G K Chesterton: Why am I a Catholic? 

57 years? Wow, that is a long journey indeed. Welcome home, my friend. I hope our Lord will brung you great blessings to your life.

How does a self employed carpenter who died over 2,000 years ago tell you to do anything...?

A carpenter who worked many miracles to prove He was God

@@kelman727 That's easy. Jesus not only identifies love as the answer to the world's problems, but defines what love is and shows us what love looks like. Love, based on Biblical principles or first principle, not only seeks to reconcile mankind to God but also mankind to itself through personal relationships in which we build up rather than tear down. God wants humans to be in relationship with each other in which we don't take advantage of one another. In other words, be our brothers keeper. Love rather than envy. To forgive rather than revenge. To serve rather than be served. Humility rather than pride. To lay down our lives for others rather than fight to preserve ourselves while others die. Human rights are a responsibility rather than an entitlement. To be a follower of Christ in the modern age is to truly be a "rebel" .

@@stephenmerritt5750 'Human rights are a responsibility rather than an entitlement.' No. The Second Commandment says otherwise. It is the responsibilty of these who have enough and more of this world's good things, to strive to ensure that the poor and marginalised have a fair share of God's bounty, whch he intended for all his children, as St Ambrose insisted. And don't quote to me; 'The poor you have always with you' ; That was clearly intended by Christ to apply to a specific situation at a specific time. The Bible almost routinely identifies the rich with the oppressor, the robber, the fraudulent, the violent, the dishonest, etc ; and the Bible conversely regularly identifies the poor with the virtuous, the true Israel. An outstanding example, of course, is Our Lady's Magnificat. Of course there are many exceptions, such as Joseph of Arimathea, but evidently a minority of a relative minority. The Psalms and the books of the Prophets are particularly notable in this context.

Helseth He also defended Mussolini.

@@kelman727 How?

@@kelman727 So, does it mean something about his reasonings? Unamuno supported Franco at first, and he is one of the best spanish philosophers. Moreover, many important philosophers have supported criminal communist regimes. What is the point?

@@kelman727 and?

@@kelman727 Mussolini was wrong because he lost.

Rodney Burton I don’t know many people who get their principles from an imaginary friend.

@@kelman727 He never said he got his first principles from an imaginary friend but rather that atheism ignores first principles. He is right.

kelman727 Those who believe in the “imaginary friend” built western civilisation. Atheists weaken nations to make way for foreign invaders, as history can attest, and the current context can also attest.

Joseph you would definitely be wrong. As a Buddhist myself i can tell you that is not the case. Buddha never said to reject God. He said to reject Gods. And that one God is not necessary. Does that dismiss the existence of God. No it merely says that you don't need God to do good deeds and what is right.

@Joseph They still had their own religion - Shinto.

cecily006 Chesterton was a good writer but he made a poor choice in religion

@cecilyt006By introducing "virtue signaling" to the comments you have triggered my mind to say this: Many who imbibe deeply of Catholicism rather than the truth of the gospel of Christ, like to "virtue signal" by mentioning "saints of the Church" e.g., Mary(mother of Jesus) Chesterton, Popes, Fulton Sheen, etc. etc. while true Bible believers only extol the Lord Jesus Christ Who saved them.

@@geraldnichols2722 I am NO a Catholic (or a Christian). There was no virgin birth, this one is as old as the hills, no "original sin" and the idea that anyone can "save you" is absurd.

@@geraldnichols2722 Catholicism is the truth of the Gospel (Matt 16: 18-19). "The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Tim 3:15). The Church is a visible society, "built upon the foundation of the Apostles, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Eph 2:19-22). "Christ came upon earth, not only for those who lived at that time in Palestine, but for men of all times. When He deprived men of His sensible presence, He gave them the Church with her doctrine, jurisdiction, Sacraments and worship, to be as another Christ; it is in the Church that we can find Him. No one goes to the Father--and to go the Father is all salvation and all sanctity--except through Christ: No man cometh to the Father, but by me (John 14:6). But remember well this no less important truth: no one goes to Christ except through the Church; we only belong to Christ if we belong in fact or in desire to the Church. It is only in the unity of the Church that we can live the life of Christ." Abbot Marmion Our Faith is a family relationship that reflects the Glory of the Holy Trinity. Contine to read Chesterton. Perhaps you will be persuaded.

