Comments (30)

Where in the Bible is it written "scripture alone" please give chapter and verse...

Where in the bible did our Lord hand out Bibles and say use this alone - interpret it your self and start 30,000 different "churches" according to what you personally think it means.

What did Christians do for the first 400 years after Christ walked the earth? There was no "Bible" then - until of course the Catholic Church compiled it.

They used Oral Tradition, passed down, with AUTHORITY by the Bishops who were in communion w/the Bishop of Rome.

I don't hate you if you are not Catholic, but as has been said below, you are not investigating the whole truth because you don't want to know it.

By the way, The RCC started Universities, developed the scientific method, and preserved knowledge, the BIBLE and western civilization in it's monasteries during the dark Ages and against the hoards of Barbarians...You should be a little bit grateful,at least not filled with vile hatred - it's not Christian or Biblical. Pax Cristi

WHY MALTHUS WAS WRONG- the anonymous post preceding mine was also mine- i accidentally did not put my name in- the pew research was mentioned there-
i was posting what is now- statistical analysis is a double edged sword and a tricky art-

paul C wrote " Roman Catholic priests spend years in the seminary before ordination, they do not "come down from the hills."

Jose Rizal's point is that Catholics don't use their brains. Even an idiot from the hills if dressed in priest robes could easily deceive them. THEY ARE NOT A THINKING CROWD. That is what those words mean.

The way you reason out, it seems that you are a catholic by Rizal's definition. You said " to learn about what you criticize". Im not sure if it is reading comprehension that you lack. Im sure my points are clear, I think it's your mind that is clouded.

Spiderman2:
Roman Catholic priests spend years in the seminary before ordination, they do not "come down from the hills."

Interesting that you quote that the " Truth will set you free." I agree with that. But the truth does not include hatred and vitriol, only reason, faith and understanding. Your arguments would carry much more weight if they were not so burdened with Catholic hatred.

I challenged you previously to learn about what you criticize so you can be an informed critic. You should follow through with that, it will help your credibility.

Here's more of that stupidity.

Jose Rizal, the Philippine National hero said these words referring to Catholicism : " The wild man from the hills, if clad in a priest's robe, remains a hillman and can only deceive the weak and ignorant."

He claims that Catholics are weak and ignorant. What can you say greg? One has to listen to shed away ignorance, you know.

His message? USE YOUR BRAIN . Plain and simple.

Immaculate Conception

This is a Roman Catholic teaching which, according to the definition (1854) of Pope Pius IX, maintains that " the most blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, was, by the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, through the foreseen merits of Christ Jesus the Saviour of mankind, preserved immune from all stain of original sin." The doctrine concerns Mary's conception in her mother's womb, and is not to be confused with the virginal conception and birth of Christ.

Rebuttal :

Simply put, Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic belief thru the declaration of Pope Pius IX that Mary was conceived sinless from her mother's womb and immune from sin throughout her earthly life.

This declaration of course has no scriptural backing. Not only does it contradicts the teachings of the apostles and the prophets, it also contradicts the words of Mary herself. In Luke 1:46-47, it says " And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour".

All sinners need a Savior and Mary is no exception, otherwise, she would not call God as her Savior.

Concerning this kind of doctrines which has no biblical support, let us hear what God had said : "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men " (Mark 7:7 ).

Today, billions of people around the world are worshipping God in vain because they follow false doctrines which are purely commandments of some "holy" people.

A century ago, Jose Rizal (the Philippine national hero), warned his people from one of these false churches and its false teachings particularly the nation's practiced religion (Catholicism). Once again let's be reminded of what he said : " The wild man from the hills, if clad in a priest's robe, remains a hillman and can only deceive the weak and ignorant."

greg wrote : "spiderman, This is all old and answered."

Gather all your priests and see if they have a rational answer.

Catholicsim is based on man-made dogmas or Catechism. Their usual answer will be man-made and never from the Bible.

