Catholic Beliefs
Catholic Beliefs are divided into three main parts. First, they believe in the sanctity of the soul, both before and after death. They also believe in salvation for the lost. Those who have been saved from hell during the crucifixion and rise of Christ, are said to be saved. The belief in salvation is very important to Catholics, and they often go to great lengths to show their respect to salvation by not smoking on Sunday, or visiting the sick on their death bed.
Catholics also have a lot of popular Catholic beliefs. First, Catholics believe in the Ten Commandments, especially the first one: “Thou shall not commit adultery.” Catholics also believe that these Commandments were given to the Church from God himself, and are not changed by man. There are several scriptures that Catholics regard as being inspired by God. One of these is the Genesis in the Bible, in which God told His creation, “In you shall find a heaven to come down, and there shall be a gatekeeper, which will protect you throughout all your life,” according to the Gospel of Matthew. Another favorite Catholic scripture is the Song of Solomon, which states, “Blessed are the people whomsoever thy spirit join, according to the counsel of God.”
Catholics also hold to some very conservative Catholic beliefs. First, they don’t consider abortion a sin, as did most Protestants. They also believe in capital punishment, which is opposed to many Protestants, as well as to the Christian religion in general. Catholics also believe in the practice of birth control, though they sometimes differ slightly with regard to the sexes. Catholics believe that only the woman can birth a child, while the male must allow God to operate through his sperm and use his natural tools to assist in fertilization.
Catholics believe that marriage is sacred, and that it should be between a man and a woman and not just one or the other. Theological argument within the Catholic church continues to this day, and debates among Christians continue to be heated between Protestants and Catholics. Catholics believe that salvation is achieved through Christ, while the elect enjoy unearned salvation through faith in Jesus. Many Protestants view salvation through grace alone.
The Catholic religion holds to a set of scriptures that are referred to as the infallible teachings of the Holy Spirit. These are basically the revealed word of God, and are commonly referred to as the infallible or Word of God. One of these infallible includes the Ten Commandments of God, as listed in the Holy Bible. Catholics believe that those who do not follow these commandments are truly committing sacrilegious acts, which are against the Holy Spirit. One example of this is the Commandment to Love the Lord thyself, and to love thy neighbor as thyself. This Commandment is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for many who want to be Catholics, because they disagree that love is an attribute of the Holy Spirit.
Another set of Catholic beliefs center around the Holy Trinity. Catholics believe that there is only one God, and that He is the creator of the universe and everything in it. Additionally, the Catholic faith also holds that there is only one holy and Catholic church, which is the one approved by the Holy Spirit. Those who are considered heretics by the Catholic faith are known as “heretics”. While every person has different definitions for what the Catholic faith consists of, there are several that most people could agree on. Some of the common Catholic beliefs are that there is only one authority, which is the Pope, and that Rome is the seat of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic religion also has a strong belief in the concept of Original Sin. Origination comes from when sin is originally cast out of the spirit, but the result is usually in this life. Catholics believe that original sin is permanent because the soul or mind of the individual is not in a place to be able to sin. It must be repented and cleansed before it can be released, which is what the sacramental way of baptism is intended to do.
In essence, the Catholic faith teaches that there is a lot more to Christianity than just the Christian religion. Catholics also believe that everyone has a sin nature, but that the Catholics have been given special treatment in the eyes of God because of their faith. Many non-Catholic Christians are turned off by the spirituality of Christians, but many find that it is not a matter of spirituality so much as it is a matter of caring about one’s fellow man. No matter what your own particular opinion may be, there is no denying that Catholicism is an extremely meaningful religion for millions of people.