Clouseau

Late pseudo-Christians, rather, who imported existing Roman ideas into their caricature of Christianity. So instead of using private houses, elaborate temples- 'churches'- were built. Instead of a democratic ekklesia, a hierarchy of priests was devised. Instead of informal 'love-feasts', formal, elaborate sacrificial rituals were performed. Instead of a temporary historic virgin, a perpetual, eternal one was devised and adulated. Instead of just one God, several were worshipped.

So today we have an inheritance of a Trinity that no-one understands or can understand; a cult of Mary that boggles the minds of Westerners; a Mass with transubstantiation that even priests do not believe in; a hierarchy that is incapable of maintaining the moral standards it sets for the common folk; vast cathedrals built at equally vast expense, the expense of the common folk, now mostly useful as tourist attractions.

And a strange little man in Italy, living on stolen property, who still calls himself by the name that Julius Caesar, killer of many thousands, called himself.

Sauron

Yawn.

Do you ever plan to support your claim that Islam is just oriental Christianity, Clouseau?

Joan of Bark

Hey, a Clouseau post I actually agree with!

Paul2

Some people have beliefs that are different from others. I'm shocked AND amazed!

??

Clouseau

I have not begun to deal with the long history of threat and compulsion that established this astonishing gobbledegook and inanity, a remarkable 'tribute' to the capacity of human beings to agree to 'believe' and act as if insane.

Sauron

Yes, that's the point.

Lots of claims. No posts with supporting documentation, however.

Paul2

What about the long history of feeding the poor, helping the sick, and getting people into heaven?

But seriously though, you will find corruption and abuse of power in any organization, not just the catholic church.

Clouseau

Yeah, I know. The typical medieval city was a huddle of hovels, along with a colossal cathedral, built at colossal expense, the expense of the inmates of the hovels. The poor were fed on pure aesthetic values, spiritual bread only.

Read Paul's instructions for appointing bishops (elders).

Paul2

Yes, and no one else is guilty of that? My point is you've obviously got a chip on your shoulder against the catholic church and you seem to be ignoring the others guilty of the same deeds.

I read a brief bit in Titus, and I don't see what you're getting at.

gstafleu

As Joan said, a Clouseau post with which I agree, maybe I should buy a pair of skates.
But are they? In spirit, certainly, as Protestants are also well known for damning people to hell. The big difference, though, is in the level of organization. Catholicism is a centrally organized monolith, and hence massively dangerous. Protestantism did away with the hierarchy and conveniently split apart into many factions. This "divide yourself and you can't conquer" strategy has been beneficial for the world in general. There are no doubt as many Protestants who would torture someone for the good of their soul as there are Catholics who would do that. The Protestants just don't have the organization to make it work.

Gerard Stafleu