[betty boop]

But you persist in remaining outside The Church. You persist in rejecting what God’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church teaches. This is pride, AG.

Forgive me Kolokotronis, but in my view the pride in this case is all yours. AG is not "outside The Church." Unless you mean to say that The Church itself is God, displacing God Himself.

I'll hazard she doesn't believe that any more than I do.

Churches, however divinely inspired, are still human institutions, and so susceptible to sin, to judgments made by fallen human nature....

I do not place my safety in human institutions. And I doubt AG does either. That seems to be the point you continue to miss.

BTW, I don't think this makes me a "disrespecter of churches," let alone of God.

Quite the contrary!

And so I join my dearest sister in Christ in saying: All glory be to God!

[Kolokotronis]

What sort of Roman Catholic are you, bb? Have you discussed any of your, shall we say, heterodox, theological notions with your spiritual father? If not, with all due respect I suggest you do and soon. It may be that your beliefs are incompatible with membership in the Latin Church.

“Forgive me Kolokotronis, but in my view the pride in this case is all yours.”

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, bb. I am far too prideful, of that I am certain.

[stfassisi]

“”Churches, however divinely inspired, are still human institutions, and so susceptible to sin””

If you believe this to be the teaching of the Catholic Church than you are in grave error

Do you believe the Catholic Church is a human institution and has taught dogmatic error? If so, you don’t belong receiving Him in Eucharistic

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your beautiful essay-post, dearest sister-in-Christ!

Unless you mean to say that The Church itself is God, displacing God Himself.

That is precisely the effect of the one addressed to me and the one following addressed to you.

Jesus Christ alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He alone is the Mediator between men and God.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. - John 14:6

For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; - I Timothy 2:5

The Blood of the Lamb is altogether sufficient.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. [Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin. – Hebrews 10:14-18

Others may wish to embrace them, but personally I eschew all of the doctrines and traditions of men across the board.

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. – Mark 7:5-9

There is only one Great Commandment.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. – Matthew 22:37-38

There is only one needful part.

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. – Luke 10:38-42

It will not taken away from Mary - and it will not be taken away from you either, dearest sister in Christ! Nor will it be taken away from me.

To God be the glory, not man, never man!