re: As a Catholic, I view the pope the same as I do the English monarch

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Intercession.

I pray for people all the time. I ask people to pray for me. That’s the point.

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Why wouldn't you go straight to the one that actually died for you? The curtain has been torn. You can go straight to him now.

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Divinity is bestowed upon no man, be weary of any “Catholic” who makes an argument otherwise.

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Not even Jesus?

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Christ is still the head… Catholics agree with that wholeheartedly. The question is whether He chose to build His Church with visible leadership under Him, and the New Testament points to this many times.

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Let’s go one further. Jesus is also your only priest. When He tore the curtain between God and man at the entrance to the Holy of Holies, He then became our ONLY PRIEST and intercessor between God and man. There is no need for man to enter His presence on our behalf. Jesus took over that role as well. You have a direct connection established between you and God, and His name is Jesus.

I get what you’re saying, but you’re mixing a couple things that Catholics actually agree with. Probably partially my fault due to my word selection and explanation… Yes, only Jesus saves. Catholics don’t disagree with that at all. The Church doesn’t replace Christ, it’s the means He set up to bring people to Him. So it’s not “religion vs Jesus.” It’s whether Jesus actually established a Church to teach, baptize, and guide.

Where I think you’re off is assuming Catholics believe “join this institution or you’re automatically damned.” That’s not what the Church teaches. It’s more like this: if someone knowingly rejects what they understand to be true, that’s a serious issue, but if someone hasn’t been fully convinced, or was formed differently, God judges that justly. We’re not the ones deciding that though.

At the same time, Jesus didn’t just say “believe and figure the rest out however you want.” He founded a Church, gave it authority, and told the apostles to teach all nations. So truth still matters, not just sincerity.

Yes, it is 100% about Jesus alone saving. The real question is whether He left us with just a book and individual interpretation, or an actual Church to preserve and teach what He handed on. That’s where the disagreement really is.

“Bind and loose…”

And I'm haunted by the thought that lurking in the shadows in the Vatican are the Lavender Mafia and pro-democrat clerics. Hummm? So maybe the election of the American Robert Cardinal Francis Prevost to the Chair of Peter might not be the work of the Holy Spirit after all?

So maybe what we see developing here? The Vatican scheming with the democrats to defeat Donald J. Trump candidates this November and in 2028.

Our pal Barook Obama's advisor David Alelrod just finished a private papal audience with Pope Leo. What was that all about?

The question is - Is there evidence the democrat party is conducting democrat political activity in Catholic parishes and on church property? The answer is: Absolutely

So while democrat activist talk "Separation of Church and State" they're secretly scheming with Church officials (i.e. Catholic Charities) to defeat the nationalist Donald Trump.

Don't look at what they say.........look at what they do.

President Trump is right about.........everything.

*[update]*

While the Catholic Church considers abortion a grave sin, it has not officially announced that it is not a focus of its social doctrine. However, Pope Francis has emphasized a "seamless garment" approach, arguing that the defense of life includes issues like poverty, war, and migration, sometimes leading to tension with bishops who prioritize abortion as the "preeminent" issue.

Subtle tweaking of Catholic Social Doctrine towards a more moral relativist approach has grave implications. FACT - abortion is the No.1 evil practiced in the world today. The Nazis gassed Jewish children and babies and the mafia democrats abort babies.

Abortion kills babies.......and destroy nations.

Thou Shalt Not Kill - God

There, I said it.

Yes, Jesus is our only High Priest and mediator. Catholics completely agree, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t still work through people. Right after that, you see Jesus give the apostles authority to forgive sins, Paul says he has a ministry of reconciliation, and James tells people to go to the elders and confess. So even with Jesus as the one mediator, He still uses people.

Same thing with prayer… If “only mediator” meant no one else can intercede at all, then asking anyone to pray for you would be wrong. But Scripture tells us to pray for each other all the time. The veil being torn means we have access to God through Jesus, not that He got rid of all roles in His Church.

As an atheist, I view the past few popes as criminals that purposely hid major pedophiles from justice.

The pope runs the cover.

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Simply making a case for what we hold to be true. As are many others in here from different denominations

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What denomination claims to have a monopoly on Christ?

The ONE TRUE church.

If you're not aware the ONE implies no other, the TRUE implies any other to be false.

If they lied to you about his Holiness you can still find salvation by faith, not faith in an organization of men that will always be corrupt, but faith in the king of kings.

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But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

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Champagne how are you justified before God? Serious question for you as I've seen you post on here quite often vehemently defending the catholic church. So how are you, Champagne, going to be allowed into heaven when you die?

Metal you can answer as well or any of the other catholic apologists. I'd truly like to get a straight answer to weed through all of this other stuff.