You’re perfectly entitled to these opinions. The thread OP is asking why be Catholic and not Orthodox. You’ve answered it from your point of view just fine. I’m a bit puzzled by the last paragraph, though, in red. Was this addressed to me or to the OP? You put my quote on your post so I’m guessing it might be to me. I know you say the Catholic Church has defined the truths of the last 2,000 years. I wouldn’t disagree with that? I would hope you know that I’m already learned in that department as are you. And I would also hope you realize that the popes did not fight heresies alone and they’re not the sole warriors against heterodoxy? That would be a limited vision. Men like Athanasius fought heresies all by themselves with great persecution and threats to their lives. Augustine was the bravest of warriors against pelagius and donatus, etc. and they all might deserve a little recognition as well. The East has had some great saints arise throughout the last 2,000 years who have been warriors against the evils of heresy. You’re right when you say “the Catholic Church” in each of the sentences of your last paragraph. The Catholic Church, of course, to be accurate here, must include the Orthodox. The East just as much as the West fought heresies and dangerous thinking over the years before 1054. I don’t think your post here really is compelling or convincing though in trying to persuade a person that the Orthodox are wrong and the Catholics are right? I don’t see the argument against Orthodoxy here?
Gabriel_of_12:
And this I have done, upon myself, I have concluded that most Eastern Orthodox not in communion with the Pope, does not have a true understanding of what the Catholic church has defined Infallible. In fact the posters I have read here, never reveal the True definition of Infallibility of the Pope, all of these including your commentary voice negative influenced overtones from our seperated brethren. As far as Transubstantiation, Assumption of Mary, purgatory, Filioque etc… one must come to learn why and how these Apostolic Doctrines become revealed in a critical time in human history, not to mention how they are defined by the Catholic Church first, before one draws any negative conclusions from those who protest these Apostolic teachings.
One tends to forget how the Western Catholic Church and her Popes defeated the Eastern heretics and hersies that came from the Eastern Church, and how the Pope was able to defend and keep the Apostolic faith from falling victim into these Eastern heresies.
So, yes, the Pope always has and always will defend these Apostolic teachings in every age. Even if he has to defend them in a new language that the Eastern Church objects to for example the biblical teaching of “filioque”.
What many protestants falsely see in infallibility, purgatory, indulgences etc… I myself see the Pope and the other apostolic successors championing the Apostolic faith and defending this 2000 year old unchanged Catholic faith, defining it to new worlds, new tongues, new peoples, new nations. Then defending this Apostolic faith when it comes under attack by defining Transubstantiation, filioque etc… to mans new inventions such as “communism” which the Eastern Church was infected by.
We can sit today and judge from afar, but where was the Eastern Church and where the protestants when the evil one attacked the Apostolic teachings, that the Pope and the Apostolic successors had to define and defend the true presence of Jesus in his Eucharist to a mad world who rejected God and invented man came from a monkey theory and not God, the Assumption of Mary, Immaculate Mary proved to communism that God dwells with the human race. Yet protestants forget that it is the Pope and the Catholic Bishops world wide in unity with Peter’s chair throughout the ages that has kept this Apostolic faith intact with out change, but clarified and defended against the enemies of God.
**Learn first what the Catholic church has defended by defining the Apostolic Teachings these past 2000 years to Her enemies of powers and principalities, before judging by those negative opinions against these apostolic teachings. Yet there is nothing new under the sun for the Catholic Church, She is battled tested.
Peace be with you**
