Rather, what is obvious is that you need to answer my basic questions, and steadfastly refuse to do so. For to do so would expose the specious nature of your attempted arguments.
I then shall answer them for you according to RC argumentation.
► 1. What is the RC basis for assurance of Truth?
While they try to appeal to Scripture and history and human reasoning in seeking to establish Rome ans her traditions of men, this is not their real basis for assurance of Truth, for they also argue human reasoning is fallible, and to argue on the basis of Scripture and history would render them as being like evangelicals.
Despite RC argumentation for Rome based on evidences in appeal to human reasoning, their goal is to bring us to place trust in Rome and forsake objective examination of evidences in order to ascertain the veracity of RC truth claims.
Thus before arguing Scripture with RCs, the very basis for their assurance should be exposed and examined.
► 2. Is an infallible magisterium is necessary for assurance of Truth?
Yes, and which is the RC basis for assurance. And they are assured Rome is assuredly infallible because Rome has presumed to infallibly declare she is and will be perpetually infallible whenever she speaks in accordance with her infallibly defined (scope and subject-based) formula, which renders her declaration that she is infallible, to be infallible, as well as all else she accordingly declares (if she does).
"The intolerance of the Church toward error, the natural position of one who is the custodian of truth, her only reasonable attitude makes her forbid her children to read or to listen to heretical controversy, or to endeavor to discover religious truths by examining both sides of the question. This places the Catholic in a position whereby he must stand aloof from all manner of doctrinal teaching other than that delivered by his Church through her accredited ministers."
“The reason of this stand of his is that, for him, there can be no two sides to a question which for him is settled; for him, there is no seeking after the truth: he possesses it in its fulness, as far as God and religion are concerned. His Church gives him all there is to be had; all else is counterfeit...
Holding to Catholic principles how can he do otherwise? How can he consistently seek after truth when he is convinced that he holds it? Who else can teach him religious truth when he believes that an infallible Church gives him God's word and interprets it in the true and only sense? — (John H. Stapleton, Explanation of Catholic Morals, Chapters XIX, XXIII. the consistent believer (1904); Nihil Obstat. Remy Lafort, Censor Librorum. Imprimatur, John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York ; http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18438/18438-h/18438-h.htm)
“All that we do [as must be patent enough now] is to submit our judgment and conform our beliefs to the authority Almighty God has set up on earth to teach us; this, and nothing else.”
“The Vicar of Christ is the Vicar of God; to us the voice of the Pope is the voice of God. This, too, is why Catholics would never dream of calling in question the utterance of a priest in expounding Christian doctrine according to the teaching of the Church;”
“He is as sure of a truth when declared by the Catholic Church as he would be if he saw Jesus Christ standing before him and heard Him declaring it with His Own Divine lips.” —“Henry G. Graham, "What Faith Really Means", (Nihil Obstat:C. SCHUT, S. T.D., Censor Deputatus, Imprimatur: EDM. CANONICUS SURMONT, D.D.,Vicarius Generalis. WESTMONASTERII, Die 30 Septembris, 1914 ); http://www.catholictradition.org/Tradition/faith2-10.htm]
“Still, fundamentalists ask, where is the proof from Scripture? Strictly, there is none. It was the Catholic Church that was commissioned by Christ to teach all nations and to teach them infallibly. The mere fact that the Church teaches the doctrine of the Assumption as definitely true is a guarantee that it is true.” — Karl Keating, Catholicism and Fundamentalism (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988), p. 275.
VEHEMENTER NOS, an Encyclical of Pope Pius X promulgated on February 11, 1906: It follows that the Church is essentially an unequal society, that is, a society comprising two categories of per sons, the Pastors and the flock, those who occupy a rank in the different degrees of the hierarchy and the multitude of the faithful. So distinct are these categories that with the pastoral body only rests the necessary right and authority for promoting the end of the society and directing all its members towards that end; the one duty of the multitude is to allow themselves to be led, and, like a docile flock, to follow the Pastors.
► 3. Under what basis did the church begin?
The church began upon Scriptural substantiation in word and in power, in dissent from those who were the stewards of Scripture, and inheritor of Divine (conditional) promises of God's presence and preservation, (Lv. 10:11; Dt. 4:31; 17:8-13; Num. 23:19,23; Is. 41:10, Ps. 89:33,34; Mal. 3:6; Rm. 3:2; 9:4) and could claim historical descent, sitting in the seat of Moses. But who presumed of themselves an assured veracity above that which is written (cf. 1Cor. 4:6) teaching traditions of men as doctrines of Scripture, and thus the Lord reproved them by the latter. (Mk. 7:2-16)
For as written, Scripture as the assured Word of God became the transcendent standard for obedience and testing and establishing truth claims, as is abundantly evidenced .
And upon which the Lord and His church established their Truth claims. (Mt. 22:23-45; Lk. 24:27,44; Jn. 5:36,39, 14:11; Acts 17:2,11; Rm. 15:19; Acts 2:14-35; 4:33; 5:12; 15:6-21;17:2,11; 18:28; 28:23; Rm. 15:19; 2Cor. 12:12, etc.)
And Scripture also materially provided for writings being recognized as being of God, and thus for additional writings being added and established as Divine, and thus for a canon.
It also provides for the church, which via its formal magisterium (though not restricted to it) is to discern and confirm both writings as well as men of God as being just that. However, the lack of said recognition and confirmation does not necessarily mean such are not of God and thus have no spiritual authority. And in fact oftentimes God raised up men to reprove those who sat in the seats of such power, in order to correct error and preserve Truth.
And thus the church began and thus it has been preserved as the body of Christ, manifest by faith which works by love in obeying Scripture, and in adding to the kingdom of God, though organizationally they came to exist in different tribes for good as well as wrong reasons.
► 4. Are you arguing that an infallible magisterium is necessary to recognize and establish which writings are of God, and thus a canon, and without which these books [or men] would not have authority? And that Rome is that magisterium in the light of it being the historical stewards of Scripture.
Yes, that is the RC argument, yet under this model the church itself is rendered invalid, for as said, it began in dissent from those who were the stewards of Scripture, etc. And writings were recognized and est. as being of God (Scripture) long before their ever was a church in Rome, or any church. And truth was preserved. Thus the approx. 250 OT quotes and hundreds of allusions to the OT in the NT.
This does not mean we cannot engage an RC who is condescending to arguing from Scripture as if that was his/her basis for determining Truth, but as all that Rome is the OTC has been refuted on the basis, we should recognize that Scripture and other testimony is not his real basis for assurance, and thus it should be realized what is, and the circularity of that premise., versus the basis upon which the church began. For thus it is written, to the glory of God.
-— Thus before arguing Scripture with RCs, the very basis for their assurance should be exposed and examined. -—
“If he will not listen to the church, treat him as a pagan or tax collector.” —Jesus
The Lord said this while he was living. Jesus could have said, “If he will not listen to ME.” So Christ’s Church must teach with His authority.
Did Christ’s visible Church pass away? Did the gates of hell prevail against it?