Within the limitations of reasonable fairness, this should not be a criterion for rejecting the Catholic Church. Were it to become so pronounced one would have to apply the standard of "by their fruits you shall know them", then one would be in a position to reject a denomination for such extensive violation.
A person would be entirely justified in rejecting a particular local church if such a violator were still pastoring in that local church.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness
But you shouldn't take my word for it. The church fathers separated what was inspired from what was not. They called it the Bible. Now, many centuries later they're saying, "Hey, there's more..."
Issue 2 - Rejecting the Catholic Church because of the Priestly scandals.
Has nothing to do whether the Church of Rome is doctrinally correct.
Issue 3 - The Biblical Basis for the Catholic teaching concerning the Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist. Many Scriptural passages affirm the Catholic teaching about the Holy Eucharist, including "John 6", "1 Corinthians 11", and many others. To get a good overview for the Scriptural basis for this teaching about the Eucharist of the Catholic Church (and the Orthodox Church), I would recommend a good small book
Meaningless. Asking me to get a "good overview for the Scriptural basis" by directing me to Catholic material is like me asking you to read Reformed material. (BTW-I frequently read Catholic material with an open mind. I doubt if many Catholics read Reformed material.)
Issue 4 - The Catholic Church teaches the worship of Mary. No, it does not. It is a complete misperception and misunderstanding. When you see people kneeling before a statue
Exo 20:4-5 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
However Catholics like to try to justify themselves on this point, they are in clear violation of one of the top ten of God's commandments.
Issue 5 - The Catholic Church teaches the worship of statues, icons, and paintings.
Please explain the term venerating. It's not any different than worshipping.
Issue 6 - The Catholic Church advocates and employs meaningless repetitious prayers. No, it does not. Catholics pray both
Do you mean, "Hail Mary, full of grace...."?
Issue 7 - The Catholic Church does not place any or much emphasis at all on the Bible. While we could all certainly benefit from a lot more time spent with the written Word of God, I think it is pretty ludicrous to claim that Catholics ignore the Bible.
And how many bible studies do they allow? How many commentaries do they have? You'll find that there aren't a whole lot.
Issue 8 - Instead of building large, beautiful, ornate Cathedrals and Churches, Catholics should use that money for the poor.
Nothing wrong with having a nice building. Something is wrong when you have beautiful mable bathrooms with gold fixtures.
Issue 9 - Do Catholics teach and believe that they can save themselves, or that salvation comes from God alone? The Catholic Church teaches that salvation comes from God alone. ... However,
Well, you started out well.
Issue 10 - The Biblical meaning of "Church", as used in Matthew 16:18, 1 Timothy 3:15, etc. Some people who have disagreed with the Catholic Church in the past have insisted that the Greek term looking roughly like "ekklesia" has been repeatedly mistranslated, and in "the Bible according to them",
Never heard this. However, are you saying the the ONLY church is the Catholic Church and you can be saved ONLY through the Catholic Church?
Arguing a biblical basis for the real presence is no legitimate reason for rejecting the Roman Catholic Church. In reality, there is little difference between trans-substantiation, spiritual presence, and con-substantiation.
Paul clearly says, in 1 Co 11:29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
To the extent that the Catholic Church teaches the worship of Mary, that would be a valid reason for rejecting the Catholic Church or a group of Catholics who would be teaching Mariology wrongly.
I am convinced that many Catholics evidence little understanding of the distinction between reverence and worship. I'm also convinced that the dividing line between reverence and worship is a very thin line when publicly practiced.
Therefore, in my opinion, Catholicism has a huge responsibility to broadly explain the distinction between reverence and worship, and they also have a responsibility to go to great lengths in any public setting not to blur any distinction between reverence and worship.
Any group worshipping anyone but the Triune God is wrong, and that should be rejected.
There is only one I AM.
Refer to my comments on worship of Mary. The same applies to statues, icons, and paintings...relics...any created thing.
1)The near dogmatic acceptance of evolution in the Catholic Church and concomitant relegation of the first eleven chapters of Genesis to "mythology" (often attributed to the Babylonians and Canaanites).
2)The omnipresence of "higher criticism" in the Catholic Church.
I note that no Catholic apologists ever address these two issues. It's always the exact same things (Mary, statues, real presence), but never the above two supremely important points. I wonder why?
So . . . now that you're Catholic you believe in evolution . . . right?
I would also like to congratulate you on a exhaustive apologetics posted in support of the Catholic Church. May our Lord continue to guide you on your chosen path. May He bless you and your family.
Catholic Ping
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well written
