Please desist in claiming that the Catholic Church does NOT hold the deity of Christ above the Pope.
Jesus knew he was going to be killed, rather crucifieed, so he needed to choose a leader.
The Catholic Liturgy is centered on the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Rread the Nicene Creed said at Mass.
The first part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Word, which includes readings from the Old Testament, New Testament (on Sundays and special days) and a Gospel from one of the evangelists. I daresay — at least from my own experience of being in a Protestant Church — that Catholics hear and are preached to on the Word of God much more often that Protestants are. BTW, I felt terribly uncomfortable in that Protestant Church (Alliance Church) because absolutely NO HOLY SCRIPTURE was read by anyone at all.
The second part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Again this is totally centered on Jesus Christ and doing as He instructed “Do this in Memory of Me.” The transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is totally awesome, if one understands (or is willing to understand what is happening.)
Have you attended a Catholic Mass? If you haven’t you in no way can make this judgment that Catholics do not hold Jesus Christ, the Son, God the Father and the Holy Spirit above all else.
So, again, please desits, I ask politely, until you have attended a Catholic Mass and know for yourself what really happens.
In other words, could the propaganda you have been given all these years about the Catholic Church or the papcy be WRONG? Heaven forbid! LOL! (Because it is!) Come to a Catholic Mass and find out for yourselves!
I have been. They spent more time praising Mary than Jesus. The Rock is Peter's confession of faith: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
I assume your point that the Catholic Church doe hold Jesus above the Pope, was directed to the other receipent in your response as I have made no such claims.
As to your comment about attending a Catholic worship service, I have attended several, on two continents and 4 nations. I have also attended Coptic and Greek Orthodox. You see I travel internationally and quite extensively in my job.
My point was to the fact that the Catholic church, in an attempt to assert control over Christendom, makes claim through Matthew 16 to what they believe is as supremecy of Peter and thus, claims a superiority among men with regards to the faith.
The fact remains that 1) no other scripture supports this position. 2) Other scriptures show that there was not superiority among the Apostles. 3) That God is not a respecter of men 4) The very chapter in which is used for this viewpoint also rebukes Peter by calling him Satan.
If one accepts these truths, then the claims of supremacy fall apart and the Catholic church becomes just one of many Apostolic churches created after Jesus left this earth.