Natural Law wrote:
“ I don’t begrudge anyone rejecting Catholicism in favor of a Reformed denomination. I don’t begrudge anyone citing the specific reasons why as long as they honestly portray Catholic teachings. “
I’m glad to hear you say this. I try to be very careful in what I say about the teachings of the Catholic Church, and do not enjoy seeing it trashed for that of which it is not guilty. However, I do note that some Catholics have a habit of playing fast and loose with, for example, Lutheran doctrine. Do you expect of Catholics the same standards as you require of Protestants here? And will you follow them yourself and try to get others to do the same?
Just curious.
Yes I do. In fact I hold Catholics to a higher standard. I will admit that we do not always hold to that standard out of ignorance or anger, but the truth is not advanced by a lie.
I will say this about Luther; he was a flawed man. Evil in many ways but did see and speak out about flaws within the Catholic Church and the Church is better for it today. I do not believe that he sought a schism or believed himself anything other than a Catholic.
Luther was also a pawn of the German princes who desired a break with the Holy Roman Empire and an opportunity to seize Church property and wealth as was done in England. They played to his vanities and he responded. He is not the first, nor last to be played by the greedy and powerful.