Not a chance. The word *Catholic* does not even appear in Scripture.
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Read some of the Near Death Experience threads if you don’t believe me.
That proves nothing.
The bible contains many instances of respectable persons. It is okay to notice respectable persons? Or are we to behave like troglodytes and spit tobacco juice on each others boots to signify our lack or respect?
"FWIW, the Catholic church has spent lots of time trying to impose its beliefs on others. Non-Catholics are told constantly that they must become Catholic to get to heaven, that in heaven everyone will be Catholic. And then there’s that pesky Inquisition thing."
SO has every religion. There are many Protestant sects that declare Catholics are not going to heaven (usually phrased along the lines of "the RCC does not have a gospel sufficient to save your soul"). Either way, Catholic dogma allows that non-Catholics can be saved; fact checking is our friend. And that pesky inquisition...I suppose you realize that in that time it was illegal to be Catholic in many countries, and said countries had their own secret police style organizations to combat popery? Nobody, including Catholics, had a monopoly on persecuting people of differing faith, despite what some would have us believe.
"Nonsense. The RCC did not write the OT nor did it write the NT as the Catholic church wasn't around for a few hundred years."
That insight regarding the old testament is of course a lightning revelation to us. We had all supposed that Jesuits wrote the old testament. Regarding the NT and the Church "not being around for a few hundred years," that is simply not true. There is a common idea is some circles that there was a period of "early-church" which was totally different from the "false Roman church" that popped up later. Sadly for some, this is simply bullocks. Its certainly a topic worth researching for those who care to know the truth. Perhaps I'll even write a wee piece on it sometime.
"Wow. How condescending of them to rub elbows with the unwashed."
How a comment can turn the idea that non-Catholics can be saved into such a negative statement is almost applause-worthy.
"LOL!!! It’s *hate* to point out the truth? Are you liberal?"
And of course, somebody finding comments like the one above somewhat offensive draws the inevitable question "are you liberal"...At the risk of being labeled an inquisitor, I ask the question in return, are YOU a liberal?
"Roman Catholicism is a religion of control freaks. They will NEVER let you go."
More of that charming negativism. Yup, we're all control freaks. Little-known fact, we all sort our alphabet soup and arrange our vestments in harmony with the color wheel.
"Not a chance. The word *Catholic* does not even appear in Scripture."
Uh, yes it does. I suppose you meant the word Catholic does not appear in reference to the body of believers (although it technically does). But since its synonyms do, however, this is a bit of a moot point.