If many priests are child molestors AND the Pope says that Catholicism is the only true Christianity...?

Question

Why should we believe anything they say (regarding religion)?

The pope also said recently that other Christian churches either have "defects" or are not proper churches.

Answer 1

It's pretty much what people are expecting to hear.
It's no different than what has been said over History-
There is no salvation outside the church.
People who need a stupid and medieval faith expect that kind of show of strength and inflexibility.
I'm not defending it. It's indefensible and responsible for much evil, but so are other religions (i.e. Islam-talk about stupid and medieval!)
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BTW Archdiocese of LA is settling for $600 million because of the clergy abuse!
YES!

Answer 2

"Many" Catholic priests being child molesters is not the same as "most" Catholic priests being child molesters. While it may be true (and I am not saying that it is) that there are a lot of child molesting Catholic priests, it's entirely possible (and dare I say probable) that they still only represent a very small minority of Catholic clergy.

Furthermore, discounting the teachings of the Catholic church for this reason would seem to require employing a kind of ad hominem reasoning, i.e., attacking the messenger instead of the message. The teachings of the Church are either true or false, and the immoral acts of a section of their clergy do not having any bearing on changing a truth to falsehood or vice versa. If anything, it makes them a hypocritical, and that has nothing to do with factual findings (for example, the chronic chain smoker who claims that smoking is unhealthy is still correct despite being a hypocrite).

While I believe that there are valid reasons for questioning the Pope's assertion that Catholicism is the only representative religion of Christ's church on Earth, I don't think the child molestation scandel can (logically) be considered one of them.

Answer 3

It is an interesting question. For years the Catholic church allowed, protected, and covered-up their dirty little secret of pedophile priests. It took years to get them to acknowledge their role and once the covers were pulled back they were exposed for what they are - hypocrites. Now that a bit of time has gone by, the new pope is hoping everyone has forgotten about the incident. The Catholic church is still very strong but they have lost a lot of their cult members. I have never believed that the Catholic church represents the teachings of Christ.

Answer 4

In every population of human beings are going to a few sick or evil people who commit horrible crimes, even in the Chruch.

These few terrible people do not negate the faith, hope and love of over one billion Catholics.

Here is the full text of the new document that states nothing new: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html

Most Christian denominations believe that each of them is the fullest version of the Church of Christ.

While the Catholic Church also believes that she is "the highest exemplar" of the mystery that is the Church of Christ, she does not claim that non-Catholic Churches are not truly Christian. The Catholic Church teaches:

Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.

Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.

All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 819: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#819

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

this is a SPIRITual war, the devil wants you to accuse JESUS of sin, and he's done his homework on this one. It is creating more apostacy . .. i'm trying to show people the TRUTH of the ONE TRUE CHURCH. .. and meanwhile there are scandals, and people who deny this, and wars particularly terrorism, that could created more of a crisis . .. The numbers of Catholics are diminishing, and they move into fringe cults and are moving away even from fundementalist protestant churches . .. we are witnessing the demise of civilization . .. the thing is without a solid core faith and a real faith to overcome with strong roots in JESUS . .. many who just want to say i believe in JESUS but go about the business of their life on Earth will fall away when tribulation comes . ..

-LOVE your neighbor as yourself.
Amen.

:responsorial edit: There is a general problem with lust in the world, as well as other wickedness in the world today. A growing homosexual population coming out of the woodwork is evidence of this . .. and some are even publically pushing for child sex . .. this can only lead to a society of the kind of wickedness of sodom and ghamorra or of the antideluvian world before the great flood . .. the scandals of the Catholic Church are just representative of this general population crises over the entire globe . .. Instead of attacking CHRIST we really ought to start examing society, restoring taboos against sexual sin and lust . .. in order that we restore the dignity of the family . .. If we get rid of porn . .. if we restore these taboos in society it is a move in the right direction to repentance . .. if this is not done . .. but then so many kids are already beeing weened on pornography and sex on television . ..

Answer 6

Catholicism is not the true church, it began over 300 years after the death of Christ, at one time it was the only church because they killed you if you did not choose to be catholic. and Pope is Latin for father, and Jesus said call no man father for there is only one father which is in heaven,
also Pope claims to be the mediator but the bible says that there is one God and one mediator between God and man , the man Christ Jesus . Timothy ch 2 vs 5

Answer 7

HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE FUROR! ZEIG HAIL! REMODEN DE JEWDEN ES ROTTEN!

don't you love how even in this day and age you and the pope can both come together and judge an entire group of people based on the actions of a few. oh that's kinda like what oh whats his name did......

Answer 8

The teachings of the church have always been faithfully preserved, and they are indeed true.

Some of the men who belong to the church, and who govern it, have always been easy marks for the devil.

After all, it was Jesus who picked Judas. And that means that over 8% of the original apostles, handpicked by Jesus Christ, proved to be corrupt.

Do you plan to abandon Jesus?

Answer 9

The Catholic Church has done much more than hide child molestation by priests to take away any moral authority they have. When it comes to abuses of fellow human beings it is safe to say that they rate right up there with Hitler.

AD

Answer 10

if we look at Matthew 16:19...does that mean that there are also child molestors in heaven thanks to the catholics?!?

though if one DOES following the teachings of 'jesus' ya might want to look at Mat 7:16-20 A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, a tree that bears evil fruit is to be cut down and burnt.

But christians really don't follow the teachings of 'jesus', they usually favor the 'easy way' of the 'false prophet' Paul's FAITH