[Quix]

How they play out?

They are an obsessive, knee-jerk

MANTRA

more common than “OOOOHMMMMMMMMMM!”

[wmfights]

I'm beginning to understand it though. I see that almost all of their convoluted doctrines/dogmas were established during that political period 400 AD - 1600 AD highlighted by Trent.

Time and again these doctrines/dogmas are shown for what they are, false. Yet they cling to them. Why?

I believe you will find these mistaken beliefs fall into two categories. One, beliefs that became a part of this church to make it easier for large numbers of people who had previously believed something else to feel at home. The worship of Mary was very appealing to all the goddess cults that existed in the Greco-Roman empire. The praying to saints was appealing to the polytheists. The second, are the beliefs that empower those in the chain of the hierarchy. Transubstantiation, alter Christus, deposit of faith just to name a few.

When we show how these beliefs are not found in Scripture they are left with two choices; denigrate the messenger (what better way than to call them a bigot), or admit these beliefs are wrong and leave the RCC. Having family members who have done the latter and attending a church where 25% or more of our members converted, I've seen it is hard to do.