@ Heresy and Stockton
I might be a bit emotional and speak without thinking but in my time growing up and from what I have learned there is a method to my madness. This is the way I think
I need to give you a bit of background first: In Catholic school we used the Douay Rheims Catholic bible which is the direct translation from the Latin Vulgate...which means it is closest to the original than any other English version. Jesus spoke Aramaic. Many modern Catholic versions are okay to read but they tend to "dumb down" the context and in doing so loses its essence. keep in mind that Peter's birth name is Simon Bar-Jona (means Simon from the house, or son, of Jona); Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter (Aramic for "Kepha" which means large massive boulder 'ROCK'). Back in those days, a man's name represented his character, his role. Jesus was already molding Peter as a solid foundation. Unfortunately, the Latin translation of Rock is Petras which is feminine and you can not give a man a female name so in Latin it's Petros...loses its meaning in the translation but I won't go into that now.
Gospel of Matthew Chapter 16 verses 13-20. Main problem with Protestants is that they read scripture out of context and out of historical significance. In this passage, Jesus is questioning all his disciples about identity: "...whom do men say that the Son of man is?" They respond with different answers "...John the Baptist, Elias (aka Elija...), ....then Jesus turns to Peter and says "BUT whom do YOU say that I am?" Simon Peter answers "Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God" Jesus responds and says "to him (Peter)...Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood did not reveal this to thee but my Father in Heaven revealed it to you" Jesus adds, " and I say to thee, that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church. and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" Jesus is appointing Peter as the rock (foundation) that He will build His earthly church. Unless Jesus is lying or made a mistake, he guarantees that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. IT being the church established upon Peter. PETER IS THE CATHOLICS FIRST POPE. Jesus also adds "and I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth it shall be bound also in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also in heaven." Now in my argument, it does not take a genius to figure this passage out. Throughout the old testament and in Jesus' time, keys signify rule and authority. Jesus has just appointed Peter as the head of the early church. Whatever rules Peter establishes regarding faith and morals will be bound in heaven as well. Many protestants do not understand they think that Catholic popes are sinful and corrupt and it's true for some. In the book of Acts of the Apostles, Peter was just as guilty of getting angry with Paul but he never wavered from the teaching (neither did Paul)...Peter had a bad temper and so did Paul they had disagreements but they loved one another because of their mutual love for Christ. Jesus would get frustrated with Peter and once said "Get behind me Satan" because Peter was trying to defend Jesus when Jesus tells them about how he was going to be crucified (Mt 16: 21-24). Peter is still a human being and subject to emotions and still unable to fully understand why this terrible thing must be allowed to happen to Jesus...
You can trace the founders of the major faiths as follows:
CHURCH STARTED FOUNDER ORIGINATED IN
LUTHERAN 1517 Martin Luther Germany
ANGLICAN 1534 HENNRY VIII ENGLAND
CALVINIST 1555 JOHN CALVIN SWITZERLAND
PRESBYTERIAN 1560 JOHN KNOX SCOTLAND
CONGREGATINALIST 1582 ROBERT BROWN HOLLAND
EPISCOPALIANS 1600'S SAMUEL SEABURY AMERICAN COLONIES
BAPTIST 1605 JOHN SMYTH AMSTERDAM
METHODIST EPISCOPAL 1739 JOHN&CHRLS WESLEY ENGLAND
UNITED BRETHEN 1800 PHIL OTTERBEIN&M.BOEHM MARYLAND
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST 1827 THOMAS&ALEX CAMPBELL KENTUCKY
MORMONS 1830 JOSEPH SMITH NEW YORK
SALVATION ARMY 1865 WILLIAM BOOTH LONDON
JEHOVAH WITNESS 1874 CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL PENNSYLVANIA
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE 1879 MARY BAKER EDDY BOSTON
FOUR SQUARE GOSPEL 1917 AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON LOS ANGELES
CATHOLIC AD33 JESUS CHRIST JERUSALEM
Gospel of John Chapter 6...see how many times Jesus repeats Himself..."unless you drink my blood...eat my flesh you will not have life within you..."
You guys brought up a diffrent way of thinking and I respect that very much. The tact you guys used forced me to think and I like that a lot.
If you claim that the teachings were never flawed and it was the way people distorted them to their own benefit then why didn't the protestants have faith and not break away from the church. The pope's lineage can be trace back to peter. So wouldn't that not make the catholicism the true christian faith?
I might be getting away from the point, but the way I think is the same reason you gave me for my half assed beliefs is the same reason your forefathers became protestant.
That is the reason i put catholics and christian on the same boat to me christians are lost or misled catholics. I labeled most popular Christian faiths that were started by a man other than the word.
That is my reasoning for the ealier statement of associating Catholics and Christians together.
Chango