[HarleyD]

We don't pray to saints as if they are God. That would be ridiculous.

I've never stated that you pray to saints as if they are God. I said you pray to saints.

Doctrinal development did not cease with their interpretations. By what standard does one decide that it should have?

Building on a existing foundation is one thing. Moving down the street is quite another. The standard is the scriptures. It is what we measure how close or far away we are to our understanding of God.

And if one relies on Sola Scriptura, why should their various writings be held as anything more than opinions?

Various writings help us to understand THE writings-God's writings. We can either accept or reject what is being told to us by others based upon the scriptures. That is the purpose of places like here, to learn what is true from what is false. The Bereans were more noble because they searched the scriptures to find out if what others had written or told them was correct. But it remains our personal duty to search those things out-not to be told and accept. We need to go back to our bibles and search these things out- not our Catholic tracts.

Are you aware that recitation of the Nicene Creed is included in the Mass?

That's very nice. It doesn't change the fact that the Catholic Church today does not believe in the atonement as a sacrifice for sin. That is why you have people here saying Muslims can be saved without the cross of Christ. All they have to do is live a life according to the beatitude. The Catholic Church has become a work based organization.

But I suppose there is a certain irony in what they espouse and what they teach and believe. Eventually they'll modify the Mass to catch up with their doctrinal standards. This is, after all, what doctrinal development is all about, isn't it?

This sums up the Catholic belief: "For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God". Was St. Paul proclaiming "works-based salvation theory" here?

Do you believe a Muslim can be saved by living according to the beatitudes? Please don't try to tell me that Paul believed that. I would recommend a more extensive review of the scriptures than one line.

[BlatherNaut]

But it remains our personal duty to search those things out-not to be told and accept. We need to go back to our bibles and search these things out

Like this, for instance? "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle." 2 Thess 2:15 KJV

Do you believe a Muslim can be saved by living according to the beatitudes?

No one can be saved merely by living according to the beatitudes. This is what the Church teaches: "For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God".