[markomalley]

The Bible, particularly the New Testament, is a Catholic book. That is why it is so confusing when one attempts to understand scriptures without the guidance of the Magesterium. As St. Peter said,

First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,

and later counselled:

…So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.

It is up to those of us who consider ourselves faithful Christians (I say Christians versus Catholics, as Catholicism IS Christianity) to understand the Holy Scriptures so that we can patiently work with those who have had their eyes blinded (cf Jn 12:40) in the hopes that God will reveal His light to them. We need not argue or debate, as it is God who enlightens the heart (cf 2 Cor 4:3-6), not our meager efforts.

[markomalley]

Ping!
Pass it on if appropriate!

[bigcat32]

“The first thing to understand, and a fact that can hardly be denied, is that the creation of the Catholic Church preceded the creation of the New Testament.”

It’s crazy statements like this, in part, that made me turn my back on the Catholic Church and why some people think the Catholic Church is a CULT.

Go ahead and flame but maybe my comment will get some people to take a step back and think.

[Uncle Chip]

The first thing to understand, and a fact that can hardly be denied, is that the creation of the Catholic Church preceded the creation of the New Testament.

Nonsense!!! Can you tell us all when the word "Catholic Church" first appears in any nonspurious writings of anyone anywhere???

[Biggirl]

To confirm the article as being correct, we must remember what our Blessed Savior had said: “Peter you are rock and, on this rock I shall build my church.” So Jesus planted the seeds of the Church.

[Uncle Chip]

Also can you show us there in the Book of Acts where Peter was ever in Rome, or is all that mythology about him being the first bishop of Rome been withdrawn yet by your magisterium??

[Biggirl]

What saddens me when it comes to threads such as these and there is argument on Bible or Church related issues is that we Christians are still fighting over issues that really have no place in the 21st century. The sad irony is that at this time in other parts of the world there are Christian believers, be they Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox that must defend their faith in Jesus against both the atheistic secular progressives and the Isalmofacists, often to the point of giving their very lives up for both Jesus and the Gospel. My plea for all the Christian posters here at FR is to please end the flaming because it does not contribute to contructive and fruitful talk. Thank-you.

[P-Marlowe]

treating Scripture as independent of the Church, instead of as something produced by the Church

All scripture was produced by GOD!

But there are some, like the author of this article, that think that the Roman Catholic Church is God.

[Ping-Pong]

when God the Holy Spirit came upon the early Catholics and endowed them with the power of preaching the Gospel throughout the world

When you say "the early Catholics", should that not be "the early Christians"? To do less would be to upset many others and that would negate your statement of, "to understand the Holy Scriptures so that we can patiently work with those who have had their eyes blinded (cf Jn 12:40) in the hopes that God will reveal His light to them.

Your statement sounds wonderful to a Catholic but how would you react to, We Protestants must patiently work with those Catholics who have been blinded from the truth by their church and pray that God will reveal His truth to them?

Would your eyes be opened to what I was telling you or be flaming red with indignation?

[marshmallow]

I'd simply add one thing to the article.

Look at the fruits of the "Bible trumps the Church" philosophy; division and disunity. These are the hallmarks of Satan.

Wherever you find this philosophy you will always find a plethora of dividing and continually evolving "churches", each trumpeting the Bible as its raison d' etre. It has to be this way. Once you've accepted the hypothesis that the Bible is autonomous and independent of any ecclesial structure, then it can and must be used to take one to one's own spiritual comfort zone. Each man with a Bible, becomes his own Church, so to speak.

Again, this results in confusion with respect to doctrine and splintering of a unified Christian voice proclaiming the one truth of Christ.

[Salvation]

**The first thing to understand, and a fact that can hardly be denied, is that the creation of the Catholic Church preceded the creation of the New Testament.**

Bingo! You win, Catholics!

[NYer]

Excellent resource!

[Jaded]

Luke

[ladyinred]

I thought the Bible was the word of God. I had no idea it was a Catholic book.