Zone1 I was a Catholic for 50 years but left six years ago, here's why

[K9Buck]

I was baptized into the Catholic Church (hereafter referred to as the RCC) as an infant. I attended Catholic schools from 1st grade through high school. I attended Mass every week. I was even an altar boy. But about six years ago, at the ripe old age of 50, I determined that the RCC was NOT what it claimed to be and that, in fact, it teaches many heresies.

It wasn't for one reason but, rather, many. But for brevity purposes in my opening post, I will focus on one of those reasons in this post and then will add more as I go.

Before I do, however, please understand that I am NOT attacking Catholics, of whom many are very Godly people, my late father being one of them.

It became clear to me that Jesus's "church" here on Earth wasn't an institution or an organization but, rather, his body of believers, which includes many faithful Christians of many denominations. Why do I believe this?

Jesus told Peter that he was a rock and that on "this" rock, which was/is him (Jesus/God), he would build his church.

Matthew 16:18 YLT (Young's Literal Translation)
And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it;

The King Jame's Version (KJV) says it slightly differently:
Matthew 16:18 KJV
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

One can argue that the KJV is the "better" translation (it's not) and say that Peter IS the "rock". However, in scripture, God & Jesus are referred to as the rock many times, as well as a "foundation" and a "cornerstone". Let me share them with you below.

1 Samuel 2:2 ESV
“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

2 Samuel 22:2
He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

Psalm 62:6 ESV
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

Psalm 144:1 ESV
Of David. Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ESV
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

Psalm 18:46 ESV
The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—

Matthew 7:24-25 ESV
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Psalm 19:14 ESV
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

1 Peter 2:7-9 ESV
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Isaiah 26:4 ESV
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Psalm 18:1-2 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

1 Corinthians 3:11-16 ESV
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Isaiah 51:1 ESV
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.

Psalm 61:1-3 ESV
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Acts 4:11-13 ESV
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
(Note: It's interesting to me that the verse in Acts 4:11-13 refers to Jesus as a "stone" rather than a rock).

1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

I have concluded that Peter was a rock, as were Paul, John, Matthew, etc., but Peter was not the rock. The rock was, is, and always will be God.

 

[K9Buck]

Next, Jesus wasn't into religious organizations and calling people "Rabbi" or "Father" or "Teacher" as demonstrated in Matthew 23. Jesus preached that the "greatest" would humble themselves and that those who are exalted will be humbled. He was very critical of the Pharisees and Sadducees and all of their false bravado and pomposity.

So why does the RCC want its followers to call priests "father" in direct contradiction to Matthew 23:9? RCC apologists will point to 1 Corinthians 4:15 to justify the RCC asking its followers to call their priests "father". So I do see a seeming contradiction there but, nevertheless, Jesus told us NOT to call mere mortals "father". Please understand that Jesus was referring to spiritual and religious leaders and NOT one's biological father. Many Christian churches refer to one another simply as "brother", as Jesus described us (see below) in Matthew 23:8. So why doesn't the RCC? The bottom line is that Jesus is instructing that we do NOT put any religious leaders on a pedestool and honor and exalt them as if they're on a similar level to God. They are certainly not. So, why does the RCC exalt the Pope, cardinals, bishops, & priests?

1 Corinthians 4:15 (NIV)​

15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

Matthew 23

English Standard Version
​

Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees​

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,[a] and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi[b] by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.[c] 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.[d] 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell[e] as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah,[f] whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Does it appear to you that the Pope was following Jesus's instructions about humbling oneself and NOT being exalted? The answer is, obviously, NO!

 

[ding]

I was baptized into the Catholic Church (hereafter referred to as the RCC) as an infant. I addended Catholic schools from 1st grade through high school. I attended Mass every week. I was even an altar boy. But about six years ago, at the ripe old age of 50, I determined that the RCC was NOT what it claimed to be and that, in fact, it teaches many heresies.

It wasn't for one reason but, rather, many. But for brevity purposes in my opening post, I will focus on one of those reasons in this post and then will add more as I go.

Before I do, however, please understand that I am NOT attacking Catholics, of whom many are very Godly people, my late father being one of them.

It became clear to me that Jesus's "church" here on Earth wasn't an institution or an organization but, rather, his body of believers, which includes many faithful Christians of many denominations. Why do I believe this?

Jesus told Peter that he was a rock and that on "this" rock, which was/is him (Jesus/God), he would build his church.

