Catholic confirmation?

[Jesus Freak]

I have a friend whose a RC and he said he was getting confirmed this weekend. What does that mean? To be confirmed?

2nd We have to make a Christian Video for school. Im going to make a Left Behind Video. Me and my friend are making it. Im going to be addressing why Catholics were left behind and why followers of so and so were left behind. I need 10 good points of Catholicism is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. To open the eyes of my friend. thanks you guys/gals

[mattfivefour]

First, being "confirmed" means that a young person upon attaining an age of accountability (nominally 12) confirms the decision made on their behalf by their parents and "god-parents" at their infant baptism. When a baby is baptized, the god-parents vow on behalf of the infant that the child will follow Christ and that they will ensure his or her Christian education as the child grows. (At least that is the theory. In practice most god-parents do nothing.) Therefore when the child is old enough to be responsible for his/her own spiritual well-being they then need to confirm the vows made on their behalf. This practice obviously has NOTHING to do with anything the Bible says. Nor is it limited to the Roman Catholic church. It is practised by nearly all denominations that practice infant baptism ... including the Anglicans and Episcopalians. It has absolutely NO impact on whether one is saved or not.

Second, be prepared to be attacked as a bigot for attempting your Christian Video topic. I am not going to digest your research for you, but I will point you to a site where you will find exactly the points you are looking for. It is the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry at http://www.carm.org/religious-moveme...lics-christian

You will also find corroborative evidence in the following quote from an article by John Ankerberg, looking at the differences between the bible (and Bible-believing Christians) on the one hand and the roman Catholic chrch on the other:

* Propitiation/atonement

This doctrine demonstrates that the death of Christ fully propitiated or satisfied God's wrath and paid the full divine penalty for all the believer's sin past, present, and future, thereby proving that neither the sacraments, penance, purgatorial suffering, indulgences, the Mass, priests, nor any other aspect of the Catholic Church is involved in any way in the propitiation or remitting of sin.

* Reconciliation

This doctrine involves one result of the death of Christ for sin wherein the state of enmity between God and man is replaced by one of peace and fellowship, proving that final reconciliation between God and man is something accomplished by God on behalf of man, not by the Church on behalf of man.

* Regeneration

This doctrine involves the making alive of the human spirit toward God and the imparting of eternal life, proving that true spiritual life is eternal and a miracle of God, not something instituted by the Church through sacraments or good works.

* Justification

This doctrine constitutes the legal declaration of the believer's absolute righteousness before God on the basis of his personal faith in Jesus Christ, proving that our perfect standing before God is not dependent upon Church teaching, sacraments, personal character, or good works, but solely upon our faith in Christ.

* Sanctification

This doctrine involves being set apart to God for His glory. A correct understanding of its past, present, and future applications proves that sanctification does not lead to justification, nor should it be confused with regeneration, as Catholicism teaches.

Hope this helps.

[bluejay87]

I have a friend whose a RC and he said he was getting confirmed this weekend. What does that mean? To be confirmed?

2nd We have to make a Christian Video for school. Im going to make a Left Behind Video. Me and my friend are making it. Im going to be addressing why Catholics were left behind and why followers of so and so were left behind. I need 10 good points of Catholicism is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. To open the eyes of my friend. thanks you guys/gals

Just curious, I am not Catholic but what makes you think all Catholics will be left behind?

I know some are devout to Jesus.

I do not have 10 points to reference but the one thing that has always stood out to me is Acts 4: 12 which states their is salvation in only Jesus, only He can save us.

Worshipping saints or anything else goes against this passage.

[Jesus Freak]

Catholics dont believe that all sin was placed on the cross of Christ. They also believe that going thru Mary and saints to get to Christ. By doing this. They are not saved. Are they devout to Christ? Yeah. Is it the Jesus of the Bible? Sadly no. Mary is there "gate to heaven". They would rather pray a prayer to the, "mother of God" then one in the name of Jesus Christ. A man by the name of Mike Gendron was a devout RC for 32 years. Until he heard a Evangilist point out scripture that Jesus is the only way. He accepted Christ and now attempts to convert those who beleive their on their way to Heaven, but are sadly going to spend an eterntiy without Christ. He has been dubbed an anti-catholic for his love of catholics. He has also been ex-communicated from the RC church by his decision. Catholics are warned not to listen to him. Here's his website
Proclaiming The Gospel Ministries with Evangelist Mike Gendron - Home

[Idefix]

It is practised by nearly all denominations that practice infant baptism ... including the Anglicans and Episcopalians. It has absolutely NO impact on whether one is saved or not.

