statues

The Catholic listing of the 10 commandments is taken from the Hebrew texts and includes as one commandment worshiping graven images and idolatry. Many protestants list this first commandment into two distinct commandments regarding strange gods and graven images. This falls into the error of taking texts out of context and creating a pretext which distorts the original intention. Five chapters after the ten commandments, God instructs Moses to carve angels that would sit on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Clearly the prohibition was against the idolatry of worshiping images and not in carving them. To make up for this expansion of the first commandment into two, protestants contract the coveting of another's spouse (lust) and coveting another's goods into one commandment. This would reduce spouses to mere property. There are clearly two very different sins with vastly different gravity.

3 pillars

Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium Many critics of the Catholic Church reject tradition and magisterium. These critics fail to see their own tradition and magisterium. The result is that everyone claims his own tradition and claims to be his own magisterium. This disorder and disunity flies in the face of Scripture: "He who listens to you, listens to me, and he who rejects you, rejects me" (Lk 10:16) "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" Mt 16:18) "I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Mt 28:20) The Holy Spirit "Will abide with you forever" (Jn 14:16) "I will not leave you orphans" Jn 14:18) "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15) “That all may be one” Jn 17,21 The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ and as such can and does include sinners of all stripes, but the head of this Church is Christ and it is His Church. It is Christ who cleanses and renews its members constantly through the Sacraments which He gave us and guarantees that the "power of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mt 16:18)

2. Bible

2. If the Bible is the inspired Word of God then the list of books included in the Bible must be inspired by God Also. That list is called the Canon and was accepted by all Christians as inspired When Christians Were united in the one church which Christ founded. It is reasonable and necessary that the only correct exegesis of Scripture must be in accord With the Church which Christ established with His authority. Tradition comes from God and trumps claims of new inspiration. Anyone who quotes the Bible is proclaiming Catholic Tradition.

1. Tradition

1. The foundation of the Jewish faith is Tradition. The foundation of the Catholic faith is the Jewish faith. Catholic faith and doctrine remained intact for over 2000 years because the Church defends itself against heresy with tradition. Heresy is built on sand and shifts With the tides and has no foundation. Critics of the Catholic Church reject tradition as a foundation of faith and rely on "scripture alone" which is a distortion of "all scripture." Papal primacy was taken for granted in the early church. Bishops from East and West and the early Fathers of the church attest to this. It is founded on Christ calling Peter the Rock and entrusting him With the "keys of the kingdom." Apostolic tradition has protected the church against heresies: such as Arianism Which was based on erroneous interpretation of scripture and did not coincide With the Teachings of the apostles.

Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium

Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium

Many critics of the Catholic Church reject tradition and magisterium. These critics fail to see their own tradition and magisterium. The result is that everyone claims his own tradition and claims to be his own magisterium. This disorder and disunity flies in the face of Scripture: "He who listens to you, listens to me, and he who rejects you, rejects me" (Lk 10:16) "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" Mt 16:18) "I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Mt 28:20) The Holy Spirit "Will abide with you forever" (Jn 14:16) "I will not leave you orphans" Jn 14:18) "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15) “That all may be one” Jn 17,21
The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ and as such can and does include sinners of all stripes, but the head of this Church is Christ and it is His Church. It is Christ who cleanses and renews its members constantly through the Sacraments which He gave us and guarantees that the "power of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mt 16:18)

carved images

The Catholic listing of the 10 commandments is taken from the Hebrew texts and includes as one commandment worshiping graven images and idolatry. Many protestants list this first commandment into two distinct commandments regarding strange gods and graven images. This falls into the error of taking texts out of context and creating a pretext which distorts the original intention. Five chapters after the ten commandments, God instructs Moses to carve angels that would sit on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Clearly the prohibition was against the idolatry of worshiping images and not in carving them. To make up for this expansion of the first commandment into two, protestants contract the coveting of another's spouse (lust) and coveting another's goods into one commandment. This would reduce spouses to mere property. There are clearly two very different sins with vastly different gravity.

abortion

"You shall not procure abortion, nor destroy a newborn child" Didache (did-ah-kay) 70-80 AD