Italian priest places mosque in church’’s nativity scene

[searchin]

Italian priest under fire for putting mosque in church’’s nativity scene
December 25th, 2008 - 6:24 pm ICT by ANI -

London, Dec 25 (ANI): The Right-wing Northern League in Italy is enraged after a Roman Catholic priest added a model mosque to his church’’s nativity scene.

The Nativity of Jesus, or simply the Nativity, is the account of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospels, and various apocryphal accounts that are a key element of traditional Christian mythology.

The League has bitterly attacked Father Prospero Bonzani, calling him as an “imbecile”.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/...100135035.html



I'm speechless, there is no reason or excuse for this act.

[walksbyf8h]

[WhisperWisdom]

You know what has always puzzled me? The fact that these men have clearly devoted their life to reading the bible, and obviously have way more time than you and I to do so, yet they do such boneheaded acts like these.

I guess I shouldn't be that surprised considering how much idols there are within the Catholic religion itself, but still.....

[voiceoftruth]

Hi All.

What gets me about this is, OK he put this model of a mosque in that scene. But islam did not start until about 632AD or it would have been or would be known as the 7th Century. So that being the case, how could there have been a mosque in view in Bethlehem when Jesus was born, its impossible.

Although muslims will tell you that every single prophet, teacher or man of note that is in the Bible was in fact muslims. How on earth they come to that conclusion I have never thought to ask them. So as WhisperWisdom has said these men, these priests have so much time to read & study the Bible that a simple little thing like this should never have happened at all. I know the catholic church are going out of there way to suck up to the islamic religion & we all know that historic dates change & move to what ever the powers that be see fit to use them at any time. But even so, its a bit of a stretch to move something 600 years before it ever existed.

God Bless
VoT

[Ort]

Hey Italian priest dude.........why don't you add Britney Spears, JayZ, and Spongebob squarepants and round out that nativity scene of yours?

[jesussavedtroy]

The League has bitterly attacked Father Prospero Bonzani, calling him as an “imbecile”.

well said!

[searchin]

You know what has always puzzled me? The fact that these men have clearly devoted their life to reading the bible, and obviously have way more time than you and I to do so, yet they do such boneheaded acts like these.

I guess I shouldn't be that surprised considering how much idols there are within the Catholic religion itself, but still.....

I have debated with and have been told by Catholic's, the word Bible, is not in the Bible.

Jesus did read from The Holy Bible of God, the Old Testament.

Luke 4:14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

Luke 4:15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

Luke 4:16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read

Luke 4:17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written

Luke 4: 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised

Luke 4: 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luke 4:20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Luke 4: 21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears




God Bless

[NotasaladCatholic]

hello, in response to your comment, "considering how much idols there are within the Catholic religion". Obviously you are not Catholic. At all. We, "WE" do not have idols. What we have are inspirational figures, called Saints. We "WE" do not worship them, never ever EVER. We pray to them, as they are already with God, to entreat God on our behalf for a petition, a petition is a request. We do not worship nor idolize the Blessed Mother, if that was your next comment, we HONOR her not WORSHIP her. We worship only God. GOD and that is it.

Jesus in a way did read from the bible as the word bible comes from the Greek biblios which means book, as in the French biblioteque for library or books, maybe not spelled correctly. So Jesus read from a Book (bible) but it would have been called the Torah. I hope this helps you understand better what it is you criticize.

You know what has always puzzled me? The fact that these men have clearly devoted their life to reading the bible, and obviously have way more time than you and I to do so, yet they do such boneheaded acts like these.

I guess I shouldn't be that surprised considering how much idols there are within the Catholic religion itself, but still.....

[Chris]

hello, in response to your comment, "considering how much idols there are within the Catholic religion". Obviously you are not Catholic. At all. We, "WE" do not have idols. What we have are inspirational figures, called Saints. We "WE" do not worship them, never ever EVER. We pray to them, as they are already with God, to entreat God on our behalf for a petition, a petition is a request. We do not worship nor idolize the Blessed Mother, if that was your next comment, we HONOR her not WORSHIP her. We worship only God. GOD and that is it.