3 things:
1st - the "full rules" do not - but SHOULD insist that this is the comment section - not the blogging section. If you have more than 3 paragraphs - why not blog it and link to it in your comment.

2nd thing: some responses...
spiderman2: This is all old and answered. Go to an apologetics forum and argue there with people the the time, knowledge, and inclination to engage.

MO: You need a breathalyzer attached to your keyboard.

Vanguards, Citizens, Denizens, inheritors of Holy Cosmic Spacer-Ship Earth's: You are proof that Yoga is dangerous.

Concerned The Christian Now Liberated: See my spiderman2 answer.

3rd thing: oh yeah - what was this column about?... Catholic diversity - yes absolutely - the Church embraces in all cultures everything that is True. The tough pill for the world is its claim to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church established by Jesus Christ and its claim to have the fullness of Truth, protected by the Holy Spirit from error in matters of faith and morals. (Cue groans and disapprovals...) Bold claim of Truth? Yes, but so is denial of this. The question is - is it true? Have you REALLY considered and investigated this possibility? Most have not because they don't want it to be true - this is not an honest approach.

Paul C., view it this way.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

I love the person but not the doctrine. It's catholicism that I hate and not the person. Im just showing them the light as Apostle Paul did during his time.

The goal is to set them free by preaching the truth.

Ratdragon, thanks for the compliment.

Here's what Apostle Paul had said. " For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (II Cor. 11:13-15)

In that said scripture, Apostle Paul warned of their ultimate destruction. A little more time and God will render his Judgment. See how these false apostles would crumble.

The "National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry," by the U.S. Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops, (available at Amazon.com) maps out Rome's stratagem for taking back America from those they claim have stolen it: by promoting illegal Hispanic immigration. Seems their European-American flock is fleeing, adopting Jeffersonian Whig principles once Rome's institutionalized pedophilia has be recognized, and the coffers need to be restored by cheap, and ignorant labor. theamericanfundament.blogspot.com

Spiderman 2:
Since you obviously read scripture, Have you considered how to interpret a few of the comments of Jesus in the sermon on the mount:

Matt 7:1-2
Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.

Matt 7:
21Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, 10 but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
22
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?'
23
Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. 11 Depart from me, you evildoers

and finally from Matt 5:

43
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
45
that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

Spiderman2, Im impressed with your knowledge of scripture ,right down to the chapter and verse.But I do have trouble with your interpretation of the same.Not being as erudite as you I remember a quote somwhere from St. Paul ..."Satan somtimes masquerades as an Angel of Light"to lead deluded souls astray.

Spiderman2, Im impressed with your knowledge of scripture ,right down to the chapter and verse.But I do have trouble with your interpretation of the same.Not being as erudite as you I remember a quote somwhere from St. Paul ..."Satan somtimes masquerades as an Angel of Light"to lead deluded souls astray.

And that should be "Tagalog", not "Tagalong", that the author incorrectly states to be the official language of the Philippines.

Here's why Catholicsim is a stupid religion. This is one doctrine in which pope pius XII used his "INFALLIBILY power". STUPIDITY TO THE MAX. This is just one of the several stupid doctrines.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(by : Ignatius Brady, O.F.M., Catholic University of America)

" The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Catholic belief that 'the Immaculate Mother of God, Mary ever virgin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up (assumed) body and soul into heavenly glory.' This definition of Pope Pius XII (1950), which crystallizes what the church has always held whether implicitly or explicitly, likewise indicates the scriptural basis and theological reasons of the doctrine: since God in choosing Mary to be the mother of Christ had preserved her from original sin (Immaculate Conception) and had kept her a virgin even in her motherhood, it was fitting that He grant her final victory over death by freeing her body from all corruption and bringing it together with her soul to the glory of heaven. Testimony to the universal belief in this doctrine can be traced to early Christian (Catholic) times. The feast, on August 15, certainly antedates the decree of the Byzantine Emperor Maurice (582-602) that it be celebrated throughout his empire. "

Rebuttal :

First, there is no scriptural record that Mary ascended to heaven. In the Bible, there were only three people who ascended bodily to heaven. They were Enoch (Genesis 5:24), Elijah (II Kings 2:11) and Jesus Christ (Acts 1:9)

Second , the scripture says that after the virgin birth of Jesus, Mary bore at least 6 more children ( Matthew 13:55-56). She certainly did not remain a virgin.

