Examination Of Conscience

[sanctus]

[1] I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
Do I give God time every day in prayer?
Do I seek to love Him with my whole heart?
Have I been involved with superstitious practices or have I been involved with the occult?
Do I seek to surrender myself to God's Word as taught by the Church?
Have I ever received Communion in a state of mortal sin?
Have I ever deliberately told a lie in confession or have I withheld a mortal sin from the priest in confession?
[2] You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Have I used God's name in vain: lightly or carelessly?
Have I been angry with God?
Have I wished evil upon another person?
Have I insulted a sacred person or abused a sacred object?
[3] Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of Obligation?
Have I tried to observe Sunday as a family day and a day of rest?
Do I do needless work on Sunday?
[4] Honour your Father and your Mother.
Do I honour and obey my parents?
Have I neglected my duties to my spouse and children?
Have I given my family good religious example?
Do I try to bring peace into my home life?
Do I care for my aged and infirm relatives?
[5] You shall not kill.
Have I had an abortion or encouraged anyone to have an abortion?
Have I physically harmed anyone?
have I abused alcohol or drugs?
Did I give scandal to anyone, thereby leading them into sin?
Have I been angry or resentful?
Have I harboured hatred in my heart?
Have I mutilated myself through any form of sterilization?
Have I encouraged or condoned sterilization?
[6] You shall not commit adultery.
Have I been faithful to my marriage vows in thought and action?
Have I engaged in any sexual activity outside of marriage?
Have I used any method of contraception or artificial birth control in my marriage?
Has each sexual act in my marriage been open to the transmission of new life?
Have I been guilty of masturbation?
Have I sought to control my thoughts?
Have I respected all members of the opposite sex, or have I thought of other people as objects?
Have I been guilty of any homosexual activity?
Do I seek to be chaste in my thoughts, words and actions?
Am I careful to dress modestly?
[7] You shall not steal.
Have I stolen what is not mine?
Have I returned or made restitution for what I have stolen?
Do I waste time at work, school or at home?
Do I gamble excessively, thereby denying my family of their needs?
Do I pay my debts promptly?
Do I seek to share what I have with the poor?
[8] You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Have I lied?
Have I gossiped?
Have I spoken behind someone else's back?
Am I sincere in my dealings with others?
Am I critical, negative or uncharitable in my thoughts of others?
Do I keep secret what should be kept confidential?
[9] You shall not desire your neighbour's wife.
Have I consented to impure thoughts?
Have I caused them by impure reading, movies, conversations or curiosity?
Do I seek to control my imagination?
Do I pray at once to banish impure thoughts and temptations?

[10] You shall not desire your neighbour's goods.
Am I jealous of what other people have?
Do I envy the families or possessions of others?
Am I greedy or selfish?
Are material possessions the purpose of my life?
Do I trust that God will care for all of my material and spiritual needs?

Imprimatur:
+ Francis Cardinal Spellman
Archbishop of New York Nihil Obstat:
John M.A. Fearns, S.T.D
Censor Librorum

 

[tamarin]

There is not a single Canadian or American who hasn't run afoul of this list. Why not post a list of expectations for God. Life is a two way street.

 

[Curiosity]

LOL Tamarin

Excellent reply!

The first time I read the words this morning I thought it was such a downer. How can religious belief attract positive people with such paranoia. Cranky old man comes to mind.

Where's the god who regards us with love and understanding?

 

[sanctus]

There is not a single Canadian or American who hasn't run afoul of this list. Why not post a list of expectations for God. Life is a two way street.

There is not a single human period, who has not run afoul of the Commandments, regardless of their ethnic or national group.

 

[Curiosity]

Good morning Sanctus

What would you write as Tamarin has suggested in a list of "expectations for God"?

 

[tamarin]

Let's start simply: faith is a contract. The prayers of the devout, where reasonable, must be answered.

 

[sanctus]

Good morning Sanctus

What would you write as Tamarin has suggested in a list of "expectations for God"?

Good morning my friend!

Well, good question! I suppose right off the get-go I'd suggest that it is beyond the pale to expect the creation to sit in any sort of judgement on the Creator.

If compelled to isolate one expectation, at the least, I'd have to submit that expectation that God loves me despite myself.

 

[tamarin]

Sanctus, you can break God's expectations into two basic categories: intangible and tangible. You have a decent start on the intangibles. Your initial post posited quite a list for mortals to follow. A list for God should be equal to that.

 

[sanctus]

Sanctus, you can break God's expectations into two basic categories: intangible and tangible. You have a decent start on the intangibles. Your initial post posited quite a list for mortals to follow. A list for God should be equal to that.

I disagree. We are not in a position to demand expectations from God other then what I already stated, that He love me. No more is required, at least by me.

 

[sanctus]

Sanctus, you can break God's expectations into two basic categories: intangible and tangible. You have a decent start on the intangibles. Your initial post posited quite a list for mortals to follow. A list for God should be equal to that.

I might also add, to my original expectation, that the only other expectation I have from God is that He forgive and cleanse me from my sins..

 

[tamarin]

Now I understand why the angels rebelled.

 

[sanctus]

Now I understand why the angels rebelled.

(with a big smile on my face)... Well, come on, you asked me MY expectations, if you have others by all means share them:laughing7:

 

[tamarin]

Of course, I've got a list. But equally I would want a means for enforcement.
I look at the Christian church today and in Western countries it's obviously in retreat. Detractors will insist the church is still strong and growing throughout ... the Third World. But this must be embarrassing to the church's hierarchy. I think a lot of this has to do with imbalance. God not doing His fair share.

 

[Curiosity]

Love ya Sanctus

I have a feeling your God brought you to this forum - not only for us but for you own needs.

My expectations? I guess that I will be continually forgiven - that which is promised to us.