Jesus in a way did read from the bible as the word bible comes from the Greek biblios which means book, as in the French biblioteque for library or books, maybe not spelled correctly. So Jesus read from a Book (bible) but it would have been called the Torah. I hope this helps you understand better what it is you criticize.

Praying to someone else besides God is creating an idol, you just admitted praying to dead saints who can't help you one iota in this world. The Bible says there is only one mediator between man and God, that is the Lord Jesus Christ. The RCC rule book makes Mary co-redeemer with Christ. People need to come out of the RCC as it is a false religious system that is leading many people down the wide path of Hell. The pope is a bunch of baloney as well. He's an idol as well.

[Elijah's Mantle]

very valid point t make Chris

[Robert]

Let's take this POINT BY POINT:

hello, in response to your comment, "considering how much idols there are within the Catholic religion". Obviously you are not Catholic. At all. We, "WE" do not have idols. What we have are inspirational figures, called Saints. We "WE" do not worship them, never ever EVER. We pray to them, as they are already with God, to entreat God on our behalf for a petition, a petition is a request. We do not worship nor idolize the Blessed Mother, if that was your next comment, we HONOR her not WORSHIP her. We worship only God. GOD and that is it.

What does your OWN catechism say?

"That woman (Mary) is mother alike of the Redeemer and the redeemed. it was first from her veins that the blood was drawn which now lies scattered cheaply about, but which has ransomed the world"

- page 144, Legion of Mary Official Handbook, 1975 edition. Published by Concillium Legionis Mariae, Dublin Ireland.

"Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things."

- page 252, #966, 1994 Catechism of the Catholic Church

"Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."

- Pg. 252, #969, 1994 Catechism of the Catholic Church


Sounds like worship and idolatry to me. And what does scripture say about who is mediator and intercessor?

"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time." (1 Timothy 2:5-6, NASB, emphasis mine)

"The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:23-25, NASB, emphasis mine)


So, care to try again?


Next issue:

Jesus in a way did read from the bible as the word bible comes from the Greek biblios which means book, as in the French biblioteque for library or books, maybe not spelled correctly. So Jesus read from a Book (bible) but it would have been called the Torah. I hope this helps you understand better what it is you criticize.

The word Bible comes from the Greek term τὰ βιβλία ta biblia, or "the books", NOT BOOK. And the Torah is recognized as PART of scripture, so at the time, that WAS the whole Bible. And the Torah was FIVE books, not just one.

[Meg]

Robert is right. Well done brother.

My whole family is Catholic, both my parents died Catholics. I would have become a Nun myself, and in fact a family member suggested exactly that years ago. It would have suited me perfectly, but... When the Pope sainted Mother Teresa, a "relic" was collected. It was a bit of her blood on a cloth or something. That is paganism. Idolatry as well, if i'm not mistaken, and I'm sorry, but just too weird for me. That is one of the most potent reasons I couldn't even consider trying to reconcile with the Catholic church (I finalized that decision in 2007, when I had been a Christian for 4 years). knowing what i know now, I simply cannot and will not reconcile to the Catholic church. If your church, religion, doctrine or dogma is more important to you than Jesus Christ and the stated truth of His Word is, then you have raised an idol of some kind above Him. If that offends someone, thats too bad, because Jesus Christ is still seated at the right hand of God, in a place of absolute authority over all created things.

[myinnuendo999]

meg--

If your church, religion, doctrine or dogma is more important to you than Jesus Christ and the stated truth of His Word is, then you have raised an idol of some kind above Him. If that offends someone, thats too bad, because Jesus Christ is still seated at the right hand of God, in a place of absolute authority over all created things.

Excellent truth Meg-I just love your statement and it brings joy to my heart

[NotasaladCatholic]

hello, the word idol in the dictionary, first explanation states worship, as i said we do not worship anyone but God. if God himself found these "dead people" worthy enough to bestow on them the trials and death they lived to inspire others, why not pray to someone asking them for the strength to be a better person, a more faithful person, to be more like them. etc. i pray to my mother, asking her to pray for me because she is with God. and this i know for a fact. when i say pray, maybe some clarification is needed as you seem to be literal. i don't mean i get on my knees and beg and plead raising my hands in worship, a prayer is as simple as saying mommy pray for me. St. Michael pray for me. that is definitely not worship.

