Religiously Correct

There is an unsaid rule about being religiously correct, that is do not criticize another’s religion. The net result of this a lack of debate about truth and error, essentially no debate is a broad acceptance of every religion. In this religiously correct mode everyone is right. This plays into the “hands of error” and so error abounds. No one would suffer in this Religiously Correct system, UNLESS it turns out that the truth was eternally important. It turns out the truth is eternally important. There are people who are aware of THE TRUTH and can demonstrate the very high, essentially undeniable truth to any open-minded person. The error in every human devised religion is apparent if one just looks closely. It is always the case that a person can choose to examine their beliefs or not and such is a page like this one. The motivation of the author is to HELP, and in this case primarily Catholics. The seriousness is in relation to success or failure in life. So, damaging a person in any way is the farthest thing from the intention of the author. However, exposing the truth about the Catholic church is a specific goal of this page. One might say, if you hurt the Catholic church, you are attacking me personally. Yet, if you believe the Catholic church to represent truth, why are you concerned? The distinction is helping (truth) or hurting (error). Those bringing truth have a concern for souls and those who bring error may also have a concern for others, but in fact damage those they are trying to help. If this matter was not eternally critical then “Religious Correctness (meaning do not discuss religion)” would be a reasonable, logical way for people to avoid uncomfortable discussions of an emotional subject. The world has provided this easy and socially acceptable way for a person to avoid the subject of religion. This worldly philosophy is unfortunately inconsistent with the purpose of life, wherein truth is essential. God has chosen to provide every person the opportunity for heaven by preaching the truth and truth is indeed very singular.

EXCEEDINGLY FOOLISH CATHOLICISM

We could place any number of names in the place of Catholicism. In every case, the foolishness may not be realized by those who placed their trust in a given religion until it is everlastingly too late. Few people understand what they believe, even though they may have deep devotion to that religion. Many would even die for what they believe, but really do not understand. Frequently, the teachers of these doctrines have been equally and thoroughly deceived – now they pass along on the deceit believing it to be true. Part of the deception is usually the casual attitude that is instilled into their followers. God is not central in their life’s, but there is a time allotted for God perhaps each week. It should be no surprise that people do not understand what they believe. Their teachers do not understand and no one takes very seriously the things of the soul. There is more value placed on a comparative morality of others in relation to achieving heaven. The foolishness in the case of Catholicism is easily observed with just a little effort. More often than not there is just little to no interest in determining if what they believe is true, because there is no time for such concerns in their life. Religion is typically not (even among “religious persons”) taken all that seriously. God needs to fit into people’s lives, instead of people fitting into what, how, when, where and how much God wants from them. So along with many assumptions about life, such as, surely most will find heaven. There exists this attitude that my life, my success, my family, my education, my lifestyle, my personal hopes and dreams are first. The scriptures teach life is difficult, FEW will find heaven and God MUST be first. This consistent view from God’s word is one FEW can accept. The failed life is one where heaven is lost and the foolishness of living for self is finally realized. God’s effort on your behalf has been substantial in terms of His love as shown in His Son’s sacrifice and the clear plan for you to benefit from that sacrifice. Additionally, the scriptures provide God’s wisdom inasmuch as everything fits PERFECTLY together and therein is the evidence that God is the God of the bible. God has made it very easy to know the truth, that is for a person who loves the truth – the kind of person God seeks for eternity with Him. As a Catholic, one truth you could have known and can know would be that Catholicism has NOTHING to do with God.

Are You Critical Of Another’s Religion
This Is Forbidden, Certainly In Poor Taste

In today’s world it is proper to NOT CRITICIZE OTHERS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS as this is a personal matter. That is true, it is a personal choice. The idea of not discussing religion and being critical of those who might speak out against another religion is unfortunate. LIFE IS ABOUT THE SOUL and the truth is important, essential to a successful life. So what better way to eternally damage souls than by doing all that is possible to shut down any discussion of God and truth. The purpose of Catholics Question and another site called Heaven Coach is to help people get to heaven. God’s children do this by teaching the truth people need. A majority of the topics at both web pages focus on the message, i.e. the gospel message. Due to the deceit and confusion in the world it may be valuable to point out problems with the various belief (or non-belief) systems. It is often helpful to point out what a person has been taught and believed religiously may not be the truth. There is truth and there is error. Truth is very singular, while error is voluminous in its many versions. The singularity of truth is seldom believed and therefore the human philosophy is to accept all religions. There was a single creator and He has a singular message for humankind and He does not accept variations from the truth. In a well known verse, the scriptures declare the truth shall make you free. That is, the one truth, the truth of the gospel, the truth from God, which has been accurately delivered. Over and over again in the word of God there is a warning NOT TO CHANGE THE WORD OF GOD that has been delivered. God advises that a person fear God and keep his commandments. Fear of God is the beginning of knowledge per Proverbs 1.7. It is the fear of God that leads one to keep His commandments, for as He says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. When you consider the dire consequences of changing the word of God there needs to be a grave concern over mishandling the holy information from God. This is God’s path to heaven for His creation and yet the strong temptation to appear to be an expert or in some way give the appearance to others of being special in the eyes of God is apparently enough to lead some to use God’s word carelessly.

Only One Thing Matters In Your Life – Your Soul
Many Would Want To Know If What They Currently Believe Is Untrue
And Will Keep Them From Succeeding In Life

Certainly, many believe that what they are religiously would NOT keep them from having a successful life and achieving heaven.The scriptures teach the opposite inasmuch as what you believe and how you respond to the truth are essential for a successful life. If it were any other way there would be no need for God to communicate with humankind, for His Son to take on humanity and suffer the terrible death, or for the careful delivery of His truth. God’s purpose once understood clarifies what life is all about and if you believe differently than the scriptures you cannot take advantage of all that God has done to help you be successful. It is therefore a terrible thing to teach differently than the truth, because it is only in obeying and living the truth that will allow you to achieve heaven. God is most severe in regards to those who change or distort the truth as He desires all to succeed and they cannot succeed following the teaching of humankind. It is very obvious that the world in general and even so-called Christians do not understand the seriousness of God’s word in relation to what they believe and how they live. Of course, a natural consequence of not understanding God and His purpose would be to say, let everyone alone in their own belief’s – do not discuss religion! The vast majority of people either have no belief in God or associate with some religion without the appropriate understanding. In other words they do not take it seriously.

God’s Hatred of Error

Many times those teaching religiously underestimate God’s hatred of error and subsequently the associated consequences for those who carelessly handle His word. God says there are six things He hates or as He says, there are six things He hates, yes seven are an abomination to Him. You can study those things from Proverbs 6.16-19. If you do so, you might observe that four of the seven are related in some way to the propagation of error. The first of the seven mentioned may not appear to be related to error, namely a proud look, but it is this very thing that God throughout the scriptures abhors and will keep people from heaven. The proud person does not respect God’s word, but believes he/she can put their twist on the message from God. Those who began to create what would become Roman Catholicism were some of the earliest people to misuse the doctrine of Christ. That defamation would completely destroy the basic principles from God and be the ultimate blasphemy of God’s Son.

They were not the first to change the gospel message by any means as Jesus warned, and as Paul saw happening and he recorded in Galatians 1.6-9. There are many verses alluding to the upcoming onslaught against God’s word. We can look into the clear night sky and see God’s wonders and imagine His power and yet His plan for humankind is just as miraculous in its ability to perfectly describe who He is and who we are and then define the road to success for each one of us. The seriousness of changing God’s message indicates a disrespect for God and typically to achieve something favorable for ourselves. For example, there are many who teach a gospel of convenience in order to entice many to join their group with minimum commitment. Indeed, we have to accurately handle His word since at stake is our soul and that of others that could be misled. If you can imagine, each person’s eternity is largely determined by the message from God and how changing that word can adversely affect their eternal souls, then you should be terrified to mishandle the scriptures. Frequently, the changes or twisting of scripture is done to teach some point of view which they favored. There can be a selection of various verses tied together to create the doctrine you favor. God’s meaning can always be understood and the scriptures call this rightly dividing the word of God. Since GOD carefully provided the scriptures they can be easily understood with the right attitude and a knowledge that everything in scripture fits perfectly together. Because God’s word is perfect and perfectly delivered, the child of God can be complete or perfect and be equipped to do every good work.

2 Timothy 3.16,17

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If you speak religiously, speak as God has spoken in His word. You should not add to or take away or twist the scriptures, but understand God.

1 Peter 4.11

11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.

No one has the right to have their own private interpretation of God’s word. There is a singular understanding of everything. God had a singular plan for the forgiveness of past sins that will allow an obedient person to become a child of God.

2 Peter 1.20,21

20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

We certainly will make choices during our lifetime that will determine our fate, a fate defined by the word of God. However, our ultimate destiny is not in our hands, but God will judge, more specifically Jesus will judge the living and the dead. The basis for judgment is how you lived in relation to Christ. Did you accept and obey Jesus or reject Him? Did you live in accordance with God’s word?