Third, about claims that Mary was sinless, let us hear what the apostles John and Paul had said :

I John 1:8 " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselfves, and the truth is not in us. "

Romans 3:23 " For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Even before these false teachings appeared , God already knew this coming. In Revelation 2:2 , we can read His prophetic verse, " I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil : and thou hast tried (or tested) them who say they are apostles (RC's creed of apostolic succesion), but are not, and hast found them LIARS. "

The book was called Revelation because God had foretold the future to Apostle John in the island of Patmos, Greece . In that said verse, God was talking about a future false church.

Jose Rizal certainly heard it loud and clear.

April 22, 2008 6:42 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on April 22, 2008 06:42

spiderman2:

Beware of False Prophets

In terms of occupancy, hell is much bigger than heaven coz many will go to that place of torment compared to those who will make it to heaven. One major factor why it is so is because of false religions or false prophets who propagate it.

In Matthew 7:13-15 Jesus said "...wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction (Hell), and many there be which go in thereat; ... strait (or limited in space) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life (Heaven), and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing...".

The fact that God had said that many will go to hell and few to heaven just shows that these false prophets are much more effective in teaching their false doctrines than those who preach the true word of God. As a result, they have a much larger following.

It is very disappointing that many religions today use the name of Jesus Christ and that its priests or preachers act like they are His servants but in truth are really servants of the devil. It is equally disappointing that many members of these churches are easily duped into believing what they falsely teach.

Since the year 2001, four so called "Christian" nations have already legalized gay marriage. It's quite amazing that four nations (The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Canada) legalized it in just a span of 4 years. Next year, there could be another two or more and before we know it, other "Christian" nations would be following their lead just like popcorn. The only thing to blame in here is their practiced religion.

It should be noted that both Belgium and Spain are Catholic countries. Canada is 43% Catholic and 29% Protestant and most of its Protestant churches have linkups with the Catholic Church and other false religions thru its Ecumenical Movement. Their biggest protestant group, The United Church of Canada (UCC), previously stated that their church welcome "sexually active single adults, lesbian, gay and bisexual people into all aspects of the life and ministry of the Church". It means that they see nothing wrong with people engaged in fornication, adultery and same sex unions. If we read the Bible, these are the same people God will burn in Hell. Clearly, there are two conflicting messages here -- one from God and the other from the devil. Since their church unashamedly teach the devil's doctrine, it's more fitting that they should call their church as the United Devil's Church of Canada. That way, it would clear up things and there will be no mixups. The Netherlands, on the other hand, has become a secular state which means most of its populace has no religious affiliation. In Massachusetts, which currently is the only state in the U.S that have legalized gay marriage, 54% of its populace is Catholic and still rising..

This is just the cross-section of the kind of religions those people who supported gay marriage have. Most of them were Catholics, liberal Protestants that have linkups with other false religions and Secularists who are either aetheists or skeptics. All these religions or beliefs have one thing in common. They worship the same "God" but not the God in the Bible for in Romans 1:32 it states, "Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death...".

When God speaks of death, He means everlasting hellfire. The people who approved of it never knew that they have stretched even wider what is already a very broad pathway to Hell. Most probably, they too are breezing thru that road themselves and on their way to destruction. No more stoplights for the lights or religions they attend to like the UCC have been signalling them to push on and run on full speed.

