Replies

BibChr:

Your "common-sense" questions have been slam-dunked over and over again here on FR -- and, I might add, over and over again over the last two millenia as well, by people a lot smarter than I. If you really want answers to your questions, there are dozens of sites on the Internet you can turn to for answers -- EWTN and Catholic Answers to name only two.

But, of course, you're not really looking for answers. You're looking to smash some icons.

And, like the Iconoclasts, your intentions are good: you believe that we Catholics are following another Gospel straight to Hell and that it's your duty to save us if you can. I appreciate your concern. Believe me, I do. The problem, however, is that your basic premise is wrong; it is your brand of homebrew Christianity that is wrong, not out two-thousand-year-old Catholic, orthodox belief. You criticize our infallible Magisterium, yet you have appointed yourself a Papacy of One, and deign to rule infallibly on matters of faith and morals. Let anyone who disagrees with Pope BibChr's private interpretation of the Scriptures be anathema!

Well, if I'm going to end up with a Papacy either way, I'll stick with the one established by Christ Himself -- at least they serve up the dogma straight, without the chaser of bitter sanctimony. I will of course continue to correct any errors or misstatements about the Church I read here on FR, but I refuse to exchange rancor for rancor with you. There is literally nothing I or anyone else can say that is going to make you change your mind, so why waste time and bandwidth? Instead, I'm going to pray for you. I'm going to pray that the Holy Spirit drag you kicking and screaming to the doorstep of St. Peter's, as He did me. I'm going to pray that through the intercession of Our Lady Mary, Mother of God, and St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse and Patron of the Universal Church, Christ present you with the Truth of our Catholic faith in a way not even you can deny.

God bless you, BibChr. I know your heart is in the right place -- but your facts are wrong, and your attitude is wrong. "No Pope is going to tell me how to believe!" Well, keep in mind that Christianity is a religion of submission to authority; non serviam is the Devil's motto.

Have a blessed Holy Week.