“Do you believe that such foul language and imagery will impress anyone with your godliness or sway Catholics from their beliefs? I would like to know why you felt it necessary to go there in the Religion Forum.”
What, is mentioning that your Priest might be molesting a little boy on Saturday, but forgiving you of your sins on Sunday, not a relevant point to make? Has that not been true for Catholics for centuries upon centuries? Does God say “tough luck!” to the faithful who have to rely on corrupt Priests and Bishops to receive ‘saving’ sacraments?
If the Roman authorities claim to be the direct successors of the Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit and appointed infallibly from one Bishop to another all the way back to Peter, how DO you explain the centuries of degenerates leading the Roman Catholic Church whom you all depend on for your salvation instead of God? Either the Priest who forgives your sins has authority to do so or he doesn’t. Either they have the Holy Spirit and can behave as mediators between God and man or they cannot.
“specious references cannot be part of the discussion.”
Like Tertullian’s “anti-Catholic” rejection of the Eucharist as the literal body of Christ? Or Jerome against the judicial forgiveness of sins by Priests? Or “Pope” Gregory against the primacy of the Bishop of Rome? Or James presiding over the Church in Acts 15? Or Paul facing down Peter face to face as an equal? Or Peter calling all Christians rocks that build the church, with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone? Are all these things “spurious”?
I have no desire of making friends here, just telling the truth. If the Romans cannot handle it, they should stop telling everyone that their church has authority over us.
I will not attempt to excuse the sins of priests but the facts are that the safest place on earth for a child to be is in the presence of a Catholic priest.
I do find it interesting that those who post extensively against the sinless Blessed Mother claim that priests on the other hand must be sinless for the Sacraments to be valid. I am more than wiling to discuss the validity of Sacraments you, but I will not be dragged into the gutter.
Peace be with you