Why do catholics argue that Pastors and catholic priests/bishps/etc are the same?

Question

I argue that the pope is wrong and catholics argue back that its the same thing as my pastor? Thats completely false. Protestants dont bow down or praise their pastors in anyway, as do catholics. We dont bow down and kiss nobodys pinky ring and we dont sit in a booth to confess our sins to a HUMAN, when God sent Jesus to take away our sins. We dont use a pastor to intercede for us in anyways. The pastor is just a guide to make sure, that under God's rule, the church the Pastor pastors is in God's order.

Answer 1

The hierarchy of ordained ministers in the Catholic Church mirrors how Jesus and the Apostles set up the original Christian Church.

There are three levels of Holy Orders, Deacon, Priest, and Bishop.

Bishops are the Apostles of today. Each one leads a diocese. Special types of bishop are archbishop, cardinal, and pope (who leads the whole Church).

Priests are co-workers of the bishops and can lead a parish. A special title for a priest is monsignor. Priests are called presbyters in the Bible.

Deacons assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt3.htm#iii

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

*Is Catholic*

I don't know why a Catholic would argue that. Protestant clergy are not true clergy and they have no ordination. So saying that they are the same would be a factually false statement.

They are about the equivalent of a lay leader, with a bit more authority. But since Protestants do not offer the Sacrifice of the Altar to the Father, they are not clergy and should not be confused as such.

There is a HUGE difference between being a leader of a community and being a priest -- for priests intercede and offer sacrifice.

So I would agree with you that Catholics should not argue that.

Read Dominus Iesus if you have time.

Answer 3

I believe religion is like skin color. We shouldn't disrespect each other's religion just to gain a popularity.

Catholics bow down to a Pope because Catholics believe he is the role model of all Catholics and is guided by the Holy Spirit and is always right in matters concerning the Catholic Church. That is called the Pope's infallability.

Confession, on the other hand, is not confessing to a priest. It's confessing to God. The pastor is just a medium or the middle man that is offering your prayers to God. Since, priests "should" be closer to God than leity, God favors the priests more and if they wish for something, it is more likely God will grant the wishes of a priest than a member of the leity.

It is in the Bible, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, Whatever you loose on earth will be loose in heaven" Matt 16:19. This was what Jesus said to Peter and made Peter, the first Pope of the Catholic Church and Catholicism has it's roots in Jesus. No other religion can say that. Jesus specifically chose Catholicism for some awkward reason.

In my opinion, there are Catholics that are evil and there are Protestants that are evil. In fact, I believe some people hide their evils by being religious.

I'm currently agnostic. I'm not denying there is or isn't a god, I'm just saying, as long as you live your life as what Jesus taught us all, then if there is a god and if there is a heaven, we will reach that place.

Why judge others when you're not the judge?

**EDIT**
You all say God is omniscient, all knowing past, present and future. Why would he tie his roots to Peter, his disciple he entrusted the keys of heaven. If there is a god, he must know what this religion would become. Funny thing is, that since Jesus did chose Catholicsm and everyone hates Catholics, and God knows what is to come of this religion, it just all doesn't make sense and that's why I'm declared agnostic. All Protestants broke from the Catholic Church. Do the research. "Seek and ye shall find."

Answer 4

You "don't kiss nobody's ring." Nice grammar! You'd have better grammar if you had attended a Catholic school.

The reason that kissing the Pope's ring got started is that, for centuries, the Pope was considered a King. Not a king like Jesus is king but an actual king with land and palaces and so forth. Up until perhaps the 18th century, and perhaps it is still done today somewhere, subjects of the king would kneel before him and kiss his ring as pledge of faithfulness to the king. It was the custom of the day.

I don't think anyone has kissed the Pope's ring or bowed to him in decades and I, a Catholic, wouldn't even consider doing either because Jesus is my king and I will bow to him. (Shocking, isn't it?) The Pope as well as the Church is "just a guide." God gave me the gift of intelligence and the ability to think for myself, but those who have studied theology for most of their lives have a little more knowledge on the subject than I do. Get it?

As for confessing our sins to a human, we are only getting spiritual guidance from that human who, once again, has studied theology more than I have. God is forgiving us, not the human.

It would be so refreshing if people like you actually did a little research on the subject before insisting that your Protestant "Ole Wives Tales" were correct.

