Discussion with one calling them self "CrownedOne" claiming more authority than the Church

(MY writing is in bold print)

“When you have a defense that has an excuse for every question, and a man who doesn't want to see past what he believes is he only truth; his mind is closed and therefore cannot be penetrated with truth, or anything.”

Yes, the fullness of truth is impossible to refute and as the Bible says the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” in all its fullness. If i had a closed mind as you claim I would have never become a Catholic. I am a former anti-Catholic and came to the truth of Christ’s Church by trying desperately to prove the Church to be in error. I found instead that the Church is without error.

“Sincerity is no garuntee for truth. You may sincerely believe all the lies and defenses taught to you; but I don't need it defend my church or the word of God, because it's truth and stands alone without defense.”

First to make such an accusation you must have some proof that there are some lies that have been taught to me. Otherwise your accusations are empty except for their hateful prejudice against anyone that does not accept your disobedience to Christ’s Church. Jesus founded only one Church and regardless of what sect you belong to that is not the Church He founded and as a result it has no authority from Christ to believe or teach anything to anyone. Your opinion does not equate to the truth no matter how devoted you are to self deception. You have absolutely no authority to decide what is the truth outside of His Church which has this authority directly from Christ.

“If you don't want to see past what you think you know, I cannot give truth to you.”

It does not matter what I think but whom I believe and I believe only Christ, His Church and the Bible. You are representing none of these reliable sources. Before you can teach anyone anything you must show where your authority to do so comes. According to the Bible only Christ and His Church has any teaching authority. Your personal opinions do not carry any of the weight for a reasonable person as to the veracity of these other sources that deny authority from any other source.

“ The Lord has not departed from me, and we are well aquatinted.

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:14-17 KJV)”

Jesus is praying the night before His arrest and subsequent crucifixion that all of those who are His have unity in His Church, the Catholic Church as He founded no other. Are you ignoring the context of these words to support or justify your disobedience to His Church? By not being obedient as is His clearly stated will in John’s writing puts you outside of those that John is recording that Jesus prayed to have unity. Your own statements belie your claims of being well acquainted with Him and His Word.

“He also said sanctify them through the truth of the word, which you wield according to the doctrines of men and not the will of God.”

Do you have any evidence of your claim?

“You're basing your truth from the church alone, not the word. Your church overrides and interprets the word as it pleases and covers it in doctrine and defenses, as the church is "infallible".”

The truth is based on three divine sources of which must be in perfect accordance without contradiction which are Jesus, the Church and the Bible. Therefore the Church contains the fullness of truth as the bible says the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth”. Only the Church, according to Scriptures, has the authority to interpret the Bible and to teach truth. The Church is infallible in the declaration of doctrinal truth. Obviously the Bible needs an infallible teacher to lead all to the truth. The Bible tells us that that infallible teacher given to the Church is the Holy Spirit received at Pentecost which leads the Church to all truth corporeally. Individually we may err in the truth but the Church cannot lest Jesus be a liar and the Bible false teaching.

“There is no bible verse that states the church is infallible; but the bible does say, the word of God is truth and that every man is a liar.”

As I said the Bible clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost prevents the Church from error. I assume by your statements that you are not admitting to be liar even though you reject this biblical teaching. I suppose that you may be norant of what the Bible means by the “Word of God”. St. Paul explains to us that the Word of God is Christ Himself and encompasses not only that which is written but also those truths that are taught orally. He said to hold fast to those Sacred Traditions we received as a Church orally as well as those traditions received in writing. Sola Scriptura is a Protestant heresy and not the teaching of Scripture.

“Unless we speak the word of God, every word that we speak is a lie. You have done very little weirdo of the word and much wielding of church doctrine and fl we claims to infallibility.”

As you have just revealed you are ignorant of what is the Word of God. Are you just refusing to accept St. Pauls teaching. By what authority do you refuse the teaching of God’s Word. I suspect you are giving yourself this authority. There can never be any contradiction between any of the three sources of truth that I have explained to you. The Church cannot teach doctrinal error lest Jesus be a liar and the Bible false teaching. Is it your desire to destroy all of the veracity of the sources of truth to humanity which is Jesus, His Church and the Bible?

“Jesus told the Pharisees this because they acted the way the Catholic Church acts currently:

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. (John 8:42-50, 54, 55 KJV)

You hear not the words of God but only your doctrines from unsound places.”

