That’s right which is why what we (Catholics) are required to believe about them is pretty simple.
The Pope’s function flows from common sense more than anything. If a doctrine is confused or debated and this debate causes dissension and division then he speaks up on the matter and is protected by the Holy Spirit when doing so. Protected from teaching error in faith and morals. Not economics not politics faith and morals. It’s pretty simple and common sensical.
Mary was assumed bodily into heaven. There’s nothing in Scripture that says this can’t be done and indeed, what’s so toxic or harmful about believing that about Mary? It’s horrendous that her son would love her so much that he took her up to heave to be with him bodily? That’s a horrible thing to believe? That’s “deifying Mary”, and not just believing it’s an act of supreme love and gratitude on behalf of a son to his mother? It’s crazy it’s crazy to believe that’s anything else other than that. And a message of hope for us that we too will be raised up on the last day, to be again reunited with our bodies in paradise for eternity. It’s a dogma that demonstrates the love and promise of God for ALL of us.
That’s all we are required to believe that’s “more” than your average Christian. We are even allowed to disagree with the Pope when he doesn’t speak ex cathedra. And the so called “blasphemous” titles of Mary so many get in a tither about are not themselves dogmatic. The only one that is is the “Theotokos” or “God-bearer”, which is a pretty accurate description for Mary, unless one doesn’t believe Jesus is God! So many get hung up on the title “Mother of God” as if any mother at all actually creates the soul inside her.
No! All mothers including Mary *bear* the souls inside them, they don’t create them. So just as it’s not blasphemous to call my mother “the mother of 47”, it’s not blasphemous to say Mary was and is the “mother of God” because she didn’t create God she BORE him.
It’s amazing to me that it almost seems as if many LOOK for reasons to disagree with the Catholic Church. The Church’s teachings are quite reasonable, if one is willing to listen with an open heart. A heart willing to admit it may be wrong on occasion.
Good post. Very helpful.
Sounds like alot of the “mandatory” beliefs that RCC requires for salvation are not found in the Nicene Creed.
Must Catholics also believe in Purgatory, Transubstantiation, Only priests can forgive sins for salvation in addition to the Papacy and Marian doctrines?
I think the Lord only mentioned that Faith in Him for forgiveness of sin was required for the Free gift. John 3:16, etc..
I don’t understand being required to believe? Doesn’t true belief need some sort of leap of faith, or divine intervention?
Then perhaps you could explain how it is that the office precedes Christianity in the Roman Empire, following inexorably from the mystery religions of the near east where the office originated...
Mary was assumed bodily into heaven. There’s nothing in Scripture that says this can’t be done and indeed, what’s so toxic or harmful about believing that about Mary?
There are MANY things about which one can say 'There’s nothing in Scripture that says this can’t be done'. Every false religion surrounding YHWH's Word eventually and necessarily goes there. What is toxic about it is the pervasive and exponential destruction of the image YHWH created from way back in the old testament - The Son... ONLY the Son. Not his mother, not a panoply of 'glorified' saints. The SON alone.
Why was it that YHWH was so angered by the Israelite tendency to change what HE said was proper form and worship? Because changing any single thing alters the shadow pictures which He had so painstakingly defined - Those things which define Him to us across all the generations. Dare Christians do the same without fear of the very same reprisal?
No says that Mary is a GODDESS, but the way Catholics ASSUME she allegedly operates...
Let's try some easy math:
There are approximately 1.2 billion Catholics world wide;
If merely 1% of them 'ask' Mary for help just once each day;
that means that 12 million separate prayers are headed Mary's direction every day.
Given that there are 86,400 seconds per day... (24 hours times 60 minutes times 60 seconds)
...that means that Mary has to handle approximately 139 'requests' per second!
Purty good fer someone NOT 'devine'!
Which common sense must have a foundational premise. I think the first question I would ask you is, what is the basis for your assurance of truth?
For it seems that the RC argument is that an assuredly (if conditionally) infallible magisterium is essential for valid assurance of Truth and to fulfill promises of Divine presence, providence of Truth, and preservation of faith. (Jn. 14:16; 16:13; Mt. 16:18)
And that being the historical instruments and stewards of Divine revelation (oral and written) means that Rome is that assuredly infallible magisterium. Thus those who dissent from the latter are in rebellion to God. Does this fairly represent what you hold to or in what way does it differ??