Once you've bought into the idea of personal interpretation of Scripture, you essentially become your own Pope and the successor of Peter therefore becomes irrelevant at best and at worst, an obstacle on the road to salvation who's doing Satan's work by trying to mislead you. The Church likewise then becomes a sinister conspiracy rather than our guide which is designed to light the path to salvation.
Go easy with the self-righteous indignation. The trolls love it when Catholics get bent out of shape.
Not bent out of shape at all. Not offended by the disdain that Protestantism has for the Catholic Church. Heck, I used to be one of 'em. And I hope I'm not self-righteous, even if I came across that way. Sorry about that. I didn't make this stuff up, so what is there to be self-righteous about. I didn't even believe the Catholic Church to be true for the first 47 years of my life, so again, nothing for me to be self-righteous about. I drag my sorry backside into the confessional on a regular basis...so definitely nothing for me to be self-righteous about. :)
But, the truth is what it is.
And, I just like to get all the Brothers talking, and thinking...well, maybe hoping for real thinking is a stretch. Most minds are made up. And that is why we are a fractured "body" of believers.
Oh well. I'll shut up now.
Blessings and Peace. KB
Not sure what "personal interpretation" is but no Protestant believes in a private interpretation of Scripture.
Scripture interprets Scripture, as our understanding of it is led by the Holy Spirit.
Sadly the RCC usurps the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of every believer and says instead that the ecclesiocracy is the sword of the spirit whereas we know that office to be held by Scripture.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." -- 2 Peter 1:20-21"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.