I am just lighting on this subject, and have learned a few inconsistencies, but i want to know more.
One is that Catholics believe that Peter was the first pope. They believe this because in Matt. 16:18 Jesus founds the Church. In Fact the Church was founded on Himself, not Peter.
Also, they have seen fit to exclude the second commandment(The Roman Catholic Church, that is)which says "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."(Ex. 20:4) Their uses of icons broke this commandment. They excluded it and split the last one in half.
2006-10-12 05:50:09 · 25 answers · asked by Levi G 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ok First of all to Trey3113 I'm not looking for a religion.
And Odindmar, what r u talking about?
2006-10-12 06:04:39 · update #1
oh sorry I know what you mean now. Sure you are not to bow down to them and serve them. that is stated in vs. 5-6. But in verse 4 it clearly states "Thou shalt not MAKE"
2006-10-12 06:07:22 · update #2
to danksprite 420: You were right until you spoke of "Thou shalt not kill." The literal transation is "murder." The hebrew word literally means “the intentional, premeditated killing of another person with malice.” But what the catholics did was murder for political power
2006-10-12 06:14:45 · update #3
To the Catholics who answered(NewCatholic, and clusium1971)
I say that any MADE IMAGE of that which is in heaven is a violation of the ten commandments.
Also in Matthew 7:24, Jesus says
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
The foundation of the faith IS Jesus, But the Foundation of the Church is The Teachings of Jesus.
2006-10-12 06:28:54 · update #4
Maurice is right: Mary was simply a vessel to bring Jesus into this earth.
2006-10-12 06:31:01 · update #5
Go to http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/index.htm
It's a very informative site.
2006-10-12 05:53:01 · answer #1 · answered by mama 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The main problem is the Papal System. This medieval structure is full of very ordinary human beings. The whole Priest thing has to change because the Church makes the priesthood a separate class of people like the officer corp in the military.
The Roman Catholic Church has to eliminate the priesthood and change it to a Minister type arrangement like the Protestants arrange their Religious leaders.
The former priest could then marry or do anything any other citizen can do legally.
2006-10-12 06:07:11 · answer #2 · answered by zclifton2 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You forgot two words in there friend, " to worship " God just doesn't want things standing between Him and his Children. You can have an image of Jesus to symbolize a church, you are just not supposed to worship the image of Jesus as apposed to worshiping God directly.
As far as the only real problem with the Roman Catholic Church that I see, is that they don't allow them to get married. If they would just let those poor preachers have a wife and family as God intended, that would solve most of your problem right there. Let's be realistic, they are men after all. And a life time of celibacy with make for some serious sexual frustration.
2006-10-12 05:56:32 · answer #3 · answered by Odindmar 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, Jesus said, Peter you are the Rock and on this Rock I will build MY Church. He handed the keys to Peter, and said whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.
Jesus is the foundation of the Faith, Peter is the foundation of the Church.
As for statues, we do not worship them. We honor the Saints the images are not "Graven"
Before you claim inconsistencies, please first understand the faith.
It is not hard to understand the Catholic faith, there is no different leaders saying different things. Our beliefs and the reason for them in in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. and the Magnificat.
Don't just blindly believe everything an anti-Catholic group tells you!
Peace and God Bless your search!
2006-10-12 05:59:13 · answer #4 · answered by C 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There are more than a few inconsistency's! You are on the path of truth.
1- Mary was also sinless;
Mary brings a sin offering to God, therefore, her own conception is not immaculate
2-Jesus is not the only son of Mary, therefore, Mary was not a virgin her entire life:
In Matt. it says Jesus was her Firstborn son not her only born son-2 different Greek words; firstborn is Prototokon and only born is Monogene!
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. - MARK 6:3
3-Mary is never mentioned as ever having an assumption into Heaven;
She was only mentioned once after the gospels where it says she was at a prayer meeting.
4-Mary is our mediator.
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 1 tim 2:5
5-Peter is the rock of the church
this is SO silly-Peter was saying that Jesus is the Son of God! and Jesus said, yes you are peter and this rock I will build my church-NOT peter-did peter die for our sins NO-he meant that Jesus was the rock!
6-Call the pope 'holy father'
in matt. it reads regarding holy teachers-"call no man father but our father in heaven!"
There are so many more...
2006-10-12 06:11:52 · answer #5 · answered by Jeanmarie 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Don't forget the fact that the bible says, "vengance is mine"
plus another commandment is thou shalt not judge, but I see more catholcs judging my character for my beliefs.
And the most IMPORTANT commandment, "thou shalt not kill"
What about the spanish inquistion, and the crusades. baisically the whole dark ages, because the church slaughtered nonbelievers in "God's" name, but it is the same god that tells them what they just did is about 3 deadly sins.
And I wondwer about this pope that sits in the vadican and gets praised as if he were a god.