I was confirmed when in 9th grade, through the Evangelical Lutheran church. We had to take classes learning about the Christian faith, the Bible, etc and go to the church masses so many times. Any Christian church service was also valid instead of mass, as long as we did attend some specific holiday masses. Although it is not impacting whether one is saved or not, it does give some knowledge about Christianity to kids. You don't have to be babtized or anything to do this in this church.

[waitingforhim]

I was babtised (sprinkled ) as a baby, then confirmed when I was 12 years old and a member of the Church of England. It made no difference to me - I took very little interest really, even though I had attended lessons, until I became a true believer several years later.

[gizmo]

I was raised Catholic and even went to Catholic schools. My problem with being a Catholic is that I never really understood anything. I was told the Catholic Church was the only way and I spent my youth never questioning it. I never read the Bible because I was told it was too confusing by a priest. Catholics are raised to trust priests. If a priest tells you the Bible is too confusing for a lay person to read you believe it. Catholics believe in God - they just don't know Him. The problem is they don't know that. Talk to a Catholic about Jesus and the path to salvation and they tell you what the priests have told them: there is nothing worse than a fallen away Catholic. And, if you were never a Catholic, then you aren't to be taken seriously because everyone knows only Catholics make it to heaven. Look at what I've written, even after all this time I capitalize Catholic! Sadly they put way too much trust in priests. That trust has been shaken somewhat with all the child abuse stories but the bond hasn't been broken. It is sad but I know God is working with them. He got me out and He's getting more out everyday.

[jesuschangesall]

The Roman Catholic Church has not even the name "Christian" in its own denominational label...wow..it is nothing else that Babylon...Their JESUS is a round wafer (THE SUN)...their MADONNA is THE QUEEN of HEAVEN...GOD is a stern rather old looking man,MORE the ZEUS TYPE....Their "SAINTS" are statues and anyway many of them NEVER EXISTED ( see SAINT GENNARO,rotector of NAPLES,never existed!) and btw their saints ,so to say,are the same protectors of arts and professions of the GREEK and ROMAN mythology which btw has its roots in the ancient religion of Babylon.....THE CONFESSIONAl,THE PRIESTS,THE NUNS etc..are just like the Babylonian rites....there are good books that explain everything and also Chick Publications tells you so much...The VATICAN created ISLAM,THE NAZI and THE FASCISM and THEY HATE THE JEWS...it is an ANTISEMITIC CULTISTIC SATANIC CHURCH.....sorry folks,it sounds really very bad to say so...but as an ex RCC SAVED BY THE REAL JESUS I can tell you lots....see for yourself...besides the fact i find REVOLTING that THE POPES are adressed as HOLY FATHER,HIS HOLINESS etc...what a joke!
THANKS to THE HOLY FATHER in heaven we are saved becaise HE sent JESUS....for the "" holy father in Rome" we would go STRAIGHT TO HELL,besides ALL THE POPES are MARIAN WORSHIPPERS and FREE MASONS...wake up people..it is a very sad thing that 1 billion people are deceived by ROME and another billion by Rome again through Mohamed.......................JESUS PLEASE COME BACK SOON.I am sick of this perverted world....

[Shoshi]

I was babtised (sprinkled ) as a baby, then confirmed when I was 12 years old and a member of the Church of England. It made no difference to me - I took very little interest really, even though I had attended lessons, until I became a true believer several years later.