Matthew 16:18 YLT (Young's Literal Translation)
And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it;

The King Jame's Version (KJV) says it slightly differently:
Matthew 16:18 KJV
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

One can argue that the KJV is the "better" translation (it's not) and say that Peter IS the "rock". However, in scripture, God & Jesus are referred to as the rock many times, as well as a "foundation" and a "cornerstone". Let me share them with you below.

1 Samuel 2:2 ESV
“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

2 Samuel 22:2
He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

Psalm 62:6 ESV
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

Psalm 144:1 ESV
Of David. Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ESV
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

Psalm 18:46 ESV
The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—

Matthew 7:24-25 ESV
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Psalm 19:14 ESV
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

1 Peter 2:7-9 ESV
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Isaiah 26:4 ESV
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Psalm 18:1-2 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

1 Corinthians 3:11-16 ESV
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Isaiah 51:1 ESV
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.

Psalm 61:1-3 ESV
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Acts 4:11-13 ESV
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
(Note: It's interesting to me that the verse in Acts 4:11-13 refers to Jesus as a "stone" rather than a rock).

1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

I have concluded that Peter was a rock, as were Paul, John, Matthew, etc., but Peter was not the rock. The rock was, is, and always will be God.

I have a buddy who converted to Protestantism at the age of 15. In fact we are playing golf together in about an hour. It's all good.

 

[K9Buck]

Another big red flag for me was the sordid history of the Papacy. I'm not going to document all of it as the reader can certainly go to Google and search for all of the crimes, sins, and corruption of the many Popes in the history of the RCC.

One thing that really irked me was when I saw a picture of Pope John Paul II, the alleged "personal representative" of Christ here on Earth, kissing a Quran that was gifted to him when he visited a mosque. Remember, the Quran says that Jesus is NOT the way to eternal life with God in Heaven. It is a blasphemous book filled with lies. Do you believe (had Islam existed during Jesus's ministry) that Jesus would have kissed a Quran? The answer is, clearly, NO CHANCE. So why did the Pope? That told me that the Pope lacks discernment and that he is NOT, actually, Christ's "personal representative" here on Earth.

Furthermore, we've all witnessed Pope Francis' repeated forays into international politics, something Jesus NEVER did. Jesus NEVER engaged in political discussion or activism, unlike the current Pope and every Pope before him.

Of course, many other Christian church leaders want to preach the words of Jesus while also engaging in politics, which I KNOW is a big mistake. When a Christian church LEADER begins preaching about politics to his congregation, he (or she) is no longer spreading the word of Jesus but, rather, their own. It's fine and good that Christians work in government and politics but Christian church LEADERS should stick to sharing the word of Jesus only.

In any event, the various Popes throughout history have all (to my knowledge) ignored Jesus's example and did their own things.

 

[K9Buck]

I have a buddy who converted to Protestantism at the age of 15. In fact we are playing golf together in about an hour. It's all good.

Enjoy.

I have many family and friends that are Catholic. I love them all. I am simply sharing my own personal reasons for leaving the RCC and becoming a non-denominational follower of Jesus.

 

[Penelope]

Enjoy.

I have many family and friends that are Catholic. I love them all. I am simply sharing my own personal reasons for leaving the RCC and becoming a non-denominational follower of Jesus.

So your going to the evangelical route. It's better this way, as now you can include politics in you mission.

 

[ding]

So your going to the evangelical route. It's better this way, as now you can include politics in you mission.

I guess the irony was lost on you.

 

[ding]

Enjoy.

I have many family and friends that are Catholic. I love them all. I am simply sharing my own personal reasons for leaving the RCC and becoming a non-denominational follower of Jesus.

I hear you. I hope you don't mind if I see it different.

 

[K9Buck]

Then there is the veneration and worship of Mary and saints instead of God the Father. Many churches are named in honor of Mary and of saints, something Jesus told us NOT to do as described in the gospel of Matthew verse that I provided in my OP.

The RCC teaches that Mary calls upon RCC followers to "serve her" by reciting the rosary. Of course, that's nowhere to be found in the Bible. It's a doctrine that the RCC adopted many years later. The RCC claims that Mary made 15 promises regarding the reading of the rosary. Here is promise #1: Rosary: 1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
What did Jesus say? He said we must ONLY "serve" our Father in Heaven. Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."

Again, in spite of Jesus's own commandment, the RCC utterly ignores it and encourages its followers to "serve" Mary. Frankly, it seems downright Satanic to me.

 

[K9Buck]

I hear you. I hope you don't mind if I see it different.