John 15.48

48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

Thus we are warned of the coming error, since getting it wrong will cost a person their soul – a failed life. The certainty of the “falling away” from truth delivered can be seen from the verses below:

1 Timothy 4.1-4

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;

Matthew 7.15

15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Acts 20:29

29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

The man of sin, the son of perdition represents an evil person, the anti-Christ, but this is NOT an individual (1 John 2.18, 1 John 2.22, 1 John 4.3, and 2 John 1.7). It is any number of people who oppose Christ and His gospel. Yes, Antichrist is sometimes used in the singular form, but since other verses tell us there are many, we know that it is a literary technique where the one represents the many. It is a form of personification.

Such a man of sin is seen in MEN/WOMEN who oppose Christ, alter the truth, speak presumptuously, go beyond or fall short of what has been written, bring in innovations and/or ignore the teachings of God. If you understand God properly as revealed in the scriptures then you can see that the one overwhelming thing that destroys the possibility of success for people is the mishandling of His word. As a result, God’s Son is not honored by the obedience that is required for success. The terrible tragedy in the world is that God’s word has been changed and manipulated to such an extent that people do not know what to do, and why doing the right thing is even important. There are those who think every thing is just fine for their eternity because they are following some belief system that guarantees such – but they have been deceived. There is truth and there is error and only truth will set you free from sin.

No One Should Be Surprised At The Backlash
Targeted Against Those Who Point Out Religious Error

Jesus was one who bluntly called out those who opposed the truth, telling them of the difficult and narrow way to heaven. Jesus’ sermon on the mount told of happiness in a way that to this day is not understood or accepted. He spoke of living this life being happy in a godly manner versus in an indulgent, pleasure-filled lifestyle, which focused on earthly possessions. Jesus described a life of service versus being served. The happiness described looked forward to heaven as a goal and defined the character of a person who would succeed. These “beatitudes of Matthew 5” pointed out that even in the framework of difficulty, persecution a person could be happy in the knowledge they were serving God.

Time For Clarity About God

A Great Deal Of Confusion Comes From Not Understanding God’s Message
Catholicism And Other Religions Of Humankind Have Caused Many Problems

God is nothing like the religions of the world portray Him. God does require obedience, God does love His creation, God cannot lie, God will always be perfectly just and God will always be consistent with what has been revealed in His word. God did interact with humankind to insure Christ would come as promised and in the process there were supernatural events so those at that time would know He was God. Those things were recorded for us in the Old Testament. Pharaoh, for example learned the God of Moses was God as did many others. In some cases,God’s apparent harshness is seen during those times from Genesis to the coming of Christ as a man. The events of apparent harshness to that point were required and consistent with God’s purpose. God is Creator, almighty in every way, the God of the bible and the only God to ever exist. Christ would perform miracles as one evidence of who He was, The Son of God, the Messiah was Jesus and preached a “singularity of means” to achieve heaven. He spoke of a spiritual kingdom that would be revealed in more detail after His death. God allowed the truth, which would be the new covenant in His blood to be delivered by Jesus’ disciples beginning in Acts 2. One aspect of that covenant were things which were recalled from Jesus time with the disciples. God explains that the things in part, like miraculous things would end (1 Corinthians 13.8-10), because somewhere near the end of the first century that which is perfect would be completed – the word of God. It is a perfect and necessary ingredient to accomplish Christ’s purpose of seeking and saving that which was lost. It was Christ’s death in obedience to the Father that could cover the sins of humankind and NOW it would be the choice of individuals to obey the crucified savior (Hebrews 5.8,9). What they needed to obey must be perfectly correct and perfectly delivered, just as Christ was the perfect sacrifice. Thus after a period of leading the apostles into all truth and confirming the word with signs and miracles the word of God was completed and is that which is perfect – as the scriptures say the word of the Lord is perfect in converting the soul (Psalm 19.7, 2 Samuel 22.31, Romans 12.1,2)

As a result of a perfect savior, the perfect word of God, a person who keeps the commandments of God is perfected “IN CHRIST.”

1 John 2:5

5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

God’s purpose involves people successfully navigating their lives, that is finding, obeying and living the truth. God in his perfection does not make any mistakes whether it be the creation of the universe, or of living things or in delivering His word, the word of truth that people need. Humanity often tries to “wiggle’ out of obedience to the God of the bible because of its difficulty, that is, because of differences from how they want to live. Humankind often attempts to find ways to discredit the God of the bible. One might say, what about all the translations, all the indoctrination, all the different religions, more specifically all the different Christian religions and look how few will succeed based on the word of God. God is perfect and is looking for people who love truth and not excuses. He wants people who will face up to “God defined sin” in their life and obey and live the gospel. His plan is working perfectly in sorting out those for success and failure and all will make that choice in pride or in humility. His word is there and all the answers to your questions can be found as you grow in the knowledge of God as He revealed Himself. Your part can simply be stated, obey God and be assured He can handle all the concerns and problems you invent with His way.

As we look at the religions of humankind, we see people rejecting God often becoming Atheists because of the historical cruelty and menacing, deceitful indoctrination by religious groups. However, these religions have nothing to do with God – He abhors them. So people reject God because of this history and entirely because people claiming to be “Of God” are believed to be representative of Him. Essentially in the end, they believe in human wisdom (not the wisdom from God) and make personal choices on that basis.
In today’s world, as it has been for centuries, religions like Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam and others take it upon themselves to become guardians of God, by “aggressively going after” certain types of sin and people who commit them. At least that is what they claim, that is assisting God. In reality they are promoting themselves or maintaining the power they have achieved by deceit. Here is what God needs from humankind, as Paul explains:

Acts 17.24-27

24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 
25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, AS THOUGH HE NEEDED ANYTHING, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

GOD NEEDS NOTHING FROM HUMANKIND.

Man needs to seek God, find Him, obey Him and live faithfully. How many people believe God wants humanity to take vengeance for Him? The Catholics certainly did, the Muslims did and and still serve Allah in a vengeful way. All they do is to create a means of sustaining their false religion using fear, terrorizing their members and the opposition. This is not God, because their religions are created by humankind. The God of heaven is quite different, but God does use fear of a final terrible afterlife as result of being ungodly. As usual humanistic religions get it wrong and act out physical retribution in the name of God. The God of heaven indicates the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

“Everyone” misses the spiritual nature of life, life is about the soul and God’s answer in Christ is a spiritual solution that always involves obedience to His will. You might notice, that during Christ’s time on earth and that of His disciples during the time of authorization when they were guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth (John 16.13) there was no pattern of mentally or physically abusing the unbeliever. However, the disciples were frequently abused, tortured, and even murdered – turning the other cheek.
There was no pattern of attacking the sins of the world as in some social, religious campaign. Which sin would they attack?
Should God’s children publicly campaign against one or several of the following sins?

Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, all liars and the like represent some of the sins mentioned in the scriptures.

These are things God says will keep a person from succeeding in life – they will not achieve the kingdom of heaven. Thus, such a campaign would include essentially every person on the face of the earth. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3.23) and that involves many different sins, some of which are listed above. If you think you are safe, then realize all sins are not mentioned here and realize “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4.17). Somehow in the incredible foolishness of “creating a religion” with “one hand” on the scriptures they typically get NOTHING RIGHT. Also it is very characteristic to begin campaigning against specific sins. Now, they are right, there are things abominable to God and nothing more hated than changing His word, which is something they never campaign against. That is not surprising since they violate God’s will by the manner of their teaching and almost always teach considerable error. If they understood God, they would know in God’s wisdom this is not the pattern for saving souls. God’s children preach the word:

2 Timothy 4.2

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Jesus parting direction to the apostles emphasized preach the word, Matthew 28.18-20 and Mark 16.15,16. The very fact that we do not see Jesus or his disciples creating a social issue out of a specific sin is consistent with the work that is defined – preach the word!
God does not expect His children to change the world in relation to sin, or certain types of sin. In the process of preaching the gospel the sins God indicates will keep people from being successful in life are mentioned and the necessity of repentance (meaning changing their life – giving up those sins) is required. This is quite different than publicly campaigning against sin, for which sin would be the subject of the campaign? Maybe a campaign condemning lies as that which will keep people from achieving heaven, maybe envy. The point is, God in His wisdom says His power to save is in the gospel message and there will be those few who accept the gospel (including the need to repent) and change their lives and there will be the many who will not. It is not necessary for God’s children to spend endless hours trying to convince those who reject the message because they do not see anything wrong with certain behaviors. All the sins are going to exist as they did in the time of Jesus. In fact these sins in some form existed beginning with Adam and Eve and Cain and continue to this day. Sin is always a transgression of God’s law, it is a divine thing created for a purpose. A woman has an abortion or supports abortion – both sinful and indicates it is a woman’s choice. As long as she is alive God allows sin and choice. The gospel points out the escape, the forgiveness of sin (any sin) and how God will judge a person by His words – the word of God. Those words include the sins mentioned above and how they exclude a person from the kingdom of God.