Well the conclusory statement is certainly not about the Church that Christ founded which is undeniably the Catholic Church as all historical, biblical and patristic evidence testify. So whom can we say these verses speak of but those who do not hear His word and are not obedient to the only authority that Christ left on earth.  The Bible prophesies that there will be those who cannot endure the sound doctrines of Christ’s own Church. It says that the will seek out and follow false teachers who satisfy their itching ears. From your statements you have revealed yourself to be one of those prophesied about in Scriptures. The Bible further teaches that at judgement unless you repent that you will hear from Christ, “depart from me I never knew you”. This path you have chosen is the wide way to destruction unless you repent and be obedient to God’s will that we have unity in His Church instead of the confusion and disunity represented by the protestant heretics each with some measure of truth and great error. To be in God’s will is to be in His Church of which all who are saved will be on that last day. God bless!

In Christ

Fr. Joseph  

Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

Starting on October 4th, I am joining more than 63,000 Catholics to pray the Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for a special event coming up!

 

Pope Francis is planning a Marian Day celebration at the Vatican and at this event he plans to consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary!

 

This event is on October 13th and PrayMoreNovenas.com is organizing a novena as a way for us to join in unity with the Holy Father and prepare for this event.

 

You can sign up for handy email reminders to get the the novena prayers here:

 

http://www.praymorenovenas.com/novena-immaculate-heart-mary

 

After you sign up, maybe you can help spread the word as well. God's Mercy is abundant and overflowing, let's share it!

Discussion with one calling himself "CrownedOne" defending the teaching of "The Way"

(My writings appear in bold print)

“You seem to think I don't know how to consult the ancient texts and use the bible to interpret itself.”

From our previous discussion where you spoke with great disdain about biblical scholarship it would seem that this statement is opposed to your previous statements in opposition to studying to use sound biblical hermeneutical practices. The Bible is incapable of interpreting itself and in the end it needs an infallible teacher which is the Church endowed with this authority from Christ. That is why the Church is called in Scriptures the “pillar and foundation of the truth”. It is the Church that produced the New Testament and through Christ’s authority canonized the entire Christian Bible in the late 4th and early 5th centuries. As Christians we do not “use“ the Bible but embrace its teaching rather than the eisegetical practices of the heretics..

“I know how to search the word and accurately divide truth from the scriptures. I know how to contextually find information in the scriptures.”

Really? Judging by your previous statements expressing disdain for biblical scholarship I am quite skeptical of this statement. Most people who make such statements in my experience are those who use the improper and error prone methodology of eisegesis instead of exegesis. Have you had any training in exegesis? If not then you need an infallible teacher all the more. Do you know how to find the apparent contradictions to Scripture and reconcile them in harmony with the entire body of work? Are you familiar enough with the biblical languages to understand the approximations used in translations? Are you familiar with the culture of the first century enough to understand the impact of the biblical texts on those who were the hearers of these teachings? You said previously that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches you and while I agree that the holy Spirit is our teacher I question your following His teaching when you remain outside of the only Church founded by God personally.  (I understand that as a follower of “The Way” that you reject the Church founded by Christ for this man made counterfeit)

“How do I know to make decisions against church doctrines and and to decide where's I go to accurately learn the word? Who is my infallible teacher?”

Why would anyone who follows Christ reject the only Church that Christ  founded and prayed that we be one within in unity for those that are His? Jesus has already decided where the truth is to be and that is His Church. The Holy Spirit was given to the Church at Pentecost as Jesus promised. Individually the Holy Spirit convicts us of faith and draws us to Christ’s Church where the Holy Spirit guides against all error.  Only in His Church are we assured of the truth according to Scriptures and the traditions of the Church that produced the Bible. To remain outside His Church is to remain in various degrees of darkness and separation from the fullness of truth. It seems as if you really believe that the infallible teacher is your imagination which can be equally influenced by error as it can be by truth.

“I am a son of God! I am filled with pneuma hagion, Holy Spirit, good sir. I have the most infallible teacher.”

The Holy Spirit guides the Church and if your opinions disagree with the Church it is you that is in error. Jesus taught that the Bible is only to be understood in the community of His Church and not in the tens of thousands of communities outside His Church each with some truth and great error. Jesus is not the author of division but instead of unity. He has made it clear that it is His will that we have unity in the Church He founded where the sound doctrines are taught without error. Those that depart from His will are those who cannot endure the sound doctrine of the Church as Jesus prophesied and follow false teachers and organizations in opposition to His will. The Holy Spirit does not guide anyone to reject the only Church that Christ founded for man-made counterfeits.

