Why the Roman Catholic Church is the Greatest Organization in the History of the World.

[Mashmont]

I didn't say that there was a political leader of the church, I said the country of Vatican City. The smallest country in the world.

No, you said the 'organization', referring to the Catholic Church.

 

[Mashmont]

But since you bring it up. Is there a leader of the Catholic Church?

Francis isn't the best we've had.

 

[Mashmont]

I was commenting on the cultural Marxist like responses by JoeBlow.

I accidentally quoted you in that earlier post. Sorry.

 

[ding]

Francis isn't the best we've had.

Ok, but my point is that there have been leaders and leaders are supposed to be accountable although few actually are.

 

[onefour1]

Matthew 23:9​

9. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

 

[Mashmont]

Matthew 23:9​

9. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

This wasn't meant literally. The bible has many references to 'father' that are not referring to God. Stepher referred to Father Abraham. Many more examples. Let's focus on things that matter. Not nitpicky silly things.

 

[Mashmont]

Ok, but my point is that there have been leaders and leaders are supposed to be accountable although few actually are.

People do bad things. Popes have done bad things. The point is, the RCC is perfect anyway.

 

[onefour1]

This wasn't meant literally. The bible has many references to 'father' that are not referring to God. Stepher referred to Father Abraham. Many more examples. Let's focus on things that matter. Not nitpicky silly things.

So the words of Jesus are now nitpicky silly things? Within the priesthood, Jesus was teaching that one should not be called Rabbi, which means Master. For Jesus alone is our master. Also within the priesthood, Jesus taught us not to call anyone Father for there is one father in heaven who is father in the priesthood. Pope literally means, Father. It is disrespectful to God our Father according to the words of Jesus. It is not a nitpicky silly thing. It is disrespectful to Jesus to say his words are silly and nitpicky.

 

[Mashmont]

So the words of Jesus are now nitpicky silly things? Within the priesthood, Jesus was teaching that one should not be called Rabbi, which means Master. For Jesus alone is our master. Also within the priesthood, Jesus taught us not to call anyone Father for there is one father in heaven who is father in the priesthood. Pope literally means, Father. It is disrespectful to God our Father according to the words of Jesus. It is not a nitpicky silly thing. It is disrespectful to Jesus to say his words are silly and nitpicky.

No, taking words out of context is nit-picky and silly. Have you ever referred to your biological father as 'father'? The bible also says call no man 'rabbi' or teacher. Have you never called someone a teacher?

 

[AsherN]

So the words of Jesus are now nitpicky silly things? Within the priesthood, Jesus was teaching that one should not be called Rabbi, which means Master. For Jesus alone is our master. Also within the priesthood, Jesus taught us not to call anyone Father for there is one father in heaven who is father in the priesthood. Pope literally means, Father. It is disrespectful to God our Father according to the words of Jesus. It is not a nitpicky silly thing. It is disrespectful to Jesus to say his words are silly and nitpicky.

Rabbi means Teacher. If a translation uses Master, it is more in the sense that a Rabbi has mastered Torah and Talmud, not the he is a Master as in a Master/Slave relationship.

 

[ding]

People do bad things. Popes have done bad things. The point is, the RCC is perfect anyway.

Yes, people do bad things. Not sure I can agree the HRCC is perfect. I'm not sure what that even means. But by any objective measure the HRCC has been a force for good.

 

[DudleySmith]

Yes, people do bad things. Not sure I can agree the HRCC is perfect. I'm not sure what that even means. But by any objective measure the HRCC has been a force for good.

In the historical context, far more good than bad, when considering the pagan alternatives and its resistance to Islamist invasions of Europe for just one acheivement; that 'authoritarian mindset was able to get at least some consensus from a rather violent homocidal collection of tribes and kings who would otherwise never got past the collapse of the western Roman empire. All the other quibbles over doctrine and papal peccadilloes is pretty small potatoes when compared to what it saved from extinction.

 

[Meriweather]

Also within the priesthood, Jesus taught us not to call anyone Father for there is one father in heaven who is father in the priesthood.

This is incorrect. In the context of Jesus' time the founder of a group was called "Father". This is why Abraham is referenced as Father Abraham. Jesus was saying the founder of the Way he taught was God. Notice both Jesus and the apostles referenced their followers as "children" signifying a father/child relationship. It's a matter of one word having several usages. In Catholicism, no priest founded a religion; the relationship is familial, not one of founder and followers.

Context matters.

 

[DudleySmith]

This is incorrect. In the context of Jesus' time the founder of a group was called "Father". This is why Abraham is referenced as Father Abraham. Jesus was saying the founder of the Way he taught was God. Notice both Jesus and the apostles referenced their followers as "children" signifying a father/child relationship. It's a matter of one word having several usages. In Catholicism, no priest founded a religion; the relationship is familial, not one of founder and followers.

Context matters.

Yes. Another example of why citing isolated verses as if they are isolated homilies with no connection to the chapters they're in is always misleading, 23:9 meaning nothing without 1:1 through 28:20 or so. The entire book is highly structured in a certain way for a good reason.

 

[WinterBorn]

People do bad things. Popes have done bad things. The point is, the RCC is perfect anyway.

I think you would have a hard time convincing the people who were molested by priests (who were then transferred to avoid scandal) that the RCC is perfect.

 

[Mashmont]

I think you would have a hard time convincing the people who were molested by priests (who were then transferred to avoid scandal) that the RCC is perfect.

As stated in my OP, the bad actions of a few fallible humans acting against their vows in no way affects or diminishes the perfect teachings of Jesus. Why would it? How could it?

