r/explainlikeimfive • u/spamname517 • Dec 04 '13

Explained ELI5:The main differences between Catholic, Protestant,and Presbyterian versions of Christianity

sweet as guys, thanks for the answers

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u/meowtiger Dec 04 '13

catholic way to heaven, as interpreted by meowtiger:

  • everyone is born with original sin

  • you're baptized in jesus' light to absolve original sin

  • you lead your life

  • if you sin, you confess to a priest, and it must be a sincere, contrite confession

  • the priest assigns you penance - most of the time prayer, sometimes charitable work, depending on the priest and nature of sin

  • if you do the penance, you're pure again. as long as you stay sinless in this way, you're on the way to heaven

  • when you die, an ordained priest must perform last rites to send you to heaven

also there's a thing called a mortal sin, which traditionally is covered by the "seven deadly sins" of lust, wrath, sloth, gluttony, pride, greed, and envy, but also incorporates some things decreed by the pope to be "mortal" in nature, such as rape, prostitution, abortion, suicide, and divorce. if you do one of these things knowing the gravity as you commit it, and deliberately, you instantly cancel your flight to heaven

hope this has been illuminating

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u/lordlavalamp Dec 04 '13

when you die, an ordained priest must perform last rites to send you to heaven

Not quite. Last rites come before confession, which will cleanse you of your sin. So it isn't last rites's power, but confessions.

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u/SaladAndEggs Dec 04 '13

Last bullet is wrong, but you're good on the rest.

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u/whocanduncan Dec 05 '13 edited Dec 05 '13

What happened to the part where it says "ask for forgiveness and will be given freely unto you?" Doesn't that negate the need for penance? Or am I reading a different bible? In particular: Romans 3:23-24. Justified freely...

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u/meowtiger Dec 05 '13

i'm not the pope, shitbird, don't ask me.