Catholicism Series: Email

There are a few Catholics who are upset about my series. But yet not one person has been able to tell me what exactly I have posted that is incorrect. The most I have heard is that I have left stuff out (with a nefarious intent, of course).

I also received a nice email from a woman who was concerned by my series, the disunity it causes, and my potential anti-Catholic intent. I would like to post my reply to her as I think it may address some of my other "opposers":

"Hi X,

Let me ask you this. Are both Catholicism and say the Baptist faith (firm bible-only Christians) legitimate ways to get to heaven? If yes, then why the "one true church" mentality? If no, then why wouldn't you want to warn everyone that they must be Catholic?

I appreciate your email, but I think you and I would disagree in many areas. Agreeing to be different doesn't work when it comes to eternal life. I would hope we would both say we want to follow God (and join him when we die) EXACTLY the way he expects of us.

However, our two faiths have very, very different paths to God. I actually believe your path has veered off in the wrong direction. This is not about me being right, this is about eternal destiny. That certainly is something worth arguing over. The Apostles argued for doctrinal purity and that duty remains to the faithful.

Please, if I have misrepresented your faith on any of my posts, tell me how. There are a few Catholics who seem to be upset with my series and yet no one has told me what I have gotten wrong. There seems to be just general upset that I do not accept the Catholic faith as a sister faith.

Apparently anyone who says anything negative about the Catholic faith is quickly labeled "anti-Catholic" with some sort of evil agenda. I tend to worry about the integrity of an "opposing position" when their first defense is to paint out their opposition as someone with questionable character (liberals often resort to these tactics in politics).

If you would like to post against my posts that is perfectly fine. It is nice for you to ask and thank you for being civil in your email."

A second point I would like to make regards the issue of "salvation outside of the Catholic Church". I have had two emails talk about this subject although I haven't even posted on it yet which is a bit strange. I hope to elaborate on that idea in the future.

But let me make something clear for now. The Roman Catholic Church's (RCC) teachings on salvation outside the Church (salvation for us non-Catholics) is not the linchpin of my series. The important question is "what is the gospel message of the RCC" or "how does a Roman Catholic get to heaven according to their Church's teachings"? And is that "gospel" the same as the biblical gospel.