And your religion was established under what authority when? After someone thinking they could be their own "god" was able to sit back, pick and chose from what they "think" Christ established and call it their own, and call it their "truth?"
When in fact, your's is the church that combined with the Pagan majority which had the military and political might to destroy most of the dissenters...
Those "dissenters" they fought against the heresies and lies that were perpetrated by those who called themselves "followers of Christ" when in fact, they were the liars.
And that, makes your claim of what is the oldest is the bestest quite insignificant...
And you presume to see no error in the liberal modernism, as what happened during the reformation? "New, updated, and progressive?" It took man 1500 years to finally "figure it out?" Okaaaay....
Open just about any page in the N.T... You have the wrong Catholic church...There are two Catholic churches...There is the catholic church and then there is the Catholic Church which you belong to...The denominations belong to the catholic (universal) church...
Again, and that's where in the bible?
Hmmm...in my bible (the original one, not the abbreviated, revamped KJV) , the Church is capatilized. That would be the one that Christ established (Matt 16:18-19, Matt 18: 17-18, 1 Tim 3:15). There is NO evidence of more than one "catholic" church. All others are false.
In the catholic (universal) church, no one prays to statues, as in the scripture...No one bows to a pope, or kisses his feet, or ring, as in the scripture...No one prays to Mary or dead people, as in the scripture... In the universal church, all Christians are Priests AND Saints and the ONLY priest and saints, as in the scripture...Christians pray directly to God, as in the scripture...And on and on and on...
Yawn. I don't know what you claim to do in your chuch, but the One True Holy and Apolstolic Church that Christ established does not pray to dead people, as you who falsely claim we do. Next.
The Catholic Church is built upon it's Pagan tradition with a little bit of scripture thrown in to justify itself as 'Christian'...
Is this your ignorant opinion? Again, it's easy for you to throw down lies and not back them up. The theology of the entire Church is built upon the unbloody Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as the Jews once did in their temples (with real sacrifies). Jesus is the Lamb who laid down the New Law. That is what the Catholic Church believes, and that is what we follow.
(not lovey-dovey "I'm okay, you're okay" liberalism that the "modern" Churches spread...."present" day post concillar "Church" included).
The universal (catholic) church is based on scripture only, which is the word of God...
You forgot the part in the scripture about "holding fast to traditions" (I Cor 11:2, 2 Thess 2:15, 3:6),... and on and on and on....
The universal (catholic) church is Spiritual, as in Holy Spirit, as in a One on one personal relationship with Jesus Christ, as in the scripture...
Oh, I see, when the "spirit" takes you. Now I get it. Uh, where was that "personal relationship" part again in the bible? The "Holy Spirit" is not a force, is that what you really believe? (John 14:26, Acts 8:29, Romans 8:27, 1 Cor 2:11 and 12:11) would disagree with you if that is the case.
The Kingdom of God is 'within you', as in the scripture... The Catholic Church is physical, with multi-million dollar churches and shrines, with pageantry, long, colorful flowing robes, a pyhsical kingdom, rituals, precious metals and jewels,
"Thy Kingdom done, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."
Okay, I give you that one. We could never imitate what we have here on Earth than what is in heaven, but we try to adore God any way we can, no matter how futile, complete with our unworthy prayers in all humility, however not empty hollowed out town halls (at least, some Catholics still do).
a Jesus SUBSTITUTE on earth, unequaled devotion to the Queen of Heaven, traditionally superior to the word of God, and on and on and on...We know your church history...We know the scriptures...We chose the scriptures, the word of God...
It is plainly obvious that you don't know what our (your) Church history is, and completly reject it's foundational teachings, based on what you know (or I should say, don't know). The Catholic Church has every sacrament established by Christ since the beginning, and has the only authority through the Apostles, to hand them down. Does your "church?" I doubt it, but feel free to correct me.
I will say this, there are many Catholics who do not know their Church history either. There has been, since it's beginning, heresies that have plagued it since, and it continues today. However, the Truth, as I think you and I will understand, never changes. Through The Holy Ghost, Christ promised his Church that the gates of hell will never prevail, no matter how much the enemy (both outside, and within) try.
God bless, and have a good Sunday.
BTTT!