Introduction

"To truly love is to truly know. It is absolutely impossible to have one without the other."  - The Writer

To The Reader:

This blog is a shortcut.  It is intended to compare the truths and teachings of the Catholic faith next to Protestant (Evangelical) beliefs.  I have found that many Catholics are uneducated about what Protestants truly believe and the same with Protestants understanding the Catholic faith.

Through this blog I hope to give both parties a better understanding of their positions.  If the reader enters this journey with an open heart asking for God to lead them to His One Truth, I am positive it will be revealed. Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you."

I can't be the only person who has, or had, a meaningful relationship where the most important aspect of our relationship never quite synced up completely, our Faith.  I dated a person of different beliefs for 4 years, and genuinely converted to their religion during that entire time.  We both are Christians but had different views on what it meant to be truly Christian and how it was to be carried out.  My sole purpose in writing this blog is to help others, who find themselves in a similar position or relationship, easily access direct and simple answers to all the questions that arise in a "mixed beliefs relationship", especially when marriage is being contemplated.  When kids come into play, faith takes an even more meaningful position in one's life.  It was so hard for my significant other and I to find easy answers to the questions we had concerning our differences in beliefs.  The common solution given to us was suggesting we read a novel or book on the topic.  Like us, most people are not going to pick up a book and read it, especially if it is written from the angle of beliefs that the other does not agree with.

Since parting ways from my relationship, it astounds me how many Christians (Catholics and Protestants alike) pose the exact same question when they hear we had to walk away from each other and, in our minds, choose God over all.  "Whats the problem?!?!?", people would say.  "You both pray to the same God and believe in Jesus.  It really isn't that much of a difference.  The foundation is there so don't get caught up in the semantics."  Well my friends, I am hear to tell you I learned there is a HUGE difference, and in fact, just as much of a difference as if one of us dated a Jewish person.  The only difference between that scenario is, as Christians, we both believed in Jesus Christ but that is where the similarities stop.

In our journey, I also realized that one of the major issues was simply both sides did not truly understand the teachings of the other religion.  The understanding of the other's faith was filled with warped and skewed concepts, that in most cases, were not even true or factual to begin with.  As they say in religion, 'reject or accept a religion based on what it truly is, not what you think it is.'  I recognized a need for an easy-to-read resource to educate the truths on what different Christian sects teach.  I decided to pull together all my research and post it on this blog to make it easier for the next person to learn and have access to what is actually taught.  I hope this blog comes across as informative as it was intended and I hope it helps educate anyone who reads it with a better understanding and respect for religious viewpoints other than their own.  After all, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to learn as much as we can about God's Church and His truth.  God calls us to do so and it is our duty.

I have also come to realize that Faith itself is a response to the Word of God, not some arbitrary and fictional concept that we can make up in our heads and then act on as if it is law.  We are to obey God the way that He intended us to serve Him and obey Him, not the other way around.

Scientists agree that the DNA of a pig is remarkably close to being almost identical to that of a human being.  Surprised?!?!  It is crazy to think a couple percentage points separates you from Wilber.  So what does that have to do with anything?  It's God, proving through nature, that details are everything in life which is a game of inches.  The right place at the right time is what many refer to when something good happens.  The smallest detail can change everything.  You can have a barrel full of the purest water in the world, but one tiny drop of poison will ruin the whole barrel.  One rotten apple ruins the whole bunch, and so on and so forth.  In the grand scheme of things, one smallest detail can change everything.

Religion is no different and through my studies and journey on the search for truth, the idea that details are everything has never shown to be more important.  The purpose of this blog is not to argue, but to point out simple points of fact through logic and careful consideration.  We as Christians are commanded by God to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world so we can be happy with Him forever in the next.  The problem I've found is that many people do not take the time to actually get to KNOW God, as he intended us know Him, and that's where many problems begin.  I for one always took religion for granted and was the ultimate offender of never pursing to truly know God.  Understanding that, I decided to embark on a journey to change that mistake as a truth seeker, no denomination.  What does it mean when someone says all you have to do be saved is "have faith".  It raises the logical question, what does it mean to "have faith" and how do you correctly have it?

If I may, allow me to ask you 2 questions that prelude this blog. 

1) Do you believe Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and that He is God?

2) Do you believe Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to achieve salvation, and outside of Him there is no way to enter heaven?

If you answered "Yes" to both questions, then I implore you to read this blog entirely and leave questions and comments at the end, if you feel inclined.  I highly encourage comments and questions.

After being a "cradle catholic" my whole life until age 26, then becoming a non-denominational Christian and attending a Baptist Church for 4 years, I realized that Faith takes much more understanding and effort on our part than just what "feels good".  In fact, what I have come to realize is that "feeling good" is what gets you to hell.  God calls us to know Him just as much as he calls us to Love Him.  And he calls us to Serve Him just as much as he calls us to have faith in Him.

At a young age of 31, I have been around the block in many different ways.  I played varsity sports in high school and attended one of the more prestigious public universities in America.  I have owned my own businesses and come from a big Italian / Irish family.  Because I was spoon fed it my whole life, I never put much effort into truly learning about God, or much thought into what He intended for us when it comes to "having faith", living out His will and how we should act as Christians.  It was not until I had a special relationship with a girl of different Christian beliefs that resulted in my faith taking center stage in my life.  God bless her, in a way I feel she was an angel from God to motivate me to focus on the most important aspect of life.  Because of the relationship we shared, I quickly realized that one's faith is the ONLY way to live, or it is no way to live.  It is either the path to freedom, or it will frustrate the pursuit.  You are either all in or you are all out. There is no middle-ground or compromise.  Christ specifically calls all of us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him.  He also specifically said that you are either with Him or against Him.

You will never know me and I will probably never know you.  But through this blog, I hope that we both get to know the only person that matters, Jesus Christ.  I ask that you put all your cultural biases aside and truly invite the possibility that there may be more to what you already know as "Faith" that God intended.  

What does it mean to have "Faith"?  

Did Christ leave us metrics and rules to follow, or is it based on what we feel in our individual hearts?
Did God establish and actual Church, or is His Church found in any individuals personal relationship with Him?

What makes up that "Church", and outside of that Church, is there salvation?