Your First Post

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
umm, wow, jennie.

[puellapaschalis]

Talk about coming out with all guns blazing!

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Winchester' post='1771051' date='Feb 3 2009, 01:40 PM']But that was after the internets were created.[/quote]
I think the ones you did with a chisel on the cave wall might be a little hard to find nowadays.
Sad isn't it...

[StColette]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1771171' date='Feb 3 2009, 02:15 PM']+J.M.J.+
umm, wow, jennie. [/quote]

lol

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1771176' date='Feb 3 2009, 02:16 PM']Talk about coming out with all guns blazing![/quote]

lol

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' post='1337907' date='Jul 22 2007, 09:24 PM']Hey everyone!
I'm USAirwaysIHS, aka Mitch. I'm a high school student in Florida, and after hearing about this place for a while, I've decided to bite the bullet and join! About a year ago, I heard the Lord's call and decided to become Catholic. However, when I told my mother ( a diehard protestant ), she told me that as long I lived in her house, I couldn't convert. So, for the meantime, I am studying the Bible and Catechism on my own, and waiting until I move out and go to college so that I can come home.
I look forward to getting to know all of you, and contributing to many conversations here!
Thanks,
Mitch[/quote]
I just read through the replies to that thread...
I love you guys.

[Chiquitunga]

Hey, this is a neat thread! Just thought I'd resurrect it.

I remember my first post very well. I was searching the internet for information on this French community, the Sisters of Bethlehem, who don't have a site or anything, as they're really hidden. I was really excited to see people talking online about them. This is how I found phatmass. I've talked with many other young people who found phatmass in this same way too, through searching for info on an order. I think Vocation Station is the most informative place online on religious communities, and not just within the US.

[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s=&showtopic=56995&view=findpost&p=1060265"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...t&p=1060265[/url]

I love Sr. Mary Catharine's reply

[quote name='Sr. Mary Catharine' post='1060290' date='Sep 10 2006, 02:40 PM']Margaret Clare, you didn't miss a thing!

It's a beautiful place for a retreat and I would love walking to the little waterfall at the end of lower lake Magdala and pray the rosary and Office there.

What made me laugh are all the signs posted to go only 15MPH on the road but they are always zipping up and down at about 60! Well, that is a slight exaggeration![/quote]

[BG45]

My first was the intro thread:
[quote]So from reading around, I see this is where I'm supposed to make the intro and hope to lurk quietly without much notice.

Hi, my name is Phil, but going by BG45 this time around. I was raised Baptist for 18 years, and can tell you it is really true that sometimes our solutions to arguing is to split. Um...sorry I'm quite bad at introductions.

Anyhow, Sanvean and MissyP89 brought me here saying it was a fun phorum to grow in spiritually, as well as actually enjoy oneself. Thanks for reading this.[/quote]

My second (aside from check in) was in the thread "[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=66679&hl="]The Christians are Coming[/url]" about a school in New Jersey staging a terrorism drill about Christian Extremists storming the school, killing kids, and taking hostages.

[quote]While I do find this to be more of the unfortunate same when it comes to Christian bashing becoming more and more acceptable in our society, we have to remember there are self described "Christians" who have committed acts of terrorism unfortunately. Other than that minor point...I'd probably be laughing my way through this drill if it had happened in my high school a few years back.[/quote]

[prose]

hmmm. lemme check...

[Ziggamafu]

Posted on the morning of May 27th, 2004:

[quote]A baptized Evangelical Non-Denominationalist, I've spent the past six months studying up on Church history and theology. I discovered the allure of Coptic, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic Christianity. After checking out some good Catholic apologetics I began to feel “drawn home to Rome”. I pursued that feeling and engaged into deep conversations with both Catholic and Non-Denominationalist friends, as well as a few Protestants. I kept the studies up. I got a chance to chat with Karl Keating and Tim Staples a few times via EWTN radio, which was pretty cool. BUT!

Here are my problems and from them, my hesitation:

1) Although I see the need for the primacy and supremacy of one bishopric above all others, as well as the focus on the Petrine doctrine for leadership, I have trouble accepting that this was authoritively revealed to be the church at Rome. I don't really have problems with it being Rome. It just seems to me that Rome didn't have primacy immediately as part of the Deposit of Sacred Revelation, but rather acquired that honor eventually (albeit relatively quickly) through both necessity and association with Peter and Paul. And after all, wasn't Jerusalem the first great leader-church? Was it more so that wherever PETER was, THERE was the supremacy? I.E. When he was in Antioch, the church there was the one that had primacy.

2) A nifty way of defending transubstantiation was demonstrated to me by comparing the Eucharist to the Incarnation; if we examined Christ's body, would we be able to identify a divine kidney? Of course not. In a similar manner, so the defense goes, though we cannot directly perceive the bread and wine as being Christ's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, it doesn't change what we must nonetheless believe by the simple faith of a child. Ok. Makes sense to me. However...was not the very purpose of the Incarnation partly tied up into being fully God and fully man? It would seem then, that this powerful illustration used to aide my transition from a view of consubstantiation to transubstantiation would naturally lead me to question whether this Eucharist can be at once fully the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord while at the same time being fully bread and wine. This would make more sense to me, as it relates to the Incarnation more perfectly. The fullness of the one nature does not negate from the fullness of the other nature. Could the Eucharist be fully Jesus and fully the “accidents” (bread and wine)? Is there room for such interpretation?

3) Is the Catechism considered to be part of the written Word of God? I know it is officially called a "teaching tool" and is not part of the canon of Sacred Scripture, but if it is Magisterially produced and authenticated by the Pope as a collection of dogmas that clarify the Deposit, would that not make it infallible and thus, the very Word of God that was always there - just not clarified or committed to paper?