John 15.48

48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 

Salvation is available for every person, no preferential treatment since God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10.34,35 and Romans 2.11). Every person is a candidate for obeying to the gospel – indeed it is the choice of each person. It is ineffective and in opposition to God’s plan for His children to try to CHANGE THE WORLD by condemning certain sins. Only a world that loves God, the God of the bible will forgo the things He has defined as sin. One might note that many of the things that are so obviously sinful even to a godless world have over time gained more and more acceptance. Religions over time accept more and more of those things and generation after generation these things no longer even seem inappropriate. However, they remain sinful and God’s word seems to be “behind the times.” Preach the gospel and as the disciples of Jesus were advised, move on when it is not accepted.

Luke 9:5

5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.

Acts 13.48-51

48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

Individuals respond to the message because of their love of the truth, because they are humble enough to accept God’s way, wise enough to leave the sin that is in their lives, and courageous enough to act differently than they currently believe. There is no question that certain certain sins grow in frequency and acceptance, but this has always been the case. The solution is as mentioned on this page in different ways – preach the gospel and one soul at a time potentially can change the trend. Again, it is not the goal to change the world in terms of sin, but the salvation of individual souls.

The Futility Of Bringing The Message Of Sin To A World That Rejects God

As you better understand God, you can see His wisdom in everything. Of course, He knew attacking the sins of the world could only be done successfully in one way – PREACH THE WORD. Give people the answer to their sins. In the world of religion some unbelievable high percentage of the preaching IS DONE IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT RESULT IN THE FORGIVENESS OF PAST SINS. Certainly, the effort spent condemning certain sins receives a great deal of attention and even becomes political. There is no benefit to anyone to point out sin unless it associated with the TRUTHFUL SOLUTION. Does a targeting of certain sins by “religious groups” produce a reduction in the quantity of that sin? I have NOT observed that, but the opposite. It is the wrong message. The right message is that there is sin and there is a solution. Here are the sins that will keep you from heaven, can you repent (leave those sins) and obey God, and give your life to Christ? In the gospel message you can learn how to get yourself on the road to heaven, to a new life “In CHRIST.”
It seems that so often the issue is that God’s way is spiritual, whereas the world (including the world of religion) offers physical, humanistic answers. The spiritual answer is always do what God says and DO IT GOD’s WAY! Human religion looks at what God condemns and says, I will help God (my way). I will stand against this sin or that. Instead here is sin, here is the gospel truth, which has the answer to sin and now what is your response? There is such intensity in condemning certain sins that those doing so never consider the fact that they may be teaching error, which God hates and condemns.

Bringing The Right Message – Not Heretics

Heretic defined: a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those once accepted by his or her religion or in some cases just one who rejects doctrines prescribed by a religion even if they never had allegiance.
Today, it is a verbal battle of people in a war against certain sins. Of course, in the history of Catholicism and Islam they go to the extreme and seek out heretics and set out to torture and kill them. It is incredible how extremely far such people are from the truth, from the God they claim to serve. In both of these religions, there is a rejection of the word of God, of God’s way. It is interesting how the world reacts to the religious zealots who condemn certain sins and the way they do it. As a result all kinds of people become involved in the debates and the news media is particularly confused. Usually the news media, takes the side of supporting the sin, supporting individuals rights and as a result sin receives support further confusing especially young minds. The problem of campaigning against certain sins although giving the appearance of having value is done incorrectly unless it is done side-by-side with the preaching of the truth. The arguments become physical and not spiritual without the gospel message. For instance, a woman claims the right to choose to abort the child or I have no right to deny two people in love from being married or the lie I tell will actually benefit many people. The “physical logic” can even overwhelms many who initially stood against sinful things. Sin is sin and there are no excuses to justify it, but there can be forgiveness.

The way God points out to attack sin is very different than just showing your disgust with sin, but involves transferring knowledge to people about God. The gospel message includes God is the God of the bible and He makes the rules. Life is a test and entirely about the soul and nothing else. God carefully delivered His word and will judge every person by His word. Everything God has said will come to pass, He cannot lie. The seriousness of sin is so great that God’s Son had to suffer the terrible death to provide each person a hope of heaven. The gospel message provides the answer to sin and the only answer. Repentance of sin, changing one’s life to eliminate sin going forward is required and salvation only occurs in obedience to God’s Son, specifically obeying the gospel. People need to understand the purpose of life and the consequences of dying in sin. This is the message from God and many, many will not accept the message. All will wish they did, all will wish they studied God’s word to see if these things were true. Life is very, very serious just as it is very, very short.

The physical message about sin, that it is a terrible thing and so on has no teeth. However, in a world where God’s word is respected the rejection of sin becomes essential to each person’s eternity. The physical message condemning sin is combated with physical logic and of course without a belief in God as the God of the bible there would be no strong, consistent reasoning for a person to avoid sin. Eventually, we have murderers, thieves and drunkards and all sorts of sinful individuals not being responsible “because they cannot help it.” The nature of a physical message against sin only works when there is harm done to others such as drunkenness is condemned when innocents are harmed in the case of drunken drivers. Society, in many cases acts in terms condemning this sin, really this behavior to the world and punishes, affects laws and to some extent does reduce the drunken driving. If the penalty is severe enough (losing your licence to drive for life) the problem can be pretty much eliminated. The spiritual message about sin has dire consequences, much more so than losing a drivers license for life. Life is about the soul and sin not repented, not forgiven is exceedingly more serious, eternally more serious than anything else in life. This is the spiritual gospel message regarding why YOU need to take sin seriously.

The church belonging to God is spiritual, with local churches consisting of those who the Lord added to the church and have associated themselves with a local group. The mission and the organization of the church are defined in scripture. There is no larger body of Christians than the local independent congregations – yet interestingly enough if they have the bible as their only source of authority, they can and will all believe the same doctrine. The “church, the spiritual body of Christ” brings a spiritual message in relation to sin, in relation to seeking and saving that which was lost. That is, an answer to sin that God promised in Genesis 3.15.

Note: The spiritual body of Christ consists of all the souls, which Christ Himself added to the church (Acts 2.47) and that is a significant number including those dead and alive “IN CHRIST.”
These and only these are the ones who Jesus will gather in the air on His return at the end of the world (1 Thessalonians 4.15-17).

1 Thessalonians 4.15-17

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

In conclusion of this matter:
The religious so-called Christians of the world have not respected the word of God, often aligning with the world and consequently to “watering-down” the holy scriptures. In their shallow faith they doubt God’s ability to deliver the word of God in a way that was perfect. The “Christian world caves-in” under objections of “which translation”, the unfairness of the gospel in terms of its exclusivity, accepting the compromises of humankind for various sins and essentially look more and more like the world. The consistent picture of religions can be said to be physical and not spiritual. Spiritual persons are those have obeyed the gospel and continue in obedience to God, living for Christ. You are not spiritual, but living a physical existence only if you compromise or reject God’s word for various physical reasons or personal physical judgments. You do have a spiritual component since you are an intelligent living being created in the image of God. However, God makes the distinction of the spiritual nature of a person in terms of their relationship with their His Son. Those persons that are spiritual as God uses the term are that way because of their choice to be “In Christ” and then to live with the Spirit of God dwelling in you. That in-dwelling is seen in living in accordance with God’s will, which the Spirit of God delivered and not live according to the flesh, not live carnally minded. So you can see here is the physical man and here is the spiritual man.

The physical man is left behind as it says below, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

Galatians 2.20

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

You came into Christ, that is put on Christ as indicated below in Galatians 3.26,27.

Galatians 3.26,27

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

God strongly differentiates those who live their life according to the flesh versus according to the Spirit by showing the certain the eternal fate of each.

Romans 8.5-9

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

God clarifies this further by saying here are the FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT that represent a spiritual person and here are the WORKS OF THE FLESH, which characterize the life of the physical person. You can find these respectively in Galatians 5.22-25 and Galatians 5.19-21 (quoted further down this page).

Galatians 5.22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The conclusion is really very powerful and the most important thing in your life. The Catholic church has nothing to do with God and you need to know. That is just the beginning of your journey to heaven as you need the truth and respond to it faithfully the rest of your life.

Teach The Truth And Error Will Be Disgraced

There is God’s way and no other way and this in no way lessens the love God has for humankind. God explains His love in terms of the sacrifice of His Son and therein sets up the condition for eternal life – for heaven. Jesus, being the author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him. Humanity loves their freedom to live how they wish and God allows this, but to achieve heaven you need to live God’s way. A given religion either teaches truth or error and the doctrines of humankind should be pointed out as error. Actually, in the big picture all that has to be done is to teach the truth and in that process error is exposed. The extent of error in the world is so overwhelming that a common conclusion is that no one knows the truth or there is no truth.

