This is the Eighth post in the series from Chapter 5 of Friends With God: God’s Called Out Ones. In the previous post we looked at the scriptural basis for the false doctrine of “The Primacy of Peter”.
You write well and there is no way to take one word that Christ spoke as false. However, I sense you are singling out Peter (precursor to the Catholic Church) as opposed to the message of Jesus. In fact, James, the brother of Jesus, was the natural choice for a leader after his brother was crucified. That is when the Pharisee (and Roman citizen) Saul took control of the new religion and immediately bastardized it.
Jesus is, of course, the Real Foundation of the Church and His teachings have been attacked, modified, and mocked by what passes for Christianity in the 21st century.
So interesting, Martin. For seven of the forty-nine plus years I've been a Christian, I became a Catholic. After a brain surgery that left me extremely disabled and "brain-addled," I couldn't handle the loud, active Evangelical services I had previously attended and a quiet Mass was perfect. I also fell in love with the liturgy and never felt more prepared for Easter and Christmas (in my heart) as I did during those years. One thing that drew me was the books I read about the primacy of Peter, and probably a subconscious desire for a father (the Pope). It all "seemed" to make sense for awhile...until it didn't. Cognitive dissonance took over as I recovered the use of my brain again. The errors are made clear in your writing and the bringing together of Scriptures as you present them.
You write well and there is no way to take one word that Christ spoke as false. However, I sense you are singling out Peter (precursor to the Catholic Church) as opposed to the message of Jesus. In fact, James, the brother of Jesus, was the natural choice for a leader after his brother was crucified. That is when the Pharisee (and Roman citizen) Saul took control of the new religion and immediately bastardized it.
Jesus is, of course, the Real Foundation of the Church and His teachings have been attacked, modified, and mocked by what passes for Christianity in the 21st century.
So interesting, Martin. For seven of the forty-nine plus years I've been a Christian, I became a Catholic. After a brain surgery that left me extremely disabled and "brain-addled," I couldn't handle the loud, active Evangelical services I had previously attended and a quiet Mass was perfect. I also fell in love with the liturgy and never felt more prepared for Easter and Christmas (in my heart) as I did during those years. One thing that drew me was the books I read about the primacy of Peter, and probably a subconscious desire for a father (the Pope). It all "seemed" to make sense for awhile...until it didn't. Cognitive dissonance took over as I recovered the use of my brain again. The errors are made clear in your writing and the bringing together of Scriptures as you present them.
Thanks Linda, greatly appreciate your thoughtful comments.