Originally Posted by Tom
Hitch

As Pilgrim indicated the fact that in the past the RCC persecuted Christians is not under dispute. However, I would like the say that Protestants are not immune to doing the very same thing even to other Protestants.

One needs only to look at the life of Reformed Baptist John Bunyan to see the truth of this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bunyan


The important thing is not the past, but the present and the RCC is no longer persecuting Christians.

The RCC has enough things wrong with it today, without bringing up past sins that are no longer occurring.

I would also like to add that much of the Protestant Church today, has almost nothing in common with the historical Protestant Church and that isn't a good thing.
But I digress, I have strayed off topic.

Tom
The present is tied to the past in this case by the twisted wire of papal/church infallibility. Im sure the RCC would prefer we pretend this docrtine doesnt matter but when there's an elephant in the room there will be leavings. If at some point in history it was official, therefore infallible, papal-church sanctioned policy and to persecute anyone for possesing or reading the scriptures (or a host of other crimes) the question of why this is no longer practiced is valid. Since the RCC is free to publically proclim her supposed infallibilty she can and will be called to publically defend her teachings and practices. The claim of infallibility renders the whole notion of 'past sins' moot.

The claim will be made that we (I if you prefer) simply fail to understand their version of infallibility and its applications. This usually follows responses to question designed to deflect and change the focus of the discussion, we already have that here. Next comes demonization, after that sliencing then elimination. After all when you're infallible you can hardly admit a mistake.

.
This pattern probably wont mature here because of who is in charge but it would otherwise.

None of this makes Via Delorosa responsible for problems associated with the RCC and every Catholoic shouldnt be hounded for answers, but this is a free forum and as above I believe the questions are valid.

H





Last edited by Hitch; Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:36 PM.