[BipolarBob]

Er... friend, nowhere in the Bible does it say that the Bible is to be the only source of salvific truth.

2 Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly unto all good works. So while Catholics cling to their traditions and the doctrines of Rome, that may not be the best course. Gal. 1-8 but even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Not many Hail Marys,rosary beads or Holy Fathers in their recorded conversations.

[fwdude]

And the Bereans were praised by Paul for searching diligently in Scripture to see if everything he was telling them was true.

[Iscool]

2 Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly unto all good works. So while Catholics cling to their traditions and the doctrines of Rome, that may not be the best course. Gal. 1-8 but even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Not many Hail Marys,rosary beads or Holy Fathers in their recorded conversations.

[paladinan]

BipolarBob wrote, in reply to my post:

2 Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly unto all good works.

Bad translation, I'm afraid; the Greek word for "perfect" (teleios) is nowhere to be found in that sentence. Even in the classical definition of "perfect" (i.e. "per factus" = "complete, made it to the end"), which definitely doesn't carry the modern connotation of "utterly flawless" (which the word didn't always originally imply), it doesn't quite work. The word which your translation renders "perfect" is actually "artios", meaning "equipped". In other words, the translation should be:

"All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

That's yet another flaw in "sola Scriptura", by the way: it can't tell you whether the original (Greek or Hebrew) "Scriptura" was translated properly, or mistranslated/mangled!

So while Catholics cling to their traditions

Right... we "cling/hold fast to" them, since we obey St. Paul (2 Thes 2:14); don't you want to do that?

and the doctrines of Rome,

The doctrines of the Church established by Jesus Christ, whose mother diocese happens to be Rome, you mean.

that may not be the best course.

You haven't given any reasons that it wouldn't be, friend. I, for one, believe that the best course is to follow the Church WHom Jesus instituted, rather than an ecclecial communion formed by someone who divorced himself from that Church (though the current members of that communion might be innocent and sincere, and ignorant of their position).

Gal. 1-8 but even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

Right, indeed! So... how, exactly, do you determine that your "gospel" is not one of the counterfeits condemned by St. Paul?

Not many Hail Marys, rosary beads or Holy Fathers in their recorded conversations.

Well... the "Hail, Mary" is an almost direct quote of Luke 1:28 and Luke 1:42-43; and rosary beads are not strictly necessary (one can pray the Rosary mentally, if one has a good head for counting, or one can pray on one's fingers, for that matter; the beads simply make it easier and less distracting); and St. Peter was certainly the first holy father (i.e. the first Pope)--see Matthew 16:18-20 and Isaiah 22:21ff. St. Paul, in fact, also called himself a "father" of the converts he made (1 Cor 4:15), though that's a separate issue (just in case you believed the mistaken notion that Matthew 23:9, etc., forbade anyone from calling priests "father"--you didn't believe that, did you?).