"The Catholic Church is evil!"

Wrong.

The Catholic Church is Holy.

(here's a thread on why 🧵) "How is the Church holy when it does stuff like the Crusades or the Inquisition?"

Those were not inherently sinful acts of the Church

The Crusades saved suffering Christians in the Holy Land.

The Inquisition stopped cult leaders from seizing political power

Jesus Christ is hidden on every page of the Bible

But it isn't hard to find Him

You just have to know the 3 places to look... 🧵 A Bible Story is never just a Bible Story

There is always something deeper beneath the surface

The saints call this depth the "allegorical sense" of scripture

Everything in the Old Testament relates in some way to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

The Bible has 4-dimensions

800 years ago, a Franciscan friar wrote a guide map for how you should read it.

Here is what he said... 🧵 St. Bonaventure was a Franciscan friar in the 1200s

He went to college with St. Thomas Aquinas

His book, the Breviloquium, is less read than the Summa Theologica

But it contains invaluable wisdom for how to read the Bible

Where are the sacraments in the Bible?

They're all in the Gospel of John.

John records 7 miracles and each one corresponds to one of the 7 sacraments

(save this thread 🧵) The Gospel of John is all about how Jesus established the New Sacrifice in the New Temple.

Each Sacrament is a brick in the New Temple

The last one is the most important (so read to the end)

It all begins at a wedding in Cana...

The Catholic Church has 3 controversial titles for Mary

They explain why Mary is so important for all Christians

So, what are they (and why are they so controversial)? The Catholic Church calls Mary

1) Coredemptrix
2) Mediatrix of all Graces
3) Advocate for all Christians

We'll take one title at a time

Last night, this nun spoke to 50,000 people in an NFL stadium

She told 5 stories where she saw God speak to someone

These stories will change the way you see Jesus

(So, save this thread) 🧵 Sister Bethany Madonna is a Sister of Life

A group of nuns based in Hell's Kitchen who dedicated their lives to saving unborn babies and their mothers

She is also a walking saint

(don't tell her I said that)

If you hate religion because it causes violence...

...you're irrational

Christianity puts an end to violence

(Save & share 🧵) If religion DID cause violence, either:

1) Religious people would be more violent, OR
2) Most violence would be motivated by religion

but neither of these are true

Is the Catholic Church satanic?

Obviously not.

But what do you say when your friend says it is?

(Save this for your next debate 🧵)

I usually hear the Catholic Church is one of three things

1. The Whore of Babylon
2. The Beast of Revelation
3. The Antichrist

Let’s take each one in turn

The Catholic Church is infallible

But most people don't know what that means

(Save this thread 🧵) Jesus gave the apostles authority over matters of doctrine.

1) He promised to always be with them (Mt 28:20)
2) He gave them the power to bind and loose (Mt 18:18)
3) He said the Holy Spirit would instruct them in everything (Jn 14:28)

They passed this authority down

Why aren't you Christian yet?

The 7 most common reasons are BS.

1/ "I don't need religion, I just need to be a good person" Well, you can't be a good person on your own.

I know you've already tried and failed.

What happens when you break your self-made code of ethics?

How will you receive forgiveness?

Which Taylor Swift song you will be forced to listen to in each of Dante's 7 Levels of Purgatory.

(real)

🧵

1/ First Terrace – Pride

While weighed down with giant stones and contemplating Humility, you will listen to:

ME!
• I know I tend to make it about me
• You can't spell "awesome" without "me"
• I promise that you'll never find another like me

"The Bible is the highest authority."

No, Jesus is the highest authority.

And Jesus gave His authority to the Apostles who wrote a Bible

(Save this thread 🧵) The Nicene Creed calls the Christian faith "Apostolic" and not "Biblical."

Jesus Christ gave His authority to His Apostles

Jesus says to his Apostles, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." and "As the Father sent me, so I send you."

Mary's Immaculate Conception is a stumbling block for many.

But it is an important fact of Salvation History.

4 arguments for the Immaculate Conception (+ responses to arguments against it)
🧵 1) Gabriel called Mary "Full of Grace."

This is the first biblical clue that Mary was conceived without sin.

To be "Full of Grace" you need to be "empty of sin."

Jesus Christ established the Catholic Church

It is the outpost of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Catholic Church has 7 marks that prove its divine origin
(thread 🧵) 1. The Church is One

United in belief and mission

"That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you."
(John 17:21)

How does a person get saved?

7 heretics got the wrong answer

Here's what they said (+why they were wrong)
🧵 1/ Judaizers (50 A.D.)

"You have to follow the Law of Moses to be saved."

Judaizers demanded Gentile converts be circumcized and follow Jewish dietary law.

Jesus established the priesthood for 3 reasons

Here's why Christianity needs the priesthood

(thread) 🧵 1) Priests sanctify the Church

We need priests to offer the sacrifice of the Mass, forgive our sins, and minister the other sacraments.

This was the primary function of the presbyters in the early Church.
(James 5:13-15)

It all comes down to the Eucharist.

If that isn't Jesus Christ, Catholics are in trouble.
If that is Jesus Christ, Protestants are in trouble.

Here's why the Eucharist is truly Jesus (thread) 🧵 Jesus says, "This is my Body [...] This is the cup of my Blood."

He doesn't say "This represents my body."

He also doesn't say "This bread is my body"

It is no longer bread. It is His Body.

"Why can't Catholics interpret the Bible on their own?"

We can.

But there are 3 rules for how a Christian should interpret the Bible (thread) 🧵 The Vatican II document "Dei Verbum" (Word of God) gave 3 rules which essentially say:

1) Scripture cannot contradict itself
2) Tradition cannot contradict itself
3) Scripture and Tradition do not contradict

If your interpretation violates 1-3, it must be wrong.

Praying to the Saints is crucial to Christianity

Here are the 7 most common reasons people say not to pray to the saints (and why they're wrong)

>>> Save this mega thread 🧵 "It doesn't matter if I pray to the saints."

It does. It's part of the Creed, "I believe in the communion of Saints."

Communion involves communication.

The saints are the "cloud of witnesses" that strengthen your faith and give you the endurance to follow Christ

The Catholic Church preaches 5 doctrines about Mary

Every Christian is bound to believe them.

(Save this mega-thread) 🧵 1. Mary is the Mother of God

The argument is simple:
1) Mary is the Mother of Jesus
2) Jesus is God, therefore
3) Mary is the Mother of God

"Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
(Luke 1:43)

Where each character from The Office will be tortured for eternity in Dante's 9 Circles of Hell

(thread) 🧵

First Circle: Limbo

Pam Beesly, the virtuous pagan
• Only good person on the show
• Not baptized (can’t go to heaven)