Wow, did this thread take a wrong turn or what? As I read all of the
posts, all I could do is shake my head in bewilderment. I learned a very
long time ago that just because someone writes a book about a subject,
that does not make it absolute fact nor does it make it the truth. It
never ceases to amaze me what people will believe just because somebody
said it was true in a book. I will not comment any further, nor will I
add my thoughts about anything said in this thread.

theres always a bad apple in every basket. that doesnt mean that the
whole basket is bad. so how can any of u get off on blaming an entire
church for some peoples errors. you call urselves christian?? thats a
joke!!! love ur enemy , Christ said. without the catholic church, no
other christian church would have started. can one say that because
muslims bombed the world trade center that all muslims are terrorists??
think about it folks. and one question always arises..why is the
catholic church hated by most christians and please dont recite history
to me. the catholic church has never bombed a building or created mass
murder. when things like that were done, it was in the name of some
governmental hierarchy like Spain and such. never from Rome itself.
trace back all churches to their founders and you will find that the
catholic church was founded by Christ himself.

the current catholic church was not founded by Christ.

It was founded upon the principles and doctrines of Constantine 325 or
412 years after Christ.

The inquisition took its first lives in the year 385 when Priscillian of
Avila and 6 of his followers were beheaded at the rule of Maximillian
Emperor of Rome and with the aggreement of the synod of the church in
power at that time. (In defense of the Catholic Church this action was
taken over the protest of the Pope Pope Siricius).

In the 13th century the Pope assigned the Dominican Order to prosecute
'herectics' under full papal authority.

The Spanish Inquistion which you reference did not take place till the
15th century. By which time methods and prodcedures and been well
established. The actual punishment meted out was established by Pope
Gregory IX in the year 1231 when he published a decree which called for
life imprisonment with salutary penance for the heretic who had
confessed and repented and capital punishment for those who persisted.
Confession of sins as a heretic could be obtained by questionioning and
usually was applied with some form of painful stimulus to exact
'truthfull' testimony. (in an interesting side note any who were found
guilty forefit their lands and estates to the church... Nice way to get
fat)

and the turks created a genocide against the armenians. the germans
butchered the jews. israel mass murdered many palestinians and vice
versa. why hatred only against the catholic church. you should hate
turks, germans, israelis and the rest so as to not look hypocritical.
my thoughts of course. people cannot hate one thing and accept another
of equal value.

Where in my truthfull statement did you find anger.

All religions from antitiquity have committed genocide of one type or
another.

It seems to be a part of the growing pains of a church. First with
zeal, then with consoladation of power to a few, then kill any who
question those few. It is as it happens. Neither of us can change
history. Perhaps we can learn from it.

The Chatholic Church still has the groups in place to conduct
inqusitions it is called 'Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith'.
I submitt to you that we may yet see action from them in our time.
(perhaps only with excomunications and such instead of death but they
exist).

other than the abuse (by i hope the few)

my biggest porblem with the catholic religion

is the idiolitry (it is used big time)

I don't take much stock in anything posted by one who makes many fake
profiles to suit his need for attention

of whom do you speak

the original poster of this thread

ADVENTUREBEGINS... Sorry, did not mean for my thoughts to come directly
at you. Apologies. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of
anything. Some base it on fact and others on faith. Sometimes both. I
think every organization in this world has humanity as their excuse and
thus keeps peace from really cultivating the masses. One can love the
person but hate their actions, and that I can accept.

That I can accept also

im just going to throw this out there not really reading the thread but
first of all you hear about catholic priest because the media clutches
on to it.. it is a story that sells.. in reality not that many priests
are molesting people, and the offering plate?? what are you talking
about what are they called deacons? or whatever pass it out and everyone
everyone touches the offering plate, then also it is a way for
pedophiles to go into a setting that will allow them access to children
that other job posistions may not which is why you also hear about
teachers doing it a lot as well.. maybe if the society wasn't so
gulliable the news would stop pushing these stories out all over the
place..

and adj.. the catholics don't deem anything they do as idolatry... im
not sure what sect of christian you are or what religion you are but to
the catholics it's not deemed as idolatry

lulu i've already had this conversation with that guy " claiming jesus
is only fully divine" in christianity.. i tried to explain to him jesus
is both fully human and fully divine.. but he refuses to accept it..

and i agree some of you i myself at times have been as well i wont
deny that ( am going to work on it) are being very judgemental I don't
have a faith and i choose it that way but i was brought up in a catholic
family... and to everyone their faith is the correct way because that's
what you were raised to believe... so please stop criticising other
faiths it is fine to ask questions but not blatantly sit here and
criticise cause im sure people could do it to your faiths to and you
really wouldn't appreciate it

Idolatry.

Worshipping or praying to an inanimate object or man made object.

A metal cross is a man made object.

A cross with a graven image of a man upon it is an idol. If you pray to
it you have committed idolatry.

A statue is an idol if you pray to it or throught it.

Knealing in front of a statue and praying is idolatry.

I am not concerned with what others say about their relegion I speak of
what I see and what I have been shown.

you don't pray to the cross though or to the man.. you venerate the
maker of the matter.. you dont venerate the matter.

Mr, AB:
I'm a catholic and I don't do what u r describing whatsoever.

first if you're talking about saints.. when you pray you are having
pure than you are, and so you have them deliver your prayers to god
because s/he is more likely to recognize it then....

You don't worship the saint though..

them interceed ( sp ) between god and you.. to deliver the messege
.. sorry this got cut out of my previous post

for me a saint it's not delivery guys between God and me.
a saint it's an individual who has lived his/her life in a proper
manner, in accordance with God's will.
and there is something to learn from his/her life.
that is all the function a saint has