Gates are defensive, not offensive.
That does not mean that hell will not overcome Catholicism or any other religion.
What it means is that the church, the true body of believers in Jesus, will prevail over even the gates of hell . Satan and his demons will not be able to stand against the church when it moves and does the work Christ commanded it to do.
Claiming that is means it’s a promise of God’s protection of the Roman Catholic religion is a complete misinterpretation of that verse.
And considering the fact that for centuries, and maybe even over a millennium, now, the Catholic religion has been infested with homosexuals and has a long sordid history of child abuse, there’s no way anyone can make any credible claim that Catholicism is being protected by God.
That would mean that God is condoning and tolerating sin of the worst kind in His church and that does not happen.
For precedent, see Revelation 2&3.
Catholicism has not only not overcome the gates of hell, for too many of its victims, it became the gates of hell.
Catholicism is the Doctrine, NOT the behavior of Church members!
“And considering the fact that for centuries, and maybe even over a millennium, now, the Catholic religion has been infested with homosexuals and has a long sordid history of child abuse, there’s no way anyone can make any credible claim that Catholicism is being protected by God.
“That would mean that God is condoning and tolerating sin of the worst kind in His church and that does not happen.”
- - - - - -
Excellent post, Metmom. May God heal all the children who were abused by this organization. I certainly agree that God is NOT condoning this sin which, as you’ve said, is of the worst kind. I wonder how many of the abused children grew up to dismiss God altogether given the sexual abuse they endured.
Rope, millstone.
I agree.
Nob has subjected Israel to many, many trials that have been well-documented - for example, Israel’s subjugation/enslavement by Persia. So my uneducated guess is that there’s a way out for Roman Catholics as well.
“...the church, the true body of believers in Jesus, will prevail over even the gates of hell”
This goes along with my interpretation.
Also, there’s no real way for us (human losers) to determine how long the process will take.
“And considering the fact that for centuries, and maybe even over a millennium, now, the Catholic religion has been infested with homosexuals and has a long sordid history of child abuse, there’s no way anyone can make any credible claim that Catholicism is being protected by God.”
South Park (the animated TV show) ends up being prophetic yet again.
I am sad to see the RC church dwindle to a club for determinedly closeted homosexuals. They kept the moslems out of Europe for 700+ years. Today they are unrecognizable as defenders of.... anything...