Why does the Catholic Church think we need a Pope to tell us how to think?

Question

We are not sheep are we?

Answer 1

id' say most devoted catholics are very close to it lol. For instance, the Pope says dont use birth control or condoms, as irresponsible as that sounds, and so they dont use them.

Answer 2

The Pope doesn't tell us what or how to think. Why are you only singling out Catholics? The Church of England has as the spiritual head the Archbishop of Canterbury and the official head of the church is the Queen. Are they dictating what Anglicans think? They like the Pope are heads of a church, nothing else. I'm Catholic and I have noticed that non-Catholics and in general anyone who isn't a Christian pays more attention to what the Pope says than I do.

Answer 3

You're oversimplifying. Why does a democracy need a president to lead and to make all the big decisions? Why does the military need a hierarchy of command? Soldiers on the front lines know everything that is going on at all times, so why not just be communal? If you know anything about the military you'd know that that's rubbish. Hierarchies and leaders are a vital facet to most human institutions, especially ones on a large scale. Bear in mind that the population of the US is over 300 million now; the population of Catholics around the world is well over a billion. Hierarchy and leadership roles are a necessity if you want to ensure everyone's on the same page, regardless of whether you're talking about religion or anything else. Besides, all denominations of Protestantism have their own leadership and hierarchies, but I don't hear you denouncing THEM for it.

Answer 4

Every church needs a leader. The pope can trace the roots of his position to Peter. Sometimes the wrong person is put in place, but Peter was not the brightest star either.

Answer 5

Jesus founded the Church on the apostles, and the need to maintain roots is more than mere nostalgia. Credibility and authority can be traced back to the original fisherman handpicked by Jesus to lead his Church. The Pope is our "Holy Father, or Vicar of Christ or head Bishop. He protects matters of just faith and morals.
God gave us free will. It doesn't mean that we have the right to abuse it or take advantage of it, unfortunately, people change with the times, believe what they want to, get concerned about whats politically correct and not what is morally right. Many many people have become a do as we please and do only what makes them happy not what is right .

The dilemma is solved when we recall our Lord's word: " If you love me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15

Certainly Christian faith is much more than a collection of rules and regulations. A personal relationship with our Lord is essential. But the relationship doesn't dispense with the rules. Rather, the rules help to define the relationship and our obedience to them is the clearest indicator of our love for God.
The Pope keeps truth alive and in our face and protects the apostles teaching throughout the end of time but that doesn't mean we all follow it. (Free Will) Hopefully we do our part in learning by picking up and reading our bible, looking at what it says and are you will find that what the Pope teaches is valid to what the bible says. He continues the consistent constant and universal teaching of the popes from past to present through their various documents, letters, etc. It's never new doctrine but one that has been taught ubique, semper et ab omnibus (latin for everywhere, always and by all.)


Is the Papacy (pope) in the Bible? In the book of Isaiah God promises that he will appoint a new master of the royal household of his people: " He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,/and to the house of Judah./ I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder;/when he opens, no one shall shut,/ when he shuts, no one shall open? (22:21-22)
The book of Revelation refers this prophecy to Jesus as the new master of God's household - the "new jerusalem" 21:2, which is the Church. St. John calls him "the holy one, the true, who holds the key of David, who opens and no one shall close, sho closes and no one shall open" (3:7)
These passages take on additional significance when we read in the Gospel according to Matthew that Jesus gives a special commission to his chief apostle: " you are peter "meaning literally rock" and upon this rock I will build my church" This is the most direct biblical reference to the papacy.

Answer 6

Jesus Christ created the role of the Pope, not the Catholic Church.

John 21:15-17 states:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."

He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."

He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my sheep.

Matthew 16:17-19 states:

Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

The Catholic Church believes the Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.

The Pope is the senior pastor of 1.1 billion Catholics, the direct successor of Simon Peter.

The Pope’s main roles include teaching, sanctifying, and governing.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 880-882: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p4.htm#880

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

catholics believe that jesus christ in his ministry on earth founded a church when he appointed peter the first leader of that church (matthew 16:18).

protestants believe that jesus christ came to earth not to found a church but to leave a book (the bible).

if jesus had meant us to follow a book, why didn't he write one?

(but it is all ok really, since protestants follow the bible that the catholics decided in any case).

Answer 8

1) Ask Jesus. He gave Peter the Keys, we didn't.
2) He is a pastor. He doesn't tell us how to "think".

3) For the more thoughtful people here: f you could somehow go back in a time machine and meet the apostle Peter, how would you react? Would you listen to him? Would you respect the fact that he was given his apostleship by Christ himself? Can you deny that you would be at least a little excited to met this Simon Bar Jonah who Jesus renamed Peter?
Well, that's how we feel about the pope. We believe he is Peter's successor (here is a list: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm ).
Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, the Son of the Living God. The pope is a man. But, the pope occupies an office we feel was established by Christ himself (Matt: 16: 17-19) and we respect that. That's all there is to it. Here is more info about the pope if you're interested: http://www.catholic.com/library/church_papacy.asp

and here is an archived rdio broadcast about the papacy in the early church:
http://www.catholic.com/audio/2007/MP3/ca070831a.mp3

Answer 9

(wow, are that one sk8tr guy's answers ever annoying)

Anyhow. It's not so much that Catholics are looking for an authority figure to tell them what to do.

It's more like they've hired a specialist labourer, whose job it is to read the Bible and tell them what it says - so they don't have to.

Some of them probably trust their specialist Bible dudes a bit too much (especially around their kids), but otherwise I find their notion of shipping the day-to-day labour of believing in things and following religious doctrine out to a contractor to be an amazingly clever tactic.

I'm trying to figure out how I can get paid by others to not-believe in things for them while they're busy doing real stuff. There's gotta be a market for it.

Answer 10

The Pope is a Catholic symbol.

I am a Christian and I don't listen to the pope, I listen to the KJV bible and God.