Lent as defined by " the real truth"

[frankt]

My Brother a baptized catholic but now “Christian” just sent me an article from the real truth and wants to know my feelings on the article…
being at work and his Bible class is wednesday nite…I was hoping to find a response to this particular article
“the true meaning of lent” realtruth.org/articles/115-ttmol-print.html
that I could use to respond to the many accuasations and confused facts that are in this article.
Thanks

 

[promethius]

Let’s start off right off the bat:

1. new years is a secular holiday. The date has changed as the calendar has changed. (see implementation of the gregorian calandar, for example). No one has ever implied that it was anything other than a secular event. Christmas is the birth of Christ. It is convenient to bandy about that it was a pagan holiday, but that simply isn’t the case. Halloween isn’t even a holiday, pagan or otherwise. It is the NIGHT BEFORE a feast day. St Valentine’s day is based on the death of St Valentine and bears no connection to paganism.

Paragraph 2) Ash wednesday is the only day that people mark their foreheads. A lenton sacrifice is different than fasting. The motivation is more than imitating Christ’s 40 day fast. You can’t just give up anything, as giving up something which is immoral is already expected. It is a SACRIFICE of something that you want, not sacrificing something you shouldn’t have anyway. the author obviously doesn’t even understand the first thing about lenton practices, so why is he writing this?

Paragraph 6 (second of the section "examining lent’s purpose): Nowhere in the bible, not even John 17:17, does it state that the bible is “the only source of true spiritual knowledge and understanding”. Nor does 2 Tim 3:14-17 indicate that scripture is totally sufficient in containing all doctrinal truth. What they have done here is equivalent to me saying “you put apples into your mouth and they are good for you” (this is equivalent to what paul says about the scripture in 2 Tim), therefore “only apples are good for you” (this is the logical fallacy that protestants imply, the first statement does not lead to the second).

Paragraph 7) Good Friday and Easter Sunday have no roots in paganism whatsoever. They fall on the passover feast of the Jewish tradition, hence the selection of the dates. To assert that these dates are pagan is to assert that God Himself and His chosen people of israel were pagan. Protestants in their wild, amatuer, scriptural thrashing do more to murder holy truth than to help it.

Paragraph 8) Misunderstanding here. We are made clean (purified) towards SALVATION by grace and grace alone (there are so many scriptural misaplications in this paragraph it would take another thread to go into them). HOWEVER, we as humans constantly struggle for purity of heart and mind against the temptation of sin. It is in THIS regard that sacrifice builds our will against temptation and helps us prepare for Christly life.

Paragraph 9) this assumes that all human beings are of carnal mind. That is not the case and is yet another scriptural misapplication. we are suffered of carnal temptations, and yet we have in us the state of grace to resist temptations. To paul, this as seen as two minds, and he indicates that there are distinctly people who seek Godliness and people who seek carnal pleasure.

Paragraph 11) no one says that God is setting up His kingdom in the hearts of men. In logical debate we call this TRICK a “straw man argument”. They’re attempting to distract readers away from the true statement of the church with a simplistic and untrue statement which they then attempt to knock down. It borders on sinful in their application of the trick here, since it is intentionally meant to deceive the point of what was originally stated.

Soon to come, “approved by official state religion” topics…

 

[promethius]

Approved by official state religion

Paragraph 1) Ironic, considering that protestants fail to follow the Real Sacrifice of Christ for Eucharistic Communion… epic fail on the part of the author.

Paragraph 2) Alexander Hislop is an anti-catholic bigot. He HARDLY counts as an unbiased historical source. Further, the quote he uses from Cassianus, actually known as Bl. John Cassian, ONLY appears in his anti-catholic garbage… that and websites referencing his anti-catholic garbage. You know what we call a quote with no historical source document or collaborative verification? “Make-believe.” It might have worked better as a lie if John Cassian hadn’t written several books on the benefits of chastity, on satisfaction of repentance, and the like. The equivalent would be if I told you that John Locke advocated the king being allowed to randomly kill people…

Paragraph 3) Patently untrue. the declaration that Catholicism was the official state religion of the Roman Empire did NOT declare that other religions were “the enemy of the state”. Nor did the roman empire seek to persecute others who clung to pagan beliefs instead. In fact, it was the plagues and the barbarian invasions combined with pagan views on sexual reproduction that led to the fall of the pagan culture… NOT state persecution.

