Take A Stand! O N L I N E

"Discerning the Times in the Light of the Word"

 

Catholicism and Religion

Read article "A Quest for Faith" that spurred these letters

Skip Writes:

Dear Eric;
Thank you for taking a most unpopular and politically incorrect stand on Truth.

I have become more vocal and uninhibited in proclaiming that the Roman Catholic church, as an institution, is in the business of paving the road to hell for millions of people around the world. It's foundation was laid by the Great Liar himself and is nothing more than a highly refined and very comfortable system of lies.

I too love the people who are in bondage to the lies of the Catholic Church, but I hate those who know better and continue in the lie. Those priests, scholars, and the pope himself, know full well the truth of Scripture (how can they not know it, having devoted their lives to the study of Scripture) yet continue to propogate the Lie. I believe many of them have consciously sold their souls to Satan. The RC church may well be Satan's vehicle for antichrist. When there is formal and open "unity" between the RC church and Islam, watch out (or rather, look up!), for then there will be a truely world wide religious system with unquestioned loyalty from every people group ready to bow down to their one world leader (the pope?).
Keep up the good work.
Skip

__________________________

Dianne Writes:

Dear Eric:
I read your article very carefully to make sure you were pointing out errors in the Catholic system and not attacking Catholic people. You did an excellent job. If the people who have knee-jerked a response would go back and re-read the article, they will find it biblically based.

I have friends who are Christian Catholics as we are defining it, but it was difficult and it didn't happen through their system, but from some outside information. So, we have to be careful to say both: you can be a Catholic and not a Christian; and you can be a Christian Catholic.... but hmmmm. this is true of all the denominations, isn't it?

God be with you in this discussion... I believe it will lead to church goers of all denominations inspecting their salvation and correcting any errors. Amen.
Dianne

__________________________

Lou writes:

Dear Eric,
You are not alone on taking heat from mixed up catholics. I've endured my share as well. My wifes whole family is catholic so I know what you are saying. I read all the official catholic doctrine blessed by the current Pope. I didn't find bibical christianity there anywhere. I have many friends in Calif. who were catholic and were Born Again , all left the catholic Church after trying to win there local Prist. I came to this conclusion Eric, the difference between bibical christianity and catholisiam is this; catholisiam offer's a religious system, where as a bibical christian is saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ [his shed blood for the forgivness of sin]. I totally support your stand you were one hundred percent correct..
The Lord Bless You....
Lou

__________________________

Pastor Allen writes:

Eric,
Just wanted to touch base. Wanted to let you know that I am supportive of the stand you took on dealing with Catholicism. I remember that Keith Green did an "expose'" on Catholicism that he titled the "Catholic Chronicles", and he took an incredible amount of heat. In fairness, your article was less intrusive and did not present the sheer amount of information that his did, but yours was also handled with a bit more grace than Keith's was.

Anyone in public ministry who attempts to disparage the holy relics of virgin worship, indulgences, papal infallibility, works-oriented salvation, and ex-cathedra = scripture, is bound to experience some backwash. You handled it well, and I thought you were honest and balanced. I have struggled for years with the issue of Catholicism, having grown up in a decidedly catholic area, with both of my closest friends during my youth being Catholic. I went from initially considering anyone Catholic as automatically heading for hell, to the position I hold now, which is primarily the same as yours.

It's all about what you do with Christ. However, I still take issue with those that say they are Christian, and still hold firmly to the Papacy, hold the Virgin Mary on a par equal with Jesus, and do NOT hold to the absolute infallible nature of the scriptures. I am not sure if we will ever come to any solid degree of closure on this issue this side of glory, but I thank you for "Taking A Stand".
Love you guys,
Allen Sipe

__________________________

David writes:

Dear Brother,
This has been a topic of strife in the "fundamental Christian church" body for many years. I think we have not moved away from our catholic origins far enough. I feel that we need o take a stand against all false doctrines and cults.

Recently in my Sunday school class I was teaching about knowing what we believe discerning false doctrines. When I listed the Roman Catholic church in my list of cults, I was immediately attacked as being judgmental, bigoted, un-loving, narrow minded and divisive. I had to let my class know the same things you have talked about concerning loving the catholic and exposing the cult. It is quite possible that we will see Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, as well as a great number of other parishioners in heaven in spite of their church affiliation.

The doubt I have is in regard to the leaders of these groups. The Roman Catholic church is as much of a cult as the Mormon church, the Jehovah's Witness church, the Bahai faith, etc, etc... . The problem comes with acceptability due to it's origin at the early formation of the Christian religion and the fact that it is possibly based in the original Roman church which Paul the apostle wrote to. It obviously didn't read Paul's letter the way he wrote it! God will hold the leaders accountable for their actions in leading so many astray!

Many Christian leaders support the R.C. church as well. Billy Graham solicits catholics to work in his crusades and promotes new believers to attend it as much as he does any other religion proclaiming the tile of "Christian". I attend an Assemblies of God church and officially the denomination will not call the R.C. church what it is.

Sorry, I did not intend this to be a book just a letter of support for your position. We need unity in the body of Christ, but we need to be careful whose body parts we claim.
Love in the Savior,
David

__________________________

Pastor Tony writes:

Bravo my brother. Keep on taking a stand!!

You suggested to your readers: "Rather than angrily write me...perhaps those writing should realize that I cared enough...". Another suggestion might go something like this... "Rather than angrily write me... please be kind enough to show me in any RC writings where the RC church teaches that Justification is by faith alone (albeit by a faith that is never alone). Your detractors must either embrace or deny this position. Those who deny this position don't particularly care if you "take the heat," in fact they think this is what you ought to do (burn!). The simple fact is, the official RC position is "Justification-NOT by faith alone" (this is evident all through Vatican II; also see www.catholic.com, an authorized apologetics forum for the RC church).

You are absolutely correct Eric, fellowship is not the question at hand. The question is authority. Either the Bible is our final authority on the matter of Justification (as well as all other matters), or it is some other authority. If it is some other authority, the burden of infallibility rests upon them! I am not even sure that the issue of "fellowship" ought to enter the discussion. When we meet seekers and learners coming out of other faiths (such as RC, or any other denomination teaching "Justification-NOT by faith alone", implicitly or explicitly), we do not embrace them in full fellowship, but rather welcome them as learners and seekers-seeking to bring them into the full fellowship of the historic doctrines of the Christian faith.

Keep up the good work Eric. Have a wonderful day in our Lord!!
Tony Jackson
Covenant Ministries

__________________________

Back to Newsletter Index        Letters on Mormons and Christians

 

Last names witheld. Some letters have been edited for space and content.


If you are not already a subscriber to
Take A Stand! O N L I N E click here!

Take A Stand! Ministries - POB 1485 - Rowlett, TX 75030
www.ericbarger.com - (972) 495-9490