All good my brother. In the end, ALL of mankind will live with God in his kingdom, even Hitler, but that's for another thread. So yes, we are ALL brothers and sisters!

 

[K9Buck]

I'd like to share my thoughts on Baptism next, but I have to run for now. Feel free to ask questions or correct any doctrinal errors that I may have committed. I simply seek the truth and I will go where the truth takes me. I am not married to a position and I am willing to be persuaded to change my position. I do, of course, rely on scripture and not things invented by mere men centuries after Jesus sacrificed himself.

 

[Cellblock2429]

I was baptized into the Catholic Church (hereafter referred to as the RCC) as an infant. I attended Catholic schools from 1st grade through high school. I attended Mass every week. I was even an altar boy. But about six years ago, at the ripe old age of 50, I determined that the RCC was NOT what it claimed to be and that, in fact, it teaches many heresies.

It wasn't for one reason but, rather, many. But for brevity purposes in my opening post, I will focus on one of those reasons in this post and then will add more as I go.

Before I do, however, please understand that I am NOT attacking Catholics, of whom many are very Godly people, my late father being one of them.

It became clear to me that Jesus's "church" here on Earth wasn't an institution or an organization but, rather, his body of believers, which includes many faithful Christians of many denominations. Why do I believe this?

Jesus told Peter that he was a rock and that on "this" rock, which was/is him (Jesus/God), he would build his church.

Matthew 16:18 YLT (Young's Literal Translation)
And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it;

The King Jame's Version (KJV) says it slightly differently:
Matthew 16:18 KJV
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

One can argue that the KJV is the "better" translation (it's not) and say that Peter IS the "rock". However, in scripture, God & Jesus are referred to as the rock many times, as well as a "foundation" and a "cornerstone". Let me share them with you below.

1 Samuel 2:2 ESV
“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

2 Samuel 22:2
He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

Psalm 62:6 ESV
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

Psalm 144:1 ESV
Of David. Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ESV
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

Psalm 18:46 ESV
The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—

Matthew 7:24-25 ESV
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Psalm 19:14 ESV
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

1 Peter 2:7-9 ESV
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Isaiah 26:4 ESV
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Psalm 18:1-2 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

1 Corinthians 3:11-16 ESV
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Isaiah 51:1 ESV
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.

Psalm 61:1-3 ESV
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Acts 4:11-13 ESV
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
(Note: It's interesting to me that the verse in Acts 4:11-13 refers to Jesus as a "stone" rather than a rock).

1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

I have concluded that Peter was a rock, as were Paul, John, Matthew, etc., but Peter was not the rock. The rock was, is, and always will be God.

/----/ I have the same Catholic Education you did, but from the 1950s and 60s. This is precisely why Catholics are discouraged from reading the Bible, especially the Protestant versions. It is too easily opened to interpretation. we take our religious instructions from the Holy Sees.
The Bible was actually written in three different ancient languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It was finally translated into English in the 1500s. That is why there are so many versions of the same passage. To leave the Church because of centuries of translations and interpretations is ridiculous. And believe me, there is plenty to criticize the RCC about, a Bible verse translation isn't one of them.

Here is an example of 1500 Mid-Englsh from Canterbury Tales. with translations into Modern English. See how it's open to interpretation over the centuries.
Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
Once, as old histories tell us,
860 Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;
There was a duke who was called Theseus;
861 Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
He was lord and governor of Athens,
862 And in his tyme swich a conquerour
And in his time such a conqueror
863 That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
That there was no one greater under the sun.
864 Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne;
Very many a powerful country had he won;
865 What with his wysdom and his chivalrie,
What with his wisdom and his chivalry,

 

[Moonglow]

I was baptized into the Catholic Church (hereafter referred to as the RCC) as an infant. I attended Catholic schools from 1st grade through high school. I attended Mass every week. I was even an altar boy. But about six years ago, at the ripe old age of 50, I determined that the RCC was NOT what it claimed to be and that, in fact, it teaches many heresies.

It wasn't for one reason but, rather, many. But for brevity purposes in my opening post, I will focus on one of those reasons in this post and then will add more as I go.

Before I do, however, please understand that I am NOT attacking Catholics, of whom many are very Godly people, my late father being one of them.

It became clear to me that Jesus's "church" here on Earth wasn't an institution or an organization but, rather, his body of believers, which includes many faithful Christians of many denominations. Why do I believe this?

Jesus told Peter that he was a rock and that on "this" rock, which was/is him (Jesus/God), he would build his church.