Paragraph 4) irrelevant. Lent is a discipline, not a dogma.

Paragraph 5) Irrelevant. Lent is a discipline, not a dogma. Besides, my last post touched on the fact that a lenton sacrifice is different from a traditional fast.

Paragraph 6) Irrelevant. Lent is a discipline and not a dogma.

Paragraph 7) again this is a deceptive logical disconnect. The first part of the paragraph is a partial truth… lent is partially about fasting from sin and vice to forsake evil ways. However, that is not the full application of lent. Furthermore, the first part of the paragraph in no way implies the second part of the paragrah… that it gives control over ourselves towards our own salvific purification.

Paragraph 8) made irrelevant by the fact that paragraph seven was a deception and logical disconnect.

Paragraph 9) this assumes that we are setting ourselves up for will worship. That is not the case. We are not practicing asceticism (sp?). To imply this is to imply that Christ’s 40 days of fasting were nothing more than “will worship”. Again, protestants in their lack of understanding do more to murder truth than promote it.

Paragraph 10) Correct in scripture… incorrect in application. As the scripture they quote clearly states, fasting alone does not satisfy the justice of the weight of sin against us. Only grace can do that. HOWEVER, fasting, denial to the self, is a tool to form awareness of the suffering of others and so to enjoin greater into the life of Christian charity… EXACTLY as the scriptures state.

Paragraph 11) Way to back up the catholic position perfectly. Thank you, protestants, for once again stating that we are right…

 

[promethius]

Lent’s Ancient Roots

Paragraph 1) For this paragraph I whipped out a quick google search for word origins. In actuality, the word Lencten is NOT ancient nor babylonian. It’s appearance is anglo-saxon in origin and didn’t occur until around 1000 AD. The use of the term lent was originally the latin term “Quadragesima”, or “forty days”. In greek lent was known as Tessarakoste… an adaptation of the Jewish period of Pentecost in use before Christianity arose. Lent DOES mean spring, but it was put in place ONLY in english speaking countries in order to facilitate translation to vernacular of certain practices so that locals unable to speak latin would be able to understand the holy traditions of the church. The word lencten is merely an anglo-saxon term and has nothing to do with a specific pagan festival, though pagan festivals were held during this time.

Paragraph 1 - 9) Again, quoting the anti-catholic bigot text known as “the Two Babylons” HARDLY counts as unbiased historical reference. In fact, I would say that the utter reliance of a sole source devoid of actually historical documentation is a great argument against this article. Second, yes, certain pagan traditions instituted fasting among their followers. That in no way affects holy fasting… unless we want to say that the fast of Christ was pagan in origin and that all this time we have been offering worship to a pagan (again, protestants murdering truth). Satanic cults have sacrificed people to their own ends. Does that mean that Christ’s Sacrifice was satanic and that God, who willed it be done, is a Satanist? NO!

As to the move of lent referenced by the two babylons, that is patently untrue. It was traditional in judaism to implement a time of fasting before passover, Christ did it, and now Christians did too. There was no such thing as a “christianizing” of pagan festivities of Tammuz, but there is clearly such a thing as the author’s ignorance of the passover traditions which Christ Himself followed in implementing Himself as the Final Sacrifice.

Paragraph 10) Mardi Gras is not intended as a “wild, anything goes celebration to make sure [catholics get] in their share of debaucheries and perversion.” That is something that has been hijacked and perverted by secular society. As already discussed, giving up immoral acts does NOT count as a lenten sacrifice, since we are expected and commanded to give up such acts at any time of the year. Lent is not an excuse to wait to kick an immoral habbit, and mardi gras is not a carte blanche to engage in that immoral habit one more time.

Abomination Masked as Christianity
this whole section is rife with parsed quotes from the bible, meant to mislead the reader. Furthermore, all of the points addressed herein are already responded to in my above posts. To call the lenten period a pagan tradition is, in turn, to state that immitation of Christ’s actions in following traditional fasting leading up to the passover was pagan… the only way that can be the case is to assume that Christ Himself was carrying out a pagan act. Since that CANNOT be the case, then I submit that the author is guilty of minor heresy for implying evil upon the name of Christ

 

[savedsinner]

Believe it or not, Lent was never observed by Christ or His apostles. He commanded them, “Go you therefore, and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus never commanded them to observe Lent or Easter

Jesus never commanded us to worship on Sundays or have Wednesday evening bible studies either.
You know, I am getting tired of all this cr*p, that people publish.

