Is it OK to visit a Catholic church?

Hello

The Roman Catholic Church preaches a false gospel, false salvation, and doesn't relay the true character of Christ.

Since you are young and perhaps at this moment not established in the scripture, I wouldn't advise it. First you might want to go and read some about why Christians and Roman Catholics *cannot* be "bunched" together:
http://www.cwrc-rz.org/
http://aomin.org/Roman.html

 

If you still live with your parents, you are under their authoority and should obey them. If you are really curious, perhaps you should turn to your parents whom God gave you for guidance and direction. Ask them to study their beliefs with you using the Bible.

Joseph Botwinick

 

I have visited a RCC church, but not to convert. I was interested in seeing what a service was like. When I die, I still feel like I will go to heaven. But it isn't because I attended any particular church. It is solely in the fact of what Christ did for me.

 

I wouldn't feel guilty at all for visiting a catholic church. Unfortunately most catholics today just go through the motions. Despite what many here might say there ARE Christians in the RCC - although the percentage is certainly less than in most conservative protestant churches. That being said there are alot of serious problems with catholic theology.

 

Every time I ever stepped inside a Catholic church, I could feel the spiritual oppression there. Especially in the one in Guadalajara, Mexico.

I'd say, No. Stay as far away as possible. [sarcasm]If you're going to go to a Catholic church, why not hit the Mormons' that evening, and the JW for midweek bible study?[/sarcasm]

In Christ,
Trotter

 

I say go! One who is rooted in his faith and wants to go to learn ought to be alright! I dont like just taking someone's word when I hear "oh, they are bad because they believe___." I want to know first hand before I form my own opinions.

 

I'm not sure why there would curiosity in a false religion. A simply study will show what is false about them and their other gospel. I can't tell you how many time is have talked with people who watch false teachers on tv and becasue they ahven't actually heard them say wrong or false things they don't beleive anything is wrong with them. One visit to a RCC is the samething, you may not find the really bad stuff. My next thought would be why would you want to expose yourself to that, to taking in any of the fasleness, it's a place of worship, theres one real purpose going to a place of worship.

 

Curious to know what you're going to learn from going to a Catholic Church that you can't learn from an independent study on your own without either side pumping their voice in your ear. If you are an adult, I would say that you should listen to your parents advice and consider it seriously (as it seems you are already doing) and then make a decision for yourself. But first, spend some time in prayer about the issue. Get on the internet and look at official Catholic web pages and study what you believe for yourself. My main concern is that you don't get yourself in a situation where you are surrounded by Catholic clergy who might know how to twist scripture to sway you into false doctrine. With that, I think you can probably see that I tend to agree with your parents on this. Just think about it.

Joseph Botwinick

 

You won't find out much by visiting a Roman Catholic church about what they believe. The service is highly liturgical and often not in english.
You will find out more about what they believe by going to one of the sites suggested above.Otherwise it is just a novelty experience.

 

Hey there,
I've been a recovering Catholic for ten years and I would rather you read the book,
Far from Rome, Near to God....instead of going to the Catholic church. In this book you will find all you will need or care to know about this particular faith.

Opening Pandora's box will only cause more trouble than it's worth. I would have to agree with the group here...Don't go.

 

I was raised a Roman Catholic and left when I was in my early twenties (about your age now, but 29 years ago). Most of my family (parents, sister, some of my brothers, etc. ) are still Catholics - but I have raised my own family as Christians in a Baptist Church. No one in my family tries to convince me to return to Catholicism anymore and I do go occasionally to a baptism or wedding; it's probably been 5 or 6 years since I attended any family functions at their church - it doesn't seem to hurt me - I know what I believe. If you are firm in your belief and if you just want to see what a Mass is like, then go - I doubt anyone there will try to convert you while attending a Mass and I doubt they would be successful. I would put it in the category of attending a wedding at another denomination - you are just visiting and looking. Bruce

 

The other posters are right about your likely not being hauled into a back room and being force-fed Catholic dogma. Just go and see what it's about and don't worry about it. It's not like you're spending all night in a casino or something.
By the way, if you're interested there's a book titled "What Catholics Really Believe" (that's pretty close, anyway) and it gets into that "Papal Infallibility" business and all that other stuff you may have heard about the RCC.

 

If a bottle have a skull label and says "Danger, POISON INSIDE" Do you confirm its poision by drinking a little?

 

I would not compare the Catholic church to cults like the Mormons and JW's. The Catholics do not deny the Trinity, as do the Mormons and JW's, nor do they deny the deity of Christ, as do the JW's. They do not teach that God has a body or that we become gods of our own planets, as do the Mormons. They do not teach only 144,000 get to heaven as do the JW's. They do not teach Jesus came to America, as do the Mormons, nor do they teach that Jesus is Michael the Archangel, like the JW's.

Whatever faults and problems may lie with Catholicism, I think it's going too far to put them in the same category as two groups who deny historical essentials of the faith like the Trinity and deity of Christ.

Yes, I am aware of the problems of Catholicism, so please don't post and tell me about Mary, grace plus works, etc. I know all that.

 

When I was your age and in college, I visited many churches. I was curious about the other denominations. I'm not sure if I told my parents about visiting other churches. I have attended a Baptist Church all my life and was saved at the age of nine.

My visiting other churches strengthen my faith and Baptist convictions. It was good for me.

To answer your question, I think it is OK to visit.

 

Be prepared to kneel, stand, kneel and stand during the Mass and forget taking the Bible, they provide misselettes in every pew.
(prepared reading) the lighter lettering is what you will hear and YOUR respones are in bold letters, so you don't feel so out of place.

Be prepared to pray to saints during your visit.
The Catholic churches are georgeous, but their belief is WAY off.
It should be an interesting experience for you... please share what you think afterward.

I pray that when your turn to share your faith comes, they will seek to find out the truth.

 

I am curious what you will do when it comes time for you to actually participate in the mass. Will your conscience allow you to take that wafer that they teach is the actual body of Christ?

Though you and I may know that He isn't in it, by participating I believe you would be telling your Catholic friends that you believe and accept the teachings of the RCC.

I won't tell you what you should or shouldn't do. This honestly has to be between you and the Lord. However, you should carefully consider how far you will take this visit to the RCC. By participating in the mass, how much does this say that you accept their teachings? And will you then be able to effectively defend the truth?

Julia