We Need to Talk About This Meme

There's a meme that's been making it's way around some of my Facebook friends, and it goes a little something like this...

Now, I'm not going to sit here and say how offended I am by it. But I will sit here and describe in lengthy detail why I disagree with its subliminal anti-Catholic message.

Why do I say this meme is anti-Catholic? Because most of the things listed in this meme are specifically of Catholic origin. Specifically - Mary, Baptism, and the Pope.

This meme is obviously directed at sects of Christianity who consider themselves Saved because they accepted Jesus into their heart in a conscious decision, like a Born-Again Christian. That's cool and all, I won't degrade another's belief to push my own agenda, but I have a problem with the way it steps on Catholic beliefs to get its message across. (Disclaimer: I only speak from the Catholic perspective. I do not know the details of the beliefs of other Christian sects.)

And finally, let's take a look at the only Bible verse included in the meme. From the NASB translation found on my SheReadsTruth app, John 3:16 states "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

With that in mind, let's take a look at the Catholic perspective of everything on that wall.

Priest - These are the teachers, leaders, and sacrament providers of a church congregation. Catholics do not look to priests to save them, but merely guide their soul toward God. In this scenario, Jesus still does the saving.

Mary - I have been called a "Mary-worshiper." So let me just say - no, we do not worship Mary. We venerate her for making the decision to say Yes to God and bear His son. We revere her as one would revere their own mother. We respect her as one would respect a friend's mother. And we pray to her with the faith that she will be a messenger on our behalf. Even in The Hail Mary prayer, we ask that she "pray for us now, and in the hour of our death." We do not ask that she save us herself - we ask that she pray for us. In this scenario, Jesus still does the saving.

Baptism - Baptism is not only within Catholic doctrine. It spans other sects, as well - because sprinkling or immersing ourselves or our children in water is a way to reenact the one part of the Bible that is completely! dedicated! to! Baptism! Baptism in the Catholic sense is meant as an act that wipes the slate clean, as literally washing away our sins in an act of repenting. This alone does not save; rather, it acts as a type of cleansing to do in this physical realm before we meet with God. In this scenario, Jesus still does the saving.

Good works - Catholics don't believe that good works alone save - they are just things Christians do to act in a Christian way to spread God's love. Acting in a way Jesus would is one way to express our faith. In this scenario, Jesus still does the saving.

Church - The church is literally just a community of like-minded individuals regarding religion. We do not ask ourselves to save each other. In this scenario, Jesus still does the saving.

The Pope - The Pope is the head of the church in the metaphoric way of Peter, who was the rock of the church. Catholics do not look to him to save us - and no, we don't worship him, either. In this scenario, Jesus still does the saving.

Catholics believe that believing in Jesus is what saves. We believe that we are simultaneously saved and being saved, with the hope that we will be saved. [X]

tldr; It seems Christians spend more time in a my-love-for-Jesus-is-bigger contest than actually helping others, and this meme perpetuates the antagonistic attitude toward Catholics.

The Bibles in My TBR List

First off, I would like to say that it's not the amount of Bibles owned or read that makes a Christian, but the actions of the Christian as learned from the Bible. Secondly, I would like to add the disclaimer that each of these Bibles have come into my life in one way or another, and that's how I ended up with the amount of Bibles I currently have. All pictures are from Goodreads or their website of origin.

The Picture Bible, Iva Hoth - READ

I received this Bible in 1998 for my First Communion. I read this one in the span of a few weeks. At the time, I had not picked up a Bible in years, I had not gone to church in years, and I wanted to reintroduce myself to Christianity. This Bible consists of major Bible stories in comic book format, with the corresponding verses of the story listed at the beginning. It's a quick read, and easy to understand. For me, it gave meaning to the Old Testament, which was a confusing piece of literature for me. It helped put faces to names and truly imagine them. My only critique was the whitewashing - every character in this book was drawn as being white (specifically the epitome of beauty as the standard of the 80s), even though it's set in the Middle East. I counted three black men in the whole book - one servant and two Ethiopians. I would recommend this to anyone, including children - as long as a conversation about the handling of race accompanies the reading.

Holy Bible, NASB - CURRENTLY READING (with SheReadsTruth)

I recently downloaded the app SheReadsTruth to my iPhone, so now I can have the Bible wherever I go. I can search a Bible verse, make notes on specific verses, and bookmark favorites. The app also has available plans, and I got the free plan "The Bible in a Year." Since I started in February, I have some catching up to do. The reader can even pick which translation they want to read, which I love. It also shows the percentage of what you've read, and every reading has a comment section where readers can comment their meditations and thoughts on the specific readings. The company also has a male counterpart app called HeReadsTruth. This app is so convenient, as I read it while waiting for appointments, on my breaks, or before I go to bed.



Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible

I bought myself this Bible last October, when I realized I had never read the Bible. I wanted to present myself with a Bible as a formal way of reintroducing myself on my own journey. There are a lot of "I's" and "me's" in that previous sentence, but this was my way of asserting the independence of my new-found journey. Though, I had forgotten that I already owned this translation - it just had a different cover. But I had the old version since my times at a small Catholic high school, and the cover and pages had been wrinkled not from use, but from being in a backpack for so long. In my opinion, a new journey needed a new Bible. Little did I know that more Bibles would cross my path. I started reading it, but put it down for a later time.