Where did Jesus command his followers to publish tracts against his church?

Please stop with the “pagan” influence stuff already.

 

[runandsew]

savedsinner,
Why don’t you tell us what you really feel.

A few things I would point to is that Constantine did not make Christianity the official state religion.
He gave it preference over the other religions, but it was not declared the official state religion for another 60 years or so by another emperor.

The church councils, in regards to liturgy, they did not invent or start these practices, they mainly tried to centralize the liturgy of the entire church, so they wouldn’t be practicing haphazardly and on different dates, these were practices which were already happening in the church. They tried to make the church more universal in its celebration, that is the same reason they decided the canon of scripture, so that all the churches would be reading from the same books in its liturgy.

The bible tells us that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, but where is that commanded in the bible?
The origins are from the books of Maccabees, and even in there, it is the elders who state that Hanukkah is to be celebrated in the future, not God. Yet Jesus celebrated it and didn’t rebuke the Jews for celebrating a feast that was not commanded by God.

Ask you brother if he wants to worship the way the very early church did in the bible, they he should move into a Christian commune and give 100% of everything he owns to the church.

 

[frankt]

My feelings are as most who responded here…kind of shocked that they have it so wrong…as I told my brother in an email at 3am this morning…If this is what they are teaching in your bible class GET OUT…
We have a lot to teach other faiths until they get it right and we truly become ONE church!

 

[Church_Militant]

From Ash Wednesday to Easter, many solemnly mark their foreheads with ash, “fasting” (or abstaining from certain foods or physical pleasures) for 40 days. They do this to imitate Jesus Christ’s 40-day fast in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-2

). Some give up smoking. Others give up chewing gum. Still others give up over-eating or cursing. People vow to give up anything, as long as it prepares them for Easter.Obviously nothing wrong with that.

People who observe Lent may be religious, dedicated and sincere—but they are sincerely wrong.

Let’s examine Lent, its practices and customs, its historic and religious origins, and its true meaning from the Bible’s perspective, not from the “traditions of men” (Mark 7:7-9).

I see nothing in the Lenten practices that in anyway fulfills his cited reference. While he’s badmouthing “traditions” he needs to do his Biblical homework.Infallibility & How The Apostles Taught the Study of Sacred Tradition.

Examining Lent’s Purpose

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “The real aim of Lent is, above all else, to prepare men for the celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ…the better the preparation the more effective the celebration will be. One can effectively relive the mystery only with purified mind and heart. The purpose of Lent is to provide that purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God’s will and to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in their hearts.”
%between%Article Link]

So where is this a problem? Isn’t it a fact that we get more out of anything that we invest more of ourselves in? So very often we see & hear ministers preaching that people should put more into their Christian faith and seek to live more Christian lives? So how is Lent any different?

On the surface, this belief sounds sincere and heartfelt.

And how does he suddenly know my heart and that of all the faithful Catholics on planet? Fact is…he can’t, so here he is already into his polemics yet without any substance at all aside from his personal bias.

However, it does not agree with the Bible, God’s Holy Word, the only source of true spiritual knowledge and understanding (John 17:17

).And in this, he wrongly assumes that we Catholics do not?

God, through the apostle Paul, commands Christians to “continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:14-17

).That’s fine, except that nowhere in there does it say that it is “the only source of true spiritual knowledge and understanding”. Here he is trying to assert the FORMAL SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE

(Cont’d)http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1993/9310fea2sb2.asp

 

[pnewton]

When I saw the man got his information from a book The Two Babylons, I saw all I needed. This book by Alexander Hislop is pseudo history at its worth. In it, the author takes two similar items, one Catholic, one pagan, and connects them by simply declaring them to be connected. Hislop’s work is pure anticatholic propaganda based on wild speculation. This link is but one more reincarnation of the same lies that come from the same source.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Two_Babylons

 

[Church_Militant]

When I saw the man got his information from a book The Two Babylons, I saw all I needed. This book by Alexander Hislop is pseudo history at its worth. In it, the author takes two similar items, one Catholic, one pagan, and connects them by simply declaring them to be connected. Hislop’s work is pure anti Catholic propaganda based on wild speculation. This link is but one more reincarnation of the same lies that come from the same source.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Two_Babylons

Yep, PN’s spot on right.