“ Did the twelve apostles to to Christian seminary?”

Yes, they attended the ultimate seminary at the foot of God Himself incarnate as Jesus for three years. They not only were exposed to Christ’s words but were witnesses to His actions and to His miracles.

”“God revealed to them the word, and taught them by the Holy Spirit. God said "I will put my spirit in you, and move you to follow my decrees"

Yes, God taught them His Word but the Holy Spirit would not come to the Church until Pentecost. This was His promise to them. He promised that the Holy Spirit would guide His Church to all truth that He founded on them as the 12 foundation stones of the Church with Himself as the cornerstone and St. Peter and His successors as the prime ministers. Apostolic succession is the true mark of the Church founded by Christ. Outside of this ark of the Church all others claiming to be Christian are on the wide path to salvation.

http://fiatvolvntastua.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-important-is-apostolic-succession.html

“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. (2 Timothy 1:15 KJV)”

“Ver. 15. All they who are in Asia, are turned away from me.That is, all who are of Asia, or all the Asiatics now at Rome, where I am prisoner, have withdrawn themselves from me, now when I am in danger; but he excepts Onesiphorus, who sought him out, assisted and relieved him in his wants. (Witham) ---Phigellus, &c. These two, whom St. Paul says were the chief of those in Asia Minor, who had departed from the faith, had become his followers by deceit, in order to become acquainted with the mysteries of religion, taught by him, intending to make use of them, as affording them matter for calumniating him. (Denis the Carthusian)”

“Asia encompasses the Middle East during this times.’

Correct, but why is this significant to you?

“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. (2 Timothy 4:10, 16 KJV)”

Ver. 10. Crescens into Galatia, Titus, &c. These two did not abandon the faith, but only left St. Paul to preach the gospel, with his consent. Crescens went from Rome into Galatia, or into Gaul, as it is found written in the Greek. Theodoret, Eusebius, St. Epiphanius, &c. say that Galatia, in the Greek, is often put for Gaul, in profane authors. On this account it is said by some, that Crescens preached in Gaul. Adon makes him founder of the Church of Vienne, in Dauphinè; an opinion still prevalent in that city. The feast of St. Crescens is kept by the Latin Church, on the 27th of June. (Calmet) --- As to Titus, it cannot be doubted but he went into Dalmatia for the purpose of the ministry, and by the order of St. Paul. Thence it seems most probable that he went into Crete, where he governed the Church as bishop, and there died. (Theodoret; St. Chrysostom; Theophylactus; Estius, &c.)

Ver. 16. At my first defence, or trial, when I appeared before Nero and my judges, no man stood with me; all, or almost all, abandoned me in that danger: may it not be laid to their charge.(Witham)

“It seems like in second Timothy every one is strayin away from Paul, the verses around 2 Timothy 4:10, are Paul's requests for help because he has no one else with him, and speaks of how he had to flee.

Please explain how these quotes from the apostles inspired by god are nonsense? All of Asia, is pretty straight

forward.”

Are you really trying to suggest that all of the disciples have departed from the faith and only St. Paul is the inspired and infallible teacher? That would indeed be nonsense.

“ I also find it interesting that you consider your seminary school/teachers to be infallible.”

I do not understand how you gleaned this from my statements. I simply told you that the Bible is not against scholarship as you were alleging but in favor of it in saying that a teacher should:

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

“ Because the word of God teaches that only the word of God is truth, a decry man is a liar.”

No, the Bible teaches that only the Church is the infallible teacher.

1 Timothy 3:15 (KJV)15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

If a man pridefully and prejudicially declares that His his own beliefs in opposition of the infallible teaching authority of the Church taught in the Bible are correct then he departs from God’s will into heresy and becomes prey for the doctrines of men. Such a departure is taught in Scriptures as a path to destruction. the Bible states that those who cannot endure the sound doctrines of the Church will hear at judgment from Christ, “depart from my, I never knew you.”  

“There cannot be a trinity if there are not three gods.”

Really? What do you use to support this ridiculous statement. What else do you believe is impossible with God? there is only one God in the Trinity of three persons. This is the teaching of our Lord. Carnal reason may oppose such a belief but by faith and devotion to God one can believe in all things that Jesus taught as revealing in the Church and the Bible. If one thing is a lie then all of  teaching is suspect and the “gates of Hell” will have prevailed against the Church. This has not happened and never will.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (1 Timothy 2:5 KJV)”

Correct, but I suspect that you read more into this statement than it says since you deny that Jesus is God like the Arian heretics and others who have been condemned to an eternity in hell at the Council of Nicaea under the authority to the Church by Christ.