@Sunil Sunny Yes.

Truth what's important :- 2 Timothy 3 : 16 - 17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. That is what Martin Luther rightly did, he just went back to the Truth of the Scriptures. Many Sects have their own doctored Bible i.e. the Catholic Bible, the Jehovah Witness Bible, the teachings from the Book of Mormon etc., all of these have had teaching added to or taken away from, the truth of scripture of The Holy Bible, for their own 'dubious purposes.'

The force is strong with this one.

That is right !

@@Btn1136 The Force is strong in you young Brian but you are not a Jedi yet.

Hi Planteruines. Please write to the American Chesterton Society. They will tell you. 🙏🙏🙏

@@UponThisTube thank you

That is also why the many will fall unexpectedly into the abyss of hell. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

magisterhpp I never quite understood how an all loving god is also the ceo of an everlasting concentration camp. Even Vlad the Impaler set a term to his victims’ suffering.

@@kelman727 It is quite simple: God = Love. Love *hates* greed and Love *makes no mistakes* . Nothing of the kind will enter the Kingdom of God = Love.

@@kelman727 sorry to but in but...... if you look at the Divine Mercy narrative given to St Faustina, you will see the workings of God much better... In it Jesus says even if your sins were as scarlet I would forgive you.....That is mercy and it's for all men no matter what you did..(accept blasphemy) As for Hell, image for a moment that you had a daughter and a son who you loved with all your heart, one day a group of men came into your town, and took your children by force, they put a boot on your neck and took turns raping your children in front of you while they screamed for you to help.... Now I can assure you this is a reality for many today who live under the tyranny of Islam. what would you do if when you asked them to repent for the crime and they spat in your face and said no, We would do it again and we are sorry we didn't do more This is the Reason Chesterton is talking about, you have to be fair to God otherwise you are saying no to reason and allowing confusion to rule you.

Kelmam727 Above all God is Just but is merciful if we repent of our sins. We have no idea what we are doing when we sin against God who deserves our obedience not our rebelliousness

Absolutely. Use it regularly and I will set your on the right path.

I would have care how you use universal. For universal could confuse someone from the universalists heretics.

There can ONLY be one truth, or didn't you get that?

@@Kitiwake Well somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed. And that's bullshit. For example, it is true that Christianity and Islam both teach that there is only one God. This is not enough information to know which religion, if either, is worth following.

@ora et labora I've read quite a few books, thank you. Are you suggesting that by reading certain books I'll be lead to the axiomatic truth of Catholicism? Doubt it. Thanks for that, though. I appreciate that vague, nebulous response. "Read some books"... what does that even mean? What books do you think I need to read that you assume I haven't read?

@ora et labora You know this, do you? I'm actually almost finished with that book. But just because I read a book by a man doesn't mean that I will agree with everything he says. He was Catholic. You see? Clear disagreements there. And if you don't know the answer to something, why don't you just say "I don't know" or don't respond. It would be much better than this nonsense that you and the other guy are doing; giving vague, opaque answers to inquiries instead of answering them directly.

Casper Jack Jehovah is not Allah. One is God, the other is god.

bammbamm12 John "Chuck" Chalberg

I leave the confessional knowing I am forgiven. I have faith that God forgives, but I like being told by an ordained priest that God has absolved my sins.

Me too

It only took 1100 years for the doctrine of confession to a priest to appear in the RCC/ Catholic churches. There was no priest to offer sacrifices to in the new testament and there was no confession to anyone but the Lord for forgiveness of sins .

Boblawb look at church history with an open mind. Jesus lived two thousand twenty years ago he chose twelve apostles to guide the church He gave them authority to establish the church in His name and it's based on scripture and tradition that which was not written down but by word of mouth. He established the sacraments baptism with St John the Baptist the Eucharist at the last Supper confession when He said to the apostles whose sins you shall forgiven whose sins you shall retain they are retained. Ordination Jesus was the annointed One and passed that on to the apostles. Etc Peter was Simon before he was called Peter rock

