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Whilst I find the “on-going battle” here on Free Republic between our Roman Catholic and Protestant friends illuminating, I come here mainly for the political news, debate, etc.

That said, I find it a bit odd that there is such acrimony in some of the comments I have read — from both sides of the battle.

Odd because both groups have much in common.

I would further imagine that our RCC friends would be surprised that most — if not all — Protestants would agree wholeheartedly with the words of the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed, even though these two creeds are rarely if ever read at most Protestant church services - save the Lutherans and Anglicans and perhaps a few others.

As far as I can tell: both Catholics and Protestants worship and serve the same God; they both believe “for us men and for our salvation He [i.e., Christ] came down from heaven”; both believe in a Heaven and perhaps a Hell, etc.

So much they have in common. So very, very much.

Not so. We don't worship the same God.

Catholics pray to Mary, imputing omniscience to her. That is an attribute of God alone. Therefore, they are saying that she is God by their very act of prayer.

John Paul II wanted to make Mary a "co-redemptrix" with Jesus Christ. In other words, he believed that we could be saved through Mary, not just Jesus. That is not Christianity and is a blatant refutation of Christ Himself when He said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."

Catholics are not Christians unless they believe what Christ said about Himself.

For example, I would imagine that most Protestants would be surprised to learn that in a typical RCC mass there is more of the Holy Scriptures read than in your typical Protestant service. A lot more. The RCC, as far as I can tell, has a deep, loving respect for the Word of God.

What planet are you from? Not earth, because I have never ever seen any Catholic parishioner open a bible while at Mass. They don't even offer Bibles for those who do not bring one themselves like most Protestant and Evangelical churches do. They offer Hymnals, but no Bibles.

According to a recent poll, 25 percent of Evangelical Protestants read the Bible daily, as do 20 percent of other Protestants. While that is bad and I can honestly say that I know for a fact that almost 80% of those who attend the church I attend read the Bible at least once a week, and 55% read it on a daily basis.

Compare that to a survey of Catholics that shows only 7% of Catholics read the Bible EVER!

When was the last time a RCC Mass went through the Bible one verse one chapter one Book at a time. In my Church we go through the Bible from Genesis to Revelations, and usually it takes 10 years on the norm.

I went to a Catholic Church as a child, even got out of school every Wednesday to attend catechism classes for a few years after my Mom remarried a Catholic guy.

When I began attending an Evangelical church I noticed that they told us to open the bible and go to the Scriptures he was speaking of or mentioning. I never went through the Bible like that at the Catholic Church.

Like the Bereans many Evangelicals I know study the Word daily to make sure that which is spoken from the pulpit is correct. I study my Bible intently along with using a Greek/Hebrew/English Linear to fact check everything I learn. You should see my personal Bible, it’s so marked up with notes and highlited passages it looks like a coloring book.

Every Catholics I met would never ever dare to mark their Bible with a pen or highlighter. As we know 93% are so afraid of the Bible they never even open it. How can they ever fact check what the priests are teaching if they never read it?

Maybe if more Catholics did read the Bible as you incorrectly believe, they would stop worshiping the ground the Pope walks on.