Ok, like half of my family is catholic and a lot of people i know are catholic and its like proven a lot of beliefs they have were made up by the church and, that the bible says NOTHING about. When i talk to catholic people they just tell me im wrong and stupid. What i dont understand is that, even if theyve been shown the proof that many things were completley made up by the church, they continue to be catholics. Im supposed to be a catholic, but now i dont know if i belive in god or what religion to follow if i should follow any. But ill be honest, i actually have never read the bible in depth, just parts of it. I just dont dont get it though!!! why are these people shaping thier lives around stuff that is known to only be created for control or money? Im not trying to offend anyone. but im probly just gonna get called wrong and stupid again anyway...

I got my Catholic neighbor to read the bible for herself and I don't think she really understood it, but she is still a devote Catholic. I think in Catholicism understanding is unimportant that is what priests are for. I am not a Catholic or a Christian and I read the Bible in depth in my Christian days. I guess that is why I am a Pagan I understood the Bible. If you read the Bible and you don't like what you read then seek else where, but read the whole thing it is the only way to understand it. There are many religions and beliefs. Belief is the choice of the believer.

Most people follow the catholic faith out of tradition, its what they've been taught, what they're used to. Although the Catholic Church was originally created for money and control, the modern day catholic faith isn't too horrid. Most catholics don't, or refuse to, recognize their churches past, and can be quite hostile when its pointed out to them, as you've already seen. Frankly, doing so does nothing for you or them, so i would avoid discussing the actual faith.

Hi, JohnnnyRush. Welcome to UM.

I am unsure what you mean by "completely made up by the church," but you are correct that Catholic teaching is not based solely on the Bible. Sola scriptura is a Protestant concept, not a Catholic one.

The institutional church presents itself as the current generation of an unbroken line of clergy stretching back to the disciples of Jesus, as do the Orthodox churches. In both, the relgious authority of living clergy derives from this "apostolic succession."

Catholics, but not Orthodox, also believe that God himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, provides direct personal guidance to the Pope on matters of faith and morals, and ensures his accuracy in those domains.

There are some ritual niceties which cover outright gaffes like Gregory the Great's error about Mary Magdalene's profession, and the various times in history when it was anybody's guess who, among rival claimants, actually was the Pope.

Much of the time, the Pope would be relying on what is called tradition. I am unsure that Sepet Dalv meant the same thing as Catholic apologists do when he used the word in his post.

In any case, tradition is supposed to be additional information about religious matters beyond what is in the New Testament, including interpretations of difficult passages therein, that were believed by early Christians and transmitted forward through time by the institution of the church.

The doctrine of tradition is obviously the antithesis of sola scriptura. However, many of the sources of tradition are written down, in the works of early Christian bishops and others.

In addition, the Pope can make binding pronouncements about matters of faith and morals that exceed tradition. For example, he can declare that some recently deceased people are in Heaven, the modern saints.

Some matters that might have been discussed in the early church seem to have been made binding only recently, such as the immaculate conception of Mary, Jesus' mother (1854).

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm

The case is interesting because written tradition is at least somewhat divided on the point, and Pope Pius IX exercised his authority to asssert the doctrine despite that.

All of the foregoing is offered as an explanation of what the Catholic position is. I am reporting the belief, not advocating it.

I am very strong cathloc beliver and i have had issues with people tellig me i was wrong but God is real if you belive in him and my own personal thing is i want to belive in a after life sooooo bad and i do but ome of my freinds say that god is your inner guidances and your voice of reason as of now i am having som conflicting issues but i will still belive in god very strongly

IMO when you tell someone that what they have believed in since they were born, is totally wrong and there is proof out there otherwise to debunk it...pretty much, you are practically SPITTING in their face. Religion is a VERY touchy subject for a lot of people. And whatever you show/tell them about "evidence" out there to support that you are right and they are wrong...well they pretty much aren't gonna listen. No matter what you believe there are certain ways to talk about something if it involves religion. I have my beliefs and my doubts but I otherwise keep my views to myself. Its just a subject of discussion that you have to be careful with.

first of all you are not wrong and you are not stupid, if you hear these words and take them, you will be come wrong and stupid. i went through the same thing, my school was a massive catholic school everyone used to treat me un equel because i wasn't sure if i wanted that religion. you always have a choice so even though you are supposed to be a catholic you do not have to be one. i personaly think that some people who take the way of christian or chatholic or any other religion are the people who think they know best, are the people who tthink no other and they think right, that fact really annoyed me so i couldthe path of no religion, and if people call you wrong and stupid, forget about dont worry about because i had the same thing.

dont worry i belive in after life, and dont worry what other people say because their not you, you are you and nobody can change what you belive in, you can even belive in both, i donsn't matter what the holy bible belives its what you belive, and no one should be able to take that away from you.