In a thought-provoking segment of The Patrick Madrid Show, Patrick talks with Dave from New Brunswick, Canada. He asks if those who are Mormon and Jehovah’s Witnesses are praying to the same God as Catholics.
Here’s Patrick’s explanation:
Jehovah’s Witnesses: Unpacking Their Monotheistic View
Jehovah’s Witnesses follow a pretty strict monotheism, denying the Trinity’s concept by rejecting the divine nature of Jesus and the existence of the Holy Spirit. They recognize a singular God but do not accept His triune essence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which is different from Catholic teaching.
Mormons: A Distinct Perspective on the Divine
Mormons, on the other hand, accept a form of the Godhead, yet their understanding is also far from traditional Christianity. They view God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost as three separate beings, each a distinct god. This belief system includes the idea of “eternal progression,” suggesting that God was once a mortal man who achieved divinity. This is in no way close to Catholic teaching.
Addressing the Core Question: Are They Praying to the Same God?
Patrick argues that while Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons might aim their prayers towards “God,” their conceptualizations of God differ a lot from the Catholic understanding. The Mormon belief in a god who was once a man and evolved into divinity stands in stark contrast to the Catholic view of God as eternal, transcendent, and unchanging.
Salvation and the Catholic Church:
Patrick reiterates the Catholic Church’s stance: salvation is through Jesus Christ and the Church. However, he explains the Church’s teaching on invincible ignorance, which suggests that those unaware of the Church’s truth through no fault of their own may still be offered salvation by God’s mercy, a matter known only to God.
If you know the truth is found in the Catholic Church, how could you ever walk away from it? Let’s pray for those who aren’t Catholic to experience the fullness of faith.
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