2006-10-14 14:51:38 · 28 answers · asked by I-C-U 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
we do it just to annoy you, bikebandit---is it working?
as for all you protestant wankers out there who speak with your 'authority' on what we Catholics believe and do---its amazing how you can know so much about our faith without ever having stepped into a Catholic church or studied our beliefs.
truly amazing.
2006-10-14 15:08:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Tradition, I believe. Some Catholics seem to revere popes as demi-gods on occasion.
Since I come from a Protestant-based denomination (Baptist), I believe that the pope is neither "holy" nor a "father." The only Holy Father I know is God.
To say the pope is infallible in spiritual matters is absurd; even the pastor at my church can't make that claim.
Catholics will also claim that their church started in the year 1 A.D. when in fact, it started in the 4th century (one theologian said that it was Augustine that poisoned the Catholic church with some pagan concepts but I'm not so sure I agree with him).
2006-10-14 14:56:04 · answer #2 · answered by chrstnwrtr 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
You are correct. We are not to call anyone "Father" except for our father in heaven...Jehovah. The Catholics feel that the Pope is God's representation on the earth and that is the farthest thing from the truth. Having a Pope is part of Catholic tradition based on men's ideas. As you can see from your Bible research, they should not be calling a meer man,"Father."
2006-10-14 14:58:05 · answer #3 · answered by Gail B 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Matthew 23:9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. they do not follow the bible, they make up what they want to believe. 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).
Matthew 23:9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
2006-10-14 15:01:48 · answer #4 · answered by K 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Sorry to say this but no man is holy;
Rom 5:12 - "12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned"
even the priests, and the're not worthy of the term, they shouldnt even be called father.
2006-10-14 16:22:02 · answer #5 · answered by Jake 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1 Cor. 4:15 - Paul writes, "I became your FATHER in Christ Jesus."
If your method of taking Jesus words literally is the correct way to interpret what He said (Matthew 23:9,) then Paul is wrong.
Matt. 23:9 - Jesus says, "call no man father." But Protestants use this verse in an attempt to prove that it is wrong for Catholics to call priests "father." This is an example of "eisegesis" (imposing one's views upon a passage) as opposed to "exegesis" (drawing out the meaning of the passage from its context). In this verse, Jesus was discouraging His followers from elevating the scribes and Pharisees to the titles of “fathers” and “rabbis” because they were hypocrites. Jesus warns us not to elevate anyone to the level of our heavenly Father.
Matt. 23:8 – in this teaching, Jesus also says not to call anyone teacher or rabbi as well. But don’t Protestants call their teachers “teacher?” What about this commandment of Jesus? When Protestants say “call no man father,” they must also argue that we cannot call any man teacher either.
Judges 17:10; 18:19 - priesthood and fatherhood have always been identified together. Fatherhood literally means "communicating one's nature," and just as biological fathers communicate their nature to their children, so do spiritual fathers communicate the nature of God to us, their children, through (hopefully) teaching and example.
Eph. 3:14-15 - every family in heaven and on earth is named from the "Father." We are fathers in the Father.
Acts 7:2; 22:1,1 John 2:13 - elders of the Church are called "fathers." Therefore, we should ask the question, "Why don't Protestants call their pastors "father?"
Phil. 2:22 - Paul calls Timothy's service to him as a son serves a "father."
1 Thess. 2:11- Paul compares the Church elders' ministry to the people like a father with his children.
Philemon 10 - Paul says he has become the "father" of Onesimus.
Heb. 12:7,9 - emphasizes our earthly "fathers." But these are not just biological but also spiritual (the priests of the Church).
1 Peter 5:13 - Peter refers to himself as father by calling Mark his "son."
1 John 2:1,13,14 - John calls the elders of the Church "fathers."
Matt. 3:9; Luke 3:8 - Jesus refers to Abraham as our "father."
Mark 11:10 - the people cried out blessed is the kingdom of our "father" David that is coming!
Luke 1:32 - God's angel says Jesus will be great and be given the throne of his "father" David.
Luke 1:55 - Mary says that He spoke to our "fathers," to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.
Luke 1:73 - Zechariah says the oath which he swore to our "father" Abraham.
Luke 16:24,30 - Jesus, in His parable about the rich man, says our "father" Abraham.
John 4:12 - the Samaritan woman asks Jesus if He is greater than our "father" Jacob.
John 7:22 - Jesus refers to the "fathers" who gave the Jews the practice of circumcision.
John 8:56 - Jesus tells the Jews your "Father" Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day.
THERE ARE AT LEAST 50 MORE VERSES
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/the_priesthood.html
2006-10-14 15:06:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because they are blasphemous, disobedient and persistent in having their way. They rather to follow men than God. The pope wants to have authority power that only God should have. That is why the anti-christ will arise from the Roman empire. (In Matt. 23:9, when he says father, he does not mean our typical father. He's speaking spiritually.)
2006-10-14 15:06:06 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
Because the catholics are steeped in doctrine and sort of make up their own rules as the pope goes along. However, all religions have their own things that are not scripturally based but suit their needs at the time.
2006-10-14 14:59:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
In context, Matthew 23:7-9 reads, "... And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
This is call for humility for those in leadership roles. Not to be taken literally.
We are not to deny our male parent and cut the Commandment to honor our father and mother in half.
Some leaders in any church may fall into the same folly as the Pharisees of Jesus' day.
With love in Christ.
2006-10-14 16:08:32 · answer #9 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
For the same reason that I call my biological father "father".
2006-10-14 15:32:20 · answer #10 · answered by Dysthymia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