John 8.24, John 14.6 and Acts 4.12 would indicate that there is truth and error. Truth is what is spoken and recorded for us and anything different is error. Thus teaching different than the scriptures can be pointed to as error. There is such a gap between what is truth and error that anyone who loves the truth can easily discern truth. The manufactured religions of the world are easily exposed, but time and experience has shown that the truth about false doctrines seldom moves a person away from that religion. This could be simply that speaking in opposition to their belief system immediately becomes a personal affront to something they may consider as “sacred.” These are NOT lovers of truth, that is, those who are open-minded and investigate.

The verses below infuriate many people because of the exclusive nature of these words. Jesus is the only way to heaven, thus those who believe differently will not be successful. Now enters a series of human problems as people outwardly show their concern for those who believe differently. This “narrowness” of God is enough reason for many to abandon any God, any religion, but especially the God of the bible since they often already do not like His rules. God does not want those who reject His Son for whatever reason. Over many years there have been many religions created by humanity with many twisting the scriptures to their point of view as their foundation. Many apologize for God’s narrowness and teach differently in this regard. God means what He says and carefully delivered the message to humankind. God is in no way responsible for those who have created religions or is it an excuse to follow after them. The religion of God is there for one reason and that is to bring a person through life and into heaven. Only the truth of the scriptures can do that. The mess we have today and growing has been successful for one reason. Simply, because there has not been sufficient opposition to the error that entices so many. Today and for much of the past there is vehement resistance to anyone who questions the religion of others. Jesus on one occasion, told the Jews:

John 8.24

24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Jesus is the only way to God, so if other than this is taught it can be pointed out as error.

John 14.6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

There is only one name under heaven by which a person can be saved.

Acts 4:12

12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

The thought of Matthew 7.13,14 is Jesus teaching the difficult and narrow way to heaven. The very words from God, such as the verses above defined an exclusive, specific path to heaven. So it is no surprise that Jesus points out very powerfully the narrow way to heaven and then indicates few will find it.

Matthew 7.13,14

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Truth Sometimes Angers, Sometimes is Tragically Seen As Foolishness

The outcome of Jesus teaching was to anger the Jewish leaders, sufficiently, we know to kill Jesus in the most cruel manner. The Lord’s people cannot expect to be well received by the world as Jesus pointed out.

John 15.18

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

However for those who are lovers of truth, to them the gospel truth is the power of God to save. Others (those perishing, headed for a failed life), will see the teaching from God as foolishness.

1 Corinthians 1.18,19

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

Sadly, the teachings of humankind in relation to God are accepted as they are more appealing. People accept the religions of humankind for many very different reasons. Perhaps they like what is taught, or they like what they see such as the pageantry or the apparent authority and in some cases accept the teaching out the fear of disassociation or physical threats.

Paul, An Unlikely Choice, Selected For Service To God

Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was one who was tasked with destroying the followers of Christ.

Acts 22.3-5

3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

Then Paul was converted and he became the target of the same people who he labored with in destroying the followers of Christ.
Paul would preach the gospel and in that process he would point out the error of the religions where he was preaching. You can find these instances throughout his travels preaching the gospel over a wide range of the known world. He sums up the things he faced as a result of confronting the religious error of the day. In the process of teaching the truth, error is exposed and very often brings out a misguided, zealous reaction to discredit, hurt or kill the teacher.

2 Corinthians 11.23-27

23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

Catholicism Speaks Of God working in Mysterious Ways
However, The Mystery The Scriptures Speaks Of Has Been Revealed
The True Mystery Is The Origin Of The Catholic Church

Certainly a part of deceiving people is to teach that there is a mystery, and the Catholic church uses this very well by indicating there is some cloud covering the way God works that they uniquely understand. The mystery of the faith (sometimes, “God works in mysterious ways”) is an explanation they use to support a person’s inability to understand God. In fact, God’s plan was to reveal the mysteries of the past, namely the salvation of souls in the gospel. So, once again the Catholic church teaches the exact opposite of what has been revealed.

Romans 16.25,26

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 
26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—

It may be unpleasant for a person to hear that one’s beliefs are being questioned. They may act-out as did many against Paul and others bringing considerable physical and/or mental suffering. This would be a pattern that would never end as the truth would meet consistently with high hostility. The period of Constantine where Christianity was becoming the state religion was very distant from the Christianity of the first century. In 313 AD, Constantine and his co-emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, which specifically guaranteed religious freedom to Christians. It may have sounded good, but out of this would grow something much different than what people need for heaven.
From this time there was an increasing amount of mixing in of the idolatry of pagan Rome with the already changing gospel of Christianity. The Catholic church would have it beginnings, its character formed from this period. The structure, the practices, the intolerance and paranoia of human institutions, in this case the influence of Rome can be seen to this day in the character of the Roman Catholic Church. Error, over the centuries from around 300 AD gradually increased until what we know today as the Catholic church officially appeared sometime later. “Christian (so-called) Rome” – eventually Roman Catholicism would become the legitimate successor of pagan Rome!
Some would say that the concept of a pope got its impetus with Constantine about the time of the Edict of Milan as now there was a physical leader, on a physical throne in some way associated with Christianity. It is difficult to say when popes appeared in secular history (that is in fact truly existed), but it MAY be late into the 6th century. The first actual Pope in Rome was probably Leo I (440-461 A.D.), although some claim that Gregory I was the first (590-604 A.D.). This ungodly system eventually ushered in the darkest period of history known to man, properly known as the “Dark Ages” (500-1500 A.D.). Catholics claim a continuous line of popes from Peter (who never had such a title or was in such a position). The line of their popes is not supported by any secular records, but is entirely the fabrication of the Catholic church. It is interesting that people accept such a list in view of those creating it were also those who would do anything to preserve the religion they created. We know they murdered anyone giving a hint of disbelief. So, why would anyone trust such persons who would do whatever was necessary to maintain their illegitimate power, including back-naming a list of their popes. Those named were often people who actually existed historically, but like Peter they knew nothing of such an office as pope. This is why the later dates for the first real popes is in the 440 AD to 604 AD range. There were warnings in 1st century of a falling away and Paul said there were already those who had perverted the gospel of Christ. Then around 300 AD the characteristic traits of paganism would be added to an already perverted gospel eventually leading to the name, Roman Catholic church. This was a gradual process over many years and thus pinpointing its true start is difficult. There begins to be truly independent SECULAR HISTORICAL records regarding “popes and their doctrines” after the true beginning of this religious group.

Catholicism: Obvious Opposition To The Truth

Catholicism represents the “ultimate” in blasphemy against the word of God. Namely, indicating they were authorized to change the word of God. Unlike Paul who taught the truth, Catholicism was paranoid and murdered, tortured the opposition as a way to preserve their power. Their hierarchy lived nothing like what Jesus described on the sermon on the mount. Their lives represented the worst of sinful lives seeking pleasure in everything and presiding over courts judging various persons to be heretics and proceeding to burn them at the stake. During these times much of the Catholic doctrine was produced. They neither understood God or His purpose and therefore did not understand and respect the sovereignty of God’s word.

Paul would go wherever and debate, reason with, and persuade people concerning the kingdom of God.

Acts 19.8-10

8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

God requires His people to take the truth to a world that needs it and in the beginning they were not shy in pointing out error. Indeed, as Jesus described they would go out among ravenous wolves. The Lord’s people have no choice since God left spreading the message in their hands. They are armed with THAT WHICH IS PERFECT in converting the soul and God indicates they can take on the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6.13-20. Error is abundant today because not enough people with a knowledge of the truth had or have the courage to confront error. This will not be acceptable to God as Jesus told in various parables (i.e. the parable of the talents).

Jesus even revealed that in some cases the ones who would persecute and kill them would believe they were doing God’s will.

John 16:2

2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

One of the motivations to persecute and the kill the children of God and also used to justify their evil deeds was to murder in the name of God. It has occurred since the beginning of the Christian age as Jews, including Saul of Taurus carried out the terror believing they did God service. Those promoting their version of Christianity, such as Catholicism were the most prolific in this practice. God’s people could avoid much of the persecution by staying silent, but that is not God’s way – the truth needs to be taught.

The one who goes out with the attitude of aggressively teaching others the truth will only do more harm than good UNLESS WHAT THEY TEACH IS INDEED THE TRUTH. Most of the world in their missionary zeal are not bringing the truth people need. There is no honor in spreading deceit, but terrible retribution from God. You have helped no one except to bring them one step closer to hell as yourself.
Jesus made this perfectly clear in Matthew.

Matthew 23.15

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

All this because God does not accept error. God’s way is very exclusive, very one way, very narrow, very difficult and includes many “unless you’s.”

UNLESS you be converted

Matthew 18.3

3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, UNLESS you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

UNLESS you are born again

John 3.5

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, UNLESS one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

UNLESS you repent

Luke 13:3

3 I tell you, no; but UNLESS you repent you will all likewise perish

God defines sin as those things that will keep a person out of the kingdom of God and He does this in various ways in the scriptures. Here in the verses below, He lumps any number of sins together and all with the same result.