@@marydolan587 Jesus lived two thousand twenty years ago he chose twelve apostles to guide the church He gave them authority to establish the church in His name and it's based on scripture and tradition that which was not written down but by word of mouth. really? So when Peter addresses the crowd in Acts 2: he is quoting from and relying on what? He established the sacraments sacraments are a Catholic term and you do not attain salvation by the sacraments . Salvation is by grace and it is a gift not something you work for , so doing the sacraments sounds pious but in reality it will not give you salvation . baptism with St John the Baptist by full immersion after confession of sins and repentance the Eucharist at the last Supper , but not the same as Jesus performed it ,at all. confession when He said to the apostles whose sins you shall forgiven whose sins you shall retain they are retained. A troubling doctrine ( confession to a priest ) that has no foundation in scripture by word or by practice of the early church until the 1100's where it is brought into the Catholic church. as a doctrine / sacrament. Ordination Jesus was the annointed One and passed that on to the apostles. And when the apostles passed on from this life there is no record in scripture that says that there was any succession of the apostles . The believers were the ones who spread the gospel. Etc Peter was Simon before he was called Peter rock Yes Peter had a name change and the Catholic church gave him an upgrade in status even though there are many verses that describe Peter as being less than the rock Jesus named him. Jesus is the Rock of our salvation and He built His church on himself and Peter and the apostles are part of the foundation . I have looked at Catholic church history and it is dismal ,just as dismal as the protestant denominations ,all saying they are the true church. Jesus called His church "MY CHURCH" He did not call it anything else and there were no names of churches recorded by any of the writers of the new testament. The Church that Jesus founded is the true church and everything that the true church should believe is found in the scriptures. 2 Tim 3:15-17 Any new beliefs that are taught as truth and not found by example in the scriptures are not truth but fabrication by man for his own reasons. That removes purgatory Limbo baptism by sprinkling without confession of sin or age of accountability indulgences confession to a priest Popes Cardinals Mary as more than the mother of Jesus her firstborn the Eucharist as a bloodless re sacrifice of Jesus Eucharist , transubstantiation penance as defined by Penance is self-punishment done to try to right a wrong, or the receipt of absolution from sins from a priest by fulfilling some requirement.

Who is Hildebrand? I'm intrigued.

@Richard Holmes Why aren't you Catholic? I'm Catholic myself and believe is true

ora et labora it would have no doubt,but he would remain.

Francis is NOT the Pope but antipope! Please see www.vaticancatholic.com also mostholyfamilymonastery.com Thank you and God bless you!

Hey I just wonder if you ever read the story of the twelve apostles they were the worst of the worst but Jesus call them He didn't care there behaveing He came to heel the sick not the good ones how a bout the history of the popes how many of they were bad but our church still standing today after 2020 years no evil will destroyed who ever talk against the pope it is anti Christ because He represent Jesus Christ either you like it or not and He will answer to God what is doing not you or me I pray for Him every day

I think he would remain faithful to the Faith thus the Church

@@danielwoods6210 if you claim he is an anti pope then you are suggesting there is a true Pope outside Rome. Pope Francis is the pope. Unless you attended the conclave and you saw him forcing himself to the throne of Peter

Hi @christophersnedeker. Answer: No. Christ has only one Bride, one Church.

antidepressant11 Yanks overlook the fact he hated millionaires and favoured his own system - ‘distributism.’

@Khrotso Koza The "Real universal (catholic) church cannot be found physically because it is a spiritual organism called in scripture The Body of Christ. Look up the "church the Body of Christ" in the Bible. You will only find it in the epistles of Paul since the Lord revealed it to Paul after His resurrection. The 12 apostles and other disciples of Jesus before that, knew nothing of how to become a member of the Body of Christ church.

Judas was not a reason to abandon the other eleven and the Church. Jesus promised that “the forces of the netherworld will not prevail against it.” satan has been trying since then to lead people away from the Church by infiltrating it. Don’t fall for it. Choose the Eucharist Instead.

@Khrotso Koza Did Jesus not say his kingdome is not of this world? Or to live you must die, and to die you live? I think this thread is more about the scriptural Universesal Church which by definition is has the same meaning of the Catholic Church, but different than the ROMAN Catholic Church. Focus on what Jesus told the woman by the well, when she asked him where should she worship in the Semaritan temple or in a Jerusalem with the Jews? Jesus replied that what God seeks is worshippers in spirit and truth. So the physical location or a type of leader is not as important, you seeking/worshipping in truth and worshipping in spirit is the most important.

