Papal infallibility? Not in the Bible.
Celibate priesthood? Forbidden in the Bible
The obsession with Mary? I think that's been covered
Praying to saints? Not in the Bible
Restricting reading the Bible to the clergy? Against Bible principles. Yeah, I know that's changed
Priestly robes? Where does that come from?
The Roman Catholic organisation is worldly. God's Kingdom is not of this world. I refuse to call Rome the church. It's not. It's a religious organisation that bears only a passing resemblance to the real church. And it is structurally impossible to change it.
Jesus said the following because God always knew we would all have Bibles in our hands to read for ourselves. They who claim to be the stewards of God's Word (RCC) got caught with their pants down. The reason they continue today is because there are still believers who are apathetic towards learning the Bible and studying it. And, then believing what it says.
For years the Catholic church kept their congregations without Bibles to read for themselves. The Scriptures they possessed were not accessible to the congregations for private study. To be read, even, if were only to serve the purpose of being asked questions about passages.
And, the leaders of the RCC should have been serious students to study and teach. Instead, they developed a system to follow blindly that offered very little access to Scripture, let alone, being taught new things from the Bible on a regular basis as we all need to mature in Christ.
Here is a kicker.. Without Bibles? Who could they even ask what the following means? Who would they ask if they could? Father McGuinness? Father McBride? Father Johnson?
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are
all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have
one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for
you have one Instructor, the Messiah." Mat 23:8-9
Note! Jesus said they were all *brothers.* If that was being so, how could anyone call his brother, "father?"
Jesus was driving a point home then that God knew was going to be corrupted some day (and then exposed for what it is).
And... an "elder" is an older wiser brother, never one's father.
Jesus was speaking about not using those words he mentioned for "titles for men." Therefore, describing your male parent as your father has an entirely different usage and meaning for the word. Yet, the RCC has its spin room to try to deny any wrong was done on their part...
Now... How could anyone call his brother, "Father?" Jesus made that point for good reason.
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers."
So be it. No matter what.. It still will be denied.
grace and peace........