Why? Because I know I will continually sin under such a strict code.

 

[AndyF]

I disagree. We are not in a position to demand expectations from God other then what I already stated, that He love me. No more is required, at least by me.

This I think is where we depart and is a thorn in my Faith.

I believe there is an overiding obligation for any entity that can create sentient aware beings to show that His justice is fair, and here is where we are told that even this must be trusted has part of the deposit of the Faith. It should be a living justice, open to all scrutiny and dissection, after which the components can be reassembled and still come out to be shown as just. If Justice is pure, then there is no risk in having it has elected arbitrator for all beings. I believe this is external to the Deposit, and there are valid concerns expressed by the created entities that orient them to desire something further than what he has. I can see no reason why God cannot take a tabula rasa approach to judgement, and have the system run itself if what is taught to us is true. We know that God can remain a Trinity and still have His son redeem us, so we know this is possible. In such a scenerio a judge becomes one without conflict of interest, and the offended waits the decision.

The issue can be explained by first realizing that there are 3 entities under God's governorship, not 2, ie: man and spirit. Let us examine the characteristics of this entity called society/collective/group to see if he qualifies.

1/ It would have the options of free choice.
2/ It would show that on occasion it invokes Devine intervention.
3/ It would show that on occasion that it is remorseful.
4/ It would be capable of doing good and evil.
5/ It commits acts by long contemplation benefited by the examination of conscience of many, thus forming the collective decision. If it opts for an evil, it always sets it's determination in a decree, thus proving it's obstinancy to higher Authority in writing.
6/ It's good actions are described has a common good, thus supposing that this fallible entity is capable of common evil.

And lastly for validity it would require recognition by God by:

1/ recognition that it's form (collective) is recognized.
2/ that it can act in the form recognized by God.
3/ that the form is recognized by the Church. (Pope pleading for forgiveness for the sins of nations.)
4/ that on occasion it can incur the wrath of God in the form it chose to sin.

So any created entity can quickly see that this initiated member is subject to all the corrective measures any other is subject to, but to date only temporal smiting has been proven to be it's lot..

It is interesting to note that God Himself promised to honour the desires of man. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came into contract with man, and promised that whatever was bound on earth was bound in heaven. Since the democratic justice systems of the world find sanction with the Church, then this judicial institution's precepts can be said to be bound in heaven. Remember, the contract was implemented regardless of it's potential fallibility on the human end of it.

It follows then that for every individual that is in hell for mortal sin, he can be assured every nation is also there for the same sin, factors remaining equal. If the nation is not there with him, then God is breaking up the form into it's culpable components for the sake of judgement, (probable otherwise why the selective Redemption). Secondly, He is duplicating a fallible trial where for and example parallel, a murder committed by 2 of a group of 50 KKK members obtain the death senetence, where the judge knows in their hearts that all desire the outcome by their initiation alone by contracting with evil. They ALL are guilty of the crime. We can see the convenience of this arragement. It becomes fair to the just, but in a democratic system, even the culpable have right to fair and due process. They should all get the death sentence. (see NewAdvent.org:sin as well as other references.). We know that this sentence was wrong, has now the lesson is learned by all that initiating into a group raises the possibility that the desire can be realized. ie: "I'm glad he was murdered, but even though my desires were fullfilled, I'm of less guilt."

So the person in hades will see no nations there, due to no reason other than possible squemishness, and the fact that it would put in question the possibility of obtaining any kind of Devine perfection. It would put into question the real character of society has being of valid virtuous example witness in our trial for the prosecution, has our sins against it are also weighed.

Personally, every case at celestial trial, if there is indeed a valid Contract, would need to show that in every case of "God.vs.entity", that every case was handled fairly. The celestial court would need to provide an impartial defense for the accused, and show that this assigned being has no conflict of interest (hardly likely has he would require every ounce of power bestowed on him from beatification to fight the prosecution. Besides, why would he jeopardize his own position.?). Secondly, he would have at his disposal all the facility of the courts. Every individual could rightly invoke his rights outlined by the Holy Spirit in contract.

No, to date man has not seen "all" fair trials by God, nor should it be obviously predictable. One would say that this too must be trusted, I say no way, I also bind any spiritual being to his contract. So proof is still pending. We would need to see that all those in Gemorah are in hell, and all those in Sodom, and all the Levites,etc. Only then is my torment and anyone else's justified. The justification of Justice well adminsitered is also a stark realization in conscience for the accused. So far the children at Fatima have seen no nations in hades, even though thousands of nations have passed. No wonder it was children shown, an adult would be more questioning. The odds that all collectives are sinless is remote.

I think that at the least, the most extreme punishment should be balanced by the option of the created entity to have the obligation of existing. Prior to having the soul assigned at conception, it should be given the whole truth and the possibilities of it's fate, then given the option.

So to your statement I assume you are concluding, His love for your less sinful self would be less than His love for a more sinful nation, has He never sees their collective sin has grave has a your unforgiven mortal sin, that would by Devine law, warrant the extreme punitive measures. In short, I'm saying we have only seen a Global individual fixated God, and not the Universal one that we would expect by the evidence and factors thus presented by Scripture and the Church.

Sorry for the length, no way of making this point shorter.

AndyF

 

[selfactivated]

[1] I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.

My Gods arent strange! pffffft

 

[selfactivated]

2] You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Honey Bunny if im screaming OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! Then I MEAN it!

 

[selfactivated]

3] Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.

EVERYDAY is a holy day!!!

 

[selfactivated]

[4] Honour your Father and your Mother.

YOU honour them! The bastard molested me and she allowed it........YOU honour them!

 

[selfactivated]

[6] You shall not commit adultery.

My Soulmate is a married man, He loves me and his wife, I dont believe in marrage he does, we HONOUR his Love of his family! Call it what you like!