Here we’re talking about marks of Christ’s Church, and you have to say something negative about Christ-followers who happen not to be Roman Catholic.
Typical. Roman Catholic FReepers hate those who follow Christ, who don’t belong to their particular denomination.
Again, I wonder: Why such antagonism toward Christ-followers? Why such arrogance about your particular expression of Christ’s Church?
Why such arrogance about your particular expression of Christ’s Church?
The idea of one sort of Platonic "ideal form" of Christ's Church with many, equally valid particular expressions is not a slam-dunk. And it is not an idea we agree with.
Presumably people get into this or that 'denomination' because of doctrine, at least sometimes. Are all doctrines equally good? Does doctrine not matter? Or do some doctrines matter while others do not? Who gets to say which ones are important?
If one church says abortion is okay, while another says it is a very grave sin, does that simply not matter? Is all salved over by our Lord's forgiveness? Or can a life of objective evil (if there is any such thing -- I think there is) have serious consequences for the perpetrator?
The answers, I think, cannot be equally good. Either we Catholics have the lives of mothers who had their unwanted babies on our hands,or those who disagree with us have the lives of the dead babies on their hands.
The existence of different bodies, all claiming to be valid "instances" of Christ's body is a very grave matter. If it is of no importance,why don't you, in the interests of peace become a Catholic?