Since the Catholic chruch has changed position on so many things through time, we do we still follow them?

Question

Examples:

Jesus as divine. they used to think not (which I agree with)
Priests marrying: Now it's forbidden, but it used to be accepted (even Peter)
Indulgences: If you were afraid to come to hell for something you had done, you could buy indulgences and everything would go back to normal. For $$$.
Bible edits: Over time the bible has had many chapters changed, added, omitted.

http://flushaholybook.com

Answer 1

The important things (dogma) do not change:
+ The Church has always believed that Christ was divine
+ The Bible has not changed since the canon was established (see below)

Some traditions do change over the years as the Church is continually guided by the Holy Spirit and may continue to change:
+ Priestly celibacy (see below)

Some mistakes started by very human, incorrect, and even sometimes evil people are corrected:
+ Indulgences for money

+ The Bible +

The New Testament canon of the Catholic Bible and the Protestant Bible are the same.

The difference in the Old Testaments actually goes back to the time before and during Christ’s life. At this time, there was no official Jewish canon of scripture.

The Jews in Egypt translated their choices of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek in the second century before Christ. This translation, called the Septuagint, had wide use in the Roman world because most Jews lived far from Palestine in Greek cities. Many of these Jews spoke only Greek.

The early Christian Church was born into this world. The Church, with its bilingual Jews and more and more Greek-speaking Gentiles, used the books of the Septuagint as its Bible. Remember the early Christians were just writing the documents what would become the New Testament.

After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, with increasing persecution from the Romans and competition from the fledgling Christian Church, the Jewish leaders came together and declared its official canon of Scripture, eliminating seven books from the Septuagint.

The books removed were Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (of Solomon), Sirach, and Baruch. Parts of existing books were also removed including Psalm 151 (from Psalms), parts of the Book of Esther, Susanna (from Daniel as chapter 13), and Bel and the Dragon (from Daniel as chapter 14).

The Christian Church did not follow suit but kept all the books in the Septuagint.

1500 years later, Protestants decided to change its Old Testament from the Catholic canon to the Jewish canon. The books they dropped are sometimes called the Apocrypha.

Here is a Catholic Bible website: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/

+ The Celibate Clergy +

The celibate clergy did not come into full bloom until about 1000 A.D. There were many married priests, bishops, and popes before this time.

First, Judeo-Christian tradition has always held that single people be celibate. This is taught by Judaism and Christianity from before the Scriptures were written down.

The question should be: Why can't priests marry?

This idea of a celibate clergy came from the Jews, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.

The Jews. The Talmud argues that a person whose “soul is bound up with the Torah and is constantly occupied with it” may remain celibate (Maimonides, Laws of Marriage 15.3). For example, Yahweh ordered the prophet Jeremiah not to marry (Jeremiah 16:1-4). Moreover, the Essenes was a group that was active in Jesus’ time that practiced celibacy and thought by most scholars to be the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

WWJD? What would Jesus do? Jesus did not marry.

John the Baptist and Jesus are both believed to have been celibate for their entire lives. Some scholars believe that the example of the Essenes influenced either or both Jesus and John the Baptist in their celibacy.

The Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy (see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christians, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).

The concept took many twists and turns over the years and will probably take a few more before Christ returns in glory.

A priest is "married" to the Church. Some people think that a priest who takes his duties seriously cannot take proper care of a wife and family. "A man cannot serve two masters."

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The Catholic Church started out as the one true original church. Martin Luther King tried to get them back to the bible basics which didn't happen. They put the authority of the religious leaders over the authority of scripture and you can have any kind of religion you want based on that. Most people I know don't follow the Catholic church because they believe all that is said is true - such as you're going to hell if you don't go to Catholic mass, are not forgiven if not through a Catholic priest - are not really married if not in the Catholic church. Most Catholics I know are involved because of the comforting traditions and the fact that all of their family and friends can be involved with them. They couldn't possbly leave the people they care about and the traditions that have brought them comfort simply because alot of what is done isn't right. They believe tradition and the comfort and family togetherness Catholic traditions bring are more important to them than truth - they have blinders on to the truth and simply follow what their parents expect to gain their acceptance as well. That's religion for you. In Cathlocism the authority of the priest is supreme - they can change whatever they want whenever.

Answer 3

Jesus has always been divine - did the Apostles suffer martyrdom for a mere human? The Arian heresy arose from Arius, a presbyter from Alexandria, who didn't believe in Christ's divinity. This clearly went against Tradition and Scripture, so it was deemed (rightfully so) as a heresy.

Priests marrying - it's been forbidden for some 1900 years now. It's a part of Tradition that helps priests commit their life to God, Jesus, and His Church.

Indulgences - quite possibly the most misunderstood part of Catholicism. In 1567, Pope Pius V cancelled all indulgences involving financial transactions. This ended remote cases of abuse of this service by priests. Visit http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9411fea1sb2.asp for information about indulgences.

Bible edits - The Bible has rarely been edited - if so, for the better. The Hebrew Bible possessed by Jews today is almost exactly the same as our Old Testament today. The New Testament we have today matches quite well the early manuscripts.

Answer 4

The Catholic Church is a priest dominated religion. The Church has a history of quarreling, money raking and intimidation.
It nevertheless has helped millions to see the Savior, Jesus, as the peace, the love, the Savior of the world.
I know because I was raised in the Church. I no longer am a catholic because of certain teachings I could not be a party to.
I love God and Jesus, my Savior. I do not believe all but catholics are going to hell, and some of them if they don't follow church rules.
That is another story not in keeping with this question. I will be happy to post a few things in my Blog, if anyone wishes to have me do so. Or, I'll respond to e-mails seeking my experience/opinion.
E-mail me at: [e-mail]
NOTE: The e-mail address at first glance appears to be an i after the _, it is in fact a j.

Answer 5

The doctrine of the Catholic church has not changed since it began...don`t confuse the doctrine with the errors that have occured. Read the early church fathers writings and you will se the roots and the truth...it is by obediance that we gain heaven...if we are lead astray...such as if the church were to allow women priests....it would be the fault of the leaders not the followers...but then ignorance of the truth is no excuse.

Answer 6

Remember what the BIBLE warns:
Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from idolatry. 1 Corinthians 10:14

The catholic church is full of idol worshipers.
Christmas and Easter and Valentines Day, and All saints day and All souls day..all have....pagan deities incorporated into the catholic church. November 1st was set aside to honor the ones who died in the flood of Noahs day...those people were in direct opposition to God and were destroyed. They will not come back in the resurrection.
Hitler was often seen with Bishops of the catholic church..the religious leaders turned their backs on the Holocaust.
The bible warns also of religions that forbid foods on certain days..and forbid men to marry since God told all men to be fruitful and multiply.
The catholic church is deep into the mardi gras...a celebration of false gods.

Answer 7

Many hate what the perceive of Roman Catholicism, not the Truth of Roman Catholicism.

God Bless.

Answer 8

It's up to you. There are plenty of people who aren't Catholic and don't follow their doctrines. So, if you don't want to, don't. Either find another religion you feel comfortable with, which contains the truths you are looking for, or just search for individual spirituality and truth.

Answer 9

Don't forget Purgatory has changed too.

Sometimes tradition is more important to people than fact.

It doesn't matter to those people that an "infallible" god/pope is capable of errors and redaction. What matters is that the religion gives them hope, despite its flaws.

I personally don't understand it, but it apparently is a good thing for those people.

Answer 10

Catholics have come a long way. They have plowed through history and have survived. Say what you may about the Catholic faith but they are the foundation of Christianity...without them, Christ would be just a name.