Now, back to the point ~ the court didn't say the Catholic church is a state, just that the Vatican, which is a state, can be sued under a special law which can be used against other states.
I think there is currently an American Cardinal present at the Vatican (in a rather non-operative position) who is the real target of this lawsuit. He fled the US to the Vatican lest he end up sued down to his sandles.
You wrote:
“Actually, the Mennonites make a better case than the Catholics for being founded directly by Jesus (although that claim is not widely known).”
The Mennonites were founded by an excommunicated Catholic priest named Menno Simons - hence MENNOnites.
That in itself would seem to put the lie to any Mennonite claims of antiquity. Also, the earlier roots of the Mennonites in the Anabaptist movement is EXTREMELY well documented and does not go further back than 1517. PERIOD.
“Now, back to the point ~ the court didn’t say the Catholic church is a state, just that the Vatican, which is a state, can be sued under a special law which can be used against other states.”
And I doubt it will go much further than that.
“I think there is currently an American Cardinal present at the Vatican (in a rather non-operative position) who is the real target of this lawsuit. He fled the US to the Vatican lest he end up sued down to his sandles.”
Untrue. If you mean Law, he did not flee from the US, nor would fleeing from the US prevent him from being sued. Please think.
“He fled the US to the Vatican lest he end up sued down to his sandles.”
Untrue.
He did not flee.
The authorities chose not to pursue a criminal case against him.
The Vatican removed him from his diocese and gave him a position at a basilica, basically as a fundraiser.
The Vatican then appointed another bishop to tackle the fallout.
Law’s diocese was sued.
Bravo Sierra. You should read Saint Ignatius of Antioch's Letter to the Smyrneans, 107 AD; obviously for the first time, and then return and correct your post.