False religions are not that really hard to detect. Jesus said that "ye will know them by their fruits". So the next time another country, state or city legalizes gay marriage, examine what kind of religion those people who approved of it profess. And as sure as the sun rises from the east, those people would be either Catholic, liberal Protestants or Secularists.

When God says beware, one should not take it lightly. In Luke 12:5 Jesus said, "But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him."

But what makes it more fearsome is the fact that it cannot be appealed like what other false religions want to suggest by teaching reincarnation or purgatory. The judgment of God is final and wherever He puts us in, Heaven or Hell, that would be permanent. The same is the fire and the worms crawling in one's body. They too would be permanent. The worms won't die and the fire won't quench either. It really is a place of torment and it's really very sad if some foolish religion would send somebody there.

"Beware of false prophets", said the Lord. I hope everybody would really ponder on this one.

legenda and kithara!

the mass is on,the crowned infallible siting on his thronos ,the hymen is venia/ venia! ,venus and adonis are dancing ,the bongos club is vibrating ,guiros ,palitus,maracas and of course the greco poet-singer homer and the mass media ! ....and holywood.

A-washington mass is reviving which of the following:

1-adding the olymbic games to the above festieval ,is reviving the legenda and delusionism of greco-romanism.

2-survival of the gods and idolism.

3-the ignorance of the clergy and the navity of the laity who they blindely follow the (holy) clergy,provided that every mankind know for sure that mankind is hole-y not holy.

4-the lavish spending of mankind money ,time and life on none but delusionism.

5-the( vegetable )market place of ancient athen and rome.

6-the merchant and merchandising of rome.

7-souQ okaz or okaz market place(at the time of ignorance era in arabia),where people used to carry their hand made gods (clay or date paste)to the market place of okaz where they celebrate and buy and exchange gods and gods accesories!!!!!!!!

8-all of the above.

Victoria: the best source on current trends is the Pew survey:religions.pewforum.org

Be wary of any 'analysis' that seeks to extrapolate from current trends. People change their behaviour.

Boy, it's good to know that no one is letting facts get in the way of opinions!

Victoria, Victoria, Victoria,

The only statistics you need to know but apparently don't because then you would have to admit that Islam is severely flawed:

1a) Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

1b) 9/11, 3000 mostly US citizens killed, 1000’s injured

2) The 24/7 Sunni-Shiite centuries-old blood feud currently being carried out in Iraq, 4000 US troops and 90,000 Iraqi civilians killed. iraqbodycount.org/, thousands more injured.

3) Kenya- In Nairobi, about 212 people were killed and an estimated 4000 injured; in Dar es Salaam, the attack killed at least 11 and wounded 85.[2]

4) Bali-in 2002-killing 202 people, 164 of whom were foreign nationals, and 38 Indonesian citizens. A further 209 people were injured.

5) Bali in 2005- Twenty people were killed, and 129 people were injured by three bombers who killed themselves in the attacks.

6) Spain in 2004- killing 191 people and wounding 2,050.

7) UK in 2005- The bombings killed 52 commuters and the four radical Islamic suicide bombers, injured 700.

And as a reminder of the flaws and errors of Islam which you also conveniently forget:

1. Belief in "pretty/ugly wingie thingies".

2. Belief that an hallucinating, illiterate Arab did actually talk to the "pretty Gabriel" in the hot "Gabe" cave and therein received the warmongering and anti-female words and resultant laws now listed in the koran.

3. That Sunnis are superior to Shiites in all aspects of life. And Shiites think the same way about Sunnis.

4. That Islam is perfect and the koran inherently condones no sin even though the 24/7, 800 year-old blood feud between Sunnis and Shiites gives significant credence that greed, hate, suicides, assassinations, maiming, and murder are condoned by the koran. Male Islamics to include imams and clerics having multiple wives also gives significant credence to the sins of rape, adultery, lust and polygamy. The condoned treatment of these wives gives credence that the koran allows the sins of hatred, anger and greed.

