"Since the claim is flatly wrong, I don't really see much point in thinking up explanations for it, any more than there's a point in my thinking up explanations for why you believe the moon to be made of green cheese."
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Then why did you bother to respond?
I think you see so many Protestant denominations because we don't place our FAITH in an institution. If we find that our denomination has walked away from SCRIPTURE and can not be reformed we leave and find a denomination that is SCRIPTURAL. Roman Catholic's, OTOH, seem to defend their church even when it is clearly wrong and will parse every word to show how it was right. I think this is because you place your FAITH in an institution rather than in a personal relationship with JESUS CHRIST.
That is because your churches are founded by men, and ours by the God-Man. Scripture says that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. How many sermons have you heard on that Scripture in your Baptist church? But it's there, in black and white, and Scripture cannot lie.
If we find that our denomination has walked away from SCRIPTURE and can not be reformed we leave and find a denomination that is SCRIPTURAL.
IOW, you submit the church to your own personal judgement. But what makes you infallible? Nothing at all. If your church were founded by Christ, you would be completely wrong in leaving it. But it's not. You have spoken rightly.
I think this is because you place your FAITH in an institution rather than in a personal relationship with JESUS CHRIST.
I don't have a mere "personal" relationship with the Lord Jesus; I have a family relationship. Big difference. And, since I believe the Catholic Church to have been founded directly by Christ on blessed Peter, to not place my faith in it as well would be to reject the works of Christ while claiming allegiance to him. You wouldn't want me to be that kind of hypocrite, would you?