So many of these things are in the Bible. More will follow. In fact, some of the scripture on these subjects has already been posted on this thread. Hmmmm. Do you read those Catholic posts?
If you went to parochial school, you should have studied the Catechism. Both the old Baltimore Catechism series and the new Catechism are based on Scripture - for each point of Catechism teaching, there is a Scripture verse, or verses, backing it up. Either you weren't paying attention the first time, you have completely forgotten, or you are purposefully, willfully, and conveniently disregarding this little fact in order to justify your leaving the Church. You will need to come up with another reason, because I don't buy your assertion that you just happened to discover the Church's teachings are "mere fiction and superstition." You are presenting yourself as a Protestant who is ignorant of Catholic teaching, but you know that teaching very well and are CHOOSING to argue against it. Your arguments are bogus, sir!
**nor masses,**
All the Gospels in the telling of the Passion and death of Jesus Christ have the main part of the Mass, the consecration, in them. Word for word.
"This is my Body. Take and eat."
This is my Blood. Take and drink."
"Do this in remembrance of me."
Those same words are repated at every Mass.
Have you ever looked at a Sacramentary (the book the priest reads from that has all the prayers for the Mass? Almost all the prayers are from Scripture.
If you lived close to me I would take you to a Catholic Church and show you one of these books myself. Or if you want to investigate on your own, stop in at a Catholic Church and ask the sacristan or the priest if you could talk with him and have a look at the Sacramentary.
**nor prayers to saints, nor purgatory, nor indulgences,**
We have covered all of these in previous posts. They are in the Bible -- just not in those precise words. Do you want me to post the Scripture verses again?
Hey, you read the Gospel of Luke,chapter 1, don't you?
Elizabeth.
So you see the all of the Hail Mary part is from Scripture and I know that the first line of the second part is from the same passage. I'm sure the rest is in Scripture, I just can't pull it off my floppy disk (brain) right now. Blessings! Aren't you glad you asked?
**Holy Water**
"Unless a man is born again of water and the spirit" -- sure sounds like holy water to me.
How about the "Living water" when Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman -- sounds like holy water to me!
Come one, Uncle Chip, I think you might be trying to be difficult here.
**Peter's episcopacy **
We've already talked about Christ giving the keys of the kingdom to Peter and giving him to power to loose and bind sins on earth previously in this thread.
**many rituals and doctrines**
If you can be more specific here, maybe I can enlighten your opinions.