Did the Catholic Church Have Its Origin in Paganism? (A Protestant pastor tells This Rock how he got involved in the issue and how his understanding of the issue has changed.)

 

[Church_Militant]

First, understand that the “celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ” to which the preceding quote refers is Good Friday and Easter Sunday—holidays deeply rooted in ancient paganism.

Easter – Pagan roots? and Pagan Influence Fallacy by James Akin
Crucifixion Wednesday? by James Akin
The Antichrist at the Manger by T.L. Frazier

They were instituted by mainstream Christianity in order to counterfeit and replace the Passover season. Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread were observed by Christ, the original apostles and the New Testament Church—including Gentiles. God commands His people to observe them today (I Cor. 5:7-8

). (To learn more, read our booklets CHRIST’S RESURRECTION was NOT on Sunday and How often should the LORD’S SUPPER be taken?)Obviously the above links will answer all that stuff.

He’s also messed up in that we use only unleavened bread for the Eucharist. Why? Because Our Lord used it for the Passover meal that this guys tries to allege that we try to counterfeit.

Second, the Bible says that we are purified—cleansed, set apart and made pure in God’s sight—by the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:11-14, 22; 13:12). This, along with faith (Acts 15:9) and humbly submitting to and obeying God (Jms. 4:7-10) through His truth and prayer (John 17:17; I Tim. 4:5), makes us clean before God.

No! Really?! What does this dude think all of the Catholic faith is based upon? Do ride the elevator with this person. It will stop far short of the top floor.

No amount of fasting, abstaining from physical pleasures or any other form of self-denial can purify us.

No, but it sure as vitam aeternam can indicate to God the depth of our sorrow for sin and can even help with intercession for entire nations. (He seems to have somehow missed the story of Nineveh in the book of Jonah) and I get into this concept of penance in this article from my Catholic blog.Scriptures About Penance

Third, you cannot, of and by yourself, create within you “the desire to do God’s will.” True, God has given mankind free moral agency. But the carnal, natural mind cannot—will not—submit to God. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit…Because the carnal mind is enmity [hostile] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:5, 7).
Only through a converted mind, actively led by the Holy Spirit, can God work “in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).

Well gee fella, who do you suppose put that desire within all of us poor deceived Catholics? It can’t have been the devil since he won’t do anything that he thinks might actually bring us closer to God

Isn’t there some discussion in the New Testament about attributing works of the Holy Spirit to the devil? Oh yeah… here it is. Matthew 12 and help us to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

And fourth, “to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in their hearts” is a false tradition taught by this world’s brand of Christianity. It is not taught in the Bible. God is not setting up His kingdom in the hearts of men. (To understand more, read our article “SEVEN PROOFS God’s Kingdom is Not Here Yet.”)

Luke 17:20 And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come? he answered them, and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you.

Obviously he missed that somehow.

(Cont’d)

 

[Church_Militant]

So where did Lent originate? How did it come to be so widely observed by mainstream Christianity?
Approved by Official State Religion

Believe it or not, Lent was never observed by Christ or His apostles.

So then those 40 days in the desert just don’t count? I wonder if this guys has ever tried anything even remotely similar?

He commanded them, “Go you therefore, and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus never commanded them to observe Lent or Easter.

Really? How many different places in the New Testament do they speak of the Eucharist and quote Our Lord as saying “do this in memory of me”?

He did, however, command them to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. In fact, during His last Passover on earth, Christ gave detailed instructions on how to observe the Passover service. He also instituted new Passover symbols (John 13:1-17).

By all means click on that verse citation above and it will take you to that passage and you will pretty quickly see that Our Lord never did “command them to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread”. It’s just not there at all.

Notice what Alexander Hislop wrote in his book The Two Babylons

: Note the link above to the truth about Hislop’s a-C propaganda. Then read these.
TRACKING THE FIRST PAGANS
Is Catholicism Pagan?
THE UNICORN HUNTERS (This Rock: August 1991)

. . . the masterpiece The Two Babylons by Rev. Alexander Hislop . . ."

