Peter is a late human invention? Wow, Christ would be surprised to hear that I imagine. I didn't know the Son of God needed imaginary friends. Don't try arguing semantics either, you know what "pope" means. Peter was given charge as the head of Christ's Church, thereby making him "pope." Were only the original Christians to be entitled to guidance on the teachings of Christ or is His Word eternal and for all time as He said? You can't have it both ways. Why would He entrust Peter with the Keys and tell him to feed His sheep for just one generation? Why would He place Peter in charge at all if there was to be no one after him? Were the following generations just somehow smarter or more open to the Truth that they did not need the guidance Christ instilled in Peter? Or are the following generations less worthy of the guidance Christ established through Peter? And why oh why would the very Apostles who walked with Christ elect another to take Stephen's place after his martyrdom if there is no succession? Could the very men who walked with God made flesh make such a mistake?
Purgatory, as has been explained many, many, many times on this thread is supported by Scripture (which was codified by the CATHOLIC Church even though Christ told no one to write anything down) but if you choose to ignore the evidence, that is up to you. I will pray for you regardless.
And if Jesus entrusted His word to all believers to be interpreted as it should, please tell me why over 31,000 Protestant denominations exist. After that, explain to me how you know YOUR interpretation is the correct one out of the other 30,999 versions.
My answer is simple, I follow the Church Christ instituted in 33 A.D. If one wanted to follow Christ, why would anyone choose differently?
"Purgatory, as has been explained many, many, many times on this thread is supported by Scripture (which was codified by the CATHOLIC Church even though Christ told no one to write anything down) but if you choose to ignore the evidence, that is up to you. I will pray for you regardless."
What scripture? What evidence? Nobody has brought up a shred of either! God isn't impressed with "Codices", dogma, bulls or any other man-made concoction.
The Roman church left the narrow path over a thousand years ago.