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I am a cradle Catholic, and was educated in Catholic schools. I consider the church the greatest force in my life. I consider it the greatest organization the world has ever known. Here's why:
1) Jesus was perfect. Jesus started the Catholic Church. His right hand man, St. Peter, was our church's first pope. Anything Jesus touched is perfect, and that includes His church. Church teachings are also perfect, and can be relied on 100% for truth. If the church makes a proclamation as it has forbidding sex outside of marriage and birth control, you can be 100% guaranteed following those teachings will lead to the best results, and disobeying them will lead to bad consequences. The church's rules are not always easy at first, but they are right. And they can be adjusted to. God gives us no burden we are unable to carry. He works it out that you can follow His rules. But you have to try, and you have to overcome the rough patches.
2) The Catholic Church has done more great charitable works than any organization in the history of the world. It's the only group that isn't profit-oriented. You have priests and sisters making vows of poverty as they do the critical work God calls them to do. That's why if you're looking to a charity that makes the best and most efficient use of your donations, you go with the one run by people who don't get paid. Catholic Charities is a great one. The Sisters of Charity is another one. The Catholic School system is another. Mother Teresa is an icon. She and her order did the backbreaking work of taking care of the poorest of the poor. There is no greater service than that.
3) The rules are unyielding, but right. The Catholic Church does not look at the latest polls on public opinion. It stands for what was right centuries ago, what is right now, and what will be right in the future. Hillary and 0bama changed their 'core principles' on gay marriage in 2012. God did not change His mind, however. That's why the church is rock-solid for people to rely on in this willy-nilly secular world.
4) The church opposes Marxism and all leftwing tyranny. There is a reason why every dictatorship (which are all inherently leftwing) has viewed that Catholic Church as its enemy. That goes all the way back to ancient Rome. That leftist government, as your recall, killed Jesus. In the face of the Communist regimes and Hitler's leftist regime, the Catholic Church survived and quietly opposed, undermined, and ultimately defeated those regimes. All without violence, but using reason and truth.
5) The Catholic Church will survive until the end of the world. Jesus said so. Through 2000 years, despite world upheaval, there has remained an unbroken line of popes. Marxist regimes have and will crumble. The church will prevail. Very comforting.
6) The Catholic Church is the most diverse religion in the world. All nationalities. All races. All income levels. They never pressure anyone for money. There is no requirement to donate in order to be a member. In fact most of the time, no one knows if you donate or not. All are welcome. The church isn't pushy. But when you are ready to participate in what it offers, it is always available. I attend Mass weekly with about 500 people. They are all good people. Great neighbors. Great friends. All trying to do the right thing. Sure, as fallible humans, we all fail sometimes. Nobody is perfect, but devout Catholics and indeed all devout Christians strive to be and do the best they can.
7) The Catholic Church keeps you centered in your lives. I always taught my five children, if they attended Mass faithfully every weekend, their lives would never go off the rails. Things would never go too far wrong. That advice has proven 100% true. Only when people stop attending faithful do the wheels come off. There is a reason why nobody ever said "Yep. About the time I started attending Mass did I fall into the spiral of alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicidal thoughts". Those things just never seem to go together.
8) The church has canonized saints. These are people who have lived exceedingly virtuous lives. Usually, they have lived among the poor they served. Great selfless people. Tremendous role models and examples God has given us to emulate.
9) Catholics are more educated, more rational, calmer, and more compassionate. This is not meant to be a boast. It's just what is. We stand up for the poorest of the poor, the least able, the intellectually disabled, the unborn, the infirm, and the elderly. And we do it with our own resources. These are not political tools for us like they are for the left. Catholics really mean it.
So there it is, people. I have had a great life. My kids' lives are going well. Our marriage is going well. We aren't perfect, but we're happy. And I give the credit to God and to His Catholic Church. I would recommended it to anyone.
1) Jesus was perfect. Jesus started the Catholic Church. His right hand man, St. Peter, was our church's first pope. Anything Jesus touched is perfect, and that includes His church. Church teachings are also perfect, and can be relied on 100% for truth. If the church makes a proclamation as it has forbidding sex outside of marriage and birth control, you can be 100% guaranteed following those teachings will lead to the best results, and disobeying them will lead to bad consequences. The church's rules are not always easy at first, but they are right. And they can be adjusted to. God gives us no burden we are unable to carry. He works it out that you can follow His rules. But you have to try, and you have to overcome the rough patches.
2) The Catholic Church has done more great charitable works than any organization in the history of the world. It's the only group that isn't profit-oriented. You have priests and sisters making vows of poverty as they do the critical work God calls them to do. That's why if you're looking to a charity that makes the best and most efficient use of your donations, you go with the one run by people who don't get paid. Catholic Charities is a great one. The Sisters of Charity is another one. The Catholic School system is another. Mother Teresa is an icon. She and her order did the backbreaking work of taking care of the poorest of the poor. There is no greater service than that.
3) The rules are unyielding, but right. The Catholic Church does not look at the latest polls on public opinion. It stands for what was right centuries ago, what is right now, and what will be right in the future. Hillary and 0bama changed their 'core principles' on gay marriage in 2012. God did not change His mind, however. That's why the church is rock-solid for people to rely on in this willy-nilly secular world.
4) The church opposes Marxism and all leftwing tyranny. There is a reason why every dictatorship (which are all inherently leftwing) has viewed that Catholic Church as its enemy. That goes all the way back to ancient Rome. That leftist government, as your recall, killed Jesus. In the face of the Communist regimes and Hitler's leftist regime, the Catholic Church survived and quietly opposed, undermined, and ultimately defeated those regimes. All without violence, but using reason and truth.
5) The Catholic Church will survive until the end of the world. Jesus said so. Through 2000 years, despite world upheaval, there has remained an unbroken line of popes. Marxist regimes have and will crumble. The church will prevail. Very comforting.
6) The Catholic Church is the most diverse religion in the world. All nationalities. All races. All income levels. They never pressure anyone for money. There is no requirement to donate in order to be a member. In fact most of the time, no one knows if you donate or not. All are welcome. The church isn't pushy. But when you are ready to participate in what it offers, it is always available. I attend Mass weekly with about 500 people. They are all good people. Great neighbors. Great friends. All trying to do the right thing. Sure, as fallible humans, we all fail sometimes. Nobody is perfect, but devout Catholics and indeed all devout Christians strive to be and do the best they can.
7) The Catholic Church keeps you centered in your lives. I always taught my five children, if they attended Mass faithfully every weekend, their lives would never go off the rails. Things would never go too far wrong. That advice has proven 100% true. Only when people stop attending faithful do the wheels come off. There is a reason why nobody ever said "Yep. About the time I started attending Mass did I fall into the spiral of alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicidal thoughts". Those things just never seem to go together.
8) The church has canonized saints. These are people who have lived exceedingly virtuous lives. Usually, they have lived among the poor they served. Great selfless people. Tremendous role models and examples God has given us to emulate.
9) Catholics are more educated, more rational, calmer, and more compassionate. This is not meant to be a boast. It's just what is. We stand up for the poorest of the poor, the least able, the intellectually disabled, the unborn, the infirm, and the elderly. And we do it with our own resources. These are not political tools for us like they are for the left. Catholics really mean it.
So there it is, people. I have had a great life. My kids' lives are going well. Our marriage is going well. We aren't perfect, but we're happy. And I give the credit to God and to His Catholic Church. I would recommended it to anyone.
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