United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

Chapter 25. First Commandment: Believe in the True God • 345

FROM THE CATECHISM

1. Why should we adore the true God alone? We adore God because he is God and deserving of our adora tion. Human life finds its unity in the adoration of the one God. “Idolatry is a perversion of man’s innate religious sense” (CCC, no. 2114). The Commandment to worship God alone integrates man and saves him from an endless disintegration.

2. What is the link between God’s love and the Commandments?

God has loved us first. The love of the One God is recalled in the first of the “ten words.” The commandments then make explicit the response of love that man is called to give to his God. (CCC, no. 2083) 3. How is it possible to obey God’s commands? What God commands he makes possible by his grace. (CCC, no. 2082)

Believers . . . have more than a little to do with the rise of athe ism. To the extent that they are careless about their instruc tion in the faith, or present its teaching falsely, or even fail in their religious, moral, or social life, they must be said to conceal rather than reveal the true nature of God and of religion. (GS, no. 19) Agnosticism This is another way to evade the call of the First Commandment. The term agnostic means “I don’t know.” It comes in different forms. Some agnostics admit God’s existence but claim nothing can be known about him. Others say it is impossible to know whether there is a God. Some agnostics are searching for God; others do not try. Many are practical