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A concise summation of the errors of Proestantism. The full article also discusses Freemasonry and other lies, including those of the Clintons, that permeate the world.

A concise summation of the errors of ~~Proestantism~~ Protestantism.

It wouldn't be Protestantism without the protest, of course.

Question. Have Protestants any faith in Christ?
Answer. They never had.
Q. Why not?
Ans. Because there never lived such a Christ as they imagine and believe in.
Q. In what kind of a Christ do they believe?
Ans. In such a one of whom they can make a liar with impunity, whose doctrines they can interpret as they please, and who does not care what a man believes, provided he be an honest man before the public.
Q. Will such a faith in such a Christ save Protestants?
Ans. No sensible man will assert such an absurdity.
Q. What will Christ say to them on the day of judgment?
Ans. I know you not, because you never knew me:
Q. Are Protestants willing to confess their sins to a Catholic bishop or priest, who alone has power from Christ to forgive sins? ‘Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them.'
Ans. No; for they generally have an utter aversion to confession, and therefore their sins will not be forgiven them throughout all eternity.
Q. What follows from this?
Ans. That they die in their sins and are damned.
-Familar Explanation of Christian Doctrine, Fr. Michael Mueller, C.SS.R.
http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=AJG5840

The overthrow of the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ deposited power first of all in the hands of monarchs eager to be rid of the "interference" of the Church and ultimately in the hands of whoever happened to hold the reins of governmental power in the modern "democratic" state. Despotism has been the result in both cases.

Whew! I'm glad there was no despotism in the Middle Ages when the Roman Catholic Church was in charge.

(5) This state of justification is not earned by good works.

Hey Dave! A lie of Protestantism?

(7) That there is only one source of Divine Revelation, Sacred Scripture.

Ok, so would Divine Tradition or the Magisterium ever contradict the written Word of God?

(8) That each individual is his own interpreter of Sacred Scripture.

Fifthmark, if you're gonna post our lies, at least post 'em right.

We believe that each individual can understand the Scriptures under the Illumination of the Holy Spirit. It has to do with that whole Priesthood of the Believers thing.

Thomas A. Droleskey on the Lies of Protestantism

A concise summation of the errors of Proestantism. The full article also discusses Freemasonry and other lies, including those of the Clintons, that permeate the world.

Another load of horse snit droped by a catholic.

Go get a broom and clean this up!

BigMack

Well, the fact the items 1-8 are Scriptural makes this an interesting debate. However, re: #9 - Protestants do not believe in the separation of Church and State.

So certainly know how to throw a food fight.

Without an authoritative guide to interpret Divine Revelation, including Sacred Scripture, individual believers can come to mutually contradictory conclusions about the meaning of passages, the precise thing that has given rise to literally thousands of Protestant sects.

A concise encapulation of the presumptuous arrogance of some Catholics.

Dog, meet manger. Manger, meet dog.

The premise is as flawed as the rebuttle. Catholicism gets rejected because of what it is as much as what it isn't. It's misunderstandings of it's proclaimed roots are as obvious as it's historical lies and fraudulent historians.
Catholicism as a historical entity makes more sense when put under the microscope and examined in historical context.. but not as a religion - as a political entity.

Historically speaking, Theodosius gave Catholicism it's proper name. It grew out of the Rabble that accused the Donatists as a matter to save popular face. The Donatists not only refused to compromise the faith by paying respect to the pagan gods of Rome by paying tribute, they had the nerve to point out that all the other sects were sinning in so doing. The other sects grumbled to Constantine till the Donatists found themselves pursued by the Emperor for a time. They ultimately outlived Constantine. But, Theodosius put the charge on the table later when he drew the paganized church together and named it Catholicism as
a means to hold the content of a struggling empire.

Catholicism might have been a bastardized version of Christianity; but, Constantine had lived a pagan life and died a pagan. He'd used Christianity as a political anchor to cement his place as emperor.. the heeders of pagan gods that Theodosius proclaimed "Catholic" later on would use Constantine as much as he had used them - and some would lie and use his name in forgery to create the Rule of the Roman rite. This is the loose history with a lot of holes left to fill with other facts.

