“Since Protestantism is designed to cater to human defects, it is to be expected that where greed abouds, Protestantism abounds as well. It was, after all invented to please the merchant class.”
Who taught you that? You know they left out a few things, don’t you? At first I thought you actually believed this garbage. Now it’s clear you are just stirring the pot. I can appreciate that.
Protestantism came to be because of the corrupt human manifestation of a perfect Church founded by Christ. If you think for a moment that the Catholic Church does not cater to human defects, it must be because you haven’t needed the sacrament of Confession, or the Eucharist. You may well be the second coming in that case - have you thought about that?
As to the merchant class...The Catholic church has been in the business of salvation - and has materially prospered from it. They now object that they no longer have an exclusive franchise - and now try to emphasize a qualitative advantage of a Catholic-branded salvation.
This is all well and good for those that choose it.
In fact, the Protestants themselves say that Protestantism was better suited for the post-medieval period. The idea that one can be an authorty onto himself without divine appointment was beginning to be popular in the early 1500’s.
It is true that every human institution is open to corruption, but it is Protestantism that is corrupt by definition. The Catholic Church is dogmatically oriented toward the 1c. when she was conceived by Christ. We systematically reject any power that is not apostolic in nature. Yes, there has always been an element of abuse in the Church.
What makes you think I am simply seeking controversy? I have my opinions and I express them. I rarely disagree with the Orthodox, on the other hand, and so I am quite congenial with them.