First thing I would like to make clear is that as I mention in the beginning of my post. I do have great bias against the Catholic Church as I felt it hindered my relationship with God for many years. I should probably not reply but I must for the sake that I don't much take a liking to a Catholics who put them selves so high and mighty (I'm aware of the irony) that they first clam that it is impossible to believe that for 1500 years (under a ruthless church) other denominations of Christianity could not have existed outside of the high and mighty hypocrisy with their esoteric view of the world.
I find it insulting that you refuse to see any credibility (much like you your church) the power of the average human mind. I find it insulting that you don?t believe your church savagely killed as well as provoked anti-Semitism. I find it insulting that you refuse to look beyond the text, in which your church had a tendency to burn (ie. south America). I find it insulting that you refuse to except that your church actively war mongered.
nyj said:
No? So you don't think Catholics are Christians?
Hmmm, so you think some Catholics are Christians despite they being Catholic?
Yes, I do think that as a church your church is not Christian. As a people many strive so hard to be with God that they surpass the snares the Catholic Church I believe lays out.
nyj said:
Not offended, just disappointed.
1 Corinthians 4:15
For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
Did I say I had a problem with you calling priests father, no? I think that is even appropriate, however "Holy Father" I'm afraid is a name of God and thus set apart and made holy. By using it on a sinful man you defile the name, and scoff at it.
nyj said:
You claim to have been a Catholic but can't spell "Eucharist"?

First off, we don't pray to graven images, never have and we never will. We pray to the Saint depicted by the icon or statue, but never to the statue or icon itself. Prayer to the Saints in Heaven is entirely Biblical and has a
sound Scriptural Basis.
Yes I am a bad speller and I did not get it close so the spell checker didn't pick it up, sorry I know it can make it hard to understand.
Even if you clam to be revering, over people who you see as role models, I see no merit in bowing before a statue. I see any form of replacing the lord or holding him to earthly things as pure raw devil worship. (but I've been known to go to extremes).I am personally offended to see my lord who die a horrifying death for me, with one pathetic drop of blood across the face. I see capturing figures and body?s that have gone to dust. Helps no one and only distracts them and brings them away from God. I find we need to learn lessons from ancient Israel and when you see how easy it is to worship statues and see how it is human nature the last thing I think we should do is place statues and pictures and images all over our place of worship.
So because you believe it's wrong, that makes Catholics not Christian? Lucky for you God doesn't rely on people's opinions to love His children.
I am also happy that God looks not on people opinions or I would have no relationship with him, nor know him. But I take this not from my opinion but out of his law, which was his direct word; I understand that you understand and look at the law diffrent. But I believe that any direct words from God have merit. I am only answering the question from my unique view, and I pray and hope every day that I am wrong because the last thing this world needs is a billion less followers in Christ. Most of my family is in the Catholic Church including my sister, grandparents, aunts and uncles. The last thing I want is to be right in this regard but I have to answer honestly or how could I look myself in the mirror every morning.
As for praying to the saints, see my link above.
The Mother of our Lord doesn't desire our honor, but she is deserving of it.
Umm, how can one refute something, which isn't true?
I been a Catholic for most of my life, I know their clams for legitimacy on these things, I ask all the questions, before I left. But it still seems too wrong, why would I pray to any other person then the lord my God, even if I just looking for more support, even if its just like asking my mother to pray with me. I just cannot see how that helps, never have, never will.
About our holy mother, I do believe she deserves honor and respect, but the time is not now, the devil is too sly, the trick are too heavy and the intent to easy to sway.
You mean its preserving the Bible for a millenium and a half before it could be mass produced?
Clearly you don't talk to your elders or maybe you do and they don't talk about this type of thing, maybe you just don't care. But the Catholic Church held the bibles away from the public, they did it right up till just recently. They never wanted layman to get the hands on the book, they did all they could to stop it. that is the reason this was mentioned, I have nothing but praise for them for keeping the bible and instilling Christian values, but consistancy is not a trait I woudl say the Church has.
Or perhaps you mean its defeating of the multitude of heresies (such as Gnosticism) that have plagued the faith?
Or perhaps you mean its defining of the Trinity and the Hypostatic Union which are theological understandings of Christianity today?
I do thank the church for what it did well, but it was ultimately Christ who set the stage as it stands.
Maybe you're referring to the Nicene Creed which Christian Forums itself uses as a rule of faith for Christians here?
So it's your opinion and not supported by Scripture? Fair enough, but everyone has an opinion, so that's not saying much.
Do you need me to post scripture, what is the scripture law? My opinion as not un- founded and if you look deep you should know that. I only want to help people and its not my intent to misguide, I just thought as an ex-catholic my views, which are quite critical I admit perhaps even too critical, are needed, certainly needed.