[Judith Anne]

It is so clear as you study the Scriptures that institutional "orthodoxy" has turned away from Scripture in order to empower itself and make believers dependent upon it.

What constitutes "institutional orthodoxy"? Are you talking about the Catholic and EO churches?

In the process they have instituted heresy in the place of Truth. The idea that your works contribute to your salvation

Once again, it looks as though you are pointing to the Catholic Church. FYI, no Catholic believes that works contribute to salvation, just in case that is what you are getting at.

is almost as bad as kneeling before idols, maybe worse.

Who kneels before idols? Is this another canard about Mary worship?

[Iscool]

Once again, it looks as though you are pointing to the Catholic Church. FYI, no Catholic believes that works contribute to salvation, just in case that is what you are getting at.

So then it's faith 'alone' that gets you salvation???

[metmom]

Once again, it looks as though you are pointing to the Catholic Church. FYI, no Catholic believes that works contribute to salvation, just in case that is what you are getting at.

OK. Then they're going to stop quoting James 2, right?

[wmfights]

FYI, no Catholic believes that works contribute to salvation, just in case that is what you are getting at.

Check your church laws that were established at Trent.

Canon 9. If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema.

A couple more laws that you might want to consider:

Canon 19. If anyone says that nothing besides faith is commanded in the Gospel, that other things are indifferent, neither commanded nor forbidden, but free; or that the ten commandments in no way pertain to Christians, let him be anathema.

Canon 24. If anyone says that the justice received is not preserved and also not increased before God through good works, but that those works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not the cause of its increase, let him be anathema.

Canon 27. If anyone says that there is no mortal sin except that of unbelief, or that grace once received is not lost through any other sin however grievous and enormous except by that of unbelief, let him be anathema.

Obviously the Bible being translated into the vernacular and disseminated among believers created a lot of problems for the RCC.

[CynicalBear]

>> Who kneels before idols? Is this another canard about Mary worship?<

Catholics don’t kneel before statues ie idols?

We kneel before them not in worship but in respect and honor just as one would before a bride before they ask for her hand in marriage or before royalty. [http://catholicanswerman.com/id63.html]

“Catholics kneel and pray before statues as a mark of respect.” [http://www.ascensioncatholic.net/TOPICS/beliefs/mary/MarianDevotions.html]