My son is a christian but wants to date a catholic girl, is that ok? I really need help and don't know what to do, I always thought that Catholics had very similar beliefs to Chrisitans.
Hi awf!
Catholics are dated just like everyone else--cut them in half and count the rings.
Seriously, et me give you the Catholic perspective here, it might help you out. No doubt you are concerned with some of our "unbiblical" practices--devotions to Mary, the Sacrament of Confession, and the like. However, let me suggest a different approach to the situation.
Consider what your son will have in common with the Catholic girl. In fact, you can use the Nicene Creed as a starting point:
We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.Step back for a moment and ask yourself what is wrong with the above. I would imagine that your son, very much like that Catholic girl, believes everything above. That alone makes both of them "Christian."
Or look at this way: I don't know what denomination (if any) you and your son belong to--it's really not important, either. But would you feel perfectly okay if your son were to date a girl from another denomination that had a different theology than yours? (For instance, if you had different views about homosexuality, baptism, or salvation?) If so, what is it specifically about Catholicism that bothers you? If not, ask yourself if you would be comfortable if your son dated only within the one denomination.
In my view--and I'm sure that there are others on these boards that will disagree with me, as is their right--the most important aspect of dating and/or courtship is that you share the basic beliefs as outlined above in the Nicene Creed. Forget differences
between Catholics and Protestants, Protestants and Orthodox, and Orthodox and Catholics--the differences
within any one of these groups can be profound. If your son has found somebody that loves him and that he similarly cares for, if they help each other grow in faith and love for Jesus Christ, I just can't see the problem. (Then again, that's my view as a Catholic...)
God bless,
MC
