I failed to mention the brutality of the Roman Church. I correct my last paragraph accordingly:
And then I guess he would have us believe all these people being baptized in Bible days, also worshipped Mary, did the Rosary, PERSECUTING ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS WHO DID NOT AGREE WITH THEM, HAVING THOUSANDS BURNED AT THE STAKE, ETC. Along with all the other non-Biblical trappings that became part of the Papacy centuries later. Quite preposterous actually.
This appears to be another case of Protestants, rather Evangelicals either forgetting, ignoring, or being ignorant of their roots. The evangelical movement didn’t just spring out of the ground, but has its historical nexus in the Ancient Church, like it or not. The 16th century Reformation was not the sudden rediscovery of Christianity, as if it had been in hiding or dead for 1500 years. Christ promised he would never abandon the Church and that hell would not prevail against it. All Christians share a common shame in the evil and ignorant behavior that we’ve done to others ostensibly in Christ’s name throughout history. This isn’t a Catholic issue, it’s a Christian issue. Romaphobia helps no one. In many ways the RC church is not the same today as it was in the 16th century, as the Protestant church (in all it’s 1000s of forms) is not the same either. The water has moved under the bridge. Can we also not get past this and focus on what unites us and not what divides us?