If you are a Catholic then answer this question please....?

Question

Is it true Peter was the first Pope? I thought he was the one that denied knowing Christ three times. How did he ever become the pope anyway? And why do you pray to Mary? Mary isn't God almighty so why treat her as such? Thanks

Answer 1

I used to be Catholic, and these are some of the reasons I'm not anymore.

Answer 2

Yes, Peter denied Christ three timess, but Jesus also told him that he would regain his courage and lead the Apostles is evangelizing the world. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, became the First Pope on Jesus's own accord. "You are Peter, the Rock. And upon this Rock I will build my Church." It was after this that Peter denied Christ, but all of the Apostles were afaid. Not until Pentecost did they know exactly what they were supposed to do, how they were supposed to do it, and have the courage to do it.

With regard to Mary, Catholics believe Jesus is the only mediator between us and Christ. Jesus Himseld said, "No one comes to the Father but through Me." Jesus is the one and only mediatior. But that fact does not mean there cannot be intercessors. Mary, and the Saints, are all intercessors. Catholics petition them with intercessory prayer, not prayers of worship. If you have ever said, I'll pray for you.", or gone and prayed on one's behalf without even telling them, you've played the role of intercessor. Chances are, you are more familiar with this concept that you realize. When you do pray on one's behalf, you don't see yourself as violating the First Commandment, do you? Of course not. Neither do other Catholics.

The Holy Trinity is God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. There's no mention of Mary in the Trinity, thus proving Catholics do not put her on the same level as God.

Answer 3

Yes, Peter was the first Pope. Yes, he denied Christ three times. After Jesus rose from teh dead, He asked peter 3 times if he loved Him. Peter replied "Yes" and jesus told Peter to "Feed my lambs". When Jesus told Peter to "Feed my lambs", we was giving Peter the responsibility to lead the Church. This is how Peter became Pope.

We pray to Mary to ask her to pray for us and with us as we pray to God. This is similar to asking a friend or loved one in this life to pray for you and with you. Just because a person is in Heaven does not mean they cannot pray for you and with you.

Catholics do not think Mary is God almighty or treat her as such.

Answer 4

I'm not catholic but I can help you out here. Ok yes Peter was the first Pope of Rome, but I still thinks he shutters at the thought of it. Actually what the poor man did was establish the Christian faith in the capital of the world at that time. Yes, he denied Christ three times to save his own skin, however, he was forgiven for this and moved on with his life, good for him. You do have to remember that at that time, Christians were a part of the Jewish faith, sorry guys they were. It wasn't until later that Christians and Jews split. Ok, that said, why do they pray to Mary, they don't worship her hun sorry. Its like having someone close to God to can intercede on thier behalf. She is the most chosen of all the women of the world and she was the mother of the Christ. If anyone can speak to him, it would deffo be her. Many religions do worhip the Lady and the God and that is fine hun. But Catholics as a hole do not worship Saints or the Mother Mary, they just seek thier guidance and help in their faith. I hope that it helped.

Answer 5

Christ said to Peter, "Upon this rock will I build my Church." Catholics interpret this to mean that Peter was the first Pope, even though the Catholic Church as we know it didn't come into existence for many many years.
Peter did deny knowing Christ three times, but Christ forgave him and he became even more diligent in his faith after that.
Catholics don't actually pray to Mary or any of the saints. They ask those people to intercede on their behalf. I think it is that God is more likely to listen to people who are holy--they are kind of like secretaries, they weed out the important stuff and take it to God personally.

Answer 6

Yes, Peter was the first pope. He did deny God three times, but he repented and went on to do great things in the name of the Lord.

And we revere Mary as the mother of God. We don't pray to her as God, but as one who is close to God. We ask for her help and guidance as you would your own mother.

Answer 7

Forget the book, chapter, and verses, but:

When they came to that region of Caesari Phillipi, Jesus said to the disciples, "Who do the people say I am?" The disciples answers, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah or one of the prophets."

Jesus asked them, "And you? Who do you say I am?"

Peter replied, "You are the Christ, son of the living god."

Jesus said, "Blessed are you, Peter, son of Simon, for no man has told you this but my father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter [note: in latin, petros, meaning rock], and on this rock I will build my church, and the kingdom of hades will not prevail against it. To you [note: in the original, 'you' is in singular, not plural, form] I give the keys to the kingdom of heaven and of earth. What you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, what you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."



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Prayer is not worship. Prayer is no different than a phone call. More to the point, it's no different than a one-way phone call. Worship is for God and God alone. Prayer to Mary and the saints is nothing more than picking up the phone and asking a friend to pray for you.

If you went to the doctor today and he told you that you had inoperable cancer and would be dead in six hours, and your family lived twelve hours away, would you not call them and ask them to pray for you to God? That's all prayer to the saints is -- asking a friend to pray for you and with you.

Answer 8

+ Peter +

Jesus forgave Peter.

Later Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19)

The Catholic Church believes the Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.

+ Mary and the other saints +

Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.

The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mother Teresa.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother in heaven to pray for you.

Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.

The Hail Mary prayer simply recites Bible passages (the Word of God) and asks Mary to pray for us:

Hail Mary Full of grace, the Lord is with you. (These are the words the angel Gabriel said to Mary, a Bible quote.)

Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. (This is Mary's cousin Elizabeth's greeting, another bible quote.)

Holy Mary, (The angel Gabriel said she was full of grace and Elizabeth said she was blessed.)

Mother of God, (the Bible says Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, God the Son)

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. (A simple request to pray for us.)

