The Bible says that we are ALL saints and priests if we are saved. If my cousin wants to confess Jesus as Savior at a weekend Bar-B-Q, Then they can confess in front of me or my family and they are saved. If they have a wreck and die on the way home, they have salvation. I don't have to have robes and collars to wittiness a repentance of sin and declaration of faith.
My authority comes from God, just as it did to John, Paul, Peter, Luke, Matthew, etc. My caveat comes with the warning that teachers who teach falsehood will be judged more harshly. If I'm not sure of something then I would ask for the Spirit to make it clear, and if not, I say "I'm not sure". Just because a guy in a collar says I'm wrong, means nothing. I listen to what he says, but the matter isn't settled until the Holy Spirit makes it crystal clear. There are many subjects that I would be hesitant to talk about to someone, especially someone who is just starting to learn, but the things I know,.....I know. Just as the Scripture says, "This is me, not God," They were able to say it was more advantageous to be unmarried to do what they were doing, but if temptation was too strong, by all means, get married. That doesn't mean God decreed that they were to be celibate, they made it clear it was them talking. Just as it was told to Timothy that a little wine was good for the stomach doesn't mean God says you can be a drunk. It was a letter to help him and plainly not "God Breathed".
There is absolutely nothing wrong with teachers teaching the Scripture, but I have sat under many that couldn't answer the most basic questions and who, when they spoke, were plainly teaching error and it usually had something to do with church doctrine, not the written Word. I have also sat under some of the finest teachers, IMHO, in America. You can tell they have explored Scripture and had the answers to some of the most vexing questions revealed to them by God, not at seminary. I attend a Baptist church, but I am a Christian, not a Baptist. I just find the Baptists and their teaching more in line with what I believe the Scripture says. We have disagreements, but I don't want to be told, "Who are you to question so and so that has taught for 40 years?" He could have taught wrong for 40 years.
The reason I'm not a Catholic is because I believe what they teach is error, so much so, to the point of being a cult. That doesn't mean a Catholic can't know the Truth, or can't go to Heaven, but it usually ends up with them defending the Catholic dogma and has nothing to do with Jesus. It is dangerous to pray to Mary( what the thread started as) and other relics. It is strictly forbidden in Scripture. I don't really care to discuss some Bishops writing from the 14th century over some topic that is plainly stated in the Bible. It would be like me trying to cure fever with leeches because thats what they believed back then. I find it stimulating to discuss topics with knowledgeable people and weigh their answers with what I read in Scripture. Most of the stuff doesn't have anything to do with SALVATION, however. It is usually over side issues that are good to know but aren't critical.
Once you understand God as a Father, then you can understand how you would feel if your Son Gave His life on the cross in a horrible death, and then someone comes along and is praying to statues and icons. It is blasphemy, plain and simple. Just picture your son dying in Iraq and some liberal saying he is as patriotic as your son while throwing feces on your son's grave. You wouldn't be happy. That just infuriates Catholics, but a simple reading of the Bible will clear it up for them. Hanging on to traditions of men is EXACTLY what Jesus came to condemn. That is why we have the Bible in the first place. The reason Luther broke from the church was because he was able to read Scripture and compare to what the teaching of the church was. It's no different today.
As far as my children being bastards, that has been said to me at least 3 times because I won't convert to Catholicism and force them to be raised Catholic. I suppose the mafia were good Catholic boys with a ticket to Heaven because they belonged to the Catholic church. The denomination won't save you. I've been told Joesph Smith is equal to Jesus, and if I don't speak in tongues, I don't have the Holy Spirit. And yes, I live in East Texas and have been told that I need to handle a poisonous snake to see if I get bit. You would be surprised at the people that REALLY believe different things and can back it up with Scripture. Just remember, Satan came to Jesus to trick Him in the wilderness and quoted Scripture to the Man who wrote it. Anything can be misused and misunderstood. Catholics are free to pray to Mary, if they want to, I'm just saying it's an insult to God. The Bible tells us to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds. Mary was a willing vessel, but she is not God. Our God is a jealous God.
Wow.
What a lengthy post.
Regardless of length of post, the comments that you made regarding praying to Mary are simply incorrect and demonstrate a gross ignorance (common in the anti-Catholic crowd) of actual Catholic faith.
It has been said many, many times:
Catholics do not pray to Mary or the Saints as a form of worship. Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints as a form of asking a trusted friend for assistance. To over-simplify, think of it as calling up a friend at work and asking them to speak to the boss since the friend is at the office and you are, say, on a business trip.
Don’t be blinded by the ignorant lies told in so many protestant churches.
Something that’s always intrigued me is the fact that protestant churches preach against Catholicism fairly often, but I’ve never heard a negative word about protestants while at Mass.
Wow, just wow.
Right down to the last sentence...
You absolutely nailed my feelings and beliefs here. You hit pretty much ALL of my hot buttons on this.
Well said.