No, no no Harley! You can’t start quoting scripture!
And whatever you do, don’t look to scripture where it compares circumcision to baptism. And uncircumcision, SKIP THAT PART! And definitely skip all that about human tradition, oh my! Too confusing without a inspired interpreter... (which none of the Catholics here are, unless that cheeky Freeper BennyXVI has finally unlurked.)
Rather turn to canon law, and the vast, unconfusing, unending and constantly revised, dust covered volumes of what the Roman Catholic Church has taught from the time of Peter the First (except when it didn’t... just ignore that part.)
/sarc off
Hey, I was reading some of Chrysostom's writings yesterday. I was very impress with what he had to say about scripture such as...
by means of the continual reading of the holy Scriptures which takes place here...
God will not have us listen to the words and sentences contained in the Scriptures carelessly, but with much attention.
And the Lord when He exhorts the Jews to “search the Scriptures,” the more urges us to the enquiry, for He would not thus have spoken if it were possible to comprehend them immediately at the first reading. No one would ever search for what is obvious and at hand, but for that which is wrapt in shadow, and which must be found after much enquiry; and so to arouse us to the search He calls them “hidden treasure.” ( Prov. ii. 4; Matt. xiii. 44.) These words are said to us that we may not apply ourselves to the words of the Scriptures carelessly or in a chance way, but with great exactness. For if any one listen to what is said in them without enquiring into the meaning, and receive all so as it is spoken, according to the letter, he will suppose many unseemly things of God, will admit of Him that He is a man, that He is made of brass, is wrathful, is furious, and many opinions yet worse than these.
For the words of the Scriptures are our spiritual weapons; but if we know not how to fit those weapons and to arm our scholars rightly, they keep indeed their proper power, but cannot help those who receive them. For let us suppose there to be a strong corselet, and helm, and shield, and spear; and let one take this armor and put the corselet upon his feet, the helmet over his eyes instead of on his head, let him not put the shield before his breast, but perversely tie it to his legs: will he be able to gain any advantage from the armor? will he not rather be harmed? It is plain to any one that he will. Yet not on account of the weakness of the weapons, but on account of the unskillfulness of the man who knows not how to use them well. So with the Scriptures, if we confound their order; they will even so retain their proper force, yet will do us no good.
Saint Chrysostom Homily on John