[Stu]

Originally Posted by Niall

Well I do believe in most things they teach but I do pick and chose the parts of it that I believe. I know it ain't totally right but at the end of the day its what I choose to believe in. I'm not gonna let someone in a white robe tell me that I should believe in x, y and z because its in the Bible. I think I have a right to choose what I believe in.

Most of the essential Catholic beliefs and ideals I agree with fully. But its a few things that I have major issues with.

As for the Pope thing yeah I guess I do believe he is God's voice on Earth but the part about him never being wrong is just silly. I think that he can make statements that are divine but not everything he says is God speaking through him.

Also I believe in that kind of God yes. But he isn't always a God of hate (sorry to sound like a priest here) but I do think he can be loving. I have to say though when you put it that way it does make me consider switching religion because that makes the Christian God sound awful. I guess you could say I haven't declared myself an agnostic now because the Christian God is the only type of God I've ever really known in depth. I don't know. The whole thing is still really confusing for me lol. Sorry if none of that makes no sense.

But you don't know the Christian God 'in depth'. It's just a story you have read. We invented all the Gods we believe in, he didn't invent us. None of us could possibly comprehend the true nature of life, the universe and everything [cheap pun].

I don't get it to be honest. You can't be Catholic and not believe in core Catholic beliefs so yeah I am confused. It's like me telling everyone I love bowling, but I hate the whole bit with the ball and the pins.

Do you really need to keep calling yourself a Catholic to believe in some of the nicer things the J-Man said about loving one another and all that? It seems weak to define yourself as a Catholic because you love some of the things like respecting one another and turning the other cheek. Are those exclusive to Catholicism? I mean I believe in most of that too but I'm not Catholic. I have a hard time disagreeing with virtually everything Jesus said but I'm still not believing in the story.

Originally Posted by Callum

Catholic, although I rarely go to church, I want to start going again. I believe in God fully but not sure on the idea of heaven and hell.

More mind boggling 'beliefs'! What the eff? Heaven and hell are integral to Christianity and it's God! I mean ... he lives in heaven! Bad people go to hell! He said all this himself in his overlong and throughly dissapointing biography?!

I ought to just avoid TiBB religion threads .