"The Scriptures are THE authority. I think even the Catholic church would agree with this for the most part."
The Catholic Church agrees with that in every particular.
"I don't think the Catholic Church would say the Scriptures are in error - I think they merely maintain that some Protestant leaders have wrongly interpreted Scripture."
That, and they have chopped a big part of them right out of the Bibles they use.
It's just not the case that anyone can read the Bible and understand it correctly all on his own. Even something as well-known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son I didn't understand correctly until in my late forties. (I always thought the older brother kind of had a point.)
In fact, I am retiring from FR for the evening.
I am in a particularly foul mood, for reasons unrelated to this thread in particular or FR in general.
I find that I am unable to promote the truth in a spirit of Christian Charity, and if I continue on this thread I will sooner rather than later say something that I will regret.
Good night.
God bless you all (especially my opponents).
Please pray for me.