Yes I agree, its Ahlquest that muddles the water of Chestertons words when he brings up examples of protestant and Catholic. But the main difference to make is that of the biblical universal church which is the same as the Catholic church.... but not the same as the ROMAN Catholic church. I would be intrested in hearing Chestertons exact words about the ROMAN Catholic church and the Catholic Church.

HMR.Videos, the Roman Catholic Church Is the one that can trace its leadership directly to Peter to whom Jesus gave the keys to His kingdom until His return. This is the Church of Chesterton and the one that has the Eucharist - the actual body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. Protestants do not have this. Jesus said that “the forces of the netherworld will not prevail against it” meaning satan may infiltrate it and attack it for thousands of hears but it will always hold the fullness of the faith in its official teachings. Francis is heretical and many good Catholics, including some cardinals, are calling him out for trying to destroy the Church. But no good Catholic would every leave it. “To whom shall we go, Lord, You have the words of eternal life.”

@oldcorps76 i notice that Protestants wither in debates with athiests. Why? Because the have no foundation. They do not have the foundation and pillar of Truth.

Luther was offered to present his ideas and ran and to hide. Bishops and priest love good debates... especially in the middle ages to early modern as that's all they had to really do.

I think he would think just the same. Nothing that had or would happen in the Church could ever invalidate the true Church.

because psychology is a religion not a science....Catholicism renders psychology superfluous .

Then there cannot be many "true psychologists." Honestly, how many psychologists accept what the Church teaches?

So they agree with people being able to change their sex? No. The Church opposes same sex relationships. Psychology is fine with it. And the list goes on. Not sure where you are seeing the similarities.

@@ruthgilmour8399 I know lots of orthodox Catholic psychologists...just because some psychologists get things wrong doesn't mean that psychology as a discipline is unscientific or wrong.

@@andrewsheedy4513 We seem to disagree about mere statistics. What percentage of accredited psychologists accept Church teaching. My informal experience --- based on the APA's support of gay marriage and support of non-binary sex-pairing tells me the percentage is rather small. Your numbers may be better-informed, however. What are your sources?

Francis may have said heterodox stuff, but he's not a heretic. It's easy to feel like we're living in the worst crisis of the churhc, but we've actually had way worse popes and darker periods. Sure, we aren't in the brighest moment of the church, but blame it all on the pope is wrong. After all he continues to oppose abortion, religious same sex marriage, female priests and so on. Tha fact that only 8 popes have been canonized in the last 1000 or so years shows that we've had pretty average men on the chair, but it's still the chair of St Peter and Chesterton, if alive, despite the critics he would probably make against the current papacy, would still recognize its authority.

@@TrollsFormers05 Dude, the pope presided over a literal pagan ritual in the Vatican gardens during the Amazon Synod. The popes you are referring to erred on precision of doctrine or personal morals. They never, not a one, had pagan worship in the Vatican. Watch the video of the Amazon Synod at Vatican Gardens. They all bowed down in front of wooden Pachamama idols...that pope Francis BLESSED! no sorry no other pope has ever been this bad.

@@dnznznfjsnsnsms9996 TRUE the last GOOD Pope I think is Pope John Paul II. The Catholic Church still STANDS since it's foundation in the 1st century AD.

@@Darth_Vader258 unfortunately he too did awful things at Assisi. But he at least didn't try to change moral doctrine

@Israel Siqueira I totally agree with you. Keep the good work!

That is not new, see anti pope & evil pope.

You need to go to confession after writing that. I'm not joking.

How are you on exegesis? You probably never heard of it.

Against ALL challenges!

It wasn't the Orthodox Church that stood up to the Soviet Union. It was Pope John Paul II. The Catholic Church learned this lesson the hard way and separated from worldly powers some thousand years ago, after Philip IV of France forced Pope Clements hand to disband the Templar Knights and burn them at stakes.

Although I have great respect for the Orthodox Church. It is not universal.

Eastern ORthodox is dead...schism 2018...The Catholics were right...Throne of St. PEter or nothing..

Orthodoxy denies the immaculate conception of Mary, so it's cringe

It's outside the authority of the church... Remember....authority comes from the author.

Lol how do I know you are an American protestant? Read some theology bro

Drew Bakka Are you saying you disagree with Chesterton? I'm Catholic but don't try to say I'm a theologian. I did have a lot of theology but forgot a other of what I learned. Sorry if I offended you.

