Works (Scary!) Based Religion?

I was recently in a conversation with someone we will call a "friend". The friend asked me where I went to church, and I explained that I was Roman Catholic. Surprised, knowing that I went to Oral Roberts University and could converse like a Protestant, my friend had the gumption to immediately ask something like:

"Isn't that a works based religion?"

Wowzer!

My friend the czar has already done a sufficient job of pointing out the Bible's take on works.

Courtesy of www.patrickvandapool.com

As a disclaimer, I understand that the core of the objection has to do with some fundamental disagreements about theology or namely the question, "How are we saved?" However, popular notions of the phrase belie something more shallow, and I am becoming more aware that people do not become Catholic for more shallow reasons than profound ones. You see, many people do not become Catholic for two odd but similar and understandable reasons. The first person does not become Catholic because he never grapples with the big claims of Catholicism--he is too caught up in the peripherals, misnomers and caricatures. The second person does not become Catholic because he has considered all of the deep issues, agrees with the Church but cannot get over the peripherals, misnomers and caricatures. An ounce of prejudice can take years of re-education, and it is ignorance at the level of sensibility I am mainly after because it is ignorance which keeps so many dancing on the western shores of the Tiber.

I understand what someone means by the question, "Isn't that a works based religion?". They mean to imply (not really ask) that Catholicism teaches that one earns your way to heaven. However, this is not prima facie (on the face) obvious from the question. That is why it is commonly misconstrued and not a really good question. I can think of various caricature-like, implicative questions to ask a Protestant who says they are, for example, a member of "ABC" church:

"Isn't that new religion?"

"Wasn't that started by a man?"

"Don't you guys believe that you can sin it up and go to heaven?"

These aren't good questions. Though, and sometimes, putting the shoe on the other foot is important.

It should also be noted that the question ("Isn't that a works based religion?") is an evangelistic ploy trying to plant a seed of doubt in their listener's mind so as to convert them to their sect. The immediate rejoinder from the anti-works inquisitor is to make some comment about rosaries, Our Fathers, or some other "works" that Catholics think they "have" to do to get to heaven. They have to go to Mass! Every week! Sad. Sad. Sad.

And so it occurred to me. Well not really occurred, but more like I was reminded of something. Specifically this:

"Pray without ceasing" -1 Thessalonians 5:17 (WBRT*)

Wowzer! That's some kind of works based religion. I'm sweating to death over here trying to keep up. I thought if I had faith in Christ that was enough. What if I don't pray without ceasing? Does verse 18 read: "But don't worry if you forget or are lazy because faith alone is all you need!"? Not so much.

But I started thinking to myself, do Christians have prayer camps?

Umm....

YES!

So in the "non-works based religion" they have child-prayer-labor camps. I know a lot of the non-works based religion adherents would decry the child-prayer-labor camps. They would call them extreme and be saddened by the long-term effects of the child-prayer-labor camps. But, how does this work anyways? The non-works based religion people get their cake and eat it too. They get to not be a part of the works based religion (a la Catholicism) but pretty much set their marks of communal demarcation in their back yard if they want? 

"Hey Jim! Your neighbors who go to church with you are practicing a works based religion"

"Mark, I have no idea what you are talking about. They don't practice my religion because I have a non-works based religion"

"Jim, doesn't Mark ride with you to church?'

"Yeah Mark, but he rides in the back seat"

Catholics don't even get a break for un-catechized, uneducated, superstitious, poor people who claim they are Catholic because someone 200 years ago believed in Jesus--people that may live 4,000 miles away. The non-works based religion people get to discredit the other non-works based religion adherent down the street or even in their pew. I guess that is what happens when religion is tantamount to holding to a theory and not actually being a part of something. Getting back to prayer...

A religion where you don't do anything is really worth nothing. While the fundmental question and conversation about salvation and works is very important, the sentiment wrapped up in this bad question is sentiment that should be disregarded as wholly un-Christian. The entire point of the Gospel was so that we would fulfill these words:

"So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." -Matthew 5:16

"Having your conversation good among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by the good works, which they shall behold in you, glorify God in the day of visitation" -1 Peter 2:12

more stealage

Jesus made it so plain that St. Peter pretty much copies and pastes. Nice work. We new St. Peter had a tendency of being rash, and in this case it appears he just picked up St. Matthew's gospel and read to his scribe out loud. The point is that works are necessary and the New Testament is chalked full of that implication. Our gut level prejudice about Catholicism should not preclude the use of the nasty term "works". Only if you were stuck on a toilet for hours on end fretting about your eternal destiny would you come up with rubbish to the contrary. Come on, who would have time to do anything if they were stuck on the toilet all day? You would have to be worried about the whole works thing. And you would probably start an entire new religion to boot.

*Works Based Religion Translation