Apparently, “Catholics worship the pope” is not a strawman, whereas, “Protestants worship themselves” is a strawman.
All Catholics have said here is that the Pope is infalliable in certain circumstances, and when speaking on faith and morals, through the power of the holy spirit, not himself.
How does an appeal to the authority of the holy spirit qualify as deification in one instance, and not the other?
>>How does an appeal to the authority of the holy spirit qualify as deification in one instance, and not the other?<<
Simple. I am the final authority regarding what I choose to believe and what I reject as false. God gave me that right and responsibility. It is not self worship.