Answer 5

sigh.....you know, you really should stop listening to people who hate the Catholic faith and instead wonder why on earth the harbor such hatred!

Jesus put St Peter in charge and gave him and the apostles the power to forgive sins IN HIS NAME. ( whose sins you forgive shall be forgiven, whose sins you retain shall be retained)

Only the Catholic church has an unbroken line of succession from Peter to Pope Benedict XVI.

We do not bow down and worship bishops and popes. Kissing their rings is a choice- and that is ancient sign of repect for the office the ring represents. People kissed the rings of kings once upon a time.

Can't really explain confession to you- you really need to experience it to understand it, and you can't experience it if you are not Catholic. Suffice it to say- we Catholics treat confession- and all Sacraments, for that matter- as personal encounters with Jesus Christ. The priest is there to be a physical representation of Christ and to offer Christ's mercy and love to us.

So, you would never ask your pastor for prayers or advice?

I feel sorry for you! What guarantee do you have that he is teaching you the truth? Catholics have the promise of Christ that " The gates of Hell will not prevail against (His Church)."

Answer 6

Those who by their love of God and their neighbor feel called to care for the spiritual needs of their flock are called Pastors, but originally this term was the same as Priest in the church, and so by definition the Pope being the successor of Peter is the supreme Pastor.
Note too that regardless of any personal contempt or hatred you may have of the Pope or Priests it does not take away anything from their position.

Answer 7

"The pastor(Catholic or otherwise - my emphasis) is just a guide to make sure, that under God's rule, the church the Pastor pastors is in God's order."

That's right. So, what's your problem?

Answer 8

They are stubborn, and don't know what they are talking about. They never want to listen to the truth. I go to a Catholic School and I have told about Jesus, the truth- about Him, to my closest friends, and they just never listen. The Pope also will not go to HEAVEN, unless he gets saved.

so yeah, just dont bother about the nonsense these guys say. Look to good and run the good race. :)
God Bless :)

Answer 9

Catholics are not saved Christians. The Bible teaches the priesthood of all believers. The catholics are a Babylonian pagan cult, and they admit it:

Vatican openly admits it embraces Babylon

“It is interesting to note how often our Church has availed herself of practices which were in common use among pagans…Thus it is true, in a certain sense, that some Catholic rites and ceremonies are a reproduction of those of pagan creeds….” (The Externals of the Catholic Church, Her Government, Ceremonies, Festivals, Sacramentals and Devotions, by John F. Sullivan, p 156, published by P.J. Kennedy, NY, 1942)

“It has often been charged… that Catholicism is overlaid with many pagan incrustations. Catholicism is ready to accept that accusation - and even to make it her boast… the great god Pan is not really dead, he is baptized” -The Story of Catholicism p 37

Cardinal Newman admits in his book that; the “The use of temples, and these dedicated to particular saints, and ornamented on occasions with branches of trees; incense, lamps, and candles; votive offerings on recovery from illness; holy water; asylums; holydays and seasons, use of calendars, processions, blessings on the fields; sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring in marriage, turning to the East, images at a later date, perhaps the ecclesiastical chant, and the Kyrie Eleison [Note 17], are all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the Church. {374}” -An Essay on the The Development of the Christian Doctrine John Henry “Cardinal Newman” p.359

The penetration of the religion of Babylon became so general and well known that Rome was called the “New Babylon.” -Faith of our fathers 1917 ed. Cardinal Gibbons, p. 106

“In order to attach to Christianity great attraction in the eyes of the nobility, the priests adopted the outer garments and adornments which were used in pagan cults.“ -Life of Constantine, Eusabius, cited in Altai-Nimalaya, p. 94

“The Church did everything it couldto stamp out such ‘pagan’ rites, but had to capitualet and allow the rites to continue with only the name of the local diety changed to some Christian saint’s name.” -Religious Tradition and Myth. Dr. Edwin Goodenough, Professor of Religion, Harvard University. p. 56, 57

In Stanley’s History, page 40: “The popes filled the place of the vacant emperors at Rome, inheriting their power, their prestige, and their titles from PAGANISM.”

Answer 10

I don't find the word catholic in the bible as one commentator says that Jesus chose it as his church. That is blasphemy.