Mary Cunningham,

Very well noted. In America, lately, there has been a hype about how the number of Catholics is on the decline, and would be plummeting except for the influx of (primarily) Latino immigrants. Corrolary to that is the ever-present accusation that our bishops' and pastors' concern for immigrants is entirely self-serving.

That slander betrays a real set of biases: that (Catholic) clergy are only greedy, and that the Latinos/immigrants/poor are gullible dupes, only fit for pandering after to get votes. Those two biases are the same that have attacked the Catholic Church continually since its arrival in America among non-English settlers. It is usually called the WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) bias, but has now been incorporated by the increasingly shrill secularists of whatever religious ancestry.

But the Catholic Church in America has always experienced this trend: new immigrants, largely but not only Catholic, arrive and bring with them their vibrant faith, revitalizing natural-born American practice. The capitalist-Protestant ethos of America gradually erodes the faithful's participation in the Church, until a new wave of immigrants returns. Three of my four grandparents are immigrants - German and Irish. The fourth is the grandchild of immigrants - Irish and German. They, along with the Poles, Czechs, Italians, Hungarians, etc., that came before them were all hated for the same reasons:

1) Fear of competition for jobs;

2) Fear that their ethics will disturb the moral progressivists' ever-so-slight control of the polls.

sorry- i didnt put my name in there- that was from nationmasters- i love that site- it has stats from all over the world for every subject you can think of-

but it shows how misleading stats can be without some indepth analysis-
there was a frontpage (yahoo) story about 2 weeks ago that stated that silam is the largest relgion in the world now, surpassing catholicism (which is now #2)

but one has to take into account that alot fo that growth is attrbutable to babies being born into muslim families (the assumption that they will be muslims as adults)

i would be interested to see conversion trends from both a ntional (american) and international worldwide perspective- which i think would more truly portray the growth of religions-
but i cannot find any such study done - and i look on occasion-

Immigration to the United States of America is the movement of non-residents to the United States. Even though the foreign born have never comprised more than 16% of the U.S. population since 1675, immigration has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of American history. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Acap. ... For the rules of English grammar, see English grammar and Disputes in English grammar. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3766x2820, 1311 KB) A chart of the top ancestries in the US, as provided by the 2000 census. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3766x2820, 1311 KB) A chart of the top ancestries in the US, as provided by the 2000 census. ... Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ... Map of countries by population — China and India, the only two countries to have a population greater than one billion, together possess more than a third of the worlds population. ... Foreign born (also non-native) is a term used to describe a person born outside of their country of residence. ... Theoretical Human population increase from 10,000 BC – 2000 AD. Population growth is the change in population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals in a population per unit time. ... American history redirects here. ...

Immigration led to a 57.4% increase in foreign born population from 1990 to 2000.[3] Controversy has arisen over existing immigration law and immigration outside the law, especially over the 7.5 million illegal alien workers with more than 12 million household members already inside the U.S. Another 700,000 to 850,000 are predicted to enter each coming year. Illegal household members from Mexico alone were estimated at over 8 million.[4]. At issue has been whether immigration laws and enforcement were working as the public desired. Nationality law is the branch of a countrys legal system wherein legislation, custom and court precendent combine to define the ways in which that countrys nationality and citizenship are transmitted, acquired or lost. ... Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest and primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and is responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nations border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security. ...

i just pasted it verbatim- in america, according to the PEW reseacrh study done on religion and it's changes in america- it was determined that the christian populations of the american born people were all on the decline- including catholicism-

the numbers indicate that the rise of catholicism (in overall population stats) is due to immigrants from mexico bringing catholicism with tem- however- there is also a trend in south america and north america of large conversion rates from catholicism to differing protestant and evangelical groups.

I love my dishTV!

Non-stop Pope-orgasmatron on the networks and their cable subsidiaries for a whole week, and I didn't even have to watch 5 seconds of it. Why bother when there are Andy Griffith reruns and the History and Science Channels to watch instead? The morals are better and so are the costumes.

