Pope kisses tapped blood of late pope John Paul II

Gloria do you “… pledge allegiance to the flag …”? Do you see others remove their hat and put their hand over their heart when the flag goes by here in America? If you do (I do), is that worshipping or is it venerating a piece of cloth? I would say it is showing respect, it is a form of veneration. Once upon a time, people took such things seriously, not so much these days I guess. Its not anything magic, witchcraft or worship!

Plus there are two Greek terms that were used in writing the Sacred Scriptures to understand worship to veneration…..

Dulia (Greek term for Veneration) = the honor we give to others like saints and Mary. We ask them for their intercession through their prayers and we honor them for being holy men and women who lived for Christ. An example of dulia would be “Oh holy saint Anthony the Desert, pray for me so that I may be as faithful to Christ as you were Amen.” We acknowledge that the Saints can do nothing by themselves.

Latria (Greek term for Worship)= the honor and adoration that is due to God alone. We recognize him as the creator of all things seen and unseen, as the savior of the world, and as the governor of the universe. An example of latria might be “Glory to God in the highest, Lord God heavenly king almighty God and father. We worship you, we give you thanks we praise you for your glory.”

So if we were to give “Latria” to Mary or the saints, we would then be committing idolatry.

And don’t people in other countries like Japan….the people there bow at each other out of respect, honor, or veneration!!! I used to live in Japan! That we understand to acknowldge saints or Mary.

Question: You said that there are no priests in the church. It is not true because the apostle Paul wrote a letter to Titus: “This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective and appoint Presbyters (Greek term for Priests) in every town as I have directed you” (Titus 1:5). Then Paul gives the qualifications a man needs to be a priest.

Answer: No, there are no Catholic priests in the New Testament. The Roman priesthood was not instituted by Christ; it is a human invention that evolved in the post-apostolic period.

It is simply not true that “presbyter” means “priest”. The Greek terms used in the New Testament to describe the ministers of the church are: 1. presbuteros (presbyters, elders); 2. episkopos (bishops, overseers); and 3. poimen (pastors, shepherds). They are never called hiereus, which is the Greek word for priest.

The change in the title of the ministers in the Catholic church corresponds to the change in their role. The Council of Trent defines the specific functions of the Catholic priest: “If any one said, that there is not in the New Testament a visible and external priesthood; or that there is not any power of consecrating and offering the true body and blood of the Lord, and of forgiving and retaining sins; but only an office and bare ministry of preaching the Gospel… let him be anathema” (Council of Trent, Session 23, Canon I). Thus the two main functions of the priest are:

The offering of the propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass;

The forgiveness sins by the sacrament of penance.

How does this compare to the teaching of the New Testament? In the Apostolic Church, the Eucharist was considered a “remembrance” and a “proclamation” of the Lord Jesus and His sacrifice, and not a carrying on, perpetuation, renewal and re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ, as the modern Catholic Church teaches. There is no place for a “visible and external priesthood” in the church since Christ, our Priest, offered one perfect sacrifice, and He ever lives to intercede for His own. “He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood” (Hebrew 7:24). The Greek word (aparabatos) translated “unchangeable” means “not passing away, untransferable, perpetual.” Unlike the Levitical priests, who had to pass on their ministry from generation to the next because of death, Jesus Christ lives forever and therefore His priesthood is not transferred to anyone.

The other key aspect of the Catholic priesthood, auricular confession, was not practiced in the Western church until after the seventh century. The apostles and elders in the early church did not hear confession, give absolution or prescribe penance for the remission of sins. Rather they were involved primarily in the preaching and teaching of the Gospel; they insisted that forgiveness was through faith in Christ. “And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:42,43). The Council of Trent derogates this work as “only an office and bare ministry of preaching the Gospel” — the Bible exalts it as the divine mandate to reach out the world with the grace and forgiveness of God.

Today, Christian pastors continue to lead people to Christ by the preaching of the Word that they may receive life and forgiveness through faith in Him. We thank God for their faithful and invaluable service to us.

The Roman priest stand in the way between the sinner and Christ. We cannot benefit from the sacrifice of the cross, or so we are told, unless the Catholic priest offers the sacrifice of the Mass. Nor can we receive God’s forgiveness apart from priestly absolution. That is not true! The Catholic priest is a stumbling block to the soul who is seeking God. The way is wide open to all who come by faith Jesus Christ. “Through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

Often Protestants challenge the Catholic practice of asking saints and angels to pray on our behalf. But the Bible directs us to invoke those in heaven and ask them to pray with us.

In Psalm 103 its says, “Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will!” (Ps. 103:20–21). And in the opening verses of Psalms 148 we pray, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!”

Not only do those in heaven pray with us, they also pray for us. In the book of Revelation, John sees that “the twenty-four elders [the leaders of the people of God in heaven] fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev. 5:8). Thus the saints in heaven offer to God the prayers of the saints on earth.

Angels do the same thing: “[An] angel came and stood at the altar [in heaven] with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God” (Rev. 8:3–4).

Jesus himself warned us not to offend small children, because their guardian angels have guaranteed intercessory access to the Father: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10).

Because he is the only God-man and the Mediator of the New Covenant, Jesus is the only mediator between man and God (1 Tim. 2:5), but this in no way means we cannot or should not ask our fellow Christians to pray with us and for us (1 Tim. 2:1–4). In particular, we should ask the intercession of those Christians in heaven, who have already had their sanctification completed, for “the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects” (James. 5:16).

thanks for exposing this abomination… I shudder at how evil this is

I find it interesting that people are so cruelly attacking a person because they believe differently than them. What fascinates me more is that these attackers, these apologists, call themselves Christians. Have you yet spoken out of love? NO! The way to win someone over in a matter of theology is to present the love and compassion of Christ to a person, to speak to them in love. It’s because of the anger and hatred that Christians have spoken in a way to “show them Christ” that have caused people from all walks of life to turn their backs on the Savior. Kevin, I appreciate all of your input and, as a Greek scholar in university right now, I absolutely agree with you. Do I attend a church of Catholic denomination? No. In fact, I am of the Mennonite background. Does that make me a heretic? Of course not. My brothers and sisters in Christ, I beseech you to walk and talk in love. No more of this “You said this, now I respond thus.” No more of this swearing and cursing. If someone says something, consider it in love, ponder it in prayer, study it in wisdom, and debate in compassion. I leave you with a story:
In the fourth century, there reigned an emperor: Emperor Theodosius. He was a strong man, of military knowledge. He went, after being on campaign, to his church in Milan where [Saint] Ambrose was the minister. The church father would not permit the Emperor enter on account of his slaying so many. The Emperor had to do a form of penance, beseeching forgiveness of God. So strong was his fervor, in fact, that the people of the country wept with him, also asking the Lord for forgiveness. Finally, after some many days, Ambrose permitted the Emperor enter the church. However, whenever a criminal would come before the Emperor, Theodosius would hear of the crime, ponder it thirty days, and then, after his anger and initial ire had settled, would he decide on the due punishment.
I ask that, when someone says something contrary to you that angers or maddens you, ponder it first and be not hasty to respond. Many will be happier and your response, spoken more from love and a humble heart, will more greatly affect those to whom you speak than if you were to speak immediately. “Be quick to listen but slow to speak.”

if Christ had come and condemned all of us like this, i dont know if anyone could have been willing to call themselves christians. if you think the pope is wrong, why dont you pray for his deliverance?, for those who are greiviously condemning him, i dont think you are different from the man man who prayed to God saying, i thank you God that am not like that other sinner. so watchout.