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We have the Bible now, and actually, Catholic tradition directly contradicts the Bible: There is no mention of separate, special "saints"- all Christians are called saints by Paul. There's no mention of "purgatory" or "limbo". No foods are forbidden. Mary is not equal with Jesus. You don't have to confess your sins to a priest, nor do you need a "saint" to intervene for you when praying to God. You don't pray to "saints". No man is sinless. There are not different "kinds" of sins (original, venial, mortal); all sins are equal in God's eyes. Mary didn't remain a virgin and needed a savior like everyone else.

The list goes on. By the way, I was raised a Roman Catholic and I also read the Bible.

Ive heard this before on another thread I think.

We have the Bible because of the Church not the other way around. Christ built a Church not a book. He built it on the rock, Peter. Read the bible, its in there.

Peace -

Well, I guess we're getting a little off topic but I need to respond. It says towards the end of the Bible that Jesus taught many things which weren't listed in the Bible. Jesus also gave the keys to his kingdom to Peter. This authority is how we are able to discern the true New Testament writing from the gnostic gospels and other invented writings.

By the way, since you aren't a Catholic anymore, can you tell me how you can discern the correct books in the Bible from the incorrect ones? And also can you say where Sola Scriptura is mentioned in the Bible?

(Matthew 16:18-19) And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.

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

There are not different "kinds" of sins (original, venial, mortal); all sins are equal in God's eyes.

The list goes on. By the way, I was raised a Roman Catholic and I also read the Bible.

You must not have read much of the Bible, because 1 John 5 16-17 specifically talks about sin that is "deadly" or "mortal" (the two words are equivalent) and sin that isn't. So I guess it's your tradition that directly contradicts the Bible, huh?

There are not different "kinds" of sins (original, venial, mortal); all sins are equal in God's eyes.

But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matt 5:22)

I was raised a Roman Catholic and I also read the Bible.

And John Kerry was an alter boy, so he understood everything about the Catholic faith...

There is no mention of separate, special "saints"- all Christians are called saints by Paul.

There's no mention of the Trinity, or even the word "Trinity." The New Testament speaks of the Father in heaven, Jesus as the Son of God, and a Paraclete, but no where does it suggest that all are three persons of the same being. This theology was not developed until centuries later. Yet, most "bible-only" Christians still believe in the Trinity...

There's no mention of "purgatory" or "limbo".

There is in a Catholic Bible, but Martin Luther thought it best to remove books such as 1 and 2 Maccabbees from the Old Testament.

You don't have to confess your sins to a priest

Jesus gave the Apostles the power to forgive other people's sins. If a Christian doesn't need someone ordained by God to forgive their sins, and they can just approach God themselves, then Jesus conferred upon them a useless power. Would Jesus do something completely arbitrary?

Mary is not equal with Jesus.

You are right. Catholic theology agrees.

nor do you need a "saint" to intervene for you when praying to God.

You've never asked a friend or family member to pray for you? That's intervention, isn't it? The difference with Catholic Saints is that these are our brothers and sisters already in complete union with God in heaven. Our God is a God of the living, not the dead.

No man is sinless

Except Jesus, unless you're resurrecting the Arian heresy and claiming Jesus wasn't a man

There are not different "kinds" of sins (original, venial, mortal); all sins are equal in God's eyes.

When Judas commits the sin of betrayal against the Son of God, Jesus says that it would have been better for him to have never been born. Yet, with other sins, such as prostitution or Peter's denial of Christ, Jesus is not nearly as harsh. Perhaps Jesus doesn't see sin the same way you do.

Mary didn't remain a virgin and needed a savior like everyone else.

That belief cannot be produced by Biblical exegesis only, as we run into complications with translations. In aramaic, the word means relatives of all sorts, not just pure blood line. Since we know Joseph was a widower prior to his betrothal to Mary we know that he most likely had children, which would have become Jesus' brothers and sisters without any formal destinction made in terminology. But, if you're only going to use the Bible, your argument will not go anywhere as there is not much to base that claim on.

The list goes on.

They always do..... :-)