But you ARE catholic enough!
| Issue | Catholicism | Mormonism | Protestantism | |
| Earthly Church Leader | The Pope | The Living Prophet | none | |
| Source of Theology | Bible and Tradition | Bible and additional Scripture | Bible | |
| Sample of non-biblical teachings |
Purgatory, Penance, Indulgences,
praying to Mary,
her assumption. |
Many gods, god from another world, goddess mother,
you can become a god.
|
If it isn't taught here, I don't believe it. | |
| Method of Salvation | Faith, grace, baptism, works | Faith, grace, baptism, works | Grace through Faith | |
| True Church | Their church organization is one true church | Their church organization is one true church | All who are saved by grace through faith are in the true church | |
| Claim of Authority | Apostolic Succession | Apostolic Succession | In Jesus alone | |
| Assets | Great Wealth and Power | Great Wealth and Power | Treasures in heaven | |
| Goddess-like figure |
Mary has godlike abilities:
able to hear and answer all prayers of all people
all the time, intercede with God.
|
Goddess Mother who has populated this world with spirits
who inhabit human bodies
|
No | |
| Images of God, or Jesus, or Mary, etc. | Used in worship in churches | Used in temples and headquarters | No |
A *religion* based on Jesus.
What a novel concept.
Your list makes no sense.
Earthly Church Leader - Protestants have plenty of earthly leaders: pastors, evangelists, televangelists, cult leaders, health and wealth gospel nuts, etc.
Source of Theology - Prtestants use scripture and tradition. There is no way to use the Bible without tradition. Some Protestants have been honest enough to admit this in recent years.
“If it isn’t taught here, I don’t believe it.” Except Protestants always believe things not explicit in scripture or completely absent from scripture as has been shown at FreeRepublic literally hundreds of times.
“Grace through Faith” Catholics believe we are saved by grace. How we recieve that grace is what is at issue.
“All who are saved by grace through faith are in the true church” Except the Bible doesn’t teach grace by faith alone and in fact denies it - James 2:24. Also, the True Church is not a Protestant thing from the 16th century - as is sola fide as a doctrine.
“In Jesus alone” - Actually Protestants are led by pastors as their denominations amply show. Some denominations are dominated by recent creeds created in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Seventh Day Adventists, who are Protestants, follow E.G. White. All you can do to make that go away is to clam SDA believers are not Christians or make some other excuse.
“Assets Great Wealth and Power” - Our greatest treasures will be in heaven, but God blessed the Church on earth as well just as He did ancient Israel.
“Goddess-like figure Mary has godlike abilities:
able to hear and answer all prayers of all people
all the time, intercede with God.” - the Cloud of Witnesses is made up of WITNESSES. They are not unfamiliar with us.
“No (Images of God, or Jesus, or Mary, etc).” - except, of course, most Protestants have many images of Jesus and many have artworks depicting Mary.
Tonight I spent a good deal of time talking to a Catholic friend and her best friend who is Protestant. The Protestant and I both love SC Lewis’ Screwtape Letters as we discoved last summer. That led to a number of discussions about Christianity. Make a long story short, she avidly read every book I suggested because she knew I had read many and had good suggestions for her. She devoured the books I suggested about the Virgin Mary. I would not be surprised if she became a Catholic. She is now taking classes in Church History from a Catholic institute. That will change her entire mindset because they talk about things like the Early Church Fathers and the Real Presence. So, while you spent your day posting nonsense which few will see and even fewer will be moved by, I was introducing a Protestant woman to more and more information about the Catholic faith. She’s enjoying what she’s learning. Between the two of us (meaning you and I), I think I had the more fruitful day.