I’ll have to be honest, and I mean all due respect, but what I read at the link was … to put it bluntly … laughable.
The author doesn’t even understand most of what he criticizes.
For instance, he writes,** “**Was the Messiah really a man or was He born through an “Immaculate Conception” as the church teaches, with Mary remaining a virgin after his birth?”
The “Immaculate Conception” doesn’t refer to the virgin birth. It refers to the birth of Mary without original sin. Shouldn’t the author know the teachings before he criticizes them?
He continues: “Why does the church say the Creator is three beings (a Trinity)? When in the scriptures He says He is one?”
We don’t say he is three “beings”. We say he is one nature, but three persons. He may disagree with this theology, but he apparently doesn’t understand it well enough to express it.
He writes: "Haven’t we always been told that when someone dies, they immediately go either to heaven or to hell? And that our dear old mom and dad are up in heaven with “Jesus,” right now? Then why did the Messiah say in John 3:13:“…no man has ever ascended into heaven…” but the Messiah himself? "
No, we haven’t “always been told that when someone dies, they immediately go either to heaven or to hell”. We don’t teach that as Catholics. In addition, nobody but Christ has “ascended” into heaven. For any of us who make it there, we are “brought” to Heaven. Only Christ can “ascend” of his own power.
He writes, “Is it true that the Catholic Church was authorized by The Creator to “run” religion in these modern times, after the last Apostles were killed? Who gave them that authority, and where does it say that in the Bible?”
The answer: Jesus gave that authority. It’s in Matthew 16 (with Isaiah 22:22), Matthew 18, John 20. The list goes on and on.
The rest of his introduction is filled with similar misunderstandings, ridiculous logical fallacies *such as the fact that Christianity must be wrong because the Pope’s hat isn’t mentioned in Scripture), and just plain strange misrepresentations. In addition, the author tries to present “true” Christianity based on a Bible-only mentality. So, in the end, he’s just one of the thousands of “I’ll-do-it-my-way” Christians out there.
Perhaps, Billy, you should take what you believe is the strongest argument put forth by this book and present it. We’ll discuss then, and that way we don’t have to wade through the rest of the nonsense. Please don’t think we’re simply dismissing it - the logic and understanding is really flawed. We’re happy to discuss any issue you feel the author has validly presented. However, if you really believe that “every point made in this book so far, that I check out is right on target”, I have to wonder how much you, yourself, have studied Scripture or the teachings of our faith.
God bless,
Spencer