RCC rule book is better known as Catechism of the Catholic Church. yes we do believe that the Blessed Mother is co-redemptrix. If God the Father found it enough to have his Angel Gabriel inform Mary that she has found favor with God, and will conceive and have a son and name him Jesus, her being the first Tabernacle, and Jesus being of flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity, yes the church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" in Greek Theotokos. She herself cannot redeem but with her Son. like when someone says i bless you, well if someone says that to you say i don't want it unless it is said, i bless you in the Name of the Father..........

and you are right about one thing there is one mediator between God and man and that is Jesus, but if you believe in Jesus, who is in the Father and the Father is in the Son then we are in the Father through the Son. For if i believe in Jesus this is so. doesn't that sort of make me a mediator to a degree. if i am in Jesus and he in me, can i not pray for someone, why can't a Saint, pray for me.

oh, by the way i guess you don't believe in life after death, eternal salvation. i guess you are the one who is on the way to hell. cause if you believed in eternal life and salvation the saints ain't dead??!!!?? neither is my mother.

as i mentioned in my first comment, i guess you are not Catholic and seem to have some problem with it.

well the Pope is not an idol, so says Peter who, by the word of Jesus, is Benedict's predecessor. if you were to open your mind, you would see that these blasphemous comments, i reiterate have put you on a path straight to hell. if Jesus calls Benedict to be his rock of this age who are you to argue that, if God himself calls Mary to be His mother who are you to argue that.

find some peace
God Bless You

Praying to someone else besides God is creating an idol, you just admitted praying to dead saints who can't help you one iota in this world. The Bible says there is only one mediator between man and God, that is the Lord Jesus Christ. The RCC rule book makes Mary co-redeemer with Christ. People need to come out of the RCC as it is a false religious system that is leading many people down the wide path of Hell. The pope is a bunch of baloney as well. He's an idol as well.

[Chris]

hello, the word idol in the dictionary, first explanation states worship, as i said we do not worship anyone but God. if God himself found these "dead people" worthy enough to bestow on them the trials and death they lived to inspire others, why not pray to someone asking them for the strength to be a better person, a more faithful person, to be more like them. etc. i pray to my mother, asking her to pray for me because she is with God. and this i know for a fact. when i say pray, maybe some clarification is needed as you seem to be literal. i don't mean i get on my knees and beg and plead raising my hands in worship, a prayer is as simple as saying mommy pray for me. St. Michael pray for me. that is definitely not worship.

The Bible which is the Word of God says there is only one mediator between man and God, that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Anything else is nonsense.

RCC rule book is better known as Catechism of the Catholic Church. yes we do believe that the Blessed Mother is co-redemptrix. If God the Father found it enough to have his Angel Gabriel inform Mary that she has found favor with God, and will conceive and have a son and name him Jesus, her being the first Tabernacle, and Jesus being of flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity, yes the church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" in Greek Theotokos. She herself cannot redeem but with her Son. like when someone says i bless you, well if someone says that to you say i don't want it unless it is said, i bless you in the Name of the Father..........

This is blasphemy. But I have to give you credit to admit your blasphemy since most Catholics that come on here won't even acknowledge that. They deny what you admit, then run right into mass and do what they said they don't do.

and you are right about one thing there is one mediator between God and man and that is Jesus, but if you believe in Jesus, who is in the Father and the Father is in the Son then we are in the Father through the Son. For if i believe in Jesus this is so. doesn't that sort of make me a mediator to a degree. if i am in Jesus and he in me, can i not pray for someone, why can't a Saint, pray for me.

Believing in Jesus and BEING Jesus are two different things. Not the same thing.

oh, by the way i guess you don't believe in life after death, eternal salvation. i guess you are the one who is on the way to hell. cause if you believed in eternal life and salvation the saints ain't dead??!!!?? neither is my mother.

as i mentioned in my first comment, i guess you are not Catholic and seem to have some problem with it.