Galatians 5.19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21.8

8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The same people that bring a different gospel, also frequently show their total disrespect for God by lessening the impact of sin and accepting or marginalizing its seriousness. God and His word are not respected as it seems “teachers” justify changing the word of God to make the message more appealing to a broader audience. One of those ways is to be more accepting of things God defines as sin such as noted in the verses directly above. It is a case of the end justifies the means. You might find a few cases in worldly matters where the end justified the means or it was at least debatable. There is no case where God’s word is ever compromised by the end justifying the means. God says what He means and means what He says and sin is sin and those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Over time, religions have fully embraced many different gospels and accepted almost every kind of sin.

Who Are You Going To Trust For Your Eternity

It would be good if you could realize that no human being is worthy of your trust, including this author. There is no great man or woman who has the knowledge that is from outside the physical realm. There is no science that can give you the correct answers. There is no logic, no reasoning that will provide you with the truth. NOW, you along with your independent and questioning study of God’s word can be certain. The most powerful evidence will be found in the perfection of what God delivered and how everything, and I mean everything fits perfectly together. One place that might help is Heaven Assured.

The bible indicates that the fool has said in his heart that there is no God. Just as foolish and perhaps even more so is the person who recognizes God’s existence, but then follows after a false God, a false doctrine. Certainly, the Israelite’s escaping from Pharaoh knew of God, but would abandon Him as they roamed the wilderness, even creating other objects to worship. It would become a pattern for many of the Israelite’s over the future centuries. The modern world works at finding ways to PROVE their rejection of God’s existence. The religions of the world seldom teach the truth about God, the one God, the God of the bible. In rejecting God, the God of the bible there is exceedingly great foolishness. This foolishness will unfortunately seldom be recognized by people until they face God in judgment. Clarity for most will not be realized until their physical existence ends. The perfection readily available in God’s word will eternally haunt people of religion as well as those who rejected God’s existence. There is almost a perfect correlation between those who say they trusted this person or this group for their eternity and those who will fail in life. You need to understand what you believe, it is your soul and not the person’s or group’s in whom you trusted. In Catholicism, it is commonly said that “I trusted my priest”, or they may say I trusted my bishop, or even the pope. You followed the rules of Catholicism and were faithful to the Catholic church. You attended mass regularly, you partook of the sacraments, you supported the Catholic church with funds and on and on. All those things you never realized were in opposition to the word of God. You could have easily known, if you had a love of the truth. There is one solid thing to count on in this life and only in God’s word will you find certainty, assurance of a successful life.

Catholicism: Easily Recognized As From Man and Not From God

Catholicism is one of the easiest religions to understand as being from humankind and not from God. In every major and minor category it fails the test of authenticity. Catholicism gets away with this by claiming they have the right to make the rules, by indoctrinating the children of their members, by their development of a group of people (apologists) who “explain” the problems they have with scripture and then do all this giving the illusion of majesty and authority. Essentially, Catholicism is the anti-matter of truth being the opposite of God’s design for a successful life. Indeed, it will cost the souls of many billions of people since its inception. The same can be said for all of humankind’s created religions. Protestantism, Islam, Mormonism, Buddhism and the others all provide the people of the world with deceit leading to a failed life. There is truth and it is powerful and anyone with the right attitude and possessing certain characteristics like humility and a love of the truth as well as the courage to overcome the obstacles can succeed and end their human existence in heaven.

The character of false doctrines is pretty consistent throughout history and the skills of those developing the defenses can be convincing to the casually minded. Their cunningly devised stories are sufficient to overcome the person who does not have a love of the truth, but often a love of what they want to hear. Many times the story is logical and some evidence is given even using scripture. It is a twisting of the truth and it can be effective because a person respects a certain person or group of people more than God. It is almost certain that such people do not know that God left His word to provide assurance. God in no way left the key part of His purpose for humankind in the hands of this person or persons or this or that group. Unfortunately, we do have all these religions such as Catholicism, Protestantism, Mormonism, Islam and all the other religions of humankind BECAUSE people believed they could speak for God.
Below, God warns those children of His (the church at Ephesus) not to be carried away by error and mentions different forms of the deceit such as every wind of doctrine, trickery,craftiness and plotting.

Ephesians 4.14,15

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

These are the same type of things that keep people from a knowledge of the truth in order to become a child of God. Century after century the distance from the truth becomes an obstacle as doctrine long accepted is no longer questioned. Yet, a simple “looking back” to those periods reveals that the inventors of such doctrine were often persons of little or no integrity, often murderous and immoral. The popes and religious leadership of those times were not the humble servants, but those who were served and brought terror to their followers and also to the world. The motivation to maintain their power, their life of pleasure and their position of being feared resulted in many paranoid judgments and rules to support their authority. So, not only do the apologists have to defend the Catholic problems with scripture, but also create the illusion of evil persons still having the right to make the rules. It is easy to get caught up in the nonsense of all the rhetoric, but for God’s people the emphasis needs to be to “preach the word.” The word of God is simple and requires no apologist to contrive defenses. If a person speaks where the bible speaks and is silent where it does not speak, one will never end up with the religions of the world.

The Terror of Old Catholicism and the Terror of New Catholicism

The history of Catholicism is bloody, murderous and many thousands have been tortured and murdered under the early popes. The popes and their priests themselves lived wildly immoral lives beyond what could even be imagined today. Interestingly, today this is acknowledged by the Catholic church, it would be hard to deny the extensive secular well-documented history. In addition to all the cruelty, immorality there was a lust for world power and quite amazingly that was largely attained and much of this continued in some regions of the world until modern times.

By the 13th century Catholicism was the most powerful influence in Europe. Everyone except for the Jews and Muslim nations belonged to the church and felt its authority. The pope had more power and wealth than all the kings and nobles combined. His archbishops, bishops, and abbots were usually great feudal lords, with rich possessions and military strength. The church courts controlled all cases involving property, marriage, wills, and anything of substantial value or important to maintaining their power base. As mentioned, they were believed to have some connection with God and used various tools such as excommunication which carried a supposed spiritual condemnation that was combined with a disassociation of all other important persons in their lives. Instead of having a fear of God in relation to keeping His commands there was a physical fear of retribution including torture and death.

The Combination of the Power of the Catholic Church and
The Might of Nations Was A Lethal Force Bringing Fear To Anyone Daring To Oppose

Catholicism partnered with various nations in disposing of the opposition. This was never more clear than in the attempted extermination of the Huguenots. This mass murder occurred during the night of 23rd-24th August, 1572; the notorious “Saint Bartholomew’s Night Massacre”. When Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585) received the message of the massacre he not only sang a Tedium in Rome, but even had a commemorative coin minted. There were many of the early protestant groups suffering these massive or gradual annihilation’s. The inquisition of the Catholic church was against many different groups and beginning well before the reformation movement – such as the Waldenses.

Known as “people of the Book,” the scriptures are what embodied the faith of the Waldensians — they lived by it and died for it. They were tortured, exiled and martyred, and still the faith that drove them from the Alpine Valleys of Italy to the foothills of North Carolina survived. The Trail of Faith is their story — each exhibit bearing witness to the journey that led them, from the time of the apostles, one continent to another in search of religious freedom and a future for their families.
The Waldenses believed the Bible was open to interpretation by everyone and they took seriously the commission to share the message into all the world. For centuries, they sought to serve God, sharing His love and spreading His Word. A peaceful people, they often found themselves at war as they sought to be true to their faith. They worshiped in secrecy for fear of being captured and killed, memorizing Scripture in preparation of their Bibles being burned. More than once, rulers thought them eradicated, but time after time, there arose a remnant to carry on.
1120 AD
An ancient Confession of Faith of the Waldensians considerably predates Calvin, Luther, and Peter Waldo.
1165 AD
Waldensians escape persecutions in France by fleeing to the Valleys of the Piedmont, and find there like-minded brethren, with whom they enjoy a mutual edification of faith.
1487 AD
Cataneo’s War against the Waldensians, ignited by Pope Innocent VII’s declaration that “whoever kills a Waldensian will have pardon for his sins and the right to keep any property taken from his victim.”
http://www.waldensiantrailoffaith.org/#!waldensian-timeline/cask
The faith of the Waldenes

Catholic history of rule over nations is the background that created the movement of separation of church and state. Again, it should have been titled the separation of the state from Catholicism. Although, to God’s children nothing has less interest than being involved with governments. God’s directions to His children are to obey the powers that are over you – not to be troublemakers. The Jews wanted a Messiah that would conquer the Roman rule and place them in a position over all nations. They did not see Jesus and His message as what they wanted. Jesus brought a spiritual message to solve a spiritual problem. Thus, it is no surprise that they sought to kill Jesus and eventually accomplished that goal. The concept of separation of church and state with it true value often goes too far and discounts moral issues because they may be associated or favor one religion over another.