Now, THERE'S diversity for you!

CM Smith,

What is a continuing part of the Three B syndrome is that all religions are based on hallucinations, myths, embellishments and lies. And what is almost hilarious about the Jewish, Christian and Muslim part of this is how we have bought into the fictional "pretty wingie thingie" aka angel thing for so long.

To wit:

Joe Smith had his Moroni.

Jehovah Witnesses have their Jesus /Michael the archangel, the first angelic being created by God;

Mohammed had his Gabriel (this "tinker bell" got around).

Jesus and his family had Michael, Gabriel, and Satan aka "the ugly wingie thingie", a modern day demon of the demented.

The Abraham-Moses myths had their Angel of Death and other "no-namers" to do their dirty work or other assorted duties.

Contemporary biblical and religious scholars have relegated these "pretty wingie thingies" to the myth pile. We should do the same to include deleting all references to them in our religious operating manuals. Doing this will eliminate the prophet/profit/prophecy status of these founders and put them where they belong as simple humans just like the rest of us.

Some added references to "tinker bells".

"Latter-day Saints also believe that Michael the Archangel was Adam (the first man) when he was mortal, and Gabriel lived on the earth as Noah."

i.e apparently hallucinations did not stop with Joe Smith.

newadvent.org/cathen/07049c.htm
"This belief in guardian angels can be traced throughout all antiquity; pagans, like Menander and Plutarch (cf. Euseb., "Praep. Evang.", xii), and Neo-Platonists, like Plotinus, held it. It was also the belief of the Babylonians and Assyrians, as their monuments testify, for a figure of a guardian angel now in the British Museum once decorated an Assyrian palace, and might well serve for a modern representation; while Nabopolassar, father of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, says: "He (Marduk) sent a tutelary deity (cherub) of grace to go at my side; in everything that I did, he made my work to succeed."

Catholic monks and Dark Age theologians also did their share of hallucinating:

"TUBUAS-A member of the group of angels who were removed from the ranks of officially recognized celestial hierarchy in 745 by a council in Rome under Pope Zachary. He was joined by Uriel, Adimus, Sabaoth, Simiel, and Raguel."

And tinker bells go way, way back:

"In Zoroastrianism there are different angel like creatures. For example each person has a guardian angel caled Fravashi. They patronize human being and other creatures and also manifest god’s energy. Also, the Amesha Spentas have often been regarded as angels, but they don't convey messages, but are rather emanations of Ahura Mazda ("Wise Lord", God); they appear in an abstract fashion in the religious thought of Zarathustra and then later (during the Achaemenid period of Zoroastrianism) became personalized, associated with an aspect of the divine creation (fire, plants, water...)."

"The beginnings of the biblical belief in angels must be sought in very early folklore. The gods of the Hittites and Canaanites had their supernatural messengers, and parallels to the Old Testament stories of angels are found in Near Eastern literature. "

"The 'Magic Papyri' contain many spells to secure just such help and protection of angels. From magic traditions arose the concept of the guardian angel. "

For added information see the review at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel

May I applaud America's Catholics--and all Americans--for the wonderful reception they gave B16? You are lucky, y'know. I really wish he would give England, well, at least London, a visit but he's an old man, and England, Scotland and N Ireland number only about 6 million Catholics vs. the 65 million in the US. And if he only visited England, the Scots would probably throw a tantrum...

Anyway. I think the difference betw. Catholicism here and in the US is absence of Latinos. My own parish is about 1/3 Caribbean and African, 2/3 Europeans: mostly Cockney (descendants of the Irish who poured into London to work on the docks), the rest Scots, Spanish, Belgium, Lithuanians (Poles in London have sufficient numbers to have their own Masses). It's described as a "poor parish" but there are an increasing number of professionals, as East London has become renovated.

