For until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by His fatherly care, that He is the Author of their every good, that they should seek nothing beyond Him - they will never yield Him willing service. Nay, unless they establish their complete happiness in Him, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to Him.
John Calvin

Catholicism Verses Fundamentali

Catholicism Verses Fundamentali

CATHOLICISM VS. FUNDAMENTALISM

ROMAN CATHOLIC AND CHRISTIAN COMMENTS

ROMAN CATHOLIC COMMENTS From CATHOLICS, FUNDAMENTALISTS AND THE BIBLE, Karl Keating, p. 1: “You can talk on equal terms with Fundamentalists. In the process, you can teach them important truths about the Bible. You can point out to them, for example, that the Bible is an eminently Catholic book. It was written by members of the Church, was preserved by members of the Church, and is interpreted authoritatively by members of the Church. You should feel confident, not anxious, when speaking about the Bible with Fundamentalists.”

Ibid., page 5: “Newer Bibles are actually based on older, better sources, such as the Qumran scrolls of the second century discovered in 1947.”

CHRISTIAN COMMENTS This is a grossly inaccurate statement. In the first place, antiquity has nothing whatever to do with accuracy. More recently found New Testament manuscripts do not agree in substance with 85% of the extant manuscripts. The Qumran (or Dead Sea) scrolls do not contain the New Testament, and where they have been translated, agree with the established Hebrews text of the Old Testament.

ROMAN CATHOLIC COMMENTS From CATHOLICS, FUNDAMENTALISTS AND THE BIBLE, Karl Keating, p. 8. “As a counter, ask your Fundamentalist friends to prove that the Bible was intended to be the sole rule of faith. The Bible itself makes no claim. (Fundamentalists usually bring up 2 Timothy 3:16 and say it proves Scripture is sufficient as a rule of faith. Have them read the verse along with you. It calls Scripture `profitable’ for doctrine, not `sufficient.’ The words mean different things.)”

From Roman Catholic ad in the PASADENA STAR NEWS (and other publications). “The next time `Bible Christians’ knock at your door, will you know how to respond? Fundamentaslism is one of the fastest growing religious movements in the country, and with many converts coming from the Catholic Church. Those who convert usually know little about the Catholic faith they’ve abandoned and often, even less about the history of the `different gospel’ (Galatians 1:8) they’ve embraced. You should attend this free public seminar to find out the following: Why Fundamentalists try to discredit the Catholic Church. Which questions they’re not prepared to have you ask them. Why some of their doctrines aren’t Biblical. How to present clearly and effectively Catholic doctrines such as purgatory, the Eucharist, and apostolic succession. How you can convert Fundamentalists to the Catholic faith.”

CHRISTIAN COMMENTS 2 Timothy 3:16,17 says the Bible is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness and adds “that the man of God may be perfect.” How much more sufficiency do you need?

The Catholic Church claims to be “the mother of the Bible.” If this is so, we have a classic example of child abuse. The Catholic church has never been in favor of a plain Bible being in the hands of the laity. It would be interesting to ask if members of the Catholic church wrote the Bible, why they neglected to insert vital Catholic beliefs like Mass, prayer to Mary, purgatory and sacraments. Rather than preserve the Bible, the Catholic church systematically burned Bibles for centuries, and the only “preserved” manuscript was found, by accident, hidden away in the archives of the Vatican. This is a corrupted text. The Catholic church iteself says it will only interperet the Bible “according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers.” There has been no unanimity on many vital subjects, e.g. Immaculate Conception of Mary, Papal Infallibility. In fact, only seven verses in the entire Bible have been dogmatically interpreted by Catholic authority.

SECULAR JOURNALS From ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL 11/5/88 p. 4, “ECUMENISM. Conservative Roman Catholic Church historian James Hitchcock says ecumenical dialogue with fundamentalists is difficult but ‘more promising’ than with mainline denominations. He told a recent conference on fundamentalism that unlike mainline Protestants, fundamentalists say there can be an authoritative expression of Christian faith, although they contend the Catholic version is wrong. It is ‘more fruitful’, Hitchcock said, to talk with someone who says ‘you’re wrong’ than with people who don’t consider the issue important.”

(Write to C.E.C., Box 99141, Louisville, KY 40269 for booklet TREASURES FROM GOD’S STOREHOUSE, an in-depth study of the Catholic and fundamentalists arguments on most major subjects.)