The Bible on Roman Catholicism
by Zeke Flores
A while back, I read a shared post by a Catholic priest. He was angered by "a sea of stupid articles, idiotic commentary and boneheaded op-eds about the Catholic Church, by people who have no clue what they're talking about." He went on to rant about "the number of misinformed articles I've read about celibacy, the priesthood, the papacy, the church in this country, the causes of the sexual abuse crisis, church authority, papal infallibility, the role of the magisterium, life in a religious order, the vow of chastity, and Benedict XVI" while suggesting that people who know little or nothing about the Catholic church should refrain from writing about it and especially writing critically about it. He sardonically remarks that in response, he will start writing pieces about quantum physics and other things he knows nothing about.
He's wrong, and here's why.
Catholicism is a religious institution that claims to be the true and original Christianity. If so, one would expect to see its laws and practices found in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament, since the New Testament claims authority for all that is practiced in Christ's religion. Hence, one doesn't need to know everything, or even very much, about Catholicism -or Protestantism, for that matter. All one needs to know about religion is the Bible and, more specifically, the New Testament to ascertain whether a religious group or practice is correct.
The New Testament says nothing about "celibacy, the papacy, ... papal infallibility, the role of the magisterium, life in a religious order, the vow of chastity, and Benedict XVI" (the previous pope), archbishops, cardinals, and popes much less a "conclave" assembled to elect one. So, instead of raging against "misinformed" writers who know nothing about the church, perhaps he should be enraged against "misinformed" religionists like himself who know too little about the Bible.
"All Scriptures is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17).