Catholic Women's Bible NABRE - CURRENTLY READING (Bible study)

Both my best friend and I were looking for Bibles with excerpts that focused on women. There are so many women in the Bible that are overlooked, and we wanted to read about them. So this was the perfect solution - the Bible for the Catholic women. Thus, my friend and I are reading it as part of a two-person Bible study group. Interspersed throughout the Book are meditations and excerpts on what it means to be a Catholic woman, as it relates to women in the Scripture.



Saint Joseph New Testament

I bought this Bible - basically consisting only of the New Testament of the Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible - to keep in a drawer at my work desk. It's small, so it sits safely in the drawer next to my daily work items.



The Bible for Children: Simplified Living Bible Text - CURRENTLY READING

This one is especially important to me, as it was given to me by my late father when I was a toddler. When I read this Bible, I feel like I'm connecting with two fathers - the one that is in heaven and the one that is the King of heaven. This translation is unorthodox, as in it's paraphrased so children can understand the Word. This is perfect for me - since I'm new on this journey, I'm very much like a child in my faith. The verses still correspond to official translations, and nothing is left out.



Inspire Bible NLT

I am looking forward to reading this one. The cover is beautiful, imitation leather of my favorite color, and it has an elastic to hold it closed, as well as a matching ribbon. What makes this one so special to me is that it is one that has extra room in the margins for coloring with highlighters specifically for the Bible. Following the adult coloring trend, it looks like it has a mixture of blank space and bubbled letters and patterned verses to color in as a part of meditation. I can't wait to start this one, though I will wait until I'm done one of the other currently-being-read-Bibles.



Precious Moments Holy Bible NKJV - CURRENTLY READING (Bible study)

Most likely my first Bible, it was given to me by my mom and late father when I was a baby. The page at the front of the book states that it was presented by "Mom and Dad" - and that page is a place where the three of us will always be together. I realized a few months ago that I had never read it, and thought that I should start. I'm taking my time reading this one in another two-person Bible study group. It has Precious Moments pictures interspersed throughout the Book.

As I finish reading, I'll put these on my Goodreads shelf called "Bibles" - the link is in the sidebar. I am specifically reading different versions because I don't want to be confined to one translation. I love how Bibles feel in my hands, and I receive a feeling of peace and calm when I read. I have anxiety, and I have noticed that I have had less anxiety attacks since reading the Bible.

I'm looking forward to reading all of these, as each translation fits into my journey in unknown ways. I'm looking forward to continuing this journey.

On Lovingkindness

Last week, I downloaded the free app SheReadsTruth - an app that contains different translations of the Bible for reading the Word on the go (they have a male counterpart, HeReadsTruth, also available). It also has a free plan for reading the Bible in a year, of which I started reading last week, and have been playing catch-up with the NASB translation.

Throughout my reading, I keep coming across the word 'lovingkindness.' It's dotted throughout the readings, and it jumps out at me every time.

Lovingkindness. Lovingkindness. Lovingkindness.

At first glance, I can guess from contextual analysis that it is a feeling deeper than kindness - a kindness that is loving. A step further than just showing a kind demeanor. There must be some kind of love behind the act.

On further research (read: a Google search) I discovered that lovingkindness is actually the opposite of what I thought - not kindness with love, but love with kindness - specifically, "a form of love characterized by acts of kindness" (x). In Hebrew, it is known as chesed; in Buddhism, it is known as Mettā.

I will have to meditate on why this word keeps jumping out at me. I find it intriguing that this word is a synthesis of two beautiful words, which mean something greater when combined. Maybe it means I should focus on how I show my love. I am a writer, so I am more inclined to show my love with words rather than actions - texts, proclamations, and sayings - but actions speak louder than words. I will have to do some soul searching with this one.

Why I Use the Term "Catholic-Christian"

I am a Catholic, and I am a Christian. An overwhelming amount of articles and op-eds are revealed in a Google search that say things like "Catholics aren't Christians" and "Catholicism is a fake religion."

Um. No.

Christianity is an umbrella term for any sect of Jesus-believing religion. Under the term 'Christianity,' there are the Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, and Restorationists, to name the major categories. Guess what's included? Catholicism.

I have been made fun of in the past for my religion. I have been told that I'm a "Mary-worshiper" and that "I'm going to hell" for my beliefs.

And I'm not going to justify my Catholicism. I am Catholic, and as such, I am a Christian.

I'll put it another way; the three main monotheistic religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. And guess which one Catholicism is a part of? Christianity. Since my religion is a part of Christianity, I am a Christian.

People need to get off their high horses. The Bible literally says to seek Jesus, not the Bible: "'You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me...'" (John 5:39). Those who seek and believe in Jesus are Christians. The Catholic, the Lutheran, the Presbyterian, the Baptist. All Christian.

But you know what's not a Christian thing to do? Defining someone else's religion based on your own prejudices. I don't think that's what Jesus would do.

This is why I don't mind reading translations of the Bible that aren't strictly Catholic. I'm currently reading the NAB, the NASB, the NKJV, and the Simplified Living Bible Text (a children's paraphrased Bible that my late father gave me when I was a kid). And I have pre-ordered a Bible that is the New Living Translation. That, to me, is a comfortable mix of Catholic and non-Catholic canon.

Don't mind me, I'll just be making the sign of the cross with my rosary and statues and pretty stained glass windows.