Matthew 18:18 (KJV)

18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 16:19 (KJV)

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

“Christ Jesus is just a man. He is referred to in the word as the son of man countless times.”

Jesus being just a man is a diametrical departure from biblical teaching and does not support one’s denial that Jesus is God which denigrates the Gospel. If Jesus is just a man and not the perfection prophesied as the Lamb of God or as some heretics proclaim an Angel  then the world still awaits the Messiah prophesied and Jesus was an impostor as the perfect Lamb of God

.“He is also refered to the son of God. But what defines a son of God?”

Only Jesus is the personification of such a claim.

“Jesus Christ was man, inborn with Holy Spirit.”

No, He is God incarnate and the perfect sacrifice prophesied.

“We as Christians are men, given the spirit of adoption; according to the apostle Paul. We are also sons of God. So to as Jesus is a God, would mean that we must be gods also, because we were new creations, of which Christ was the firstborn. We are all akin to Christ.”

This nonsense reminds me of the teaching of the Mormons that says that we all become gods and populate our own planets so that they may worship us. It is akin to the Pagan religions of Rome and Greece with their Pagan families of God but this is far from the teaching of Jesus, His Church and the Bible.  It is also reminiscent of the great lie of Satan told to the first woman Eve that to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree will make one as God. We are not God’s and never will be but we will share in His presence if we believe in Him and  endure to final salvation. We can share  in His promise but not in His divinity. We are created to serve Him by worship and not to be like Him lest we fall into the snare of Satan. The Holy Spirit and God are not separate beings, they cannot be.

“As the Old Testament scriptures say, I will put MY SPIRIT in you, and move you to follow MY decrees, and you will be MY people and I will be Your GOD.

I believe that's an exact quote, minus some punctuation I am sure; but punctuation wasn't included in the original texts, so it's all kind of iffy anyways.”

Yes, the Holy Spirit which is the third person in the Trinity of God appeals to the law written on everyones heart.

http://fiatvolvntastua.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-is-law-written-on-our-hearts.html

There is nothing in the Word of God that is “iffy” if understood in the community of the Church which is according to the Bible the “pillar and foundation of the truth”.

“There are plenty of supporting verses, ones that claim that God is holy and made of spirit, which would explain his title being the Holy Spirit.”

It is not a title but instead it is clearly the teaching of our Lord that the Holy Spirit or Paraclete and is the 3rd person of the Trinity of the one God.

“Cult- a group having religious beliefs or practices which are regarded by others as strange, or imposing excessive control on members.”

Yes, but central to this is that it controls the very thought of their members by threatening that any departure from their teaching results in them being eschewed from the group so that their lies will not be revealed by the enlightened individual that threatens the groupthink  that is so important to their deceptive teachings. their teachings are so weak that they cannot survive with critical thinking.

“You realize that according to most churches Catholicism is a cult also.’

That is very strange in that the Bible teaches there is only one Church founded by Jesus and that Church is the Catholic Church. All others are of  those men who cannot endure the sound doctrine of the true Church according to the Bible.

“My fellowship is labeled a cult because people regard the practices strange through poor knowledge of the bible.”

You think? And by what authority do you make such a statement? Who made you or the leadership of your group the authority for teaching? The Bible teaches that only the Church founded by Jesus is the authority for teaching and and for faith. By what authority to you and your group usurp the teaching of Jesus, His Church and the Bible? The Fact is that you have absolutely no teaching authority from any source. with your lack of authority your group is just one of the tens of thousands of heretical groups who represent the division in the Body of Christ and not the unity in the one Church that Jesus prayed for in the garden of Gethsemane before His arrest and subsequent crucifixion.   

“None of the leadership tried to control members or attendee's lives, that's actually the quickest way to lose your leadership role from any source.”

Really, so then if anyone really believes that Jesus is God then they are welcomed in your group or are they ostracised and removed from fellowship? The fact is that they are shunned and labeled as heretics within the group. It is the policy of your group to “mark and avoid” those who have come to believe that Jesus is God and to adopt this clear teaching from Jesus, His Church and the Bible.

“I've written essays and done plenty of cult research.”

Really, and yet you say that your group is not a cult?

“So, really we are on equal ground as far as the cult arguement.”

Not at all as your group was not founded by Christ nor is it called in the Bible the “pillar and foundation of the truth’. In fact, your sect has absolutely no apostolic connection at all.

God bless!

