#12656 How Can I Believe in the Trinity? Why Aren’t You Catholic? - Joe Heschmeyer

“How can I believe in the Trinity?” This question opens a discussion on the complexities of faith, including concerns about conversion from Protestantism and the potential conflict with family beliefs. Other topics include the challenges of Catholic practices versus dogma and the significance of adoration in the conversion process. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 07:28 – I need help believing in the Trinity. 18:44 – I was raised Protestant and my parents are anti-Catholic. Would it be dishonoring my parents to convert? 29:02 – I’m not Catholic because of how Catholicism is practiced and not necessarily about dogma. 35:07 – My one hang up to convert is adoration. 50:07 – Is there any connection between Matthew 7:24-27 and Matthew 16:18?

“Can prayer to saints be justified?” This question opens a discussion on the role of saints in Catholicism, addressing concerns about mediation and the nature of prayer. Other topics include skepticism about the credibility of the Gospels and the application of indulgences, highlighting the diverse perspectives on these theological issues. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 2:00 – I’m not Catholic because I think Joe changes the gospels for his own gain and reduces the credibility of the real gospel. 20:29 – I think prayer to saints violates the idea that Jesus is the one mediator. 42:12 – I don’t believe in indulgences specifically how they can be applied to others.

“How can I respond to Protestant objections about Scripture?” This episode addresses this question while also tackling varied topics such as how to engage with a friend’s doubts about the resurrection, responding to claims about dietary restrictions from non-Catholic Bible studies, and discussing the significance of the Deuterocanonical books. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:50 – I feel like Catholics come across as first century historians about a God that wants nothing to do with you. 12:20 – My friend’s dad doesn’t believe Jesus really rose from the dead. How can I object to his premise? 21:35 – I have a relative who is going to a non-Catholic bible study. They were told that they are not supposed to eat pork or else they will be condemned. How do I respond? 28:49 – What is your response to protestants who reject the seven extra books we have? 39:40 – Do Catholics believe that there is no more procreation in the afterlife? 45:41 – Why are Holy Thursday and Good Friday not considered holy days of obligation? 47:51 – My protestant friend said that they reject the Deuterocanon because they came in at a time where no new prophecies would come. How do I respond to that?

“Why does God call sinners to grace and not the damned?” This question raises important theological discussions about divine mercy and justice. Other topics addressed include how Catholics believe they can attain heaven, the procession of the Holy Spirit, and the significance of choosing a saint’s name for baptism. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:20 – Catholicism doesn’t make sense to me because it says God moves a sinner to repentance by grace and yet he doesn’t do that for the damned. If God were all-loving, then wouldn’t he move the damned to repentance and forgive them? 13:28 – How do Catholics make it to heaven? 16:50 – Why do we say the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son and why do the Orthodox disagree? 22:44 – If this is the Church Jesus founded, how is it that the Church has done so much evil in Canada, the crusades? 45:33 – I’m getting baptized this Saturday. What is the meaning of picking a saint’s name for baptism? 52:30 – Why go to general confession and why repeatedly confess the same sins over and over again?

“What is our authority structure?” This question leads to a discussion on the implications of Sola Scriptura and how Catholics understand authority through both Tradition and Scripture. Other topics include how Catholics respond to 2 Timothy’s assertion about Scripture’s profitability and the significance of 1 Timothy 3:15 regarding the Church as the pillar and foundation of truth. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:33 – If Sola Scriptura is Wrong, Then what does our authority structure look like? 13:54 – How do Catholics refute protestant understanding of 2 Tim, All scripture is profitable. 21:00 – 1 Tim 3:15 says the Church is the pillar and foundation. How do protestants get around that scripture? 29:33 – I think another evidence for being against sola scriptura is Satan using scripture to tempt Jesus. What are your thoughts on that? 32:35 – What exactly is Tradition? 42:14 – How do you deal with the objection from protestants about wisdom and not being in their canon but only accept Sola Scriptura?