I don't have a problem with Catholic people as persons, I just have a problem with the cult of Rome that sucks people into believing false junk. Even Jesus has a problem with the Harlot, read about his feeling for her in the Book of Revelation.

well the Pope is not an idol, so says Peter who, by the word of Jesus, is Benedict's predecessor. if you were to open your mind, you would see that these blasphemous comments, i reiterate have put you on a path straight to hell. if Jesus calls Benedict to be his rock of this age who are you to argue that, if God himself calls Mary to be His mother who are you to argue that.

find some peace
God Bless You

There's no such thing as papal succession. Read this:

Peter And The Rock | GraceThruFaith

[Chris]

Praying that "NotasaladCatholic" comes out of the cult of Rome.

Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.

[mattfivefour]

Praying that "NotasaladCatholic" comes out of the cult of Rome.

Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.

Praying in agreement ... as I am sure are all of the former Catholics who have come out of the errors of the Church of Rome, found salvation in Jesus Christ alone according to the clear teaching of the New Testament, and are also now members of this site.

[Robert]

Okay, once again point by point:

hello, the word idol in the dictionary, first explanation states worship, as i said we do not worship anyone but God. if God himself found these "dead people" worthy enough to bestow on them the trials and death they lived to inspire others, why not pray to someone asking them for the strength to be a better person, a more faithful person, to be more like them. etc. i pray to my mother, asking her to pray for me because she is with God. and this i know for a fact. when i say pray, maybe some clarification is needed as you seem to be literal. i don't mean i get on my knees and beg and plead raising my hands in worship, a prayer is as simple as saying mommy pray for me. St. Michael pray for me. that is definitely not worship.

But how does scripture define idolatry?

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6, NASB, emphasis mine)

When you pray to an idol, you are recognizing that idol as a "god", which violates this verse of scripture:

"“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:2-3, NASB)

And as I have stated before: there is only ONE mediator in heaven: Jesus Christ. To pray to anyone else is in addition looking to them as a mediator instead of Jesus. And as Christ himself stated:

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 16:6, NASB, emphasis mine)

Also, we are TOLD in scripture how to pray:

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14, NASB, emphasis mine)

"He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." (1 John 5:12-15, NASB, emphasis mine)

NOWHERE in scripture does it say that we are to "pray to saints" or any one else. To do so is not only an insult to the One who died on the cross for us, but it defies scripture.

And what do you call it when the Lord tells you to do sometime, and you don't do it?

RCC rule book is better known as Catechism of the Catholic Church. yes we do believe that the Blessed Mother is co-redemptrix. If God the Father found it enough to have his Angel Gabriel inform Mary that she has found favor with God, and will conceive and have a son and name him Jesus, her being the first Tabernacle, and Jesus being of flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity, yes the church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" in Greek Theotokos. She herself cannot redeem but with her Son. like when someone says i bless you, well if someone says that to you say i don't want it unless it is said, i bless you in the Name of the Father..........

""And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12, NASB, emphasis mine)

That verse blows the concept of Mary being "co-redemptrix" clear out of the water. That said: where do you see in scripture that Mary was the "first tabernacle"?

And no: Mary was NOT "the mother of God"; God almighty existed long before she did. Mary gave birth to the human form of God, but God the Son (Jesus) existed LONG before Mary did, as evidenced in his own words:

"The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8:52-58, NASB, emphasis mine)

and you are right about one thing there is one mediator between God and man and that is Jesus, but if you believe in Jesus, who is in the Father and the Father is in the Son then we are in the Father through the Son. For if i believe in Jesus this is so. doesn't that sort of make me a mediator to a degree. if i am in Jesus and he in me, can i not pray for someone, why can't a Saint, pray for me.

Because the Lord has already stated that we are to ask in HIS name, no one else's.

oh, by the way i guess you don't believe in life after death, eternal salvation. i guess you are the one who is on the way to hell. cause if you believed in eternal life and salvation the saints ain't dead??!!!?? neither is my mother.