When one starts adding in the fraudulent books and documents passed on by the Roman rite as authentic for decades (ie, isidore, Gracian, the fraudulent books of Clement, Ignatius, etc).. to the pile of fraudulent relics such as the "Chair of Peter" and the Seven baskets of teeth purportedly belonging to the same "saint" if the questions haven't started about authenticity or authority, one isn't thinking. This is to say nothing of the blatent misunderstandings of Judaic terms and rites that were both misinterpreted and misapplied out of ignorance by Catholicism - ie Binding and loosing. Binding and loosing is an interpretive office like our Judicial system in the states. No right exists in the judiciary to craft new law - only to interpret what exists. New law in our judiciary comes from abuse of office, so to in Catholicism. Had they understood half of what they misapplied, it might not be so blatent.

So the repulsion felt by Christians and protestants against Catholicism has nothing to do with what is stated in the article. It has everything to do with knowing your stuff, knowing history and knowing snake oil when it's seen. People have a right to believe what they will. They have a right to practice that belief. But niether believing nor practicing makes it right. And simply saying one must have faith doesn't cut it. Christ, the Apostles and Prophets of old - even Moses proclaimed that our faith must be in God - not in men or their devices.

Much of this stuff has long since been debated and rehashed in the Christian Chronicals book.. it's too big any longer to call it a thread. Have fun.

Is Peter the 'rock'?

NIV Matthew 4:18-19
18. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
19. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

NIV Matthew 8:14
14. When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.

NIV Matthew 10:1-2
1. He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

NIV Matthew 14:28-31
28. "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29. "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

NIV Matthew 15:13-16
13. He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
14. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
15. Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."
16. "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.

(Simon was already known as 'Peter' BEFORE these verses came along.....)

NIV Matthew 16:13-18
13. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14. They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15. "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16. Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17. Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

19. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

NIV 1 Corinthians 10:4
4. and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

NIV Luke 6:48
48. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

NIV Romans 9:33
33. As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

NIV 1 Peter 2:4-8
4. As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--
5. you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
7. Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, "
8. and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for.

But, since there WAS no NT at the time Christ spoke to Peter, just what DID Peter and the rest of the Disciples know about ROCKS???

NIV Genesis 49:24-25
24. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25. because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb.

NIV Numbers 20:8
8. "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

NIV Deuteronomy 32:4
4. He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

NIV Deuteronomy 32:15
15. Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.

NIV Deuteronomy 32:18
18. You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.

NIV Deuteronomy 32:30-31
30. How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
31. For their rock is not like our Rock, as even our enemies concede.

NIV 1 Samuel 2:2
2. "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

NIV 2 Samuel 22:2-3
2. He said: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3. my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent men you save me.

NIV 2 Samuel 22:32
32. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?

NIV 2 Samuel 22:47
47. "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!

NIV 2 Samuel 23:3-4
3. The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: `When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,
4. he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.'

NIV Psalms 18:2
2. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

NIV Psalms 18:31
31. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?

NIV Psalms 18:46
46. The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!

NIV Psalms 19:14
14. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

NIV Psalms 28:1

1. To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

NIV Psalms 31:2-3
2. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.
3. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

NIV Psalms 42:9
9. I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"

NIV Psalms 62:2
2. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

NIV Psalms 62:6
6. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

NIV Psalms 62:7
7. My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

NIV Psalms 71:3
3. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

NIV Psalms 78:35
35. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.

NIV Psalms 89:26
26. He will call out to me, `You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.'

NIV Psalms 92:14-15
14. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,
15. proclaiming, "The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

NIV Psalms 95:1
1. Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

NIV Psalms 144:1
1. Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

NIV Isaiah 17:10
10. You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.

NIV Isaiah 26:4
4. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

NIV Isaiah 30:29
29. And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people go up with flutes to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.

NIV Isaiah 44:8
8. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."

NIV Habakkuk 1:12
12. O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish.

.....No other rock.............

And now you know the Biblical position!

Lies

Gee, that's a rather bigoted statement.

