I'm Proud to be a #RomanCatholic, but Dr. John Barnett @DiscoverTheBook shows how that might make me Non-Christian | @theBibleHub

on
'The reasons why Dr. Barnett is against #Roman #Catholicism (maybe not 'the "Catholicism" part,' but 'the "Romanism"')' are linked through 'the main words' below; but I feel it's more important to understand those words better. And I find that you understand words better when you look at the other words at the bases of the words you're thinking-of ...
"Roman Catholicism" is ... well, I was taught that it is the Holy Business of God on Earth; but Dr. Barnett (not-to-mention Dan Brown's novels & the conspiracy-theory loving Internet) paint it as more like 'a Book-|Club that became a Cult that Satan is using to Hide The Father from us and to Take The Father's Place in our Minds.' 
The word "Catholicism" is built on ancient words that mean "About + the Whole (Well-|Kept)" (Universally Accepted). #Catholic #Catholics #RomanCatholicism #RomanCatholics #CatholicCommunion #CatholicChurch
SUBSCRIBE FREE below:
Enter your email address:

Delivered by
FeedBurner
Although I think he mentions 'You shouldn't be a Roman Catholic because it isn't Biblical,' he's also careful to make it clear that these Anti-Bible Romanisms are only why he is not Roman Catholic---if you or a friend are Roman Catholic (like me, although I'm not a 'frequently-practicing' Roman Catholic), these false beliefs aren't necessarily 'what you/they/I believe'; but they're principles affirmed in Vatican II, which Dr. Barnett wants us all to know are NOT Biblical.

But maybe I--like Genesis Apologetics felt they had to defend 'the Genesis-stories' against the history-&-science of the skeptical world--I feel I have to defend Catholic Tradition against Dr. Barnett's Legalism.

He lists a few of the Biblical reasons Catholicism isn't Bible-approved ...
  • The Catholic Church seems to put extra requirements on top of the simple 'Believe on the Son of God'-requirement Jesus laid out. (The way a Catholic has to celebrate Holy Communion & Confession & Confirmation & ... I dunno, Anointing of the Sick (to go to Heaven when you die) and Holy Orders (to become a clergyman)

    (Dr. Barnett mentions 'Parents sending children to Sunday School rather than following The Bible's instruction & teaching the children themselves' and 'old, infirm parents being sent to nursing-homes rather than the Biblical practice of being kept with their children and dying at home'---invalidating 'the word of God' for the sake of tradition.)
    • This is why I hate that people call The Bible 'The Word of God.' If The Bible is 'The Word of God,' I am not alive as I write this. (Doesn't "God's Word" say 'Man dies only once'? I (and many-many others) are literally "living proof" against that!)

      Since I obviously am alive, The Bible is obviously NOT The Word of God. Oh, believers can LEARN 'The Word of God' as they READ/HEAR/DISCUSS The Bible! but The Word of God is written within.
    • Dr. Barnett refers to these extra requirements as 'traditions,' skipping over the fact that ALL OF SCRIPTURE is 'traditions.'
  • The first 'tradition' the doctor decries is the way The Catholic Mass remembers Christ's one-&-only-one sacrifice over-&-over---which Dr. Barnett interprets as "sacrificing Christ over-&-over---a direct contradiction of the single-sacrifice principle."
    • Maybe that's how he reads The Vatican's texts ... to me, it's like Birthdays; no matter how many birthdays you celebrate, you were only born once.
  • The second 'tradition': The false worship of Mary. Oh, I'm sure we only 'deeply respect' Mary; but Dr. Barnett quotes a lot of Vatican II text that makes some claims about Mary that aren't found in The Bible.

    He also points to ancient Mexicans, who were worshipping 'A Mother God & Her Saving Son' hundreds of years before Jesus' birth.
    • He calls that "heresy"; I see it as 'more proof that "All Religions are 'Buddhism' (i.e. following the ones who are enlightened)."
  • Dr. Barnett lists several Catholic traditions: the Monarchical Episcopate (one man ruling the priesthood), Papal Authority & -Infallibility, Prayers to Mary, the Immaculate Conception- and the Ascension-of Mary, the Perpetual Virginity of her entire female ancestry (all the way back to Eve ... which I've never heard-of), Robes, Candles, Rosaries, Masses, Holy Days, Lent, Orders of Priests, Monks, Nuns, Relics
  • The fourth 'tradition': Worship of Graven Images. He tells us that "idolatry" is not just 'worship of a false God,' but also 'using any manmade work as an object to represent The True God (in any of His Persons (The Three Persons, His Saints, etc.)'
    • I think of Lady Gaga. I say I am a fan of Lady Gaga, but--if someone else were performing her music--I wouldn't hate it. The original Lady Gaga is--therefore--just 'an idol' through which I and the rest of The Little Monsters worship A Style of Music.

      Dr. Barnett is right that Catholic Congregants' use of 'these things' (stained glass, paintings of Holy Beings, praying to rosaries & little crucifixes and pictures of saints-and-Jesus-&-Yahweh) makes it very easy to fool yourself into thinking (subconsciously) that THE PHYSICAL THING is what's Holy; but I trust Catholics know that 'praying to any of those things' is like 'kissing your long-gone lover's photograph.'
  • Sacraments - It's obvious they're "just for show," but Vatican II says 'any who think they don't need The Sacraments (to gain salvation) OUGHT TO BE ANATHEMA!'
    • What I'm seeing here: The Church doesn't save you; the Church is where you go to PROVE you're saved! (Not proving it to God, nor to yourself; but 'to The World.')
  • Purgatory - Dr. Barnett claims we have funeral-masses 'because we think it helps our loved ones get out of Purgatory' (a tradition I've never heard). But he quotes Vatican II, which says that ALL who died without "completing their penance" are punished in the fire until all their guilt is burned away,' and that 'some of the Purgatory burning can be paid-away if we follow the 20 rules for buying Indulgences.'
    • He's right that the dead aren't in danger of any punishment themselves. But 'their reputation among the living'---we don't care how "saved" their spirits are!

      For instance: Hitler. Even though he's been saved by the Blood of Lord Jesus Christ, His Name will forever carry the meaning 'mass-genocide overseer.' Many leaders today--if their countries militaries commit huge acts of mass-genocide (or if they willingly- or accidentally approve of something that kills hundreds-or-millions), they are labeled "Hitler!"

      Meanwhile, Dr. Barnett complains that Catholics 'don't know if they're going to Heaven when they die.' And you know what? If someone thinks they can tell you 'how to know you're going to Heaven when you die,' DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID! The Bible actually indicates that NONE OF US go to Heaven when we die, but we sleep (in the grave)---to be resurrected, if there's "enough of our body" left to resurrect!
  • But--as you try to bring The Truth to those who're enmeshed within the system that believes 'our prayers change God's will' or 'certain saints or objects you pray-to make your prayers better'--do it with the love of Christ---not with an 'I'm better than you'- or an 'I'm right and you're wrong'-attitude, but with the idea that "their request" is actually seeking another reminder of 'The Salvation.'
  • Finally, there's the fact that many of our traditions have paganist roots. The light shining from its highest pinnacle is purely Christ, but its roots & foundations & base & wings & height are built from the wreckage of Babylon.
    • Here Dr. Barnett goes into 'the Holy Eucharist.' He basically says that The Bible doesn't require it of us; and my memory flies to Jesus' instruction to the disciples (as He blessed the bread & wine in The Last Supper): "Do this in memory of me."

Comments

Post a Comment

I appreciate your comment, and I'll probably approve it & publish it soon (give me about a week before you try to post it again when it doesn't publish immediately ... thanks)