Catholicism Argements for and against

[Vue 0]

I am Catholic myself. I don't know that much about the Vatican, to be honest. However, I do believe that Pope John Paul II has done a better job than the current Pope. He somewhat helped to eradicate communism from Poland. (Slightly off topic, I know.) I understand that the Catholic Church has been in the media a lot for criticising the latest media fads, novels or other religious leaders. But then I look back...the priests don't do this finger-pointing behaviour that you notice that the upper Catholic leaders are doing. At the end of the day, Catholicism is a form of stress/emotional relief like any other religion.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Vue (see edit history)

[beatgammit 0]

I am not a Catholic (LDS in fact), but I have a pretty good understanding of what it means to be Catholic. My main argument against the Catholic church is the claim to priesthood. I believe that the priesthood (God's power given to man) is necessary for a church to be "correct" as Christ's original church in the New Testament had the priesthood. Catholics claim to have the priesthood, by providence of a bishop who received it and then started a church, but I do not believe that they do in fact have the priesthood. None of the Protestants claim to have a direct line to the priesthood, claiming a "priesthood of all believers" but the Catholics do claim this line. As a Mormon, every priesthood holder can trace his priesthood back to Joseph Smith, and from there to John the Baptist (for the "lesser"/Aaronic/Levitical priesthood) or Peter, James and John (for the "greater"/Melchizidek priesthood). While our claim rests on the assumption that Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet, the Catholic church's claim rests on some bishop that claims to have gotten the priesthood bestowed on him. The Catholic church claims that this chain has been unbroken, but the Catholic church has been reorganized so many times that this is improbable.

[mitchellmckain 0]

I am not a Catholic (LDS in fact), but I have a pretty good understanding of what it means to be Catholic. My main argument against the Catholic church is the claim to priesthood. I believe that the priesthood (God's power given to man) is necessary for a church to be "correct" as Christ's original church in the New Testament had the priesthood. Catholics claim to have the priesthood, by providence of a bishop who received it and then started a church, but I do not believe that they do in fact have the priesthood. None of the Protestants claim to have a direct line to the priesthood, claiming a "priesthood of all believers" but the Catholics do claim this line. As a Mormon, every priesthood holder can trace his priesthood back to Joseph Smith, and from there to John the Baptist (for the "lesser"/Aaronic/Levitical priesthood) or Peter, James and John (for the "greater"/Melchizidek priesthood). While our claim rests on the assumption that Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet, the Catholic church's claim rests on some bishop that claims to have gotten the priesthood bestowed on him. The Catholic church claims that this chain has been unbroken, but the Catholic church has been reorganized so many times that this is improbable.

As I said in the other thread, let the Mormons, Catholics and Eastern Orthodox squabble over who has this imagined "apostolic authority", reminiscent of the apostles arguing over who will sit at Jesus' right hand, while the rest of us prefer to keep our eyes on Jesus and what He teaches us in the word of God. How did Jesus respond to this behavior of his apostles? He said "whoever would be great among you must be your servant." And Jesus showed us who was greatest, not by saying, "bow down unto me", but by washing His disciples feet. It is not about getting authority from God to set yourself over others as James and John imagined (or as the Catholics and Mormons continue to imagine). In order to fabricate this impression the Mormons had to invent their own gospel with a Jesus saying and acting like it was all about authority. Who did Jesus say was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Was it he who God gave authority over others? Jesus said it is he who humbles himself like a child. It is not about authority. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." So I would rather be a dog begging under my Lord's table than a fool strutting up to the table to claim a seat which isn't mine. And so I will not listen to strutting fools like the LDS and Catholics. I recognize no authority given unto man but the Bible as the written word of God which no one has any authority to interpret for any other. God's word is not the Bible, only if properly interpreted! "The Bible is the word of God" can only mean that if we interpret it in different ways then that is according to God's will. This idea that the word of God is flawed and must be supplemented by the words of men, is nothing more or less than a rejection of the Bible as the word of God. Edited April 10, 2007 by mitchellmckain (see edit history)

[iGuest 3]

What I really want to know are the main differences between baptist and catholic. I cannont find a detailed list of them. Or even just between protestant and catholic differences. Not only the well known ones but the other differences too.

[iGuest 3]

Catholics and arguments

Catholicism

 

THe thing IS, everyone seems to pick at the big guy (catholicism). Have you not noticed that every other religion that is out there compares themselves to catholicism? They bring arguments of priests molesting children, of Peter, of Mary... But in all reality, if you are going to judge the belief system, one should not criticize the people who take part in it. You should argue about the system itself, the beliefs themselves. How can I explain it. If someone says, "Cheating is bad", and he/she himself is cheating, it does not make the statement a lie. Cheating is bad. So going back to the argument... All of you should analyze what you are criticizing (Is it Catholicism beliefs or Catholics?). COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS. It is called the fallacy of "ad hominum". Look it up.. Oh, and another thing, isn't judging a Godly thing to do? I am pretty sure that whatever religion you belong to looks down on wanting to act like God. Who are you to say that someone else's religion is wrong? Have you also noticed that all of those who are Catholics do not really bother to rebuttal your arguments? Why? Because catholicism teaches tolerance of others, it teaches not to judge, to compare, it teaches us to do what is right so to see Jesus face at the end of time. And we are used to being used as a basis of all comparisons... Why not compare Christianity to Baptists or another?

 

-reply by Martha