Is America the greatest country

[Catholic_Lady]

Yes, I have definitely gathered that you take this approach. I think it's interesting. It kind of reminds me of that Wait But Why article I posted several months ago where the atheist author talks about reaching a "higher being", though he's talking about ourselves just reaching a greater understanding and overcoming our animal instincts to become something greater.  

And if we look at it that way, it's like mine and your beliefs are really not that different in their most basic, human level. We just have a different way of looking at it and/or of reaching that similar conclusion. 

As for your questions above, another fellow Catholic described God in an interesting way: 

Think of God as being a beautiful crystal vase. It falls and shatters into trillions of tiny little pieces. And each one of us has that little piece of Him within us. So when we see a lot of good in someone else, like, when we fall in love or when we have a child, we have that overwhelming feeling of love and adoration for them. That is because we are subconsciously seeing a little piece of God in that person. And that is only a "preview" of what God looks like and what it'll feel like to be with Him.

Catholics are so funny. Catholics today would vehemently argue with Catholics pre-Vatican two who had such a different and I would argue, more biblical view of God.

There are still a small group of people who don't agree with the new approach brought on by Vatican II. They are SSPX and identify as "traditional Catholics." I have never met any though, and that's probably a good thing. I don't think they would like me very much. They're probably the type of Catholics who can't stand Pope Francis.