In Christ

Fr. Joseph

A discussion with Terry about his criticisms of the Church

(My answers are in bold)

“So in your Catholic arrogance you are under the impression that the CC is the TRUE, One and ONLY church and that the Protestant Churches are the ones in error and that we are FALSE Churches since the Church can never be in error, but, in YOUR opinion, we are so we are not part of the TRUE Church.”

I am perfectly capable for speaking for myself. I do not speak out of arrogance but humility that I have received sufficient grace to be blessed with a Berean spirit from my Lord to escape the errors of Protestantism. I am convinced that not only are all Protestant sects full of error and disobedience to our Lord but that many have become the tools of Satan to separate the faithful from Christ with their false teaching. Certainly at best Protestantism represents the wide way that leads to destruction even though I believe that some caught up in the net of deceit of Protestantism may well escape the lies that provoke sin and be saved. Certainly Protestantism is represented by false counterfeit sects but some may still be saved by seeking Christ and by no fault of their own fail to assimilate into the errors of the Protestant sects and be saved inspite of their disobedience to Christ will that all humanity be one in His Church the Catholic Church. In other words they individually may be a part of the invisible Church but not the visible Church. The truth is that as Catholic Christians we know without any doubt where the Church is but we cannot be sure of where it is not. Being one in Christ’s Church is an action of the soul and not the intellect.

“You sir have been drinking the Vatican Kool-aid way too long my friend. The Protestant movement had to do with us being Saved by Grace alone, NOT by doing all of the flogging and 50 Hail Mary's and paying the priest and other such “works”, it is by Grace alone!”

No, Catholic teaching is that we do all things because of God’s grace residing abundantly in our souls. Grace is never alone but is always the cooperation between man and the Holy Spirit. For your information Pelagianism was condemned by the Church at the Council of Carthage and this is what you are falsely accusing us of doing and teaching. You are woefully incorrect.  Here are the proclamations of the Council regarding grace:

1. Justifying grace not only avails for the forgiveness of past sins, but also gives assistance for the avoidance of future sins.
2. The grace of Christ not only discloses the knowledge of God's commandments, but also imparts strength to will and execute them.
3. Without God's grace it is not merely more difficult, but absolutely impossible to perform good works.

“We aren't wanting a God that will serve us, and you are so wrong, you are getting your info from the CC and of course they will NEVER admit to error, because it are "infallible" (yeah, right).”

That was the whole impetus of the Protestant rebellion. Get familiar with your own history. The so-called reformers were all Humanists. This is historical fact and I was taught this at a Baptist and a Methodist seminary. I did not get this from Catholic teaching who for the most part ignores the false teaching of the Protestants like yourself. Remember that every time you claim that Christ’s Church teaches error you are calling Jesus a liar and an incompetent in founding His Church and are calling the Bible false teaching. Jesus said that the Church would endure for all times free from error and the Bible calls the Church the “pillar and foundation of the truth”. Contrast this to what the Bible says about Protestants...it says that Protestants are those who cannot endure the sound doctrines of the Church and have sought out false teachers that satisfy their itching ears. Jesus says of these poor souls that at judgement they will hear depart from me I never knew you. This is truly an example of pride preceding destruction where man is proud of His own creation while rejecting that which Christ has created for all men as the ark of the New Covenant protecting the faithful from the destruction of the world through sin. The Church truly is infallible in its teaching just as Christ and the Bible teaches.

“So, you say that the CC and the Pope are infallible when it comes to spiritual matters? Just like I said, you get into error when you get away from the Bible and get into your feelings, “what you think” and traditions.”

Yes, the Pope is infallible when speaking ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals. I would agree that one may get into error by teaching contradictory to the Bible which is something the Catholic Church has never been guilty of doing. That is one of the many reasons I converted to Catholic Christianity as I could not through all my efforts find any Catholic teaching that was contradictory to Scriptures doctrinally.  As for traditions St. Paul not only taught to hold fast to the sacred written traditions of the Church but to the oral traditions. We follow his teaching as recorded in Scriptures. It is the Protestants that base their teaching on their feelings and the Catholic Church cannot be accused of such a unscholarly practice.

“The priesthood is full of homosexuals and has been for as long for as long as I can remember.”

Really, and how do you know this. I have not met a single homosexual priest and I have met hundreds if not thousands of priests since I became a Catholic over a decade ago. However, as a Protestant I knew many homosexual ministers and it was an ongoing problem that the Protestants failed to address but just ignored their problem..

