Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: SoliDeoGloria; johnb2004; sandyeggo
They believe they are "Universal" Church, and that you are the "Schism".

"They" can believe whatever they choose, that doesn't make them right. You believe you can interpret scripture, as do millions of other christians, yet you can arrive at no consensus on your interpretations.

Jesus said his Church would be "the light of the world." He then noted that "a city set on a hill cannot be hid" (Matt. 5:14). This means his Church is a visible organization. It must have characteristics that clearly identify it and that distinguish it from other churches. Jesus promised, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). This means that his Church will never be destroyed and will never fall away from him. His Church will survive until his return.

Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every other Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054. The Protestant churches were established during the Reformation, which began in 1517. (Most of today’s Protestant churches are actually offshoots of the original Protestant offshoots.)

Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth century, in the fifth century, and in the first century, faithfully teaching the doctrines given by Christ to the apostles, omitting nothing. The line of popes can be traced back, in unbroken succession, to Peter himself. This is unequaled by any institution in history.

Even the oldest government is new compared to the papacy, and the churches that send out door-to-door missionaries are young compared to the Catholic Church. Many of these churches began as recently as the nineteenth or twentieth centuries. Some even began during your own lifetime. None of them can claim to be the Church Jesus established.

The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000 years, despite constant opposition from the world. This is testimony to the Church’s divine origin. It must be more than a merely human organization, especially considering that its human members— even some of its leaders—have been unwise, corrupt, or prone to heresy.

Any merely human organization with such members would have collapsed early on. The Catholic Church is today the most vigorous church in the world (and the largest, with a billion members: one sixth of the human race), and that is testimony not to the cleverness of the Church’s leaders, but to the protection of the Holy Spirit.

131 posted on 01/03/2004 3:00:25 AM PST by NYer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 128 | View Replies ]


To: NYer
** They believe they are "Universal" Church, and that you are the "Schism". ** - me

** "They" can believe whatever they choose, that doesn't make them right. ** - NYer

My point still hasn't been taken. You just gave a post expounding the praises of the Catholic Church. Do you think they would say anything differently? You have not, however, established that your Roman Catholic Church is the true Church. They also trace their Papal lineage from Peter all the way to Pope Pius XIII. Can you prove that they are not the true Church you have so described? They have at least gone the extra step to prove that your church isn't the true Roman Catholic Church.

The closest You have come is to say they are not "Universal", but what do you mean by that? If you speak Geographically, neither they nor your Church exist on Mars, and thus neither can be said to be Universal. If you simply mean "all over the world", then they as well claim such a distinction. If by Universal you mean "including every true Christian", then I appreciate your protestant use of the term, but respectively point out that "truecatholic.org" also believes it is Universal in the notion described.
135 posted on 01/03/2004 6:17:35 AM PST by SoliDeoGloria (Is 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 131 | View Replies ]

To: NYer
* The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000 years, despite constant opposition from the world. This is testimony to the Church’s divine origin. *

By your logic, I assume Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, and other such ancient religions also have both divine origin and are currently divinely inspired?

BTW. You still haven't presented a logical argument detailing how your church is the one "that has existed for nearly 2,000 years". How does one go about proving historicity in a manner that can not be equally applicable to the "truecatholic.org" Church? I'm looking forward to your response...
139 posted on 01/03/2004 7:22:40 AM PST by SoliDeoGloria (Is 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 131 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson