format_quote Originally Posted by
stannis
I am sorry you feel so much ill-will towards Catholics. It's sad that more extreme types of Protestant do that.
Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox, we are all Christians, but some people cannot see that. :cry:
I bear no ill will towards Catholics. I do however lament the fact that paganism has crept into what is still called Christianity. Christianity is based upon the faith practiced by Abraham Isaac and Jacob (called Israel). That much of that paganism entered through the “Roman Church” is documented.
Nowhere was the Law (sometimes called the Law of Moses) cancelled. Nowhere are we called to venerate men, whether they be “Pastors”, apostles, prophets or “Popes”. Nowhere are we given to option of eating “unclean” foods. Nowhere are we given the option of changing the Sabbath to Sun(god)day. Nowhere are we called to celebrate “holidays” having pagan roots, such as are called “Halloween”, “Easter” and “Christmas”. Nowhere are we called to kill our enemies nor hate those with whom we have differences.
The essence of what I hope to say is that Christianity, as practiced in the modern world, has been corrupted by “traditions of men”. It is more a commercial venture than anything. The “Protestant” wing is no more righteous than the “Catholic” wing.
The Protestant faction complains rightly that there are a number of traditional practices in what is called Catholicism, which are not supported by and which are in opposition to the teachings of the Bible. They then adopt other traditions which are equally heretical (when viewed in the light of the scriptures), some (not all) of which have come from Roman Catholicism, refusing to consider the hypocrisy of their stance because of tradition.
The truth has gone “underground” in America because it is not welcomed by the majority of “practicing Christians”.
No “Pope”, no “Pastor” nor any “organized” religion died for me. Our Savior had no denomination.
In essence, what is taught in the Bible is not practiced by the mass of “Christendom”. It is difficult to bear a true witness for my faith in the face of more than 1,000 years of excesses and abuses in the name of Christ. It is even harder when such abuses and excesses are not separated from us by the passage of time but consolidated by the practices of the present.
If there is any ill will on my part, it would be towards the “leaders” who have hijacked the faith for their own selfish purposes. This includes the leaders of all “factions” of Christianity. They claim to have superior knowledge and they shall have the greater condemnation on the Day of Reckoning.
If there were a way to express this in a softer way I would do so, but the truth demands that it be made plain. I will bear witness to this apostasy as long as I can still draw breath. I believe that should I not do so, that the blood of those to whom I would not testify would be upon my head.
Revelation 18:4 states: "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
I see this passage as clearly speaking of American Christians, who are about to see this "Christian nation" be judged.