As a Catholic I must say that Dogmas and Churches Tradition are not the same as the Bible. Tradition is important because it help us understand and follow the Bible, and Dogmas came from the Bible. Dogmas are not an Invention from someone, they are entirely in harmony with the Scriptures. They came out to combat heresies from others. We wouldn't have Tradition or Dogmas if we didn't have the Bible.

I don't know how this is in other countries but I live in Portugal and here everyone always explained me that faith is the only important thing to be saved. Works are the consequence of faith and not vice-versa.

Cheers in Christ

Good point sister Aninhas about faith and works. Faith is the only thing we need to be saved by GOD's grace in Christ, while "faithful works" is the results, the fruits we bear in our walk with GOD when we *do* take up our cross and follow Jesus

There was a day long ago, when lay people needed the Scriptures interpreted for them. Illiteracy was rampant and education of any quality was virtually unattainable for all but a fortunate few. Christians who wanted to grow spiritually needed a firm foundation to be set out for them by theologians and church leaders. Thus the concept of dogma and tradition being as important as the Bible itself came into being.

Over the centuries, this concept became entrenched in some church organizations. However, over those same centuries, things have changed dramatically. Illiteracy has declined drastically and education has advanced in even the most impoverished countries. Aided by easy-to-read yet theologically accurate versions of the Bible, the folks in the pews have taken to private Scripture reading and study in increasing numbers. They no longer lean hard on Scripture scholars for information.

So, why don't eccleastical churches read the handwriting on the wall? Why don't they see the message in their declining membership numbers; in their difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified ministerial candidates? The leadership structure that has been in place in ecclesiastical churches in the USA has subtly taught that ministers are "holy", which means that they are above the lay people and separate from them. I don't believe God ever intended it to be that way.

Of course, we will always need theologians and Scripture scholars to help us learn and understand. But, the days of lay people needing them to do our interpreting and understanding for us have been over for quite a long time.


SLE

The worst cults in my view are Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. These two groups deny that Jesus was the living God incarnate, but rather teach that He was a lesser created god. Belief that Jesus is God in the personage of the Son, and is coeternal with the father (John 1:1-18) is central to the issue. This belief knocks out every other religion on the planet. God gave us this distinction so that we may clearly discern from the counterfeits. This is elemental and fundamental to salvation. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus was "a" god, not "the" God , Seventh Day Adventists and Roman Catholics are of a different vein. They add law keeping and works (or stated another way, the righteousness of man) to salvation. I would also include the Church of Christ in the list because they add the work of baptism to salvation (Adventists add Sabbath keeping, and Catholics too many to list). Nothing is more clearly refuted in scripture than this. The whole book of Galatians is completely dedicated to this topic, as are major portions of many other books of the New Testament. God bless and a very informitive post.

Throughout time there has been a being known as "The Goddess."

She appears and rises to power in Egypt primarily under the name Isis.
To the Greeks, Romans and Phoenicians she was Astarte, Diana, Hecate, and Demeter.
To the Hindu she was Kali as an aspect or avatar of Parvati.
To the Mesopotamians she was Innana.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

This being has a common thread that marks her in every religion where she appears (and she is said to appear physically to her people).

In every religion where this being shows up, she is called "The Queen of Heaven."

That is a rare title for a female entity to hold in cultures and times that generally were not led by women. In every case where the title has been discovered, the Goddess carrying it becomes an object of worship that supercedes the God (or Gods) with whom she was associated.

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She shows up in the Bible too. If you are Protestant or generally Christian, she shows up only once: Jeriamiah 44. I strongly suggest reading it. The chapter stands by itself as a solid and very tragic moment in Biblical History.

It's one of the very few times God Himself promises to destroy anything He's created. Not kill, not correct...destroy. This was an end beyond the mere end of mortal death. ... And the peopel brought it on themselves.

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If you are Catholic or Eastern Orthodox however, the "Queen of Heaven" shows up again, not in the Bible, but in the traditions which the mortal men of the church have set up as equal in stature to the Word of God.

The title of Mary the mother of Jesus, in the Catholic and Apolstolic chruches of both Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, is "Mary...Queen of Heaven."

