[jobim]

the more Catholic than the Pope peanut gallery sets a different standard for their rebellion than they do for the Protestants that they have now become.

Thank you for responding. Please don't take offense when
I point out that you have little knowledge of all that
has taken place around this pope's 4 years. It is absolutely
incredible the twists and turns of this pontificate, and
keeping up with it has been an enormously time-consuming
task, as only a small percentage of Catholics have
undertaken such.

But I see your main point, that to go one's own way from
the pope does appear Protestant. But when the pope himself
is working against the teachings of the church, then the
whole world is flipped.

[ealgeone]

One can argue several popes have, shall,we say, diverted from Scripture over the years. Too bad ebb wasn’t there to point that out. However, much as he wants, this does not remove the pope from Romam Catholicsm. He’s a Roman Catholic like it or not.

[RegulatorCountry]

I don’t take offense easily, jobim. I know many people who are Roman Catholic, friends and neighbors who I accept as brothers and sisters in Christ. Their church, however, is a very alarming thing. I’m constantly amazed that they’ve managed to come out the other end of that Byzantine house of puzzles filled with all manner of creepy-crawlies as Christians. I suspect many more fail to negotiate that maze. Looking at voting patterns, this suspicion is borne out.

[metmom]

But I see your main point, that to go one's own way from the pope does appear Protestant. But when the pope himself is working against the teachings of the church, then the whole world is flipped.

Then Luther is exonerated because he was challenging much the same thing you guys are with Francis, although the immorality and corruption in his day was seemingly far worse than it is today.