At this point, I suppose it should be pointed out that Roman Catholicism teaches that salvation is available only through the Catholic church:
"The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism explains: 'For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained.'" Pg. 215, #816
Here, the 1994 catechism reaffirms the existing teaching of Vatican II, that salvation can be obtained only through the Roman Catholic church. The catechism leaves no doubt that the Catholic church is necessary for salvation:
"...all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation..." Pg. 224, #846
Past popes have taught this doctrine, as have previous catechisms and church fathers. Here is but one example…
On May 7, 2001, Pope John Paul II told 2,000 youth gathered at the Greek-Melkite Cathedral of Damascus that "you cannot be a Christian if you reject the Church founded on Jesus Christ."1
You personally may not believe this, but the pope does. And it is an official doctrine of the Catholic religion.
If you check the Scriptures on this subject, you will not find a single verse requiring one to go through a church to be saved. In fact, the opposite is taught:
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13
When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the full price for the sins of all mankind. According to God's Word, anyone can go directly to Him for salvation. Jesus Himself announced that:
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36
Jesus preached:
"He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life…" John 5:24
"He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." John 6:47
Jesus repeats this message in John 3:16, 3:18, and 6:40. If the Catholic church really is necessary for salvation, then Jesus Christ is a liar.
The Apostle Paul gives step by step instructions on how to be saved:
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10
Notice, no church is required. So if Catholicism is right, then the Apostle Paul is also a liar. And since he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is a liar as well.
"But as many as received (trusted in) him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12
St. John says you become God's child by believing in Jesus Christ. If this Catholic doctrine is true, then John's name must be added to the list of liars.
But John is not a liar. Jesus never requires a church for salvation:
"To him (Jesus) give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." Acts 10:43
The key is belief in Christ, not a church:
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…" Romans 1:16
According to Paul, Timothy needed faith in Christ to be saved, not a church:
"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15
When the Philippian prison guard asked Paul, "What must I do to be saved?," did Paul answer, "You must become a member of the Roman Catholic church?" No, he responded:
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…" Acts 16:31
Remember when Jesus was hanging on the cross? The thief on the cross next to Him cried out:
"…Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Luke 23:42
When that dying sinner uttered those words of faith, Jesus responded by saying:
"To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43
Salvation is in Christ… not in a church.
The catechism claims salvation comes "…through Christ's Catholic Church alone…" But God's Word says it is obtained through Jesus Christ:
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
"… God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." 1 John 4:9
Only Christ can offer us salvation because He alone shed His blood for us:
"Much more then, being now justi-fied by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Romans 5:9
No church can offer salvation. Only Jesus can:
"Neither is there salvation in any other (except Jesus): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:10, 12
Conclusion
Since the Bible and Catholicism clearly disagree, here are some questions you must answer:
• If the Catholic church is necessary to escape hell and reach heaven, would not God have clearly stated it in His Word… at least once?
• Why would Jesus repeatedly lie by saying that salvation is available through faith in Him?
•Are you willing to call Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John all liars? For your religion to be right, you must.
• For centuries, Bible believing Christians have contended that this unbiblical doctrine was created to keep members in bondage. Was it?
• Lastly, you must again answer the question, "Which will I obey and serve, the traditions of men, or the Word of God?" You cannot say "both" because each says the other is wrong.
Someday you will stand face to face with Jesus Christ. You will look Him right in the eyes. You might want to start thinking about how you are going to tell the Lord that you rejected His teachings and obeyed the traditions of sinful men because you assumed He was lying.
"For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…" Mark 7:8
1 From article "Pope Meets with Youth of Various Christian Confessions," Vatican City, 5/7/01 (VIS) reported by the Catholic Information Network, 5/9/01, N. 86

Nice of you to take time out from complaining about all the Catholic bashing in SI to post this truly edifying article.

A concise summation of the errors of Proestantism. The full article also discusses Freemasonry and other lies, including those of the Clintons, that permeate the world.

1 posted on 09/30/2003 10:32 AM MDT by Fifthmark

NAU Leviticus 19:16 'You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the LORD. 17 'You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. 18 'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.

NAU Matthew 5:41 "Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

NAU Matthew 19:17 And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 Then he said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

NAU Matthew 22:37 And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' 40 "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

NAU Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' 31 "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

NAU Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

NAU Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

NAU James 2:8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well.

Do I find love of neighbor in this article as commanded by YHVH and Y'shua?

a bondslave to the Christ

chuck <truth@YeshuaHaMashiach>

Thank you for posting this Fifthmark. I posted something like this awhile back and it was pulled because I was being "hurtful" and "insensitive." Surprised it lasted this long. Can't wait to read the responses. Hope there's some nasty personal attacks.