“How do you talk about chastity to an indifferent generation?” This question opens a discussion on the challenges of conveying the importance of chastity today. Other topics include seeking intimacy without lust in relationships, addressing concerns about the Church’s stance on sexism, and offering guidance to a daughter navigating attraction in dating. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:40 – How do you talk about chastity to an indifferent generation? 13:13 – I have been intimate with my girlfriend in an inappropriate way. How do I seek intimacy with her without lusting over her body? 16:30 – In light of the scriptures of the OT. How would you respond that the Church is not sexist? 29:24 – What words of wisdom could I offer to my 26-year-old daughter who is dating someone she is not physically attracted to because she is afraid, she can’t find any nice guys? 34:15 – At what point is pornography use habitual, making it a venial sin and not a mortal sin? 41:21 – Why doesn’t the Church attack the American sexual revolution? If they are the enemy why not attack them to destroy it?

“Is it a sin to marry outside your faith?” This question opens a discussion on the nuances of faith and relationships, including interpretations of 2 Corinthians and the concept of being unequally yoked. Other topics addressed include the implications of Matthew 7:6 on sharing scripture, the nature of particular judgment, and the meaning of being poor in spirit. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:45 – When discussing 2 Corinthians where Paul mentions not being unequally yoked, my protestant friend argued is it a sin to marry outside your own faith. I argue that Paul was giving his own opinion and not giving a commandment from God. Is this a proper response? 13:33 – Matthew 7:6 says don’t throw pearls to swine. Would giving bibles to the homeless be throwing pearls to swine? 18:30 – How would I prove biblically that there is a particular judgement and not a resting in Christ until the final judgement? Do people go to Hades now or do they go to Gehenna? 37:05 – How do Catholics combat free grace theology using scripture? 45:38 – In John 21:15 Jesus says to Peter, “do you love me more than these?” Who are “these”? 48:30 – At the end of Acts, Paul was told he didn’t do anything wrong. Why then was Paul beheaded? 53:01 – What does it mean to be poor in spirit?

“Did Jesus use a racial slur against the woman in Mt. 15:26?” This question opens a discussion on the complexities of scripture interpretation. Other topics include the Catholic understanding of faith and works as discussed by Paul, and how to reconcile 2 Corinthians 5:8 with the doctrine of purgatory, showcasing a range of theological inquiries. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 01:44 – Did Jesus use a racial slur against the woman in Mt. 15:26? 15:23 – How do Catholics understand when Paul says faith apart from works of the law? 29:30 – Jesus tells when we fast and pray we are to do things a certain way. Do we follow exactly what he says or do we follow how the Church tells us to? If the fasting is in quiet, how do we witness to people? 41:15 – How do we reconcile 2 Cor 5:8, to “be away from the body and at home with the Lord” with the doctrine of purgatory? 47:23 – Did St. Jerome change his mind on the Deuterocanon? 51:59 – I want to study more formally bible studies. What do you recommend one do or which programs to follow?

“Can a bishop ordain married men to the priesthood without the pope’s approval?” This question opens a discussion that also touches on whether Catholics and Muslims worship the same God, the appropriateness of performing marriages outside of church buildings, and the implications of changes in Mass prayers. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:00 – Does a bishop have the authority to ordain married men to the priesthood without the popes approval? 11:20 – What do Catholics say about Muslims and Catholics worshipping the same God? 16:35 – Is a priest allowed to perform a marriage outside of a church building? 20:05 – Why did they drop the word “One” from the closing prayer at Mass? 24:05 – Our parish is adding an extra song after the consecration, and another one during the cleaning of the vessels. Is this proper? 33:15 – I’m an evangelical Protestant and I’m getting curious about Catholicism. How do I go about this without falling into error? 48:20 – What is the difference between the Anglican and Catholic views of the Eucharist? Is it efficacious to receive communion at a non-Catholic Church?  

“Is Catholicism a works-based salvation?” This question leads to a discussion on the nature of salvation in Catholicism, addressing concerns about the apostolic Church’s teachings. Other topics include the journey of someone in OCIA seeking clarity on salvation and guidance for those raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses looking to convert to Catholicism. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 08:15 – I believe in the apostolic Church and don’t think Catholicism holds to the original form. 28:45 – I’m in OCIA. How is Catholicism not a works-based salvation? 45:42 – I was raised JW. How and where do I start if I want to become Catholic?