> “Why would we want to do that? We are in harmony with the Holy Scripture as written.”
.
In an alternate universe?
All the major catholic doctrines and practices are condemned in scripture:
> “Call no man Father”
> Pastors that are unmarried.
> ‘Salvation’ by works.
> Prayer to the dead.
> Repetitive prayer.
> Purgatory.
> Seances in place of the rememberance of Communion.
> Following traditions of men.
> Statues/idols worshiped and revered.
> Relecs worshiped and revered.
> Secret confession booths instead of openly confessing to brothers/sisters in Christ.
Just what do catholics do that is scriptural?
I would LOVE to know the answer to that one question.
Apparently a lot of the Apostles did not get the memo on that. Acts 22:1, 1 John 2:13.
Pastors that are unmarried
The Church can bind and loose on that (Mt 18:18). Some are married others are not. We sure don't have priests that have more than one wife, in accordance with 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1.
‘Salvation’ by works
We don't teach salvation by works. We teach salvation by grace alone through faith and good works (Eph 2:5-10) (no these are not the same as works of the law).
Prayer to the dead.
Where is that forbidden in the scripture? Maccabees has a direct example; it is not our problem that you truncated your Bible.
Repetitive prayer.
Jesus repeated His prayers. What Matthew 6:7 condemns is not repetition in itself but the idea that unless they repeat the prayer they are not heard.
Purgatory. Clear scripture on that, 1 Cor 3:9-15.
Seances in place of the rememberance of Communion
Huh? Christ said, "this is my body", and we take Him at his word.
Following traditions of men.
Those men are "bishops [who] rule the church of God" (Acts 20:28). Worry about following traditions of charlatans like Luther instead. Who appointed him?
Statues/idols worshiped and revered.
We don't worship idols. We venerate Holy Images. See reference to the Crucifix in Gal 3:1. See instruction to venerate the icons of God and be trasnformed by them in 2 Corinthians 3:18.
Relecs worshiped and revered
They are venerated, just like the holy Images. See an example of that in Acts 19:12
Secret confession booths
Nowhere in the Bible is that prohibited.
Just what do catholics do that is scriptural?
The authoority of the apostolic Church, the necessity of the sacraments of the Church, salvation being a result of a life time of sanctification through faith and good works, -- all these are things that are scriptural and denied by the Protestant heretics.