(Catholic Encyclopedia

). I don’t know where he got his quote because I just checked the two copies of Catholic encyclopedia that I have access to and that stuff appears in either one. They do cover pretty much the same material which again is no big deal
oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Lent

newadvent.org/cathen/09152a.htm

From the ninth century onward, Lent’s strict rules were relaxed. Greater emphasis was given to performing “penitential works” than to fasting and abstinence. According to the apostolic constitution Poenitemini of Pope Paul IV (Feb. 17, 1966), “abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of the year that do not fall on holy days of obligation, and fasting as well as abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday” (Catholic Encyclopedia).

Those same two articles will support this, but the fact is that there is nothing in the Word of God that would condemn (as this author has erroneously done) any aspect of Lent. This is just the fairly typical a-C tactice of selective quotation to try to portray the Catholic faith in a bad light.

ALWAYS check the source.

Today, Lent is used for “fasting from sin and from vice…forsaking sin and sinful ways.” It is a season “for penance, which means sorrow for sin and conversion to God.” This tradition teaches that fasting and employing self-discipline during Lent will give a worshipper the “control over himself that he needs to purify his heart and renew his life.”
However, the Bible clearly shows that self-control—temperance—comes from having God’s Holy Spirit working in the life of a converted mind (Gal. 5:16, 17, 22). Fasting, of and by itself, cannot produce godly self-control.

I don’t think that I have ever seen or heard any Catholic assert that “Fasting, of and by itself, can produce godly self-control.” However, I do see a great deal of repentance and penance in scripture and as I said even on a national level to show remorse for sins to God.

In that context also I can’t see where anyone would deny that Lent at this time in history, or in our modern society would be a bad thing.

(Cont’d)

 

[Church_Militant]

Paul warned against using self-denial as a tool to rely on your own will. He called it “will worship.” “Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, (touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh” (Col. 2:20-23).

Okay, here he’s totally misconstruing St. Paul. Where is there any sign that Paul would take issue with Lent? It’s not there. And in the context of the New Testament, let’s have a look at someone of authority and their opinion of fasting. Matthew 9:14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples do not fast? 15 And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.

God did not design fasting as a tool for penance, “beating yourself up” or developing will power: “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to *afflict his soul *[fast]? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh?” (Isa. 58:5-7).
God’s people humble themselves through fasting in order to draw closer to Him—to learn to think and act like Him—to live His way of life in all things. Notice what the Prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord” (Jer. 9:23-24). Fasting—with prayer—draws Christians closer to God.

[SIGN]Thank you for summing up why Catholics fast during Lent.[/SIGN]We’ve been taught that from the cradle!

Lent’s Ancient Roots

Coming from the Anglo-Saxon Lencten, meaning “spring,” Lent originated in the ancient Babylonian mystery religion. “The forty days’ abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshippers of the Babylonian goddess…Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz” (The Two Babylons).
Tammuz was the false Messiah of the Babylonians—a satanic counterfeit of Jesus Christ!
The Feast of Tammuz was usually celebrated in June (also called the “month of Tammuz”). Lent was held 40 days before the feast, “celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing.” This is why Lent means “spring”; it took place from spring to early summer.
The Bible records ancient Judah worshipping this false Messiah: “Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz” (Ezek. 8:14-15). This was a great abomination in God’s eyes!

But why did the church at Rome institute such a pagan holiday?
“To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other things, to shake hands” (The Two Babylons).
The Roman church replaced Passover with Easter, moving the pagan Feast of Tammuz to early spring, “Christianizing” it. Lent moved with it.
“This change of the calendar in regard to Easter was attended with momentous consequences. It brought into the Church the grossest corruption and the rankest superstition in connection with the abstinence of Lent” (The Two Babylons).
Before giving up personal sins and vices during Lent, the pagans held a wild, “anything goes” celebration to make sure they got in their share of debaucheries and perversities—what the world celebrates as Mardi Gras today.

Oh look, he fails to do his own homework again and further quotes an a-C propagandist that even Protestants know is wrong.
(Cont’d)

 

[Church_Militant]

Abomination Masked as Christianity

God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33). He never instituted Lent, a pagan observance connecting debauchery to the so-called resurrection of a false Messiah.Yeah…all the more reason to stay away from Hislop’s propaganda.