It was in the lost gospel that Jesus said " lift a rock, and I am there, split a peice of wood and you will find me, let your worship not be inside walls, but in the earth that God gve thee"
And you wonder why they were LOST gospels, because the church didn't want people to take their mony away.
hmmmmmmm.... makes you wonder huh?
2006-10-12 05:58:21 · answer #6 · answered by danksprite420 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the light no man comes to the father but by me."
Catholics pray to saints who are supposed to intercede and take you requests before God. The only one that can take anything to God on our behalf is Jesus or the Holy Spririt.
I could go on and on but I really don't have the time. If you read through the catechism of the catholic church and compare it to the bible you will find countless contradictions.
2006-10-12 05:56:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you're looking for meaning in life... do yourself a favor. Sit down and do a little research on String Theory, followed by the Chaos Theory. Research Scientology (for as long as you can stand it), then read Revelations, followed in turn by Genesis. Now ask yourself "How do any of these things directly affect me?" "What am I in relation to them?" Do you see the world any differently now? Do you hear or feel or taste things any differently than before? Probably not.
Sit back down and spend an evening looking through a photojournalist book who's focus is the extreme poverty and human atrocities occurring right now in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Haiti, or any other fourth world country. I guarantee you that those images will stir more emotions inside of you than any words ever written in any idealistic / existentialist / dogmatic propaganda theorem ever could.
It is not a truth or a meaning to life you will find. The secret of life is whatever you make it. Whatever it is you choose to believe, is that which will be true. Everyone makes of their own existence, whatever it is they want their existence to be. It's not knowing why we are who we are, that makes us search for someone else's homeopathic cure to existentialism. There is no cure. This is not a disease.
2006-10-12 05:54:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Religion is MAN MADE docterine
God set rules, but not the ones they have
A relationship with God is the key.
Not if/when you sin a man tells you to say 10 hail marys.
No idols (saints and the virgin mary) should be worhiped or prayed to (you are right) - only Father, Son = Holy Spirit
Mary was a clean soul and Jesus' mother, but thats where that ends. What happened to her was miraculous and she was chosen by God- but no where in the Bible does it say to pray to her. She didnt die for our sins - her son did. Somewhere Marys bones are burried, as well as all the saints- Jesus died and was buried and rose to Heaven with His father
2006-10-12 05:57:34 · answer #9 · answered by ♥kailababy♥ 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Catholic church believes in sacraments... they are:
Baptism (sprinkling)
Confirmation
Holy Eucharist (or Holy Communion)
Matrimony (or sacramental marriage)
Holy Orders
Penance (or Confession, Penance and Reconciliation)
Anointing of the Sick (or Extreme Unction, Last Rites)
These sacrements for the most part have been changed from the original teachings of the Bible. The Bible teaches in total immersion, not infant baptism or sprinkling. It does not teach that we can 'confirm' a person so they think they are going to heaven just because they took classes as a kid and had a special blessing. It takes a life of repentance, obedience, following God... not just a few hours of study and a prayer.
As to the Eucharist... they believe that the bread and the wine actually become the literal body and blood of Jesus... everytime they celebrate it...! A clear understanding of scripture teaches that is represents.... not become... his body and blood. We are not canibals.
Matrimony is OK.. But to be married only by a priest in the Catholic church to be really married... is a stretch! That's controlling.
Holy Orders: well, we are ALL supposed to live holy lives, every day, not just a few who set themselves apart from the world. Jesus lives among mankind.
Penance or Confession: It is not up to man...priests or bishops to dole out judgment or punishment....that's God job. We do not need to confess our sins to a man... but to God. He hears and He forgives. We are to confess our faults one to another... to keep us humble... So if I sin against you... I am to come to you and admit my sin and ask you to forgive me. But I must also ask God to fogive me. I never have to pay for the privilege to be forgiven.
Anointing the sick, Last rites: Anointing the sick with oil and praying for them is very Biblical. However, last rites, is nothing more than a tradition... and too many people think if they get last rites they are a shoe in for heaven. Not so.! God hates sin. We must ask for His forgiveness. Someone else asking for us is not good enough.
Then there are those who pray the rosary... not Biblical either.
And those who worship Mary.... and idols and icons....instead of worshipping God. We don't need to go through saints to get to God... we can go directly to Him because of the shed blood of JEsus. He made access for every person to come directly into the Holy presence of God...
Its long, but I hope it helps
2006-10-12 06:12:21 · answer #10 · answered by rejoiceinthelord 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The graven image thing is just one of the many. Your question is too broad for a quick answer like on yahoo. "Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop would answer in detail certain issues like 1) Baptismal Regeneration
2) Mass
3) Purgatory
4) Rites, relics and ceremonies
5) Religious titles
6) Worship of Mary & the Saints
2006-10-12 06:03:40 · answer #11 · answered by royaldukeness 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