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Matthew 16:23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."

Jesus said this after he called Peter the rock. (Matthew 16:18) So if you say that Peter is the rock, then you must also say that Peter is Satan.

Sorry, Jesus did not found the Catholic Church. He would not create something so flawed.

I don't know why Catholics have this special thing about being blessed. The people are the containers. The important thing is what is inside. Mary was a container. She was blessed because she was allowed to carry Jesus. Peter was a container. He was blessed because of the belief the Holy Spirit revealed to him. The belief was the rock on which to build the church, not Peter. Being blessed does not make you special. It means that God did something special for you.

You see. I am saved by grace, through faith, for works.

I do not need the Catholic Church to be saved. The only thing I need to be saved is the Rock; the belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Holy Spirit gave this belief to me. I did not earn salvation; It was given to me without my deserving it. I am blessed.

Tao Yin: YOPIOS (Your own personal interpretation of Scripture) or the Teaching Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18)? No brainer. Ya gotta go with Rome on the religious stuff if you are a Christian. There is some injunction in Scripture against adding or detracting and your suggestion that Peter is referenced by Christ as Satan is a prime example of why. Are we to believe that Peter blessed and recognized by Christ as the rock (as you concede) is also Satan? Really, the lengths to which you go! Why did it take 1500 years to establish Christ's Church which simply must be the alternative reformer theory? You suggest that Jesus Christ was incarnated, born, lived, performed all that is told in Scripture, died, resurrected all so that a renegade priest could found the church 1500 or so years later? That is tough on those who died between 33 AD and 1517.

How about the Gospel of John? Unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, you shall not see God? John reports that many of the disciples found that a hard saying by Christ and walked away. They knew Him personally and rejected Him. No surprise that many disciples are still walking away.

Further, Christ chose 12 apostles. Among them were Peter (who denied Him three times), Thomas (who questioned the Resurrection) and Judas (well, Judas!!!!). None perfect among those three. Maybe the message was not to expect perfect leaders. The Catholic Church established by Jesus Christ persists as He guaranteed, through more than 300 sccessors to Peter. Ubi petrus, ibi ecclesia! No surprise there, either.

Note that you started this by giving unwanted advice to Catholics.

B-Chan: Have you still got that old cereal box to post?