A few days ago I was perusing my copy of Josh McDowell’s “Handbook of Today’s Religions” and, having recently finished reading Fox’s Book of Martyrs and knowing of the false and bizarre doctrines of the Catholic Church, I was surprised to see that Catholicism was not included in the book. While there are many morally good people who belong to the Catholic Church, this does not make them Christians.
Christianity on the other hand, has no superstitions, no secret, mystical doctrines that only the pastor can understand and we don’t kill people for not believing the truth as it is revealed to us in the Bible. Here is another cultish practice: If you can’t convince the people to believe your stuff, kill them. The Mormons with their “Danite Band” and “The Avenging Angels” and of course the Muslims with their doctrine of “Kill the infidels (infidels being anyone who doesn’t believe in Allah or Mohammed) all practiced or practice the same thing.
Christians on the other hand are called to bear witness of the Truth of the Word of God by our lives and by our words. We are to live as CHrist lived…and Christ never went around murdering people because they didn’t believe in Him. There is a Day of Judgment coming but that is at the end of the world. Now is a day of grace when we are to plead with sinners to be reconciled with God through Jesus Christ.
Christians cannot save anyone, that is God’s perview. We have no power apart from that which God gives. The pastor is not on some mystical higher plain than other Christians but has been called by God to teach the revealed truth of the word of God to the people of God so that they too can teach others. The congregation is not some stupid group of unwashed philistines but they are God called, blood bought children who are to grow up in all things into Him who is the head, even Christ. Therefore, if you are one of those people who think that “Book Larnin is for the Pastor” or “That theological stuff is for the Pastor” I would challenge you to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith for there is no place in scripture to support such laziness.
As to Catholicism I would urge all true Christians to read Fox’s Book of Martyrs which was written during a time of murderous persecution by the Roman Catholic Church against ‘heritics’ those who held up the standard of the Bible and Christ to the world. When you are so blinded by superstition that you can rip apart the bodies of men, women and children or burn them at the stake, when you can rape women and then kill them, all without the slightest hesitation, “Because the Priest told me to do it” well then there is something really really wrong.
And though the Catholic Church is not involved in this activity anymore (at least as far as I know) though they may be ‘Pro Life’ and may be involved in many ‘good works’ that does not change the fact that their doctrines are antichrist. The Catholic Church was not known as The Great Whore of Babyon…the Pope was not called “The Antichrist of Rome” for nothing. The doctrines haven’t changed, just the outward actions. They may have adopted a ‘kinder and gentler’ approach but they still seethe with the same evil as before. I will close this post with a poem titled:
A Roman Miracle! A pretty maid, a Protestant, was to a Catholic wed;
To love all Bible truths and tales, quite early she’d been bred,
It sorely grieved her husband’s heart that she would not comply,
And join the Mother Church of Rome and heretics deny.
So day by day he flattered her, but still she saw no good,
would ever come from bowing down to idols made of wood.
The Mass, the host, the miracles, were made but to deceive;
And transubstantiation, too, she’d never dare believe.
He went to see his clergyman and told him his sad tale.
“My wife’s an unbeliever, sir; you can perhaps prevail;
For all your Romish miracles my wife has strong aversion,
To really work a miracle may lead her to conversion.”
The priest went with the gentleman — he thought to gain a prize.
He said “I will convert her, sir, and open both her eyes.”
So when they came into the house, the husband loudly cried,
“The priest has come to dine with us!” “He’s welcome” she replied.
And when, at last, the meal was o’er, the priest at once began,
To teach his hostess all about the sinful state of man:
The greatness of our Savior’s love, which Christians can’t deny;
to give Himself a sacrifice and for our sins to die.“
I will return tomorrow, lass, prepare some bread and wine;
The sacramental miracle will stop your soul’s decline.”
“I’ll bake the bread, “the lady said!” You may” he did reply.
“And when you’ve seen this miracle, convinced you’ll be, say I.”
The priest did come accordingly, the bread and wine did bless.
The lady asked, “Sir is it changed?” The priest did answer, “Yes”!
It’s changed from common bread and wine to truly flesh and blood;
Begorrah, lass, this power of mine has changed it into God!”
So having blessed the bread and wine, to eat they did prepare.
when the lady said unto the priest, “I warn you to take care”,
For half an ounce of arsenic was mixed right in the batter,
But since you have its nature changed sir, it cannot really matter.”
The priest was struck real dumb — he looked as pale as death.
The bread and wine fell from his hands and he did gasp for breath.
“Bring me my horse!” the priest cried. “This is a cursed home!”
The lady replied, “Begone t’is you who shares the curse of Rome.”
The husband, too, he sat surprised, and not a word did say.
At length he spoke, “My dear, “said he, “the priest has run away;
To gulp such mummery and tripe, I’m not for sure, quite able;
I’ll go with you and we’ll renounce this Roman Catholic fable.”
Author Unknown