This is more or less my story, too, waitingforhim. I was confirmed when I was 12 too, and at that stage was going through a "religious" phase. I went to a Church of England boarding school and we had church twice on Sundays, and prayers twice a day in school on week days. I had "been to church" all my life and was no more a Christian as a result, than I would have been a car if I'd spent that amount of time in a garage! However, I did learn some things about the Bible, but never in all my life did I hear the Gospel message in its entirety, and in a way which impacted my life, until I was 31 years old, when some people from the Anglican church I was attending at the time took me to an evangelistic meeting. That was the night I was born again. I soon became quite angry that nobody had ever told me the truth before, and I realised that the church buildings are often mostly filled with "social club members" who do not know the Lord at all. Sunday sermons are just pleasant little talks which have no challenge or impact at all, and there is no concept of what worship is, and the people "at the front" are often not saved, so how can they lead the rest in worship??? No wonder such churches are emptying fast.

The Bible may be read (short, out of context passages) but it is not taught, and people don't understand what it's all about.

We used to know an Anglican vicar who moved to a parish that was dead on its feet - a handful of elderly people attending the weekly services, who went because they'd always gone. When this guy arrived, his preaching made people squirm in the pews. Some left in high dudgeon, but others received the Gospel and began to tell their friends. Within a year the congregation was growing, numerically and spiritually. A lot of squirming went on! Where the preaching is too comfortable, people really don't want to know. Most people go to garden centres or play football instead. I don't blame them.

When they only come to funerals and weddings, they hear more of the same, which just confirms their belief in the irrelevancy of traditional church, and they stay away in droves. If the leaders would preach the Gospel at those gatherings, what a difference it could make.

Shoshi

PS A local church here has been having a lot of trouble with bats which make a lot of mess, and in the UK bats are protected so you can't get rid of them easilly. My dad came up with the ideal solution. He said, "Get the bishop to come and confirm them. You'll never see them again!!!"

[BuzzardHut]

I was confirmed when in 9th grade, through the Evangelical Lutheran church. We had to take classes learning about the Christian faith, the Bible, etc and go to the church masses so many times. Any Christian church service was also valid instead of mass, as long as we did attend some specific holiday masses. Although it is not impacting whether one is saved or not, it does give some knowledge about Christianity to kids. You don't have to be babtized or anything to do this in this church.

Confirmation is indoctrination of liturgical teachings contrary to evangelical/protestant teachings

It's an orthodox way of claiming "born again" not a biblical way

[mikalikat]

I find this interesting. My mother joined the Catholic church in the very early 1970's because a) she's from Irish heritage and; b) my Irish step dancing teacher was Ireland's reigning national champion at the time--Carmel Garrett. Can't get much more Irish than that. My mother always equated Irish = Catholic = what she needed to be. I never grew up hearing about God in the very literal sense and NEVER Jesus. Not that she tried not to mention him but that Christ just isn't the focus of the RCC. Seems to be a religion of steps, rituals (light that candle, kneel, clasp hands, repeat, go to confession, etc.) The more steps you take or the more devout you are about the steps the closer to God. To this day I do not know if my mother is saved. I asked her 10 years ago if she was and I got, "Yes, yes, I'm saved. Um, what is saved?" I explained it and then she had to go ask their pastor at a local evangelical church about it. Apparently my answer wasn't good enough. She confirmed what the pastor said but never mentioned if she'd accepted Christ. I believe with all my heart that to her soul my mother always will be a Catholic. I find the whole religion very sad. You don't see a lot of happy Catholics. They're too concerned with making it to confession to enjoy true salvation.

[SonSeeker]

As a "recovering" catholic, my early experiences pretty much mirror those of the previous posts. Catechism on Saturday morning, confession on Saturday afternoon, Mass on Sunday. When I left home at about 19, I quit going to catholic church, and didn't seem to miss it.

Thanks to BuzzardHut on this thread I've finally learned what Confirmation was all about. Oh sure, I was Confirmed when I was about 12, (and I'm now 60!) but obviously had no idea what it was for; it was something we were told to do, so we did it. That pretty much sums up my impression of Catholicism, you're taught NOT to think, thinking was for the priests and higher ups who were supposedly more qualified to think than us lowly ones.

When I was about 32, I accepted Jesus in a Foursquare Gospel Church, and my first impression of that Church was how "alive" everyone seemed compared to a Catholic church. It was wonderful in comparison!