God commands His people to follow Him—not the traditions of men. God’s ways are higher, better than man’s (Isa. 55:8-9). Men cannot determine for themselves right from wrong or how to properly worship God. Why? Because “the heart [mind] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9), and “the way of many is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (10:23). God designed us and gave us life. He knows how we are supposed to worship Him.
To be a Christian and properly serve God, you must live “by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4), recognizing that His Holy Scriptures “cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

Same ole Sola Scriptura errant teaching.
Refuting the fundamental modern error of Sola Scriptura.

God commands Christians to flee from the pagan traditions and customs of this world (Rev. 18:2-4), currently led and deceived by Satan the devil (II Cor. 4:4; Rev. 12:9).

Really? That isn’t what any of those passages are talking about and all you have to do is look them over to see that. There is no connection whatever between the Catholic Church and any of those things stated in those verses. Read them and see for yourself. Then also have a look at these two great articles that go even further in making this clear.
Hunting the Whore of Babylon
The Whore of Babylon

Lent may seem like a sincere, heartfelt religious observance. But it is deeply rooted in pagan ideas that counterfeit God’s plan.
God hates all pagan observances (Jer. 10:2-3; Lev. 18:3, 30; Deut. 7:1-5, 16). They cannot be “Christianized” or made clean by men. That includes Lent.

Seeing as his whole premise is based on an messed a-C propagandist’s work, I’d say that there is no valid connection between his allegations and the Catholic Church.

Now you know the true meaning of Lent.

[sign1]Not![/sign1]

 

[Church_Militant]

BTW, look at what this from the main site’s commentary.

Has this magazine replaced The Plain Truth?”
Kent, England Editor’s note: The Real Truth continues the same unique analysis, through the lens of Christ’s true gospel, as that of the former Plain Truth magazine under Herbert W. Armstrong.

 

[pnewton]

(A Protestant pastor tells This Rock how he got involved in the issue and how his understanding of the issue has changed.)

I was a Baptist when I first came across Hislop’s work. Without out any affection or concern for the Catholic Church I still recognized the basic illogic of his wild theories. It reminded me of that Chariot of the Gods book that was so popular for a time. It was pure speculation and fantasy. It’s popularity is only attributable to the extreme desire on the part of some to demonize all Catholics, literally.

 

[mission10]

Frankt,
I looked at the site your brother emailed you. This group would not recognize themselves as protestant. They believe they are the “only true remnant church”

The Restored Church of God is one of many splinter groups of Worldwide Church of God (WCG). WCG founder was Herbert W. Armstrong. There are over 200 splinter groups but they can all be recognized because they believe they have to have “Church of God” in the name of the organization.

I have extended family involved in United Church of God (UCG) this is the largest group that split from WCG in 1995. All the splinter groups maintain Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings to one degree or another. They’re very anti-Catholic and believe that a person should follow only the Israelite Festivals (God’s holy days). All other holidays are manmade and following the way of satan’s way of worshiping.

The strange thing is that they have, at least in United Church of God, created manmade holidays during the times of Christmas and Halloween. They change the names to post-feast night (Halloween) and Winter Family Weekend (Christmas).
They seem to be hung up on the Genetic Fallacy but dismiss it when they apply it to themselves (cognitive dissonance).
Some WCG spliter groups are more controlling than others to the point of forbidding members from contact with family/friends that are not apart of their group. One just got indicted on embezzlement charges. All the groups seem facinated with the end-time,date setting or speculation that would cause frenzy within the organization. Herbert W. Armstrong did many date setting and WCG thought the end was in 1975 and they believed that Jesus would come before Herbert W. Armstrong died. He died in 1986.

Here is a link that UCG put out on Mardi Gras etc…ucg.org/bible-faq/what-mardi-gras-should-christians-celebrate-mardi-gras-shrove-tuesday

I’m not sure why they feel they need to try and link Holidays the Catholic Church teaches to paganism. I’ve pointed out to my MIL that the Feast of Tabernacle superseded the Canaanite Vintage Festival but it went on deaf ears.
The doctrinal booklets these groups put out are slick and if you don’t know how to research the booklets then one could easily fall into the trap of believing these groups.
They even use early church fathers and the catholic encylopedia as refererences to support their claim that they have the “only truth” heavy sigh
I pray for your brother and thank everyone who posted on this thread as it helps me too