Matthew 16:18 YLT (Young's Literal Translation)
And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it;

The King Jame's Version (KJV) says it slightly differently:
Matthew 16:18 KJV
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

One can argue that the KJV is the "better" translation (it's not) and say that Peter IS the "rock". However, in scripture, God & Jesus are referred to as the rock many times, as well as a "foundation" and a "cornerstone". Let me share them with you below.

1 Samuel 2:2 ESV
“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

2 Samuel 22:2
He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

Psalm 62:6 ESV
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

Psalm 144:1 ESV
Of David. Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ESV
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

Psalm 18:46 ESV
The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—

Matthew 7:24-25 ESV
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Psalm 19:14 ESV
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

1 Peter 2:7-9 ESV
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Isaiah 26:4 ESV
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Psalm 18:1-2 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

1 Corinthians 3:11-16 ESV
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Isaiah 51:1 ESV
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.

Psalm 61:1-3 ESV
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Acts 4:11-13 ESV
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
(Note: It's interesting to me that the verse in Acts 4:11-13 refers to Jesus as a "stone" rather than a rock).

1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

I have concluded that Peter was a rock, as were Paul, John, Matthew, etc., but Peter was not the rock. The rock was, is, and always will be God.

I discovered the same when I was fifteen.

 

[K9Buck]

To leave the Church because of centuries of translations and interpretations is ridiculous.

I believe that we all want and seek the truth and that we must all discern for ourselves what is true and what isn't.

 

[K9Buck]

In the end, we will ALL know the complete truth.

1 Corinthians 13: 12-13

King James Version​

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 

[Meriweather]

I am simply sharing my own personal reasons for leaving the RCC

I would be interested in hearing the personal reasons. I attended Catholic school from grades three through nine. All the scriptural reasons you list are arguments that date back to the fifteen hundreds, while the scriptural reasons of Catholic teachings date back to fifteen hundred years before that to Apostolic times. Writings of the Church Fathers are readily available.

That's why I am curious as to your personal reasons for leaving, because it seems like you went searching to justify your own reasons for leaving?

I'd like to share my thoughts on Baptism next, but I have to run for now. Feel free to ask questions or correct any doctrinal errors that I may have committed. I simply seek the truth and I will go where the truth takes me. I am not married to a position and I am willing to be persuaded to change my position. I do, of course, rely on scripture and not things invented by mere men centuries after Jesus sacrificed himself.

I would be interested in hearing them. What perplexes me is that in all your previous posts it sounds like hearing arguments against the Catholic position was news to you. I had great Catholic school teachers and they laid out all the positions you did, explained how they were later developments, and then taught how/why the Catholic position formed in Apostolic times.

For example, while some early Christians chose not to be baptized until later in life (for the forgiveness of sins), there is testimony that suggests that baptism of infants began occurring as early as the first century. In the early fifteen hundreds it was the Anabaptists switched over to adult baptism only.

 

[Meriweather]

It became clear to me that Jesus's "church" here on Earth wasn't an institution or an organization but, rather, his body of believers, which includes many faithful Christians of many denominations.

Which, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is (more or less) the Catholic position as well, based on their practices/beliefs on the Sacraments.

What matters most to me is that everyone find the faith/denomination that is able to draw them ever closer to God and His ways. We are not a one-size fits all people.

My objection is accusing any church/denomination of doing anything the wrong way. All have reasons--extremely good reasons--for their beliefs and practices.

Therefore, my suggestion is instead of expounding on why infant baptism is wrong (it's not) relate the reasons and positive points of adult baptism, or baptism at the age of eight, etc.

 

[Meriweather]

Another big red flag for me was the sordid history of the Papacy. I'm not going to document all of it as the reader can certainly go to Google and search for all of the crimes, sins, and corruption of the many Popes in the history of the RCC.

So...never was a good Pope, Pope/Vatican never did a single thing that was good.

What are the results of focus on the negatives? What are the results of focus on the positive. There is an old adage that notes, We lost because we told ourselves we lost.

 

[Cellblock2429]

So...never was a good Pope, Pope/Vatican never did a single thing that was good.

What are the results of focus on the negatives? What are the results of focus on the positive. There is an old adage that notes, We lost because we told ourselves we lost.

/——/ I’m starting to question K9Buck’s sincerity. Who rants on about leaving the Church? Maybe he’s trying to convince himself.

 

[JustAGuy1]

I guess the irony was lost on you.

Everything is lost on her.