[EN1 Sailor]

The confessional seal is the absolute rock bottom foundation of the church's political power. By guaranteeing that your secrets were safe, there was at least one person who knew ALL the secrets, and we all know that information is power.

Don't forget that 1000 years ago, the pope was a "general" leading his very own papal army. The "seal" is a holdover from that era when it meant military intelligence.

The church has never been about community service, it's always been about power.

[ArrogantBustard]

ROFL!!!

You forgot the < sarc> tags.

[marshmallow]

Good one.

You made my day...........LOL...........

[Ransomed]

“The church has never been about community service, it’s always been about power.”

You can tell by all the albino monk assasssins.

Freegards

[Campion]

The church has never been about community service, it's always been about power.

Absolutely correct ... the power to save and sanctify souls.

[Cronos]

your statement fails if it intends to say this was a "invention" added 1000 years ago. The Sacrament of Confession (which is also held by traditional Lutherans by the way) dates much earlier.

Some of the Early Christians talking on this were

• St. Augustine (d. 430) : "Let us not listen to those who deny that the Church of God has power to forgive all sins" (De agon. Christ., iii).
• St. Athanasius (d. 373): "As the man whom the priest baptizes is enlightened by the grace of the Holy Ghost, so does he who in penance confesses his sins, receive through the priest forgiveness in virtue of the grace of Christ" (Frag. contra Novat. in P.G., XXVI, 1315).

The Church has always been the community, the family in Christ. It's continuation through the centuries through strifes internal and external are solely due to the grace of the Holy Spirit

It is not purely about "community service" rather first service to God.