I guess I have to ask the honest question, then. If you don't follow the teachings or doctrine of the Catholic Church, nor take the Pontiff as your spiritual leader, in what way are you Roman Catholic?
I mean, one of the key differences between your church and almost all Protestant Denominations is the presence of Christ's Representative on Earth, granted the Keys to Heaven as Christ granted them to Peter, the rock on which He built His Church. Disagreement with the Pope and his Priests, in the end, has led to essentially every schism the Catholic Church has had -- both the Protestant sects (whose name reflects their innate protest against Papal and Catholic authority) and the direct schismed churches like the Church of England (who replaced the Pope with the British Monarch) or the Greek Orthodox church (who replaced the Pope with their Patriarch.)
Regardless, I'm going to reiterate my core point. If you're a Catholic, then this is being put forth by the leader of the Church in your name. If the leader of your Church doesn't speak for you... then in what way are you a follower of that Church?
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Date: 2008-12-24 06:11 pm (UTC)I mean, one of the key differences between your church and almost all Protestant Denominations is the presence of Christ's Representative on Earth, granted the Keys to Heaven as Christ granted them to Peter, the rock on which He built His Church. Disagreement with the Pope and his Priests, in the end, has led to essentially every schism the Catholic Church has had -- both the Protestant sects (whose name reflects their innate protest against Papal and Catholic authority) and the direct schismed churches like the Church of England (who replaced the Pope with the British Monarch) or the Greek Orthodox church (who replaced the Pope with their Patriarch.)
Regardless, I'm going to reiterate my core point. If you're a Catholic, then this is being put forth by the leader of the Church in your name. If the leader of your Church doesn't speak for you... then in what way are you a follower of that Church?