/lit/ - Literature

>>17110362
>the day of our Lord's birth
you're off again

>>16296299
>Catholicism seems to me that if there were a legitimate religion of Christianity that would be it.
The Catholic Church is bigger than the Roman Catholics, but we'll talk about that.
>Logos
>rationality
Logos does not mean logic or rationality in Christianity, it is the same as the Word which is another name for Christ. Logos=/= Logos, Mythos, Ethos, get that out of your head because that was a stumbling point for my entry into Christianity.
>The metaphysical reality we know is Christian. Yet it seems to me that one to be a good Christian must be sincere and have faith.
Spot on, Westerners will never be able to adopt an Eastern worldview despite both of their mutual metaphysical tangiability, and true faith/institutions can be in opposition. The Church however is vital to Christianity. Christianity is unique to the other abrahamic religions, in that it offers physical gift from God to man; the sacraments and the ressurection. The ressurection has always been possible, but it was God's physical presence on Earth that showed us that there is life beyond sin. The Church acts as an educator, to try and do its best as an earthly institution to show people what this complex event means. However, the Church also is the bearer of the sacraments (Communion/Confession/Baptism), which allow a direct connection between the lay person and the physicality of God. Christ granted this gift to the apostles, who hand picked their successors as people deemed worthy enough to continue to spread the Gospel, Baptisms, Communion, grant Confession, and prepare souls for their eventual meet up with God. This is VITAL, as it demonstrates that Christianity is not just set of fragile esoteric traditions, but a tradition which grants immediate contact with God and survive worldly threats. There are specific people who are educated and trained in how to do this, and their lineage is traced through apostolic succession. The only legitimate Protestant priest was Luther, and now the importance of these sacraments and the lay education of Christian peoples is not well understood because of his fall away from the Church. Papal authority is flawed because Peter was not the only apostle Christ granted the ability to give sacraments to, meaning the apostolic "blood line" continues outside of Roman Catholicism in Orthodoxy. I consider both Latin Roman Catholicism (i.e. latin mass) and Orthodoxy to both be legitimate, however the Roman Church struggles with pedophilia from misinterpreting the role of the religious father as celibate. The faith exists, and yes the Church is worldly like all institutions, but it will prepare you like no other institution. Faith can exist outside of it, but without scaraments you are voluntarily putting your spiritual path on uneasy ground (a journey is easier with a guide). Try out both, see what you like, and learn the damn theology/history. Take your time, and read the Desert Fathers they're exactly what you're looking for. God speed fren.