Why hasn't this thread been pulled for "Protestant bashing"?

Heaven knows that articles containing less screed have been pulled when it has been thought that they were "Catholic bashing", "Mormon bashing", etc.

So much for Vatican II, it was only lip service to begin with, and Catholics still think that we are damned to hell per the Councils. That's alright, Rome still sits on seven hills.

Catholics have a saying: "If you want to know what the Bible says, ask a Protestant"

Protestantism is founded on many lies: (1) That Our Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did not create a visible, hierarchical Church. (2) That there is no authority given by Our Lord to the Pope and his bishops and priests to govern and to sanctify the faithful...

Strawman after strawman from the very beginning.

The words of the early church fathers themselves belie the notion that Rome has some sort of universal jurisdiction over the entire Church. The words of Gregory the Great are but one out of many that could be given, and shame on Droleskey for violating the spirit of his words; :

For since the truth shines forth from the Church Catholic alone, the Lord says that there is a place by Him, from which He is to be seen. Moses is placed on a rock, to behold the form of God, because if any one maintains not the firmness of Faith, he discerns not the Divine presence. Of which firmness the Lord says, 'Upon this rock I shall build my Church.'146

Gregory to John, Bishop of Constantinople: At the time when your Fraternity was advanced to Sacredotal dignity, you remember what peace and concord of the churches you found. But, with what daring or with what swelling of pride I know not, you have attempted to seize upon a new name, whereby the hearts of all your brethren might have come to take offence. I wonder exceedingly at this, since I remember how thou wouldest fain have fled from the episcopal office rather than attain it. And yet, now that thou hast got it, thou desirest so to exercise it as if thou hadst run to it with ambitious intent. For, having confessed thyself unworthy to be called a bishop, thou hast at length been brought to such a pass as, despising thy brethren, to covet to be named the only bishop...I have taken care to address your Fraternity, not indeed in writing, but by word of mouth, desiring you to restrain yourself from such presumption...I beg you, I beseech you, and with all the sweetness in my power demand of you, that your Fraternity gainsay all who flatter you and offer you this name of error, nor foolishly consent to be called by the proud title. Consider, I pray thee, that in this rash presumption the peace of the whole Church is disturbed, and that it is in contradiction to the grace that is poured out on all in common...And thou wilt become by so much the greater as thou restrainest thyself from the usurpation of a proud and foolish title: and thou wilt make advance in proportion as thou art not bent on arrogation by derogation of thy brethren. Wherefore, dearest brother, with all thy heart love humility, through which the concord of all the brethren and the unity of the holy universal Church may be preserved.
Certainly the apostle Paul, when he heard some say, I am of Paul, I of Apollos, but I of Christ (1 Cor. 1:13), regarded with the utmost horror such dilaceration of the Lord's body, whereby they were joining themselves, as it were, to other heads, and exclaimed, saying, Was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul (ib.)? If then he shunned the subjecting of the members of Christ partially to certain heads, as if beside Christ, though this were to the apostles themselves, what wilt thou say to Christ, who is the Head of the universal Church, in the scrutiny of the last judgment, having attempted to put all his members under thyself by the appellation of Universal? Who, I ask, is proposed for imitation in his wrongful title but he who, despising the legions of angels constituted socially with himself, attempted to start up to an eminence of singularity, that he might seem to be under none and to be alone above all? Who even said, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven; I will sit upon the mount of the testament, in the sides of the North: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High (Isai. xiv.13).
For what are all thy brethren, the bishops of the universal Church, but stars of heaven, whose life and discourse shine together amid the sins and errors of men, as if amid the shades of night? And when thou desirest to put thyself above them by this proud title, and to tread down their name in comparison with thine, what else dost thou say but I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven? Are not all the bishops together clouds, who both rain in the words of preaching, and glitter in the light of good works? And when your Fraternity despises them, and you would fain press them down under yourself, what else say you but what is said by the ancient foe, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds?
This most holy man the lord John, of so great abstinence and humility, has, through the seduction of familiar tongues, broken out into such a pitch of pride as to attempt, in his coveting of that wrongful name, to be like him who, while proudly wishing to be like God, lost even the grace of the likeness granted him, and because he sought false glory, thereby forfeited true blessedness.
Certainly Peter, the first of the apostles, himself a member of the holy and universal Church, Paul, Andrew, John-what were they but heads of particular communities? And yet all were members under one Head. And (to bind all together in a short girth of speech) the saints before the law, the saints under the law, the saints under grace, all these making up the Lord's Body, were constituted as members of the Church, and not one of them has wished himself to be called universal. Now let your Holiness acknowledge to what extent you swell within yourself in desiring to be called by that name by which no one presumed to be called who was truly holy.
Was it not the case, as your Fraternity knows, that the prelates of this Apostolic See, which by the providence of God I serve, had the honour offered them of being called universal by the venerable Council of Chalcedon. But yet not one of them has ever wished to be called by such a title, or seized upon this ill-advised name, lest if, in virtue of the rank of the pontificate, he took to himself the glory of singularity, he might seem to have denied it to all his brethren...What, then, can we bishops say for ourselves, who have received a place of honour from the humility of our Redeemer, and yet imitate the pride of the enemy himself?...What, then, dearest brother, wilt thou say in that terrible scrutiny of the coming judgment, if thou covetest to be called in the world not only father, but even general father?...Lo, by reason of this execrable title of pride the Church is rent asunder, the hearts of all the brethren are provoked to offence...And thou attemptest to take the honour away from all which thou desirest unlawfully to usurp to thyself singularly.
I therefore have once and again through my representatives taken care to reprove in humble words this sin against the whole Church; and now I write myself.147

To Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria: In position you are my brethren...And lo, in the preface of the epistle which you have addressed to myself who forbade it, you have thought it fit to make use of a proud appellation, calling me Universal Pope. But I beg your most sweet Holiness to do this no more, since what is given to another beyond what reason demands is subtracted from yourself. For as for me, I do not seek to be prospered by words but by my conduct. Nor do I regard that as an honour whereby I know that my brethren lose their honour. For my honour is the honour of the universal Church...Then am I truly honoured when the honour due to all and each is not denied them. For if your Holiness calls me Universal Pope, you deny that you are yourself what you call me universally. But far be this from us. Away with words that inflate vanity and wound charity.148

To Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria: Your most sweet Holiness has spoken much in your letter to me about the chair of Saint Peter, Prince of the apostles, saying that he himself now sits on it in the persons of his successors...He has spoken to me about Peter's chair who occupies Peter's chair...I greatly rejoiced because you, most holy ones, have given to yourselves what you have bestowed upon me. For who can be ignorant that holy Church has been made firm in the solidity of the Prince of the apostles, who derived his name from the firmness of his mind, so as to be called Petrus from petra. And to him it is said by the voice of Truth, To thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. xvi.19). And again it is said to him, And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren (xxii.32). And once more, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? Feed My sheep (Joh. xxi.17). Wherefore though there are many apostles, yet with regard to the principality itself of the See of the Prince of the apostles alone has grown strong in authority, which in three places is the See of one. For he himself exalted the See in which he deigned even to rest and end the present life. He himself adorned the See to which he sent his disciple as evangelist. He himself stablished the See in which, though he was to leave it, he sat for seven years. Since then it is the See of one, and one See, over which by divine authority three bishops now preside, whatever good I hear of you, this I impute to myself...We are one in Him...149

Cordially,

If they are still to be found, there is a series of articles that I published here sometime in the early Spring of 2003: 'THE CHURCH COMPROMISED.' This is a 12,000 word essay, divided into eight parts:

PART I: Media Obfuscation of the Scandal

PART II: Media Hypocrisy and Religious Liberty--The Cult of Man

PART III: Ecumenism-The Handmaid of Freemasonry

PART IV: Children of Babylon or Prodigal Son?

PART V: Heresy, Then and Now - The Rights of Man vs. the Rights of God

PART VI: The Fruit of Protestant Rationalism is the Rights of Man - A Blood Cult

PART VII: Modernism - the Same Old Lies

PART VIII: End Game - The New Church

If you have the opportunity to do so, please read the piece and let me know your thoughts.