“Homosexuals don't get married to the opposite sex, and in the priesthood you can't get married, so it is the perfect place to hide your sexual orientation and still get great respect, and it also gives a perfect opportunity to have private time with young men who trusts these "great" men.”

Really, would you make the same claim about Jesus and the disciples. Shame on you. For you information the Church does not forbid anyone to marry but instead encourage marriage. Celibate priests choose to be celibate in the example of St. Paul and Jesus, who recommended celibacy for clergy. these men make vows to God to be celibate for the Kingdom of God.

“Sir, like I said, the CC is a man made political/religious organization that has a very rich history of error, sin, and murdering "heretics" and dared anyone to even question it's supposedly spiritual superiority and perfect 'godliness' and yes, I intentionally used a small "g" because tons of the shenanigans of the CC does NOT reflect the teachings of the True and Living God.”

Well, of course that man you speak of that founded the Church is Christ. It is the only Church that can be said that is not man-made but God made instead. Well certainly all who have claimed to be Catholic have been godly men and women but the Church has always remained true in spite of these people some of whom were likely indeed evil. Is the Church guilty of the sins of all its members. A reasonable person would say no but for those that hte what Christ has founded then no explanation will be accepted in their holier than thou attitude of superiority. The fact is that men may be fallible but the Church can never teach anything but truth. Of this our Lord has promised. So the Church gets its veracity from our founder Christ and not from men. The Church should not be responsible for those who depart from the teaching of the Church as all men have free will to do good or evil.

“I appreciate your stance on Abortion, but that is just about the only respect that I have for your hypocritical organization, as you can't even be honest about it. I fear that the CC itself has become the god of many Catholics, and that is sad.”

That statement reflects more on you than it does on the Church. What you dislike about the Church is a caricature of the real Church as you have dutifully demonstrated here.

“ Anyway, read what your infallible Pope has to say about homosexual priests.

Just in case you didn't know it, the Bible speaks rather harshly about the fate of homosexuals, but you people are okay with putting them out there leading your flocks- that's like putting Hitler to protect the Jews, or putting the inmates to run the asylum.”

I have read what Pope Francis said about judging homosexuals and that is nothing new . Catholics have always been taught that judgement is for God and not man. We will all face God’s judgement on our last day. He knows our heart and no one else. Do you disagree with this and think that you are worthy to judge the hearts of men? We are taught by our Holy Father to pray for all sinners and not to judge others.

“The CC perfect? With all due respect, go worship your man made organization with all of its flaws and sinful activity, but don't embarrass yourself by looking down your nose at me and the others as we stick to the Scripture.”

As I said before the man that founded our Church was Christ. If you are Baptist your founder is Smythe, If you are Mormon your founder is Joseph Smith. If you are a Jehovah Witness your founder is Charles Russell. If you are an Seventh Day Adventist it is Ellen G. White. If you are Methodist it is John Wesley.If you are non-denominational you are a follower of your pastor who is the founder. Scripture is interpreted through the lens of your founder. Only the Catholic Church is founded by Jesus of which the Orthodox are our separated brothers. The further you get from Christ and His Church the further you get from Scripture. Catholics do not look down our noses at Protestants but instead feel pity and pray for them.

“Are we perfect? Certainly not, but we ARE forgiven, and when God looks at us, He sees the Blood of Jesus instead of our sins.”

I pray  that you will come to believe that Jesus indeed recognizes the sins of man. He sacrificed Himself to save mankind from that sin and to reconcile humanity from original sin to righteousness and justification. We must repent of our sins and confess them with a contrite heart to be forgiven.

“We truly are seeking to be more like Jesus, and it is a life long process.”

This you have in common with Catholic Christians. We hope to endure to final salvation and be judged worthy on our last day for an eternity in the presence of God.

“In our Church, homosexuality in the clergy is NOT tolerated, because WE know that it is a sin, apparently something, that your infallible Pope and church haven't figured out yet.”

Why would you say this? The Church is adamant in its condemnation of homosexual acts and teaches that those with homosexual desires must remain celibate. Surely the Church teaches that homosexual acts are sinful and incompatible with the priesthood. Priests creating scandal for homosexual acts are removed from ministry. If a candidate in the seminary shows any signs of homosexual tendencies they are removed from training and cannot be a priest.

“Honestly, you need to lay off of the Roman Kool-aid and open your eyes to Truth.”

I would say that you should follow Jesus and the teaching of the Church and the Bible that says that the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” and not your unreasonable prejudice.

God bless!

In Christ

Fr. Joseph