It has been more than a month since I last wrote a blog. I had a lot of opportunity to learn and grow during this month. The most exciting event was the "Depending the Faith" conference at the Franciscan University at Steubenville, Ohio July 28-30, 2017. My wife and I were totally pumped, and are already thinking about going back again next year, perhaps even for a week long conference.
I also finished reading a very reaffirming book called Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic by David Currie. The reason the book was very reaffirming is that it explains more clearly many of the Catholic teachings that had either drew me to the church or gave me doubts about my decision. I had written previously "Why I'm Catholic" which touches on many of these questions. But the most practical and compelling of all these reasons is in fact the Catholic Church's teaching on moral issues (chapter 11 in the book). On the surface, Evangelicals and Catholics build on the same foundation on moral issues. However, as society becomes more and more secular, the Catholic Church is the only church that has not caved in on many "hot button" issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and gender identity. I have grown so much in the past year on the understanding of marriage (including my own) and virtues (including sexual purity). Let me quote a bit from the book. From the last paragraph on page 136, "As an Evangelical, I was surprised when I found that the Church sees her moral teaching as part of that initial truth handed to her by the apostles for safeguarding. The moral standards of the Catholic Church find their source in the original deposit of faith entrusted to the first bishops. That is why she will not budge in her moral teaching. Better to lose all of England to a schism, as in the time of King Henry VIII, than to be guilty of modifying Christ's commands concerning the sanctity of the marriage bond... Nowhere is the refusal to modify rules for our convenience clearer than in the Catholic Church's teaching on birth control. Hers is virtually the only Christian voice still opposing artificial birth control. She knows she has no authority to tamper with the original deposit of the faith."
The church has such a strong view on the sanctity of life, from the moment of conception to the point of natural death. The true Catholic can honestly say, "I love life!"...p.138 2nd paragraph, "Christian parents have the singularly important task of populating heaven with saints... Angels are ontologically different from humans. God alone made the angels. There is only a set number of them. They cannot procreate... But when God made humans, he gave them the privilege of working in concert with him in creating new humans. What a privilege!"
Page 142 1st paragraph, "God built humans with two basic drives. The hunger drive preserves my personal life. That is its primary purpose. I can enjoy it, but when I separate it from its purpose, I become guilty of gluttony. Gluttony is short-sighted. It's only consideration is the pleasure of the moment... The sexual drive is the other basic drive. Its purpose is also to perpetuate life: the life of humanity. That is its primary purpose. I can enjoy it, but if I separate it from its purpose, I become guilty of sexual sins. All sexual sins are short-sighted, also. They are a failure to appreciate the eternal perspective, which is the increase of God's glory. When pleasure and purpose are totally severed, even homosexuality and masturbation can be made to sound sensible. We have stepped onto a slippery slope with no handrails. This eternal perspective is the unifying moral perspective that links abortion, birth control, homosexuality, euthanasia, racism, masturbation, and divorce. It involves having a view to God's glory and how he made humanity. This leads us to a godly perspective on life - its creation, its dignity, its ultimate purpose, and its preservation."
I know even within the Catholic Church there are many who don't adhere to the church's teaching on these moral issues. But when I joined the church, I declared (openly) that I believe and submit to all of her teaching. When I do, and when I learn the reason behind it, I am convinced that I have come to the right place, where many of God's people are holding hands together, facing a conformable enemy. But we have Jesus's promises: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:17-19), and "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20).
