I would have to disagree with ngoato, as indeed does Jesus Himself--who is the same yesterday today and forever [Heb 13:8].
Jesus says that his own mother and brothers were in no ways superior to any other Christians [Matt 13:55; Mk 6:3; luke 11: 27]. These Scriptures--and there are others--also prove Joseph and Mary only refrained from sexual relations until Jesus was born. Not only are Jesus' four brothers named in the Bible, the Scriptures talk of ALL his sisters, which would imply He had at least three of them.
John 3:13 is proof against the asumption of Mary into heaven, let alone the fact that no such thing is mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Actually, the Catholics themselves never did believe it until 1950 when it was made dogma by the pro-Hitler pope, Pius XIII.
One ought to ask why it is that Roman Catholics do not know even the basic Scriptures when both Christ and the Scriptures themselves attest to their infallibility? The reason is that they are not taught them.
As a child I went to Catholic schools in the 1950s and 1960s and in those days Britain was still a Protestant country. I was fortunate enough to have mostly Protestant friends who all knew the contents of their Bibles. When I started to read the Bible for myself it made me realize how the Scriptures were kept from us Catholics.
Protestants then also knew their history so they knew the history of Rome's ultra-unchristian oppression of others through the Crusades, the Inquisition, fascsism and Nazi-ism. So not only were the Scriptures being kept from Catholic schoolchildren, so was historical fact.
In fact, history tells us that Catholics were forbidden to read the Scriptures. As far back as Chaucer's day, we find the poet himself ridiculing the ignorance and superstition of the Romanist clergy. Langland did so at an even earlier date.
Are Catholics Christian? I wish they were because it would mean that I have friends and relations who are saved.
One has only to read Revelation 17 to realize that the Catholic "Church" is no more Christian than Islam, Hinduism, Buddism or Satanism. Alas history (including their own history written by Catholics), Scripture and even logic testify to the fact that Roman Catholicism is not even remotely Christian. If it were then we could throw away the Bible as both contradict each other and do so irrevocably.
We know from the present pope, Bendedict, that Unam Sanctum still stands, much to the shock and despair of ecumenists. It was the ecumenists who told us that it had been repealed during Vatican II. This was a ludicrous claim because Pope John XXIII did not have the authority to repeal it. (When I say Pope John XXIII, mean the second Pope John XXIII. There have been two popes with that name and title.) The idea of Unam Sanctum being abolished came from the wishful thinking of ecumenists and not from Catholics.
Ecumenism is not Christianity either--but that's another story.
Martin - 14 years ago
The gospel: what is it? it is the power of God unto salvation. By reflecting your saved condition to that of the gospel you can surely know whether you are saved or not. The core of the gospel is: Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. From John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. So what is the effect of the gospel of Jesus Christ? It sets you free! It opens your eyes. It saves you from deception, lies, hypocrisy. Why? because it is the Truth spoken by God himself. The gospel needs to be understood and taken at face value that which it proclaims, it's simple and straight forward.
The perverted gospel: what is it and what does it teach? It teaches to cling to tradition and to work for your salvation, nothing else than a works religion. Binded by laws and statutes, rosaries and transubstantiation. How can such a gospel save you? Your soul is kept in bondage, there's no freedom, no salvation in this. Why? because it is a deadly mixture of lies and deceit posing as truth , a product of the mind of man. It is confusing and complex and complicated to such a degree that not even its adherers are really interested for what it stands or what effects it might have. It feels fine because it is part of tradition but is actually idolatry bred in arrogance.
Never in the history of the Catholic church has the true gospel of Jesus Christ been proclaimed, it has always been a counterfeit, a perverted or watered down seeker friendly gospel but never the original. So how can anyone who cling to this counterfeit be truly saved? It's an illusion
Beth Jones - 15 years ago
The Catholics worship the virgin Mary, who did not stay a virgin by the way. They must confess to a man/priest who, they are told, is superior to others simply because of his teaching and station. Absolution of sin is not in the power of a mere human being such as a priest, bishop, cardinal or the Pope! This is a false religion.
KENNETH JAMES BRIGGS - 15 years ago
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OMNIPRESENT AND I BELIEVE HE CAN TOUCH ANYBODY ANYWHERE AS HE DID MY WIFE WHO WAS SEEKING TRUTH. SHE QUICKLY OBEYED GODS WORD AND CAME OUT FROM THEM.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES NOT TEACH SALVATION ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES THEY ARE A FALSE CHURCH LEADING MILLIONS TO HELL. SEE FOR YOURSELF AND COMPARE THEIR TEACHING WITH CLEAR SCRIPTURE. SEE 2 COR 6:14-7:1;
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6.
See article here for this Poll. http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2009/12/09/are-catholics-christian/
Please place your comments on this blog, as this is where everyone is discussing this Poll.
Thank you.
ngoato - 15 years ago
Why should there be any doubt about the authenticity of the Christianity of the Catholic Church in the 21st century? Surely the mother of our Lord was a holy lady? Luke 1:42.