4) Is the Catechism, like the Bible, subject to interpretation and thus capable of some leeway regarding the particulars or arguably figurative matters of the Faith?

5) Could all of Sacred Tradition actually be seen as already having been committed to paper in the GIRM, the Code of Canon Law, and the Catechism? If not, how do we even know what Sacred Tradition is?

6) It seems that problems of Sola Scriptora could easily be applied to Sola Ecclesia given the many divisions existing amongst Catholics over differing interpretations of the GIRM, Code of Canon Law, and the Catechism (not to mention politics LOL). How then does is it function any better? It would seem that the same points played against advocates of S.S. by Catholics could be played right back against S.E.

7) Understanding and believing in the necessity of the Magisterium's existence, I find it hard to understand why more Catholics are not reprimanded for certain moral or ethical stances - especially those in the public eye. Why is the bureaucratic process so slow going? How come church authority is not exercised more often in these cases?

8) This is the most important; when I am confirmed, I have to say something along the lines of "I believe and profess everything the Catholic Church teaches". This is my biggest dilemma. Since I view this as a marriage vow, I'm afraid that I'll say this without truly believing everything expressed in the Catechism. This is where a positive answer to my question #4 could come in handy! Also, may I take this to mean that, though I believe that the Catholic Church is God's authoritive and true Church, I may not necessarily believe what she's teaching at the moment or the way in which She is teaching it? Or that perhaps I believe in the intentions of what She teaches at all times and surrender to them, but may happen to disagree with or voice my opinion against them? I got this idea from Chesterton.

9) Karl Keating suggested that I may have already catechized myself. Well. I know I want to be become Catholic. However, I am held back because of the aforementioned issues - mostly out of the desire to go about this honestly and whole-heartedly. Nevertheless, would this place me outside the "impenetrable ignorance" factor and confirm I am in a state of mortal sin for rejecting the Church, according to Catholic theology?

10) Finally, at the Council of Trent an anathema was placed on anyone who professed a belief in salvation by faith alone. As far as I know, this anathema was not ever (and could not ever be) revoked. Yet in Vatican II, Protestants (the majority of which adhere to Sola Fide) were upgraded to the status of "separated brethren". Could you explain this apparent contradiction to me? Also, along those lines, I must admit there is a little fear involved with my impending conversion. I know it sounds silly, but I still have the paranoia of losing my salvation or what not by becoming part of Rome's Church. I was raised Fundamentalist Baptist. So it would have been more acceptable to become Orthodox or Coptic or whatever than Roman Catholic. And even after my massive re-dedication to Christ as a Non-Denominationalist, certain unspoken paranoias remain. Any suggestions?

I hope I'll find the peace I'm looking for. I would honestly like to come into the Church as soon as possible. I just need satisfactory explanations for these 10 issues so I can feel comfortable with the Bride I might spend the rest of my life with. It’s like wanting desperately to marry a girl you don’t know if you can trust – or even if you really love her like you should.

A brother in Christ,

Ziggamafu[/quote]

So embarrassing! .

[Jaime]

[quote]The US was successful in Iraq during the Gulf war. However we did not invade Baghdad and overthrow Saddam because George Sr could not come up with a comprehensive exit strategy. The success or failure of this war is dependent on the same thing; a good exit strategy. That is something that seems to have been overlooked. I think this is the most critical argument against this war being a just war.

Also for a war to be just there has to be "comparative justice" and "right reason" . The right reason was supposed to be the protection of US citizens from WMD and terrorism. Neither of these were proven. While its absolutely true that Saddam was a rapist, murderer and overall butthead, we have about 50 dictators that could line up before him.

Hey this is my first post around these parts... how'd I do?[/quote]

that was me in 2005.

[journeyman]

[quote]Hi everyone

Long time lurker, first time poster. Finally broke down and registered (another login name and password to remember!).

My eldest son (pushing 21) recommended Phatmass . . . he's the evangelist . . . now that I'm "official," he can go work on his brothers and sister.

Personal information . . . Old enough to know better, young enough to still learn.[/quote]

December 11, 2004

[Christie_M]

My first post replying to bx_racer about being afraid of the 'dark'


[quote name='Christie_M' post='638073' date='Jul 9 2005, 09:21 PM']I know how you feel. I just imagin a bubble around my self and that nothing can go through it, that God is taking care of me and that if I do see something, I say:
" In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to go away and never return."

It's something my dad tought me.

I also say the Rosary as I go to bed. It makes me feel better. [/quote]

[Ash Wednesday]

[quote]JA JA! I have a great deal of German blood in me. My father's family was all German. They lived in Russia in the earlier part of the 20th century before moving here.

Men jag är också lite Svenska, Norska, och Franska. Jag lära mig Svenska nu, och hoppar att jag ska tala och skriva Svenska bättre.

(I also have Swedish, Norwegian and French blood)[/quote]

My first post. I had been a regular -- I'd have an even lower member number but I was on vacation for about a month when Phatmass was changing boards. I sound so young. Wow, it was only 3 months later my mom would die and my life would change forever. Life changed for me so much since then. I was like a kitten just sitting there in the middle of the road, and had no idea I was about to get hit by a truck.

My 11th post is my favorite of those first few, though.

[quote]I've had dreams come true. They might mean something, they might not. Usually I acknowledge them but not pay them too much mind. I've had dreams come true and I just thought "how interesting" and that's about all. If I have an upsetting dream at times, I might just keep "on guard", that instinctively something might be up, but I don't live my life according to my dreams. What's more if I lived according to my dreams, I would approach the Kentucky Fried Chicken booth at the now-exploded Seattle Kingdome and would be asking for Duran Duran merchandise.[/quote]

[dUSt]

My first post was me telling the 3 or 4 people who found this site to leave me alone because I enjoy conversing with myself and myself only. It didn't work.