[bahblahbah]

This is why I hate the whole structure of the Catholic church. Way too much power that will be dangerous if the left ever got control of it. Luckily it was in good hands with John Paul II.

[dangus]

>> This is why I hate the whole structure of the Catholic church. Way too much power that will be dangerous if the left ever got control of it. Luckily it was in good hands with John Paul II. <<

As a Catholic, I do not fear that. "Upon the rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not withstand it."

We have to worry about heretic priests and apostates, but John Paul II has authority because he represents the Infallible Tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, and not the other way around. Those who lack faith will cling to whatever heretic makes them feel comfortable with their sins. Those of the Catholic Church who have faith will always look to Saints and their Traditional teachings about Scripture to know what is right. And even a heretic Pope will not mislead them.

[dangus]

>> This is why I hate the whole structure of the Catholic church. Way too much power that will be dangerous if the left ever got control of it. Luckily it was in good hands with John Paul II. <<

As a Catholic, I do not fear that. "Upon the rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not withstand it."

We have to worry about heretic priests and apostates, but John Paul II has authority because he represents the Infallible Tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, and not the other way around. Those who lack faith will cling to whatever heretic makes them feel comfortable with their sins. Those of the Catholic Church who have faith will always look to Saints and their Traditional teachings about Scripture to know what is right. And even a heretic Pope will not mislead them.

EDIT:

To choose my words very carefully, I should state, "even a heretic Anti-pope will not mislead him." By church doctrine, a heretic elected to be Pope, were that possible, would be an anti-Pope. The belief that that could even happen is called sedevacantism, and is very controversial among theologians.

[Aquinasfan]

This is why I hate the whole structure of the Catholic church. Way too much power...

"How many divisions does the pope have?" The Church has power, but not earthly power.

[Conservative til I die]

This is why I hate the whole structure of the Catholic church. Way too much power that will be dangerous if the left ever got control of it. Luckily it was in good hands with John Paul II.

But look at the moral decay and theological chaos of the Protestant churches, which for the most part are not as hiearchical as the Catholic Church.

Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit to keep us from going over the edge, until the end of time.