I would have to disagree with ngoato, as indeed does Jesus Himself--who is the same yesterday today and forever [Heb 13:8].
Jesus says that his own mother and brothers were in no ways superior to any other Christians [Matt 13:55; Mk 6:3; luke 11: 27]. These Scriptures--and there are others--also prove Joseph and Mary only refrained from sexual relations until Jesus was born. Not only are Jesus' four brothers named in the Bible, the Scriptures talk of ALL his sisters, which would imply He had at least three of them.
John 3:13 is proof against the asumption of Mary into heaven, let alone the fact that no such thing is mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Actually, the Catholics themselves never did believe it until 1950 when it was made dogma by the pro-Hitler pope, Pius XIII.
One ought to ask why it is that Roman Catholics do not know even the basic Scriptures when both Christ and the Scriptures themselves attest to their infallibility? The reason is that they are not taught them.
As a child I went to Catholic schools in the 1950s and 1960s and in those days Britain was still a Protestant country. I was fortunate enough to have mostly Protestant friends who all knew the contents of their Bibles. When I started to read the Bible for myself it made me realize how the Scriptures were kept from us Catholics.
Protestants then also knew their history so they knew the history of Rome's ultra-unchristian oppression of others through the Crusades, the Inquisition, fascsism and Nazi-ism. So not only were the Scriptures being kept from Catholic schoolchildren, so was historical fact.
In fact, history tells us that Catholics were forbidden to read the Scriptures. As far back as Chaucer's day, we find the poet himself ridiculing the ignorance and superstition of the Romanist clergy. Langland did so at an even earlier date.
Are Catholics Christian? I wish they were because it would mean that I have friends and relations who are saved.
One has only to read Revelation 17 to realize that the Catholic "Church" is no more Christian than Islam, Hinduism, Buddism or Satanism. Alas history (including their own history written by Catholics), Scripture and even logic testify to the fact that Roman Catholicism is not even remotely Christian. If it were then we could throw away the Bible as both contradict each other and do so irrevocably.
We know from the present pope, Bendedict, that Unam Sanctum still stands, much to the shock and despair of ecumenists. It was the ecumenists who told us that it had been repealed during Vatican II. This was a ludicrous claim because Pope John XXIII did not have the authority to repeal it. (When I say Pope John XXIII, mean the second Pope John XXIII. There have been two popes with that name and title.) The idea of Unam Sanctum being abolished came from the wishful thinking of ecumenists and not from Catholics.
Ecumenism is not Christianity either--but that's another story.
The gospel: what is it? it is the power of God unto salvation. By reflecting your saved condition to that of the gospel you can surely know whether you are saved or not. The core of the gospel is: Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. From John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. So what is the effect of the gospel of Jesus Christ? It sets you free! It opens your eyes. It saves you from deception, lies, hypocrisy. Why? because it is the Truth spoken by God himself. The gospel needs to be understood and taken at face value that which it proclaims, it's simple and straight forward.
The perverted gospel: what is it and what does it teach? It teaches to cling to tradition and to work for your salvation, nothing else than a works religion. Binded by laws and statutes, rosaries and transubstantiation. How can such a gospel save you? Your soul is kept in bondage, there's no freedom, no salvation in this. Why? because it is a deadly mixture of lies and deceit posing as truth , a product of the mind of man. It is confusing and complex and complicated to such a degree that not even its adherers are really interested for what it stands or what effects it might have. It feels fine because it is part of tradition but is actually idolatry bred in arrogance.
Never in the history of the Catholic church has the true gospel of Jesus Christ been proclaimed, it has always been a counterfeit, a perverted or watered down seeker friendly gospel but never the original. So how can anyone who cling to this counterfeit be truly saved? It's an illusion
The Catholics worship the virgin Mary, who did not stay a virgin by the way. They must confess to a man/priest who, they are told, is superior to others simply because of his teaching and station. Absolution of sin is not in the power of a mere human being such as a priest, bishop, cardinal or the Pope! This is a false religion.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OMNIPRESENT AND I BELIEVE HE CAN TOUCH ANYBODY ANYWHERE AS HE DID MY WIFE WHO WAS SEEKING TRUTH. SHE QUICKLY OBEYED GODS WORD AND CAME OUT FROM THEM.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES NOT TEACH SALVATION ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES THEY ARE A FALSE CHURCH LEADING MILLIONS TO HELL. SEE FOR YOURSELF AND COMPARE THEIR TEACHING WITH CLEAR SCRIPTURE. SEE 2 COR 6:14-7:1;
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6.
See article here for this Poll. http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2009/12/09/are-catholics-christian/
Please place your comments on this blog, as this is where everyone is discussing this Poll.
Thank you.
Why should there be any doubt about the authenticity of the Christianity of the Catholic Church in the 21st century? Surely the mother of our Lord was a holy lady? Luke 1:42.