Amen.

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 9

You have to learn what the word "intercession" means....

Catholics are not praying directly to Mary..

So many people do not understand this..and keep on harping about it when they simply do not, or refuse to, understand...

Answer 10

In the books of men, the following titles are commonly used with reference to a man: "Pope," "Holy Father," "Vicar of Christ," "Sovereign Pontiff." All of these are titles that rightly belong only to the Lord Jesus Christ and to God the Father. There is not a single instance in the Scriptures where any of the above titles are applied to a man. The term, "Holy Father" is used only once in the entire Bible, and it is used by Jesus in addressing God the Father. (John 17:11)

Among the above titles is the bold assertion that the Pope is the "Vicar of Christ." A "vicar" is "One serving as a substitute or agent; one authorized to perform the functions of another in higher office." (Webster). When one searches the Bible from cover to cover, he finds only one passage which gives an indication of a vicar of Christ or God. It is 2 Thess. 2:3-4; it is worded as follows:

"Let no one deceive you in any way, for the day of the Lord will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits in the temple of God and gives himself out as if he were God."
Some religionists today advocate that man is saved by faith only. However, there is only one passage in the entire Bible that has the words "faith" and "only" together and it says, "not by faith only" (James 2:24). The Catholics today speak of the Pope as vicar, taking the place of God (Christ Himself is God, Matt. 1:23; John 1:1), yet there is only one passage in the entire Bible which speaks of a man doing such and it calls him "the man of sin."

James Cardinal Gibbons, a Catholic Archbishop said, "Jesus our Lord, founded but one Church, which He was pleased to build on Peter. Therefore, any church that does not recognize Peter as its foundation stone is not the Church of Christ, and therefore cannot stand, for it is not the work of God." (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 82). The apostle Paul said, "For other foundation no one can lay, but that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus" (1 Cor. 3:11). There is no other foundation but Christ! Therefore, any church which does not recognize Christ alone as the foundation stone cannot be the church of Christ.

Catholic writers often speak of "the primacy of Peter" and "the primacy of the Pope." However, Col. 1:18, speaking of Christ, says, "And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he may hold the primacy..." Thus, with reference to the authority in the church, the Lord Jesus Christ holds the primacy in all things. This leaves nothing for the Pope!

Catholics claim that the Pope is the visible head of the church. Please notice the following from Catholic sources:

"The pope, therefore, as vicar of Christ, is the visible head of Christ's kingdom on earth, the Church, of which Christ Himself is the invisible head." (Answer Wisely, by Martin J. Scott, p. 49).
"According to the will of Christ, all its members profess the same faith, have the same worship and Sacraments, and are united under the one and same visible head, the Pope." (Father Smith Instructs Jackson, by John F. Noll and Lester J. Fallon, p. 42)
Catholic officials always use the word "visible" no doubt thinking that it removes the thought of the Pope standing in opposition to the headship of Christ, and removes the apparent problem of having a church with two heads. Nonetheless, the Scriptures nowhere teach the idea of a visible and invisible head. Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matt. 28:18; Emp. mine D.R.).

Luke 17:20-21 says, "And on being asked by the Pharisees, 'When is the kingdom of God coming?' he answered and said to them, The kingdom of God comes unawares. Neither will they say, 'Behold, here it is,' or 'Behold, there it is.' For behold the kingdom of God is within you." The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom and therefore needs only a spiritual head or king.

Eph. 5:23-25 shows that Christ is the only head of the church. "Let wives be subject to their husbands as to the Lord; because a husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is head of the Church, being himself savior of the body. But just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things." Consequently, the wife is subject to her husband as the church is to Christ. Just as the wife is subject to only one head--her husband, the church is subject to only one head--Christ. Just as the husband does not send a substitute to rule over his wife, Christ does not authorize a substitute to rule over His bride, the church.

Catholics often use the expression, "One fold and one shepherd" to sustain the doctrine of the papacy. (See Catholic Catechism For Adults, p. 59, q. 3). They teach that the "one shepherd" is the Pope and the "one fold" represents the Catholic Church. Hear what Jesus said about it:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep...I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, even as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold. Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." (John 10:11, 14-16).
Jesus is that one good shepherd. If one can understand that one and one equals two, he can understand this. If one is subject to Christ as the one shepherd--that's one. If one is subject to the Pope as the one Shepherd--that's two!

The church is often compared to the human body in the Scriptures. The members of the church are represented as the various parts of the body. Christ is always said to be the head. (See 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:15-16). Our question is: "What part of the body is the Pope?" Also, "How does one get the idea of a sub-head into the body?"

One of the greatest arguments against the primacy of Peter is the fact that the apostles had an argument among themselves as to which of them should be the greatest. Notice the following:

"Now there arose a dispute among them, which of them was reputed to be the greatest. But he said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they who exercise authority over them are called Benefactors. But not so with you. On the contrary, let him who is greatest among you become as the youngest, and him who is chief as the servant.'" (Luke 22:24-26).
The very fact that the apostles had an argument among themselves shows they did not understand that Peter was to be prince. Also, the occasion of the argument was the night of the betrayal--the last night of the Lord's earthly ministry--and yet the apostles still did not understand that Christ had given Peter a position of primacy. The Lord settled the argument, not by stating that He had already made Peter head, but by declaring that the Gentiles have their heads, "But not so with you." Thus, Jesus very plainly taught that no one would occupy any such place as a Benefactor (or Pope) to exercise authority over the others.