The Roman Catholic Inquisitions

The Inquisitions were judicial institutions or tribunals that were established by the Roman Catholic Church in order to seek out, try, and sentence people that the Roman Catholic Church believed to be guilty of heresy. The purpose of the inquisitions was to secure and maintain religious and doctrinal unity in the Roman Catholic Church through either the conversion or persecution of alleged heretics. The inquisitions began about 1250 and continued to about 1834. The tortures and public burning’s at the stake represent the worst moments of humankind’s history. The institution survived as part of the Roman Curia, but in 1904 was given the new name of “Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office”. In 1965 it became the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The Control Over Nations

It was extreme paranoia that drove the many massacres led by the various nations that were dominated by Rome. Sometimes it was an entire group of people who were murdered, sometimes the target of Rome was an individual. It seems unbelievable, but the Catholic church held power over countries because many believed Catholicism had some association with God. It was a lethal combination of world leaders and the pope, which served both to keep the people of those nations from rebelling against the government as well as against Catholicism. Eventually various nations broke free from the Catholic hold. This same lust for power is not as obvious today, but the desire to set policies for the world has never changed. People remain wary of the Catholic threat, but generation after generation there is less awareness.
The deceptiveness of religion is quite amazing. The pope came to America and talks about immigration laws encouraging acceptance of all who want to enter our borders. Sounds wonderful, what a great humanitarian thought, but first of all, none of this is the business of Rome. The topics of the Catholic leader are many physical, usually political subjects from the death penalty to poverty and there may be motives such as looking good in terms of concern, humility. Regardless, if there is some motive the point is THE MESSAGE Of The Catholic Church is not spiritual. The message of the scriptures is the gospel message in relation to the soul of each person. It is a serious message that requires a serious life commitment. The consequences of every action, every spoken word are known to God’s people, but like so many things this spiritual message is not known to the world. This is the message that is needed, really one of hundreds of things needed along with the advice from God that encourages obedience.

Ecclesiastes 12.13,14

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

Matthew 12.36,37

36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Does the Catholic, do the people of the world realize the seriousness of the word of God? Is there a belief that they will not face the judgment and the above things from God will not apply to them? Living a life that pleases God is difficult if you know the message from God and obviously impossible if you do not.

Catholics are casual to life, staying just within the rules of Catholicism, living in the world and thinking heaven will be theirs. There is no authority for their existence, their history is despicable and the message has never been correct and in fact is the opposite to the scriptures. They have effectively murdered many to maintain their power, but the real damage is to the souls they have and continue to mislead.

So, from time to time, in modern times there is an apology. Things have not changed as most recently it is extreme widespread child sexual abuse finally admitted after many decades of this disgusting pattern. So, what do we get? Some more apologies and before that a great deal of cover-up. There is just no concept of the gospel message and this would be expected from a physical man-made religion. Spiritual things cannot be discerned by those who are not spiritual. This is God’s way, part of His plan, His purpose for our creation.

1 Corinthians 2.13,14

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Today, we might have a pope, or church leader (almost any religion) talking about a goal of peace on earth. Other subjects of emphasis might be anything that gives the appearance of a good and moral organization.
Jesus made it clear that He DID NOT COME TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH, but a sword. The gospel message is not a physical message, but a higher message dealing with eternity. All the things SEEN will be gone, they are temporary and not the focus of those who bring the truth. The things UNSEEN are eternal and these are the things of the gospel message. That is why one can rightfully say that life is about the soul and nothing else.

2 Corinthians 4.18

18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

You can correctly say that life is about the battle between good and evil. You would be right to say that very personally the battle is between YOU AND SIN. So, when you see religious leaders speak of all the physical things of their concern, they are not of God. Instead they are “playing to the world’s way of thinking.” Yes, the religions of the world are man-devised and of no value. Value lies in helping you to have a successful life, a successful spiritual life ending in heaven. The gospel message is simply what you need for heaven and it is there because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. In fact, you OBEY the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus when you obey the gospel. The sword that Jesus brought is a message that will separate those who love God from those who do not. Obedience to the gospel solves each person’s problem by forgiving their past sins. The message from religious leaders succeeds because people look more to the physical as being important than the spiritual, i.e. peace on earth, immigration, workers rights, distribution of wealth, family values and on and on. These are good things typically and of course we want them, but they are not the message of the gospel – the message you need for your eternity. You see in your life lived in a godly manner you can achieve things like having a godly family, you might live in a time of peace and you may have a degree of success – but you may not. What matters is did you live in a way that in the end heaven will be your home?

Although, the Catholic threat is different today than in the past, it is just as damaging for those who follow the doctrine inasmuch as it will result in a failed life. There is really no more obvious deceit in religion than Catholicism, although several have similar histories. Protestantism, a child of Catholicism provides a kinder dose of rhetoric, but it is just as deadly to the soul. Islam, Mormonism, Buddhism and many others present themselves differently, but do not carry the gospel message that people need. If you seek a peaceful world, it is not going to happen. The only hope of such a things is the gospel since in that message God’s people will be those who are not greedy, not selfish, and not filled with pride, but where people value others higher than themselves. A world like that could mean peace on earth. Likewise you may understand why it is unlikely that there will be peace on earth since the world has never been free of greed, pride, selfishness and concern for others greater than self. Maybe you can understand why Jesus said He did not come to bring peace on earth, a temporary thing. His goal was always much higher, that is the salvation of your soul, an eternal thing.

The Distinction You Need – Spiritual versus Physical

Religion has served to confuse the world and created many atheists, nonetheless there is no excuse. You need to be strong enough to overcome the teachings of humankind and only accept God’s word. The religions of the world typically have a common thread compared to the truth from God. They are physical and not spiritual in their characteristics and doctrines.

Roman Catholicism is a physical rule-making body even including much of the old testament physical practices or continuing them in some form. The title of priest is a designation for special trained men in the Catholic church. The priests of the Old Testament performed certain physical duties per the instructions of God. Their service was always less than perfect as were their sacrifices. Sins, for instance were forgiven for a year. Now, Christ has come and is the priest, the only priest having sacrificed Himself one time and sins are forgiven forever. Every aspect of the the Lord’s church is spiritual including those added to His spiritual body by the Lord. There is a local physical church consisting of those who are spiritual by obedience to the gospel. The only connection God’s children have to God is through the One to whom they obeyed, namely Jesus. The local physical group is simple with a simple function and that is evangelism. The rules as always come from God and as Jesus indicated the Holy Spirit would guide the apostles into all truth. There are NO human-made religious rules, since the revelation from God had been completed before the end of the 1st century. Even during the first century there were those who began to change the word of God.

Galatians 1.6-9

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

By the 3rd and 4th century rules and rule-making bodies began to appear. Out of this time came Roman Catholicism with what would become a most physical church with titles (and associated reverence) such as pope, priest, bishop, cardinals and others. Their laws and councils amount to extreme blasphemy to the God of heaven. In no way does the required allegiance from their members do anything of value, but in fact mislead and eventually destroy the souls of their followers.

Roman Catholic Organization: Physical vs. Spiritual, Old vs. New law

If you look at the Roman Catholic worship as seen in the “Catholic mass” you can see many things that are similar to the Old Law. Such things as the “sacrifice” nature of the mass, ceremonial and physical aspects of worship, priests used in the “sacrifice” of the mass, detailed physical laws and rules for everything, and many more things that are typical of the Old (imperfect and physical) Law. The law of Christ is perfect in that it replaces the various imperfect aspects of the Old Law. Under the Old Law men were doing the best they could (i.e. bring the best of what they had) in sacrifice and practices, but the sacrifice was imperfect and had only temporary value. Catholic worship is a physical worship with great edifices, statues, priests, and ceremonies. The New Law provides perfection as seen in individual obedience to the Law of Christ in that it allows a person to put on Christ. This process of conversion is spiritual (see Conversions of the New Testament). A child of God is continually honoring God by presenting himself/herself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12.1).

The Doctrine of Christ, The Law of Christ, The New Covenant Is Spiritual

The character of the New Law (or the Law of Christ) is spiritual in all aspects. God’s children are part of the universal SPIRITUAL church to which the Lord added them at their obedience. The “public” worship pattern of the local church is simple and without pageantry. It is always (in our daily walk or in our local church setting) as Jesus revealed, those that worship God will worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4.24). The message is spiritual (that is from God, the Scriptures, the truth). The singing is spiritual making melody in your hearts. The giving is spiritual giving as you purpose in your heart. The Lords Supper is a spiritual memorial bringing into remembrance for each of God’s children the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The Lord’s supper in no way involves a sacrifice, but the sacrifice was once for all time. It is a terrible travesty to continually reenact the death of Christ as it is going back to the practice of the Old Covenant, which was imperfect and physical. In that system the reenactment was necessary since the sacrifice was imperfect and the result was imperfect and temporary. How could anyone conceive of a continual sacrificial worship, such as is the nature of the Catholic mass in view of the scriptures. Of course, those who are not spiritual would not understand the ways of God (as He reveals in 1 Corinthians 2.13,14). Hebrews explains this very well by saying the sacrifices for sin were not desired by God, but required in this imperfect system. Then Jesus speaks saying, He came to do the will of the Father and bring a new law, a perfect law ONCE for all. “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

Hebrews 10.8-14

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law),
9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,
13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.
14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

When it is said that Catholicism is the opposite of truth, the anti-matter of truth this is the most grievous accusation against any religion. The consequences of changing the truth from God will be the cost of all the souls they entice. Catholicism even exalts what they call the Eucharist as the differentiation between them and other Christian groups. This very thing they exalt and hold sacred is an abomination to God as is their very existence. The extent of the lies is almost beyond comprehension for one who understands the word of truth of the gospel, God’s purpose, God’s plan. It is not surprising that men in creating a church without understanding would build physical characteristics into all aspects of their rules. Indeed we have the Catholic (Universal) PHYSICAL church and it is exactly the vehicle by which the hope of heaven is destroyed.