Like 'counterculture' every parish I've ever been in has always had a substantial proportion of 'other', in the early days it was always Irish, these days generally Eastern Europeans, Ukrainians, Brazilians or Africans depending on which part of London you're in. It's a global religion and, increasingly, an urban one...like the Church of the ancients, struggling to maintain their faith during the Roman Empire..

The Concerned Christian now Liberated

You have the right to express your opinion based on reading and information gathered from various sources; whether these sources are accurate or true is debatable, however, if you believe the information you gathered is true, then it is true to you.

You also stated that the faithful attending the various celebrations for the Pope are somehow brainwashed into Catholism. Brainwashing implies that an individual does not have the will or the mental compacity to make rational decisions. Catholics are not brainwashed; Many catholics who disagree with the church has left; Many stay not because they can't think for themselves--they choose to stay because they have a deep-rooted bond with their faith. If you believe in the points outlined in your post, then you are just as brainwashed as the catholics who attended every papal event.

This is something I have noticed about Catholicism as well. My current parish, though largely white, has a sizable number of Asians, Hispanics and African Americans, and I've observed the same thing in every parish I've belonged to the in the last fifteen years. It's wonderful. Now if I can only get a couple of my children to marry inter-racially and/or culturally, we can all see even more clearly how we are many parts of the same body.

No religion as obsessed with idols as Catholicism could ever be catholic. Contrary to todays materialism, a catholic religion would have to emerge wholly from philosophy, expressing spirituality entirely in abstract ideas rather than graven images. Clearly this would never work in our current world.

Those Catholics present at the papal shows of wealth and obstinance did have one thing in common, they all suffered from the Three B syndrome i.e. they all were Bred, Born and Brainwashed into Catholicism.

Their situation is slowly changing because of the slow but ever-creeping knowledge about the real, historic Jesus as noted below:

1. Abraham founder/father of three major religions was either the embellishment of the lives of three different men or a mythical character as was Moses, the "Tablet-Man" who talked to burning bushes and made much magic in Egypt.

1.5 million Conservative Jews and their rabbis have relegated Abraham to the myth pile along with most if not all the OT.
simpletoremember.com/vitals/ConservativeTorah.htm

2. Jesus was an illiterate Jewish peasant/carpenter/simple preacher man who suffered from hallucinations and who has been characterized anywhere from the Messiah from Nazareth to a mythical character from mythical Nazareth to a mamzer from Nazareth (Professor Bruce Chilton, in his book Rabbi Jesus). Analyses of Jesus’ life by many contemporary NT scholars (e.g. Professors Crossan, Borg and Fredriksen, On Faith panelists) via the NT and related documents have concluded that only about 30% of Jesus' sayings and ways noted in the NT were authentic. The rest being embellishments (e.g. miracles)/hallucinations made/had by the NT authors to impress various Christian, Jewish and Pagan sects.

The 30% of the NT that is "authentic Jesus" like everything in life was borrowed/plagiarized and/or improved from those who came before. In Jesus' case, it was the ways and sayings of the Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, OT, John the Baptizer and possibly the ways and sayings of traveling Greek Cynics. earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

For added "pizzazz", Catholic/Christian theologians divided god the singularity into three persons and invented atonement as an added guilt trip for the "pew people" to go along with this trinity of overseers. By doing so, they made god the padre into god the "filicider".

3. Luther, Calvin, Smith, Henry VIII, Wesley et al, founders of Christian-based religions, also suffered from the belief in/hallucinations of "pretty wingie thingie" visits and "prophecies" for profits analogous to the myths of Catholicism (resurrections, apparitions, ascensions and immaculate conceptions).

Not just in America...here we are having a discussion about English Catholicism too. How much derived from the recusant core (those English who remained Catholic despite terrible persecution), how much from the Irish influx, how much from conversions from Anglicanism, how much from the new migrants from 'new'EU Poland, Lithuania, non EU Ukraine and Africa and what about the Caribbean??

It's confusing.

Mary Cunningham
London