Ask a Catholic

[Minimalist]

[Iroscato]

Honest question: what is the etymology of "Catholic"? Does it have anything to do with worshiping Cathol?

Acts 9:31 (Greek)

ἡ μεν ουν εκκλησια καθ᾽ ὁλης της ιουδαιας και γαλιλαιας και σαμαρειας ειχεν ειρηνην οικοδομουμενη και πορευομενη τω φοβω του κυριου, και τη παρακλησει του ἁγιου πνευματος επληθυνοντο.
 
Act 9:31 (Transliteration)
aye men oon ekklaysiaye kath olays tays ioodayeas kaye galilayeas kaye samarayas aycon ayraynayn oikodomoomenaye kaye poryoomenaye tow fobow too kurioo kaye tay paraklaysay too agioo pnyoomatos eplaythunonto (http://www.russ.org/gtb/luke.html#a9)

Acts 9:31 (English)
So the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.


From this text, we can see the Greek word “kath olays” which is rendered “Catholic” in modern English and the word “ekklaysiaye” which becomes “ecclesia” in English and is commonly translated as “church”.
 
εκκλησια καθ᾽ ὁλης = ekklaysiaye kath olays = “the church throughout all” = Catholic Church.

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A (Practicing Catholic) friend of my family said she and her husband decided to start using contraception after the birth of their third child. When I  asked, "Isn't the Vatican against that?",  she said, "Yes but they don't have to live with the consequences, I do". I've found this with most religious people I know, they are much more sensible than their 'rules' would suggest. I just wanted to know is this common?

Sadly, this is true.

And, for the record, my wife and I were misinformed about ABC when we were first married, but we switched to NFP once we learned that contraception is intrinsically evil. Since many forms of birth control are actually abortifacients, this is a really grave situation. 

God may have mercy due to their ignorance...but many are not so ignorant. They just do what they want regardless of the consequences.

It's really a marvel of life that you can function every day without your brain bluescreening from all the crazy.

[JuliaL]

Written as one who has bitten on the whole revelatory package.

Could be. But I wouldn't want to wager my eternity on any of your options. However, I do have another thread that is more relevant to this currently underway.

But you have wagered your eternity on the truth of the model you've accepted Mr. Pascal.
Personally, I can't see any eternity I'd want to hang around for.  You suggest there is something really really good in store for (yourself) believers, but you can't say what it is.  That's a pretty suspect bet.  We call it a pig in a poke around here.

Exactly, BEYOND only specifies incomprehensibility not utility.  I don't think you understand the concept of ineffibility or infinity.  Tell me again why God can't lie?

Because lying is an imperfection, and God is a perfect being.

Says who?  You're buying the whole farm again.
Is lying an imperfection or perfection if God does it?  
    Do you contend there is a framework of perfection to which God must conform? You've got a call from Euthyphro on line 3.
If the Nazis are at the door asking if Anne Frank is in the attic?  God couldn't say, "no?"  He's that constrained?

Nope, not gonna bite. 

And it works on people who obviously don't even want to hear the explanations for things they have convinced themselves cannot be explained.

You're a bigger dupe than me, because at least I'm willing to listen to YOUR explanations. You want nothing to do with mine.

The reasons I'm not very interested in your explanations are that;

1. They depend on their exceptionally shaky premises for soundness.  I don't want to argue about first century "eyewitness" reports of miracles when we can't definitively figure out who shot Kennedy.  
   
2. The repetition of unfalsifiable assertions becomes tiresome after a time.
   
3. Others have fully refuted your arguments elsewhere unless they belong in 2. above.
   
4. I've seen your text walls.  Everything I've waded through depends on the 2000 year old eyewitnesses. (See 1. above)
   
   Of course you think I'm a dupe.  I disagree with some of your cherished fantasy life.
   

Truth is a property of propositions.  A proposition is true in direct proportion to the degree that proposition accurately predicts future events.

Jesus said, "I am the Truth" then predicted his own death and resurrection with what turned out to be 100% accuracy.

So did I.

[Salacious B. Crumb]

What were Jesus's last words on the cross?

Then you agree that all four gospels testify that Jesus was crucified and died upon the cross? Gee, that doesn't square with what the other members of this forum are claiming to be true.

But if you place all of the gospels side by side, you will see that it is most likely that they were, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."

Gotta love the dishonesty.. I think I'm done wasting my time here.

[pocaracas]

[pocaracas]

[robvalue]

This is incorrect. I will be happy to address each and every instance you wish to discuss.

What were Jesus's last words on the cross?

"Why aren't you fuckers writing any of this down? You'll never remember it properly! This is important!"

[Cyberman]

"AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH GET ME OFF THIS FUCKING THING YOU BASTARDS THIS REALLY REALLY FUCKING HURTS GET ME DOWN GETMEDOWNGETMEDOWNGETMEDOWN OWIEOWIEOWIE ........!"

[Longhorn]

'Duuuuuuude, I can see Bethlehem from here!'

[robvalue]

"Hey what? No! Look, you're supposed to use the trick nails, not those ones...argh! I'm Jesus, remember? Fine. I won't need to paint on the stigmata I guess."

Is this game worth its own thread I wonder? Sorry for the derail.