The pageantry of Roman Catholicism is created by the ideas of men and includes magnificent buildings, statues and elegant ceremonies with musical instruments for the edification of the people in attendance and not for God. Again, worship must be in Spirit and truth and all worship to God is first and ALWAYS GOD’S WAY. You honor God by doing what He commands as there is no way your best ideas of how to worship God do anything other than show your pride, your arrogance. The scriptures make this very clear. You can see how God views worship to Him throughout the Old covenant and how it is always obedience that matters. After King Saul offended God by his actions with the Amalekites, Samuel told King Saul that it is better to obey than sacrifice.

1 Samuel 15.22

22 So Samuel said:
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.

We see Paul in the book of Acts explaining God to the Athenians, who had created a statue to the unknown God. Paul reveals how God looks at worship.

Acts 17.24,25

24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

It almost seems humankind, especially Christian so-called humankind said, let us look at all God has revealed about himself, salvation and worship and do the opposite. Worship is about obedience to the truth, it is spiritual and you need to be spiritual (a child of God) to do it acceptably.

John 4.24

24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Roman Catholic doctrine does not make the distinction between the Old and New Law in the absolute manner described by God. So, when the Catholic leaders were developing many of these things in the early centuries and really over much of the first 1000 years of their existence and subsequently to this day they were creating their system with this serious misunderstanding. As a result we see priests, the mass, sacraments, special honor for their hierarchy, and a seemingly endless number of man-made ceremonies, rules and regulations. We observe that the Catholic priest is in the same role as seen in the mass, confession, and other Catholic Rites as the Old Testament priest being an intercessor between God and the people. However in the New Testament, God’s children have an individual relationship with God through Christ via their obedience and in this sense they themselves are a royal priesthood. This is NOT a separate priesthood who serves the people interceding between God and the priest. In this case, every child of God can directly contact God through Christ – no intercessor except Jesus, who is the singular High Priest and also Prophet and King.

1 Peter 2.9,10

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

It is incredibly and abundantly clear that our high priest with God is Christ (Hebrews 4.14,15) and there is no other mediator (1 Timothy 2.5). It is just as incredibly and abundantly obvious that unlike the Old Testament where God did define a unique priesthood, that HE DID NOT DEFINE A UNIQUE PRIESTHOOD FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT.

In summary, God’s children see God as holy, the central thing in their life and can approach God because they are holy (Colossians 3.12) and Jesus is their high priest and advocate (1 John 2.1). They have established a relationship with Christ and attained the forgiveness of their past sins. The Catholic Church is not rightly dividing the word of God by having various positions of priest, bishop, pope, all of whom are Catholic priests supposedly mediating between God and man. In effect, Catholicism has imitated the Old Testament pattern and created another imperfect system, but in their case also an illegitimate system. As a result, they have missed out on the whole meaning that God intended. Most seriously is the fact that Catholics will miss out on the gift that God has provided, namely the salvation of their souls.

Catholic Success – Certainly The Deceit Could Not Be So Massive – It Must Be True

It should not be surprising that people follow Roman Catholicism inasmuch as:
Catholicism makes sense to people, coming from men and thus having a human perspective. Since that perspective changes over time so will the rules. Humankind likes changing the rules, i,e, to fit the times. However, God’s rules being perfect to accomplish His purpose do not need to change and in fact changes are destructive to the truth people so desperately need.
The Catholic religion has no respect for God’s word even by their very existence. Roman Catholicism is as close to the opposite of scripture as can be achieved. It is so clearly man-made in view of God’s word such that it will be the most regrettable of all decisions a person can make. Yet, although not an excuse, the Catholic format is appealing to humankind in its authority, ceremonies and emotional aspects such as a history of miracles (NONE of which are true) and so-on. It may be hard for the indoctrinated Catholics to believe there is NO aspect of Catholicism that is the truth. The magnitude of the deceit is so large, like how one lie requires another and another and over the centuries the truth is covered. An example would be that Catholics do not question the position of a pope or his authority or the sovereignty of the Catholic church. They may and do question some of the rules that might affect their daily life’s. In such a mire of lies and confusion their members MUST leave Catholicism to find the truth and have a successful life.

Catholicism and Other Religions Created by Humankind – Foolishness

The religions of the world are all useless inasmuch as they do not lead to eternal life – heaven. God’s way leads to life. How could any person know the truth? Just one way, and that is through what God has revealed – the inspired scriptures. The religions of the world will not help. It is easy to see the error in comparing what they believe compared to what God has delivered.

Protestantism

The Protestant denominations frequently create doctrines to make easy the conversion to Christianity and the subsequent life leading to success. In that process they become a very physical versus spiritual institution. The variations in their beliefs are substantial, many even bring Christ back to this physical earth for 1000 years. They are often very physical in their worship and practices and are broadly accepting of all sorts of sin. Their first and most fundamental error was to try to reform Catholicism when what was needed was to restore the first century church. That is, follow the scriptures so carefully delivered by the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, they began with their own new interpretations of scripture and held to many of the Catholic practices. As a result, there are many of the physical characteristics from Catholicism associated with their denominations. Additionally, in their effort to convert many, to have large organizations (churches) they further compromised the word of God. They fail to teach correctly the most fundamental and critical aspect of the gospel – SALVATION. Their very existence/organization is like Catholicism being in opposition to God’s way in MOST ALL ASPECTS of the doctrine of Christ.

Islam

Islam is interested in physically protecting their god, killing many in the process. The God of the bible, says do not avenge, but vengeance is mine says the Lord. The Muslims follow the Old Testament scriptures and should have this understanding of God. They do not because their religion is man-made, specifically by Mohammed. Mohammed, a warring individual, who in writing the Koran made God (Allah) out to be one who wants humankind to kill the heretics (likely picked that up from Catholicism). His religion is one of control, fear for their human life’s (as opposed to fear of God) and completely opposed to the truth from the God of heaven. One of the controlling aspects built into the Koran supports their murderous way by promising a very sensual end for their men – a very human appeal to the base nature of mankind. In truth, the murders will die and find the God-defined eternal justice for murders. They will have no excuse! One disturbing and consistent aspect of many of these man-made religions is the tenacity of their believers. The other thing they have in common is the unquestioning compliance they have to their beliefs. God’s way requires people to be lovers of truth, but apparently the indoctrination / propaganda weakens their will to search for truth. For some strange reason in the presence of religious leaders, who claim to represent God and use their holy books to convince; Many will become emotionally moved and become compliant to the will of these “leaders.” Islam is in the present age similar to this same sort of domination that occurred earlier in time with Catholicism. In those days it was the Jesuits (to mention one group) pursuing the heretics in the inquisition and today it is the young Muslims following the edicts of Allah (really Mohammed) in jihad. It is no wonder that the world looks at religion with antagonism, concern and fear. Again, it is not an excuse for failing to find the truth from God. Certainly, for many it will be a stumbling block, a distraction that along with the pull of the world will result in missing out on what God wants for you. You might rightly conclude God wants those who can overcome the world and then conclude few will be strong enough to overcome the obstacles.

Mormons

Mormons believe Christ came physically back to earth in South America, they have a hierarchy that rules over many physical aspects of the lives of their members. It is solely the invention of Joseph Smith, a troubled boy and a troubled man. They should understand unless you have the doctrine of Christ you do not have Christ and God. It is easy to say that Mormonism is exceedingly foolish.

There are some religions that have a very peaceable history, such as Buddhism and many are attracted for this reason. Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development. Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life and do not worship gods or deities. This no-God philosophy is attractive largely because of the history of religions that have god’s. Due to a philosophy of religious tolerance much of the typical religious “warring” has been avoided. The afterlife for Buddhists is one of rebirth with six different planes and the attainment of “better planes” is related to how you have done in your current one. One can imagine how a human being contemplating what would be a possible scenario for what happens after death could reach such a conclusion. It handles the question of an afterlife and how people treat each other and gives the person a better position or a worse position in the next life – the rebirth process. Of course, the larger issues are avoided and this may be appreciated by devotees. Issues like why does anything exist, how are these teaching known to be true. Nonetheless, it attracts many people in its simplicity, but unfortunately satisfies the devotees such that there is no need to search for truth. So in different ways the human-made religions are effective in closing the minds of their followers.

