Catholics are the original true Christians

[there4eyeM]

Any search for Christ outside one's own heart and mind is fruitless. If Jesus is what he claims, there is no need for interpretation and certainly no need for intercessors.
Of course, if he isn't what he says, there is no need, either.

 

[there4eyeM]

There were many groups hundreds of years before the 'reformation' that said and taught the same things. That is because they read the Bible and particularly Acts.

The Roman Church came much later than 'original Christianity', and was established primarily as a political institution dedicated to centralization and, eventually, control.

 

[there4eyeM]

Whom did Jesus say to call 'father'?

What does 'pope' mean?

 

[Avatar4321]

Any search for Christ outside one's own heart and mind is fruitless. If Jesus is what he claims, there is no need for interpretation and certainly no need for intercessors.
Of course, if he isn't what he says, there is no need, either.

If Christ is who He says He is, then you are completely wrong.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Roman 10:14-15)

Who is to baptize a convert, if no one else is necessary? Because Christ clearly had His disciples baptizing those who believed in His name.

Why did Christ send Apostles out if they weren't needed?

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive (Eph 4:12-14)

The scriptures don't back up your assertion that no one else is needed. Quite the contray. The Lord has said that He has called people specifically to teach people so they wont be confused about the Doctrine. It doesn't say "He gave us scriptures so we can figure out the interpretation of what God wants." It says we are given Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, etc to teach the people and unify them in the Doctrines of Christ.

 

[Jimmy_Jam]

Hmm. I wonder where the Eastern Orthodox Church figures in this equation.

 

[koshergrl]

It's one of the three that branched off the foundation.

 

[California Girl]

so the protestants are frauds

about time they became the minority

I could never name the head of any prot faith

for the Roman Cathoic Church - its the Pope

Nope. Catholics misinterpreted what Jesus told Peter. Peter was not the first pope and the catholic church was not what Jesus was talking about.

You don't get to decide who misinterpreted what. As far as Catholics are concerned, we trace our history back to St Peter. He was the first Pope.

 

[Jimmy_Jam]

It's one of the three that branched off the foundation.

That was kind of my point. It seems a rather short-sighted debate when the only two options being discussed are "catholic" and "protestant."

 

[bodecea]

Protestants are off shoots

Correct. Founded by Jesus Christ himself.

Appointed Peter as the first Pope.The baton's been passed ever since.

Not true.

Constitine was the first Pope of the Roman Church. He appointed himself Pope and the succession of Pope thereafter usually hinged on being ruler(or some related official state position) of the Roman empire until its fall.

Strangely enough, there were Pagan emperors that persecuted Christians after Constitine. I have to research what the Roman Church did during Pagan ascension.

Warbler likes to pretend he's a christian.

 

[bodecea]

I always thought that Orthodox and Catholics originated from the Roman church, which had disagreements with other christian groups around the time of the Roman empire. In fact, I think the Copts wereone of the orignial groups that dissented from the idea of Romans dictating what is and isn't Christian belief.


Oh boy--You guys are opening up a big giant can of worms when it comes to who is a true christian and who are straying from Christian beliefs. So far, from what I gather from claims of misinterpreted bibles and misprints in the holy book is that no group is teaching the absolute truth, only what they believe is the truth with need for some correction on the teachers part.


Everyone is wrong to some degree, so you have to wait for Jesus to come floating back down to Earth to teach you what is right. In the mean time, remain true!!

I dont think it opens a can of worms at all. It's just the history of the Great Apostasy. It leads to the logical conclusion that there needs to be a Restoration as prophecied. There is a reason John the Revelator prophecied of an Angel being sent from heaven carrying the everlasting Gospel.

The Dispensation of Grace that began in the Meridian of Time is over. We live in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times when God has begun a work to gather all things into one as prophecied. He is acting to prepare the world for His Second coming.

The Lord knew that people would doubt the Bible. So He revealed more scripture. The Book of Mormon establishes the testimony found in the Bible that Jesus is the Christ and that God remember His covenants. He has revealed more revelation through His modern prophets that confirm the Bible and Book of Mormon. And by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

God has restored the organization of the Church and the Holy Priesthood to the earth. He's provided revelation and is guiding His latter-day work. And We are about to see the Lord's hand once again made bare in the gathering of Israel. We've seen some of it already, but it will be furthered even more in coming days. Zion shall be established in preparation for what's to come and the Lord will establish His people as a free and holy people.

Reformation was not enough. Man cannot restore that which was lost through reformation. God had to restore it and He has.

 

[Avatar4321]

It's one of the three that branched off the foundation.

That was kind of my point. It seems a rather short-sighted debate when the only two options being discussed are "catholic" and "protestant."

And yet there are options outside even the "Three" branches cited.

 

[ecks_why]

but to be honest i'm not really a catholic & posting here more as a secular humanist with some xtian leanings

 

[Jimmy_Jam]

It's one of the three that branched off the foundation.

That was kind of my point. It seems a rather short-sighted debate when the only two options being discussed are "catholic" and "protestant."

And yet there are options outside even the "Three" branches cited.

Heck, there are options all over the place, including archeological records from before written history. We can argue whether Judaism is older than Zoroastrianism all day long, and then have to deal with things like Gobekli Tepe which dates well before either or them OR written history, and that is a pretty obvious site of religious significance to the hunter-gatherers of the time. Where does that fit in?

I don't bother with different sets of religious groups who argue about it, because every single one of them come from a place beyond bias, but actual agenda to prove that their faith is the one.

 

[there4eyeM]

If we take 'God' to mean truly the architect of all, we cannot conceive of the mind that entity would have. That should be obvious. Thus, all subsequent chatter about it, and certainly the reduction of that entity to the level of Santa Claus, is most certainly just that - chatter.

The fact that all humans throughout time have practiced some form of religion shows some common thread, but of what?
Dim perception of a power at the center of everything?
Imagination?
Something in the brain?
The need to replace parents?

Various religions call to us today, some old, some quite new. Their information comes to us from various books and written testimonies, but none from first hand. So, we choose to believe one. Except that most people never experience the choice because they already have one inculcated from the start. They are born into a religion, as if that could be true.

Believe what you choose, just be aware that it is your choice and of how you got there.

Then, carry it out or throw it out.

Just don't impose it on others.

 

[Steelplate]

There's also the Gnostic Christians....which also pre-dates Catholicism.

 

[Unkotare]

Folks need to look up the definition of the word 'catholic.'

 

[del]

Folks need to look up the definition of the word 'catholic.'

as in "one, holy, catholic and apostolic church"?

why bother?

 

[rightwinger]

When it comes to Christians Catholics are the first team

The rest are just just the Junior Varsity Team

 

[spectrumc01]

Is there a church or religion that claims, "We aren't the first, and we are not as right as everyone else. So if you want to follow with us you'll have to accept that we will always be second best, and may not get into heaven."

No they all claim the same thing. "We are the one true church."

Organized religion will destroy us all.

Charlie says it best :

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTPFo1-M2qc]Charlie Daniels & Marty Stuart - 'God Save Us All From Religion' - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Unkotare]

Folks need to look up the definition of the word 'catholic.'

as in "one, holy, catholic and apostolic church"?

why bother?

We know you're an idiot. Move along.