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You are using scripture (1 Corinthians 4: 15-16) in your response? Who gave you permission to do that? Didn't you just read what your Pope said?

I fear your understanding of scripture may be as incomplete and unsound as your understanding of the words from the Holy Father. The words you quoted have nothing at all to do with whether a Catholic can quote from the Bible. That you get that meaning from that quote invalidates any alleged biblical exegesis you later present.

Paul was using an analogy for instruction of Christians, he never, ever, never demanded to be called "Holy Father" or anything near that.

And neither does the pope. When did he ever demand such a title? Paul, however, and in total contradiction to your interpretation of the words of scripture, did call himself a spiritual father of other people. He also called himself holy, e.g. Ephesians 3.8: "To me, the least of all the saints . . ." saint meaning nothing other than holy. But, you are right, he never demanded to be called anything, and neither does the pope. He is acquitted by your own words.

Does the Pope do this when people call him "Holy Father" and bow down before him? He corrects them, right? He tells them 'Don't call me that, and don't bow down - worship God!' Right?

This argument fails on several points.

1. Paul calls himself the spiritual father of Christians, and does not forbid anyone from calling him such.

2. In the Apocalypse, which you refer to, Saint John explicitly admitted that he "fell down before his feet, to adore him." No Catholic does this to the pope, and using the words Holy Father is not analogous in intent or meaning.

Again, all of this is instructional - and speaks to the very reason that scripture must be read, meditated upon, and studied - - which is EXACTLY what the Pope is "warning" Catholics NOT to do in this very article. Don't you recognize the utter sophistry of your own argument?

This is either extreme ignorance or a case of bearing false witness. You are stating that the pope has instructed Catholics not to read, meditate upon or study scripture, and that is untrue. Nowhere do these words, or anything similar, come from the pope. He promotes and defends a proper Christian understanding of the bible which does not exaggerate one statement in such a manner to obliterate the meaning of the rest, and never suggests we are not to read it. Frankly, the dishonesty of this claim is astonishing.

The words you quoted have nothing at all to do with whether a Catholic can quote from the Bible.

Incredible. Really.

Please riddle me this: how does one quote from something that isn't 100% literally true in order to defend an institution that claims said document isn't 100% literally true? HOW DO YOU SPLIT THIS ATOM? The answer is: you can't! Once you cross that Rubicon, you're done, and so is the Catholic Church.

In the Apocalypse, which you refer to, Saint John explicitly admitted that he "fell down before his feet, to adore him." No Catholic does this to the pope....

Are you trying to say that "him" meant God and not the angel? If you are, that is more rubbish. If you are saying the angel didn't really correct John.....well, you know that isn't true because that isn't what the scripture says. Moreover, the very fact that this Pope, or any Pope, would allow any Catholic to call them "Holy Father" and not correct it on the spot, issue a statement saying to never do that again, brings down your whole argument. Let's put it this way - if the angels are in error throughout the bible when they refuse worship, but the Pope is correct to expect and permit it - then God owes Satan and the fallen angels a big apology at the Great White Throne Judgment. We know that isn't the case, so you argument is in tatters.

Right...I know....they aren't really prostrate down before the Pope. Right? What are they prostrate before?

He promotes and defends a proper Christian understanding of the bible which does not exaggerate one statement in such a manner to obliterate the meaning of the rest, and never suggests we are not to read it. Frankly, the dishonesty of this claim is astonishing.

Right. He tells you that scripture isn't all really true, and to let the church tell you what is what.

You know that is true, and that this is the crux of the whole argument. And frankly, your refusal to admit it isn't astonishing. If you did, the foundation that you believe keeps you in the good "IN" basket versus the bad "OUT" basket would be shattered.

You know what I never understood when I was a Catholic? The concept of Grace. I really thought the question of whether I got into heaven or not was dependent on some type of equation, where God would add up all my "good" and subtract all my "bads" and some how, some way, maybe, just maybe, I would be O.K. to the right of the equal sign. I was in terror, because I didn't know what the tally was, and truth be told, my heart knew I was headed for Hell itself. Not because I was terrible, but because I knew I fell short. Well, everyone falls short. Only Christ can bridge that chasm.

Ephesians 2:8 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."

You know something? The Catholic church never, ever taught me that. I asked several priests: "How do I get to heaven, and know I am going there?" Do you know what their answer was?

"That's a great mystery."

Now, not every priest gives that answer, but a lot do. The truth is either that they don't know themselves, or they won't teach what the bible says about salvation.

There are a lot of sins, but that one sure is up there.

Something about mill stones and necks comes to mind.