8 Characteristics of a Counterfeit Christian Church

FWIW, the “sale of indulgences,” as understood by modern Protestants, was never an accepted Catholic practice, and the issuance of indulgences is still a Catholic practice.

Indulgences are sacrifices or pieties offered by Catholics which do not affect one’s salvation, to bring oneself closer to a state of godliness in this life, so as to reduce the need for spiritual purification in death.

What Johann Tetzel was doing, according to Martin Luther, was telling princes, etc., that they were free to commit sins, so long as they offered an indulgence to atone for it afterwards. Presuming this was not mere slander (as his visit to the Vatican was, since he didn’t even know that the Vatican wasn’t really in Rome), it reflects a diabolically twisted and false understanding of indulgences. A person who had the deliberate intent to commit a grave sin is guilty of mortal sin, and unless he is truly repentant of that sin, is not benefitted by an indulgence at all. The notion that he can escape judgment by false pieties only increases his guilt. Thus, the counter-reformation severely condemned the practice alleged by Luther.

Since Luther’s accusations, the Catholic Church has taken greater care in ensuring that the offering of indulgences cannot enrich anyone who might help someone obtain an indulgence. But they are still very much a part of the Catholic faith. Indulgences are still declared for prayers, promoting various forms of worship, pilgrimages, etc. They must be performed while in a state of grace (i.e., repentance of sin), and a sincere desire to allow God to purify one’s soul. Since one must already be in a state of grace, there can be no temptation to think of them as “earning salvation,” which is impossible, anyway. However, since they are a means of grace, I suppose one may well find that they help them stay away from grave sin.

It depends on what one means by “authority beyond the bible.”

Do you believe in the civil rule of law? That’s an “authority beyond the bible.” The pope cannot invent moral doctrine infallibly; he has no authority beyond the bible vis a vis moral doctrine. He has some temporal authority, given to him within the bible: “Whatever you declare bound (forbidden) on Earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you declare loosed (permitted) on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven.”

Now, Catholic doctrine is strictly biblical. I sort of wish the recent Catechism looked to the unique issues of the Catholic-Protestant debates as it was formatted. If you read it, you’ll see references to “Lumen Gentium,” etc. This allows protestants to believe that the doctrines come from Vatican II, rather than from the bible. Of course, if you look up Lumen Gentium, it’ll cite, perhaps, a sermon by St. Augustine. And if you look up St. Augustine, his argument will be based directly on scripture. So why did the Catholic Church do it this way? Because there have always been competing interpretations of scripture, and the Catechism means to show, first, that it is expressing the authoritatively stated doctrine of the Church (Lumen Gentium from Vatican II); Vatican II, meanwhile, was intending to show that its interpretation of the scripture is the same as that as has been understood since the ancient church. Still, I’ll admit it would be awfully handy if they cited Lumen Gentium, Augustine AND the bible in one place.

Do you believe that eternity began with your birth?
Do you believe that God has not spoken to an apostle since the last book in the bible?
Do you believe that if you are not baptized before you die that you will never get to heaven?
Who do you believe can get to heaven? Will those who were good but did not believe in Christ automatically go to hell?
Do you believe that after you die you no longer can gain a testimony or obtain knowledge?
I find that most anti-mormons spend their time badmouthing the LDS church because they aren’t secure in their own beliefs.

I'm not anti-Mormon and I don't badmouth the LDS church, although I have many disagreements with Mormon teachings. I am also not a theologian, but I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

Do you believe that eternity began with your birth?
I believe eternity began "in the beginning."
Do you believe that God has not spoken to an apostle since the last book in the Bible?
I believe God has ways of communicating with all humans.
Do you believe that if you are not baptized before you die that you will never get to heaven?
No. Baptism merely points you in the right direction. Sanctification is a life-long effort and your place in the afterlife depends on a number of factors, especially your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Who do you believe can get to heaven? Will those who were good but did not believe in Christ automatically go to hell?
I believe that those who follow Christ will get to heaven. According to the Bible, there are no "good" people--man is basically evil, and all have failed to measure up to God's standards of goodness.
As for non-believers getting to heaven, Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the God the Father, but by me." However, the Bible also says that God "desires all to be saved" ( 1 Timothy 2:4 ) , and that for him "all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26 ), so there is still hope for nonbelievers to achieve salvation.
Do you believe that after you die you no longer can gain a testimony or obtain knowledge?
That question is a stumper, so I'll have to draw a blank. The Bible offers visions of the afterlife in passages such as Revelation 21:9-27 and Revelation 22:1-5, but I am unaware of any passage that addresses these issues.

>>>> I would also add that one should take the church’s own words for what they believe in. <<<<

>> We publish what the MORMON religious Organization has written all the time; and just what thanks do we get? <<

I think you do a great job. That comment wasn’t meant as a criticism of your work, but merely to make sure the same words weren’t unsoundly used against Catholicism.

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