"Presumably you would also condemn the worship rituals of Judaism. One observer has commented that the Catholic Church has many resemblances to a synagogue, but with Jesus.
Yes - that's a mixture, and a little leaven leavens the whole lump."
God tore up the only religion He ever recognized on the day Christ died. The veil of the temple was torn in two, signifying that the last obstacle to coming unto the Father was now removed.
Jesus never taught religion - he was constantly emphasizing a direct relationship with His Father. And He said He was the only way to Him. That's why all religion is invalid.
Men try to intersperse themselves between man and God. Jesus said just the opposite. "You have one Father, and He is in heaven". "There is one mediator between God and man; the man Christ Jesus".
It was obvious from Christ's words that He knew his ministry was to be short, that He intended his followers to build a "church" (body of believers, not to be worshipped, but to teach others Who to worship and how)..it is the church that was to continue His Word, and to spread His teachings on Earth. Otherwise, few would be aware of His name and few would be able to profess Him. If this is Christianity, and not "religion" then I don't know what it is.
Matthew 16:
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."
As for sacraments, in the Catholic Church (The Church founded by Peter, the Rock), there are 7:
The Seven Sacraments
Baptism
Penance/Reconciliation
Eucharist
Confirmation
Matrimony
Holy Orders
Extremunction or Anointing of the Sick
The Catholic Church says this about the sacraments:
"The great mystery of the union in Christ of a human nature with the second Person of the Godhead is that the human actions and sufferings of Christ are divine actions and sufferings. The sacraments are a living continuation of this mystery. There are earthly, external signs here which, of themselves, could never acquire any supernatural significance, but the signs of the sacraments have been made by Christ into vehicles of his grace. They effect in men the grace for which Christ made them the sign......
The Church Thus Teaches: There are seven sacraments. They were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer"
Abomination in the Eye of God? I'll take my chances.
So why are you here? If there is truly no need for men to "intersperse" themselves in another's relationship with God, what are you doing here?
SD