE. PETER WAS MARRIED.
1 TIM 3.2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
MATT 8.14When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
6. JESUS DOES NOT APPROVE THE ROSARY (MATT 6:7), AND ANY OTHER REPETITIOUS PRAYER!
MATT 6 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
7. THERE IS NO PURGATORY
2 COR 5 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
HEB 1 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
HEB 9 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Romans 8 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
8. A PERSON IS JUSTIFIED ONLY BY FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST JESUS ALONE.
ROM 1 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[1] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[2]
GAL 2 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
9. JESUS FINISHED PAYING FOR ALL OF MY SINS ON THE CROSS.
JOHN 19 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
10. SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE WORST SIN.
1 JOHN 1 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. Romans 10 3Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
11. “I KEEP THE 10 COMMANDMENTS” IS IMPOSSIBLE. EVERYONE MUST REPENT AND BORN AGAIN.
JAMES 2 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
TITUS 3 5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
Thinking that “My church is better than others” is not what Matters with God. JOHN 3 3In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.[1] “
12. MARY WAS A SINNER - NOT SINLESS
LUKE 2 21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
22When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[1] ), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[2]
ROM 310As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
13. MARY NEEDED A SAVIOR
LUKE 1 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
14. JESUS HAD BROTHERS AND SISTERS
MATT 12 46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”[1]
48He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
MATT 13 55”Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
MARK 6 3”Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[1] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
GAL 1 19I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.
15. THERE IS NO NEED TO PRAY TO MARY, OR ANY SAINT ! -GOD FORBIDS CONTACT WITH THE DEAD. - IT IS IDOLATRY TO PRAY TO ANYONE ELSE BUT GOD. MARY & THE SAINTS ARE NOT GOD. THEY ARE FINITE CREATURES.
1 TIM 2 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
DEUT 18 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in [a] the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or WHO CONSULTS THE DEAD. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
16. RELIGION ENDS UP SUBSTITUTING THE TRADITIONS OF MEN IN THE PLACE OF THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD
MARK 7 7They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’[1] 10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[2] and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’[3]
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