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was given this title because a being appeared to various people of the church, as a woman in royal robes wearing a crown, holding a baby in her arms.

Ask yourself why Jesus would live and die after 33 years of life to be resurrected and appear as that same 33 year old male to His apostles, yet He would appear as a baby in His mother's arms to anyone else.

Ask yourself why anyone else in Heaven would be wearing a crown when Christ is our King. He has no consort, He needs no regent.

I can only imagine that Mary the mother of Jesus weeps because of this. I know I do.

What greater evil could the devil do to man, than to rape away the innocent purity of this good woman, and set up our dear Lord Christ's own human mother as a figure of idolatry by which men and women are led away from God? This is but one area where the traditions of Catholicism have been perverted by darkness.

Why would anyone willingly perpetuate such a thing? Lay it aside, let it go. Come away from the Church and into the arms of the Lord God.

Do not let a prideful need to cling to human traditions destroy your chance to learn how God wants you to know Him.

Janette, I always felt there was something evil about "Mary" appearing to people in a physical/spiritual form, but I couldn't understand why. You have explained it succinctly above.

I appreciate your post. I will read the account in Jeremiah. This is good information that helps us to understand the Truth of God's Word. Thank you.
Here is the quote from your article that spoke to me the most:

"Ask yourself why Jesus would live and die after 33 years of life to be resurrected and appear as that same 33 year old male to His apostles, yet He would appear as a baby in His mother's arms to anyone else.

Ask yourself why anyone else in Heaven would be wearing a crown when Christ is our King. He has no consort, He needs no regent.

I can only imagine that Mary the mother of Jesus weeps because of this. I know I do.

What greater evil could the devil do to man, than to rape away the innocent purity of this good woman, and set up our dear Lord Christ's own human mother as a figure of idolatry by which men and women are led away from God? This is but one area where the traditions of Catholicism have been perverted by darkness.

Why would anyone willingly perpetuate such a thing? Lay it aside, let it go. Come away from the Church and into the arms of the Lord God.

Do not let a prideful need to cling to human traditions destroy your chance to learn how God wants you to know Him."

Hello Janette,

I am not a theologian,I am a simple person who places God at the very centre of my existance each day. I have visited sites dedicated to Mary.I never felt in any way my faith was being diverted from loving my Saviour - on the contrary I was drawn to God and my relationship became more personal. Salvation is the Lord's. I dont know a lot about other religions and their assemblies, celebrations, festivals or rites. Maybe its a good thing that people come together to pray in their thousands rather than engaging in evil practices.Through the centuries churches have been divided on dogma. I prefer to revert to the Bible , listen to God's word when and where I can and think of a time when all Christians were united in one universal belief. The laws of man may divide us but hopefully never to a point where we as Christians lose sight of the guiding light that blesses us each and every day. If the Christian churches turn against one another, if Christians are intolllerant of members of different Christian churches then the enemy will win. I am a simple person who loves God with all my heart. I regret that the dogma or traditions of any faith should offend another Christian. May God's peace be with us all. Amen.

Our job as true beleivers is to reach the lost and the deceived as well. What are you doing? You are simply pridefully defending the Catholic tradition, which is no where to be found in the Word. How can you be both catholic and Christian at the same time? Why call yourself both after all? Perhaps we should undelete your last very kind post you made earlier today to show everyone that your so "humble".

If your a true believer, you accept the one and only Word and Jesus Christ alone. You don't go off mouthing pridefully about your "belief" of being a catholic like you did in your last post that was deleted.

Do you love the catholic system or do you love Jesus solely? Some things are sadly too obvious after all. Especially boasting in private message to my moderator about someone thanking you for prayer in attempt to defend your last insulting post (now deleted) to me? Is boasting a catholic requirement by any chance? You appear to be doing just that. Strange, as far as I'm aware ALL GLORY TO GOD, ALL POWER IS HIS. Not yours. So why boast?

I am very dissapointed in this thread. I joined not to read people bash a faith. You can consider bible tradition if you research enough.

Can you show some verses to back that up?