I've sadly shared similar experiences, I attended a local parish on Sunday for the first time and was shocked at the use of a band of electric guitars and drums and a rainbow flag sticker plastered on the gates. Priests I feel are generally hesitant to fully speak on the actual truth of Christ and make mass into a feel good show. May Lord have mercy.

They are Freemasons and communists.

There is a biblical passage that doesn't come to mind in it's exact form but that goes something like "God takes a bad view of calumny against his priests."

Hilarious! It does have the staging appearence

The apostolic Catholic church is the only church that can be traced back to Christ through the papacy ,256 popes all the way back to PETER.We have had terrific popes and terrible popes.The office is greater than the individual.Christ had no sooner said to PETER you are the rock on which I build my church when he said, get behind me Satan, when PETER objected to Christ foretelling the passion that he must indure.The church was born in crisis and will be in crisis till Christ returns.The gate's of hell will not prevail.The majority of Catholics will abandon the Catholic church and truth of its doctrine of the Faith just like at the foot of the cross only one of apostles stood,the rest jumped from the boat because of the storm.

Brendan Ryan The Rock to which Jesus was referring when He said “Upon this Rock...” was He Himself ( the Great Rock),not Peter ( who was Cephas, a stone, a little rock).

@@gregsolovieff6711 Nope! Matthew was written first in Aramaic and not Greek. The Aramaic word for "Rock" is 'Kepha' which refers to 'Peter' not Jesus.

@@brendanryan5437 How old are you? I pray for your soul now!

Greg Solovieff wrong just your interpretation of scripture

and it aways did.

Because the Church is indeed a hospital for sinners, not a museum of saints. Pedophilia is prevalent across all boards. I'm not defending it, but I just wanna say that pedophilia in institutions is small in comparison to pedophilia in other categories. These abuse is not just existent in the Church, but in other religions, churches, schools, organizations, and others. In addition, God used different kinds of people to lead everyone. And yes, this include sinful people, even though with authority and power. All men are sinful, and that include those who have positions. All individuals are indeed fallible, but the Church and her deposit of faith is infallible over everything else here in our world. I guess you can wonder why throughout the Church's history, many nations, empires, sects, beliefs fall when they existed side by side with the Church, yet the Church is still standing strong? Why when the world is surrounded by evil, the Church is like a fort or castle holding down the truth, despite the accusations given to them, inside and out? The Church experience this thing before in history, it's because of fallible people. Yet it continues to stand for some reason because the good of the world is also in the Church.

@@PVCGunita A part of me would never want the church to fall because religion in general does provide something to society. Certain religions are more violent then others and the reasons for their violence differ and violence is beneficial and helps maintain followership. That being said The Church leadership covered up Pedophilia. How is the truth of The Church valid? Are the leadership closer to God? Honest question.If they are How would god allow this to go on? This isn't new either. Hundreds of years. People are fallible but the Priest uses his connection to God, their fatherly position to gain the trust of his victim to utterly destroy them in the end. Why would anybody be inspired to maintain loyalty to a group of humans that are proven conspirators in child victimization? Why not go independent with your worship of god? As i said i am an atheist but some of the best people i know are Christian I just want to understand.

@@mickD87 just because you have some sort of position doesn't mean you are closer to God. What you have is a duty and a responsibility to keep our faith and show the example of it. That is what the people in position should do. For they have a greater responsibility. It's not like everyone in leadership knows about what happened, but rather there were some immoral people who hid it in secret, or ignored it. Those certain individuals are at fault, but never the church as a whole.

@@mickD87 In addition, one is not Catholic because they follow a certain individual. They are Catholic because of the teachings and the truth provided by the Church. For example, one is Catholic not because of the pope, the fashion, the priests, the music, and such. Rather, one is Catholic because it upholds many truths, one that Jesus is really present in the bread and wine during Mass, the Eucharist.

@@PVCGunita So is it fine to find God on your own?

but Orthodoxy lacks communion with Rome, with the ROCK. I was baptised Orthodox but have come to Catholicism by the grace of the Spirit.

@@candletabletop154 yes, it lacks communion with Rome for good reason, as Rome split away from the ancient Truths and went off on its own... Lord have mercy on all

What's "Roman Catholicism" exactly and produce your successor to Peter.