[Adopted Son]

This is always a sticky wicket. Those who call themselves "Catholic" are seldom identical in belief. I CAN unequivocally state, there will be many catholics in heaven. How would I know this? Because the Word simply states, "any man who believes in the Son shall be saved." An undeniable truth.

So, if anyone who calls themselves Catholic, but emphatically believes Christ died for their sins, so they could be considered clean enough to be re-united with God, they will be. Notwithstanding, you could be correct many of these Christians called catholic may also harbor beliefs that are both untrue and disgusting to God. But guess what, ALL sin is forgiven, even those believing praying to Mary is useful. It's wrong, but it won't keep a true believer out of heaven. God will keep educating the believer, and will accept them at any degree of development. Make sense?

[mattfivefour]

My problem with that last point is the following— a Roman Catholic can say "I believe Jesus died for my sins" ... but then in their actions they testify that they must observe the sacraments, particularly the sacraments of confession and the eucharist (which is, by RCC definition, a constant re-sacrifice of Jesus) in order to really be saved and then even after all of that they still believe they must go to Purgatory in order to pay for the rest of their sins. The Bible tells us it is not what we say but what we do that counts, so what is the doing of a faithful RCC adherent testifying to? Is it that I really believe Jesus paid for my sins?

[micah719]

Nobody can even come to the Lord unless he is drawn, and nobody can call Jesus Lord without the Holy Spirit (this is obviously more than just a mere phrase to be rattled off like an incantation...). Once someone perceives and accepts the Lord, they do not need anyone else, and if they were a marian idolater, I'm certain that the Holy Spirit would fix that or have already fixed it. Once you discover how desperately you need a Saviour, you talk to Him Personally...

[BuzzardHut]

Sharing Jesus with Catholics

http://buzzardhut.net/index/htm/Sacramentalism.pdf

Introduction and overview to Roman Catholicism: Start here

Understanding Roman Catholicism

http://buzzardhut.net/index/htm/Dangers.pdf

http://buzzardhut.net/index/htm/Semiramis.pdf

http://buzzardhut.net/index/htm/SunWorship.pdf

http://buzzardhut.net/Documents/Blinded.Sun.pdf

[Adopted Son]

My problem with that last point is the following— a Roman Catholic can say "I believe Jesus died for my sins" ... but then in their actions they testify that they must observe the sacraments, particularly the sacraments of confession and the eucharist (which is, by RCC definition, a constant re-sacrifice of Jesus) in order to really be saved and then even after all of that they still believe they must go to Purgatory in order to pay for the rest of their sins. The Bible tells us it is not what we say but what we do that counts, so what is the doing of a faithful RCC adherent testifying to? Is it that I really believe Jesus paid for my sins?

It is hard to speak of spiritual things that have not yet been spoken or experienced. But a man on the cross, with little knowledge or experience with Christ, was promised heaven for merely acknowledgment of the truth. And as far as purgatory, they apparently are no longer teaching this principal. At least not in Catholic schools in Cleveland, Ohio. My two sons have no illusions. (Well, at least none mentioned here) They know where their salvation comes from and do not pray to Mary or any other saint. They have not been taught or have rejected absolution via a priest. They pray to God or Jesus and sometimes ask the Holy Spirit for help. The youngest seems to have conversations with others in high school who feel the same way. They are asking questions about the "old' catholicism.

[myinnuendo999]

Should we not also consider that there are some people who are Saved according to the word of God and are babies in Christ that are led astray to Roman Catholicism or even Mormonism or Jehovah's witnesses. They were not grounded and lacked discernment in the word of God and were tossed into false doctrine.

I've actually read and heard of a few Testimonies from Christians who are clearly Born again believers who were led astray and then came back because they knew something wasn't right and that was the Holy Spirit warning them

I think of Hebrews chapter 5 from what you said Adopted Son. Could it be that some people ARE Saved that are in The Roman Catholic church but have remained in the "elementary teachings"and are thus caught up in the rituals and as a result they are left stunted in their growth?

[BuzzardHut]

Could it be that some people ARE Saved that are in The Roman Catholic church but have remained in the "elementary teachings"and are thus caught up in the rituals and as a result they are left stunted in their growth?

yes, quite possible