[boatbums]

I see, so it is your contention that everyone that was known as belonging to the catholic (meaning universal) church of Jesus Christ all became Roman Catholics and they are the ONLY true Christians? Tell me, how is it all the Apostles were Catholics when the word didn't even START being used to describe the universal church until the SECOND century? They are "Catholics" only because RCs have the authority to retrofit that designation to whatever people they want? Wouldn't there have been something in the writings of the Apostles SOMEWHERE if that was truly the case? It's kind of like RCs asserting Peter was the first "Pope" of Rome when there is no evidence that was the case.

As for the "gospel" and your erroneous comment that there was no gospel before there were catholics (I noticed you slipped in the lower case "c"), I wonder how it was that Abraham and other Old Testament saints were saved without believing the gospel? Are you familiar with the prophet Isaiah? See if you can identify the "gospel" (the good news) in this verse:

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isa. 53:5,6)

But...just in case you are making the same mistake I see many RCs make over the word "gospel" insisting the word only means the story of Jesus Christ and His teachings as written in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, even that is NOT something Roman Catholics today can claim is all theirs. God used "holy men" who were carried along by the Holy Spirit to write the inspired words they did and man can lay NO claim or credit for that. It is ALL a gift from God. RCs claiming credit for the gospel are like the rooster thinking his crowing was what caused the sun to rise.

[terycarl]

I see, so it is your contention that everyone that was known as belonging to the catholic (meaning universal) church of Jesus Christ all became Roman Catholics and they are the ONLY true Christians? Tell me, how is it all the Apostles were Catholics when the word didn't even START being used to describe the universal church until the SECOND century?

I'll try to make this as simple as possible. You and I both believe that life begins at conception....after you were born, your parents, maybe 2 or 3 days later said to their friends, come over and see little Boatbums...we gave her that name!!!!and from then on you were known as Boatbums.

However, you were really Boatbums from the very moment of your conception, 9months and 3 days earlier....same baby, new name.

The Catholic Church was concieved when Christ named Peter to be its leader....something had to exist from that moment on that required a leader. Soon after its conception and birth, people began to refer to it(Peter's group) as Catholic, but they had been Catholic from the moment of conception......you=Boatbums....they=Catholic!!!.....see how easy that was???