To My "Bible Only" Christian Brothers and Sisters, From A Catholic Convert [a humble vanity]

[Natural Law]

"When a priest questioned why my mom, sister and I had a bible, we told him we were reading it."

I am sorry that your faith was so weak that your belief in the doctrines of the Church could be shaken by a single wayward priest. I will keep you in my prayers.

[LomanBill]

"...who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world, and through all time;

 

...

 

 that it is time enough for the rightful purposes of civil government, for its officers to interfere when principles break out into overt acts against peace and good order; and finally, that truth is great and will prevail if left to herself, that she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate, errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them. "

 

"I HAVE SWORN UPON THE ALTAR OF GOD ETERNAL HOSTILITY TO EVERY FORM OF TYRANNY OVER THE MIND OF MAN"

--The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom
--Thomas Jefferson, 1786

http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/sacred/vaact.html

 

[the invisib1e hand]

I hope Jesus sets up your dwelling in the Lutheran section of heaven.

o come on, he's catholic. You dont believe hes going to heaven.

[Heart-Rest]

I agree!

I am so grateful for the outstanding Christian cooperation shown at places like the "Manhattan Declaration" between leading and very sincere Protestants, and Catholics, (in spite of some differences) to stand side by side to fight against these rotten trends in our society.

On the other hand, I also think it is important that we try to clear up areas where some people clearly misunderstand the teachings of the Catholic Church completely.

[Natural Law]

"So, I’ll need to reconcile this against what the Orthodox say, as there is great debate as to who is really responsible."

At the time the Canon was established there was no schism within the Church. We Latins and our Orthodox brothers were one.

[cloudmountain]

Welcome home!
I also used to be a Catholic bashing Protestant, but found I could only be fed with the “real food” of the Eucharist.

I was a once a week Catholic until 2007 when it suddenly occured to me one day in February: if I TRULY believed that the Holy Eucharist IS God, the REAL Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, I would WANT to receive the Holy Eucharist EVERY, SINGLE, SOLITARY DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. Wouldn't I?

Well, I go to Mass and Holy Communion every day now becaue I DO believe it.
Whooda thunk it would take me so long (I'm old.) to come to that conclusion?

Say what they will, Protestants, good people most of them, do not have Jesus' GIFT to us from His Last Supper.
I always wondered what part of "Do this in memory of Me" they don't get in Holy Scripture. It's right there in black and white: DO THIS....
I understood that way back when I was 7 years old. It's not complicated, miraculous, yes, complicated, no.

What a TREMENDOUS gift Jesus left for us. The grace that comes from that gift of His Body and Blood can save me. I hope I always say "yes" to Him.

[MarkBsnr]

Your statement is that the NT was penned by the Apostles and/or those close to them. Let’s see you defend that statement. Aside from Paul, where is the documentation as to who wrote the NT?

[Repeat Offender]

I hope Jesus sets up your dwelling in the Lutheran section of heaven.

pffff, Who wants to live in the ghetto? I'm just glad he won't be in Appalachia shanty-town with the rest of us Baptists.

o come on, he's catholic. You dont believe hes going to heaven.

Oh sure he is......he just has to wait in line (purgatory) and pay admission.

Ok, I'm done now and I promise I'll try to behave.

[MarkBsnr]

The 300 years is when the pagan catholic church was formed by the Pharisees in Rome.

It must be quite an experience going through bereft of any facts. If you are referring to Nicea, that was in Turkey and a thousand miles from Rome.

Will you stop at nothing to proclaim your antiCatholicism?

[jmacusa]

I am a Catholic and I don’t recall YOU being given divine authority to say otherwise.

[right way right]

I believe Christ has been given that judgment.
The Spirit of God testifies.
Question - Has the Spirit been blasphemed?

"Not all that say Lord, Lord will join Christ in heaven."

[Nifster]

The Messiah taught “I am the truth, the light and the way.....” I have no antipathy towards you, I have my relationship with a loving God that does not need interpretation or instruction from Rome.

[Natural Law]

"It is also a petition that God take care of our daily needs."

I really don't think this was a petition or prayer for groceries. The Greek language could easily have expressed this as something other than Epiousios.

Ousios is translated as substance or more accurately in English as Accident. As used in philosophy, an accident is an attribute which may or may not belong to a subject, without affecting its essence. St. Jerome translated Epiousios as "panem supersubstantialem", or supersubstantial bread.

[ctdonath2]

“Issue 1 - Bible only?”

Yes. Along with other verses condemning those who would add to or remove from the clearly inspired books (other posters here address them), Christ had very harsh words for those who adhere to “tradition”. There is enough inconsistency and evil in the history of the traditions in question (despite scrubbing thereof and getting stories straight) to see that it must be questioned, and questioning thereof can only be in light of scripture itself. Only Sola Scriptura remains.

[Natural Law]

"the originator of this thread would never say this...

Please, there is no need for that. Those who are in sin and error are in need of our forgiveness and prayers, not our scorn and mocking. Their sins against eh Church hurt them far more than they can every hurt the Church or us.

[muawiyah]

All those who harken back to the First-Century need not be enemies ~

[ctdonath2]

“Issue 2 - Rejecting the Catholic Church because of the Priestly scandals. “

A straw man argument, set up to distract from the key issue: scripture condemns those who would prohibit marriage in the name of faith. Yes, Paul noted that chastity is preferable for those spreading the word, and also said to marry if that be untenable - but in no way made it an exclusive-or condition under any condition. Sin begets sin, and prohibiting normal fundamental human relations from any service to God is to prepare the way for sin.

[Heart-Rest]

Acts 17:11 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Well, the Scriptures they searched could not have included this text in their searching, as it was just being written when it was written.

2 Timothy 3:16 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That same principle shown above applies to this text as well. In fact, most of the references in the New Testament to "the Scriptures" refer to the Old Testament.

Also, it does not say that those were the only reasons those Scriptures were given, and it also does not say that the Scriptures were the only tool that should be used for those purposes.

But I don't think you will find anyone who will disagree with the statements these two texts actually say.

[Natural Law]

"I am a Catholic and I don’t recall YOU being given divine authority to say otherwise."

This isn't a theological debate, my FRiend, it is an objective discussion over word use in the English language.

Roman Catholic Church: The Christian church characterized by an episcopal hierarchy with the pope as its head and belief in seven sacraments and the authority of tradition.