Catholicism Needs To Be Understood In Terms Of Its Devastation To Souls

It is curious how the cruel, controlling, highly indoctrinating and changing doctrinal history of Catholicism does not awaken Catholics. It is a curious thing how the scriptures are so totally opposite to the doctrines of Catholicism. It is a curious thing how Catholicism blocked the scriptures from their followers, even placing it on a list of forbidden books, called the INDEX. In more modern times, the Catholic church portrays the bible as readable and very suitable for its members. This was a result forced by the availability of the scriptures to every person. Their apologists have an answer for everything, not a good answer, but something people without a good understanding can accept. The very reason the bible was on their “INDEX” was of course, to maintain control. That history of control includes murders of individuals and many different groups, gaining authority over nations, making the rules that maintain control and hundreds of other things. NOW in a modern age with increasing availability of information it was necessary to change their public appearance to a church interested in world peace, charity and in general a humanitarian organization. AS good as this “sounds” to the world it remains the OPPOSITE of the spiritual church belonging to Christ.

Note: About the Catholic INDEX: Over the centuries, from 1559 to 1948, twenty editions of the Index were prepared until, on 14 June 1966, Pope Paul VI officially abolished the Index. Over this time the bible was limited in various ways such as it was not to be read, not to be published and was a vehicle for the inquisitors to take action against those who violated INDEX books. Of course, in addition to the bible the Roman Catholic church included such books as the Muslim Koran, the Hebrew Talmud, and any works by Protestant theologians Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Philipp Melancthon. Works by astronomers Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei who advocated the theory of heliocentrism were entered into the Index. Works by Francis Bacon who devised what has become known as The Scientific Method, as well as those of Blaise Pascal who stated that scientific theories were characterized by their falsifiability were also added to the list. Over 4000 books were on the list in 1948. Control, control, control was needed so the Roman Catholic church could protect its deceit. Perhaps the most damaging lie was its very existence and that of a pope. Do you see the Catholic leaders of today as the evil persons portrayed in their infamous past? I think this would not be the case for the vast majority. Their leadership itself has been effectively indoctrinated since their youth. Somehow, over about the last 100 years, the Catholic church has been able to re-invent its persona and is still able to maintain its control over a certain, but lesser number of people. The Catholic church thrived when the bible was not available to their members as there was believed to be no other source of connectivity with God. Certainly, that contrived single source of connection with God was also the major reason for their success over nations, i.e. threats of excommunication. Unfortunately, the fate of their followers will be most grievous as they participated in opposing God, misleading many and of course were never “In Christ.”

INDEX LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM
Rule IV (from the LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM)
“Since experience teaches that, if the reading of the Holy Bible in the vernacular is permitted generally without discrimination, more damage than advantage will result because of the boldness of men, the judgment of bishops and inquisitors is to serve as guide in this regard. Bishops and inquisitors may, in accord with the counsel of the local priest and confessor, allow Catholic translations of the Bible to be read by those of whom they realize that such reading will not lead to the detriment but to the increase of faith and piety. The permission is to be given in writing. Whoever reads or has such a translation in his possession without this permission cannot be absolved from his sins until he has turned in these Bibles …”

The LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM read in its entirety is an amazing set of rules, laws and threats. The inquisitors are mentioned above and items like this were used to justify their torture, imprisonment and killing of the “heretics.” If you were a Catholic in 1950, you would not have known much about the bible. You would have had a Missal* and a Catechism that supported Catholic doctrine with interspersed, a few selected bible verses. Late into the twentieth century, Catholics had a limited (but fast growing) awareness of the bible and its claims of authority. Indeed the greatest fears of Roman Catholic hierarchy are being realized as the bible became available. It should be no surprise that unless the scriptures are kept from the people, the Catholic church will diminish. In some parts of the world, Catholicism still works their deceit using old tricks like mysticism, threats of hell if not aligned with them, and a pageantry that SEEMS to be from God – that is, SEEMS to be from the human perspective.
*The Roman Missal is the book containing the prescribed prayers, chants, and instructions for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Catholic Church.

The title, “Exceedingly Foolish Catholicism” is not targeted to the Catholic church, who has throughout history devised clever deceptions to mask the truth. But, the foolishness is aimed at those WHO BELIEVE Roman Catholic doctrines in consideration of all the evidence opposing their institution, in consideration of their total opposition to scripture. One might say, Catholics believe in Christ and Him crucified and they do, but they oppose the doctrine of Christ by their existence and practice.

2 John 1.9

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 

Christ died that the door could be opened to heaven and there is no possibility of heaven for individuals without the doctrine of Christ. So when someone changes the word they are in opposition to Jesus and Him crucified. Billions have called themselves Christians, but only those who abide in the doctrine of Christ have both the Father and Son. You see, the life of a Christian begins with obedience to the TRUTH and then continues as described in the doctrine of Christ. There is no way a person can know how to become a Christian and then how to live faithfully without knowing and respecting the word of God.

There are so many ways to tell that a religion is false and one of the easiest is to look at the physical nature of the religion. For example, when people violate the edicts of God, God’s people have no authority to fight a war, organize a protest or murder or even defame someone or some group. God’s people abhor sin, but are in the business of teaching truth (in that process, error is certainly exposed) and the truth will be accepted or rejected. Sin will have its consequence and God will take vengeance. This is not the job of, or is it a permissible route for the children of God.

At the “end of the day” the reason a person lives and dies a Catholic is because they love being a Catholic more than they love the truth. Unfortunately, seldom will that be acknowledged in their lifetime so they can do something about it.

John 17:17

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Why does the verse not say, the Catholic church is the truth. Consistently, the message is God’s word is truth. During the time of the first century, while God’s word was being completed there was no pope, no Catholic church, no priests, no confession of sins, no sacraments, no honor for Mary, no infant baptisms and hundreds of other things. Absent all these inventions, people were saved, added to the church, the spiritual body of Christ by the Lord. This was the time for authority and it happened because the Holy Spirit guided the apostles into all truth. The apostles did not know the mind of God and it was critical they got it right in order to have individuals act in obedience to Christ. The Catholic church evolved after the first century and as noted in various verses above the falling away began in the first century. Nonetheless, God’s word was completed and referred to by God as that which is perfect. God saw that this most important part of His purpose for humankind happened just as planned and today we have the truth – The word of God. Humanity may see the creation as amazing, beyond comprehension, but the gospel message is God’s power to save and without it, God’s purpose for humanity could not be fulfilled.

Every person can be sure of God’s truth, here are some references for those interested:

Adam, Eve, the Devil and The Purpose of Life
The Gospel Message
Foundations
Damaging Lies About Heaven
Few Will Achieve Heaven
God Has A Plan For You
A Guide To Heaven

What Is The Real Problem?

The real problem problem is not being a Catholic, although breaking away from that religion is necessary. The reason you should leave Catholicism is not because of the evil history, but because you will fail in life. Still, the more basic problem is one of disbelief in God and lack of trust in Him. Many do not believe that God is the creator and those who do, often do not truly trust what He has delivered or even that He could deliver it. You see His might, you His perfection in creation and realize that everything that exists is the result of God. However, are you certain that the word He provided is the answer you need for heaven? The evidence of your faith in God is your obedience to His will, your willingness to live your life for Christ. This then is the real problem, Catholicism and the other religions are stumbling blocks, distractions that will keep many from a successful life. The interesting thing is that they are obvious stumbling blocks and the vast majority of people are too busy living THEIR life to find out.

1 John 2.15-17

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

God could not be more straight-forward than pointing out your choice between the love of God (shown in obedience) and the love of the world (shown in disobedience to His will). The choice is yours and it is essentially a choice between eternal life and eternal loss. Jesus would in obedience to the Father go to the cross and suffer the terrible death and fulfill Genesis 3.15. His advice does not point to any other answer for salvation except to live your life for Him and the gospel. That is, for Him and His message as promised to be delivered by the Holy Spirit of God to His apostles. Living your life for Christ simply means not living it for what you want (i.e. lose your life), but for Christ by following the directives in His word.

Mark 8.35,36

35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

In all that God delivered there is an absence of the religions of humankind, but there is one truth. God expresses this to humankind by saying”
> There is ONE God and Father of all
> There is ONE Lord – Jesus
> There is ONE Spirit – the Holy Spirit
> There is ONE faith – that comes from the word of God
> There is ONE baptism – obedience to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ
> There is ONE hope of your calling – living hope for those “in Christ” that God promised in His word
> There is ONE body – the body of Christ, the spiritual church

The “singularity” is not what some scientists use to describe what they cannot explain. The singularity is the ONE’s described above by God that define His purpose and His plan. Life is about you and specifically about your soul and not about anything else. To miss out on what God has provided in Christ is to fail in life.