There is a huge difference between someone being alive in Christ and them being a mediator, and you are combining the two issues into one. Nice try, but that dog won't hunt. I am saved, and Paul the apostle was saved as well, and neither one of us EVER prayed in the name of a saint who died before us.

as i mentioned in my first comment, i guess you are not Catholic and seem to have some problem with it.

If this is directed at me, then of course I am not Catholic. But I have no problem with that; after all, I am saved by Jesus Christ and not a denomination.

well the Pope is not an idol, so says Peter who, by the word of Jesus, is Benedict's predecessor. if you were to open your mind, you would see that these blasphemous comments, i reiterate have put you on a path straight to hell. if Jesus calls Benedict to be his rock of this age who are you to argue that, if God himself calls Mary to be His mother who are you to argue that.

Um...wrong. Let's take a look at the verse you are supposedly basing this on:

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." (Matthew 16:18, NASB)

The word Peter is defined in Strong's as:

4074 Pétros (a masculine noun) – properly, a stone (pebble), such as a small rock found along a pathway.

When Jesus referred to the Rock, he meant HIMSELF, not Peter; scripture refers to Jesus Christ as the Rock: and it is upon the confession of Jesus as Christ that HE said He would build His Church.

“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. “When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. “The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. “Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. “But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ “But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ “They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” ( Mathew 21:33-44, NASB, emphasis mine)

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ". (1 Corinthians 10:1-4, NASB, emphasis mine)

So as we can see, Jesus did NOT call Peter "the rock", but himself. That being the case, the church is built upon Christ and Peter's confession of that fact, NOT Peter. And that said, the Pope is NOT the "vicar of Christ":

"The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever." (Hebrews 7:23-28, NASB, emphasis mine)

So, I'm sorry, but to call the Pope anything but a mere man is blasphemy.

find some peace
God Bless You

Well, apparently you have no peace; otherwise you would not feel the need to continually return to make these comments. So I ask you this: who will you worship-

The God of The Bible, who is the God of the Hebrews and the God who created this entire world;


OR


The false God Benedict, whom sits as an idol along with a veritable pantheon of "saints" who CANNOT intercede.


Father in heaven, We come before your throne of grace in the name of Jesus Christ. Abba, we humbly ask that you open the eyes of NotasaladCatholic. Send your Holy Spirit to bear witness to what we have said here and to confirm your word. Amen.

[Old Fashioned Baptist]

1 Timothy 4
1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
7But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
9This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
10For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
11These things command and teach.
12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
15Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.


The Apostle Peter was married!!
Matthew 8:14And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.


Genesis 4:1And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
Matthew 1:24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Why does Catholics, define two different meanings for the word "knew"?
Did Eve remain a virgin also? No
Was JESUS born of a virgin? Absolutely!!

Luke 2:11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.



Exodus 20:4-6
4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.




Isaiah 42:7-25
7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
8I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
9Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
10Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
11Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
13The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
14I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
15I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
16And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
17They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
18Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant?
20Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
21The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
22But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.


This is an interestering Verse of Scripture in the OT
Deuteronomy 31:29For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.



Psalm 115:4
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Psalm 135:15
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Isaiah 2:8
Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

Salvation !
If their was anything else, one must do to be saved, the Apostle Paul would have said so !
Acts 16:25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.


A somewhat compact Gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.




Wise men sought the Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ !!! Wise men still do so today.

EDIT
As for praying to saints:
Ephesians 4:11-13 (King James Version)
11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fulness of Christ:

Children can read and learn Holy Scripture
2 Timothy 3:14-16 (King James Version)
14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:


Every Creature needs a Preacher !
Romans 10:13-15 (King James Version)
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!


1 John 5
7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
8And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.


Acts 4:11-12 (King James Version)
11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ alone. Amen !

[JC1949]

Praying in agreement ... as I am sure are all of the former Catholics who have come out of the errors of the Church of Rome, found salvation in Jesus Christ alone according to the clear teaching of the New Testament, and are also now members of this site.

Sure....as you know I am one of them...,
STILL..that synagogue of Satan leaves a DEEP scar in your mind...
unless THE GRACE of JESUS..a scar that does not heal easily.....
but JESUS is greater than all this .....thanks be to The Father for Him....