Sorry that's not the intent. First your scriputur solara, or whatever, is not what I said. You know I said to read the scriptures and pray with all your heart might mind and strength for God to hear you. That is not private interpretation. Do you believe that God willhear and answer your prayers? Do you believe you will have better success in a group discussing their "interpretations" of the scriptures? OR do you you beleive that by taking the scriptures in faith, believing God will hear and answer your queries and tell you His interpretation? This is the problem you don't believe God answers prayers? When you struggle with the difficulties of life, and we all do. Do you go alone and plead with your God for help and answers? Do you believe He will hear and answer you? Why is that so hard for you? The scriptures support this repeatedly? Over and over. Every prophet has shown a desire for the truth. Even every day members of the early church sought for help in prayer. Even those who did not yet know the truth sought God help, and recieved it. What of the father who said "help thou my unbelief". Seek, Ask, Knock. If you say that Satan answers prayers but God does not, what kind of a God do you worship that would let his children who sought him earnestly to be deceived? Your answer is not important on that point. I suspect I already know it. Perhaps consider this... I know that God hears and answers prayers. He is not interested in traditions. Paul has a point. Traditions are good so long as they support the truth, but when they stand in the way of sincere heartfelt striving, then throw them out? Jesus, condemned the traditions of the Jew which they had created themselves. The sabbath days journey is an example. The good samaritan. it goes on an on. I'm saying its time to consider whether you worship traditions or truth.

-- Frank Godfrey (fgodfrey@macu.org), October 07, 2003

Answers

The Church is not against personal experiences of God. Why do you think we have so many mystic saints? The Church is only against private interpretation of the Bible when it comes into conflict with its teachings. When we interpret the Bible we do it with the knowledge that the Church teaches.

True God might not be interested in traditions but the traditions are their to help us get to God. It is through the traditions that we get to God because God gives us grace through these traditions. God has guided his Church and given us the traditions. If you are looking from the outside, look at what the traditions give that Church not the traditions themselves.

The Churches overall aim is not to make you adhear to the traditions. Its overall aim is for you to be saved. And for that you need the traditions because in them God gives us grace.

-- Scott (papasquat10@hotmail.com), October 08, 2003.

Dear Mr. Godfrey,
You seem to think Catholics worship Tradition. We only worship God. Every other worship means idolatry. Perhaps you meant to say ritual. We worship by devotion and ritual both. Ritual is prayer; ritual has spiritual significance; meaning. In this manner we worship God in union; as One body and One faith. Ritual is a sign of communion with our neighbor, very much like a hymn in one voice, offered Our Creator. We worship all as One, and fulfill the commands of Jesus Christ, our High Priest.

As for Tradition, it is followed, not worshipped. Tradition means keeping the faith alive; not letting it be forgotten by the Church, which is the Body of Christ. How would we know what the Body should say and do; how the Body should receive God's divine Will and do it as ONE? We know by a two-fold truth: Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Each by the light of the Holy Spirit, Who keeps His people from falling into error. He preserves Tradition from error, and the written scripture from changing in meaning, or message.

The Holy Bible is inspired; and the Church is God's servants worshipping together. Praying together as Tradition teaches us. Loving God and neighbor in communion; together. For God hears the soul's prayer in its solitude; certainly. Catholics are taught to pray in solitude; but Catholics worship in Communion; what protestants call fellowship.

It's the way God has commanded it. Christ would not likely have left His Church, if the intent was to go each soul his own way. The Church is a holy, living organism. She is the Mystical Body of Christ; with her faithful living by the faith of the apostles. Not the faith of Luther or Calvin or Henry VIII, by the apostles' faith. Whoever calls himself Christian ONLY because he/she reads the Bible is casting off the faith of the apostles, and starting a personal, free-lance faith. A faith with no ties to that living Tradition come down to us from Christ. With no approved ritual or Communion under Christ the high Priest. The Catholic Church, you see, is a living Church. From the day He first founded her, she lives. Just as He told her she would (Matt 16, :18, :19).

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), October 08, 2003.