 

[WinterBorn]

As stated in my OP, the bad actions of a few fallible humans acting against their vows in no way affects or diminishes the perfect teachings of Jesus. Why would it? How could it?

It is not the acts of the priests that I was referring to. It was the systemic coverup by the RCC that I was talking about.

 

[Clyde 154]

Why the Roman Catholic Church is the Greatest Organization in the History of the World.

There are a number of reasons, but they all stem from one main reason: The RCC was founded by Jesus who is perfect, and God’s rules are perfect and loving. And by perfect, that means following God’s rules leads to the best life you can possibly live which not only prepares you for Heaven, but also creates the greatest earthly happiness. This is the part atheists miss.

The Roman Catholic Church has been the single most powerful force for people accomplishing the most and greatest good in the history of the world. Think of the legions of selfless priests, sisters, nuns, missionaries, and consecrated individuals who have devoted their lives to the service of others for little or no financial compensation. They are motivated by something far more powerful than money to do superhuman things.

Take Mother Teresa’s order of nuns, the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta India. These women work 14-18 hours day caring for the sick in the poorest most dangerous area of the city. They subsist on a nutritious stew for every meal; they have two sets of clothes, one to wash and one to wear; they have forsaken all possessions. Visitors marvel at how 80-year-old sisters can do backbreaking work all day long with a cheerful disposition, day in and day out. It’s because they are moved by God.

The irreligious do not have such a powerful source of motivation.

The canonized Roman Catholic saints are examples of the extreme motivation from God helping them to accomplish unbelievable good on earth. Take St. John Bosco. Turned thousands of delinquent young orphans into solid contributing citizens. His schools didn’t use punishment at all. He used the sacraments of the church plus kind encouraging words. John Bosco once had 800 young delinquents in a large hall, doing school work. It was so quiet, one could hear a pin could drop. Outsiders marveled at how this could be possible. It was God who showed St. John Bosco the way.

What other organization, religious or otherwise, has such a corresponding venerable group as the canonized saints of the Catholic Church; people who live and work among the people they serve and accomplish great things?

From my personal perspective, the RCC offers steady unwavering guidance on the best way to live. I’ve studied all the teachings, and they all make perfect sense to me, though that wasn’t always the case. The rules may sound demanding at first, but once you acclimate yourself they are easy to follow and make life go so much smoother. Compare it to an overweight person who wants to get fit. At first it’s very difficult to give up the the sugary snacks, the fast food, the fries, and the Pepsi. It’s very difficult to get up early, lift weights and do cardio and eat right. But once you do, it’s easy. And so much better.

The Catholic services are the same everywhere you go. Mass is the same. The teachings are the same. God’s laws were the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Maybe 0bama and Hillary, and Biden all changed their ‘core views’ on gay marriage in 2012, but God didn’t change His mind. When I go to Mass, it is the most diverse wonderful place. Many nationalities, every race, every age, rich or poor, most everybody is there because they want to get better in life. Other organizations would die for the diversity we have. Everyone is equal. Everyone is respected. You don’t have to donate to belong, although you should if you can. Nobody will ever ask anyone personally to give. No one will know if you don’t.

Are all Catholics perfect? Of course not. Even though church teaching is infallible, human beings are not. People sometimes disobey God’s perfect teachings, and do bad things. But the instances are relatively few compared to the legions of great people who do great things. There are also some, like pro-abortion politicians who claim to be Catholics, but openly disagree with major Catholic teachings. They intentionally mislead good people, but theirs and others' bad actions in no way diminish the validity of Jesus’ Church.

Jesus’ Church will be with us to the end of time. Again, very comforting. The RCC has a lineage of popes that goes directly back to St. Peter, the Apostle. All the turbulent events of the past 2000 years, the line of pope remains unbroken. That’s proof of Jesus’ promise.

I invite everyone to attend a mass at your local Catholic Church. They’re everywhere. Do it, and your life will be changed. You’ll see everything I listed above.

Indeed.........the Roman Catholic Church is the greatest, if you like Pedophiles dressed in Flaming Drag Robes while pretending to be God's voice on earth, with close ties to organized crime with a history of giving the world such great endeavors like the Spanish Inquisitions, and the Crusades.


See: The Law of the Excluded Middle. Law of excluded middle - Wikipedia



Some logic........church teaching (as instructed by men) is infallible, human beings are not? No authority can be both true and false at the same time. Question? Soooooooooo, you are saying the POPE is not human? Know we know why the Catholics have their own Bible and do not teach from the accepted canons of the O.T. and N.T., nothing found in their (wink, wink) "INFALLIBLE" (could be propaganda no?) doctrine can be found in the New Testament revelations of Christ Jesus.

Reality: The only thing US Citizen's should be indebted to the RCC would be the fact that the religious MOB BOSES caused the great Exodus from Europe with the "protestant" reform that eventually led to the founding of the Untied States of America.....when our founders escaped the oppression of the RCC and its STATE ENFORCED MANDATE.....in essence, the RCC was responsible for the founding of the U.S.

 

[Woodznutz]

This wasn't meant literally. The bible has many references to 'father' that are not referring to God. Stepher referred to Father Abraham. Many more examples. Let's focus on things that matter. Not nitpicky silly things.

It meant call no man your spiritual father. Abraham, Jacob, Eber, were the literal fathers, patriarchs, of Israel. Catholic priests are presented as your spiritual fathers on the earth and are to be addressed as such.

 

[Mashmont]

It meant call no man your spiritual father. Abraham, Jacob, Eber, were the literal fathers, patriarchs, of Israel. Catholic priests are presented as your spiritual fathers on the earth and are to be addressed as such.

It's fine to call priests "Father".