In the thousand years between 500 and 1,500 AD, Catholic countries divided responsibilities between The Church and the state. States took care of defense, transportation, and civic duties. The Church took care of education, hospitals, orphanages, building ecclesiastical buildings, and providing The Sacraments. The balance worked.
After a thousand years of comparative stability, some people began to dislike the separation of Church and State: “I can’t get a job in the social services unless I profess Catholic doctrine. I would have to take vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. I don’t want to do that.”
In that thousand years, The Church had been given a lot of real estate. Church property became a target. Ambitious, greedy courtiers concluded: “I would like to have a country estate. The best estates are owned by nobles, many with their own little armies. But, The Church has a lot of property and no one to protect it. If I take some of The Church’s possessions, I could have the vast estate I want and deserve!”
When enough people said, “I want and deserve some of The Church’s land and property!”, political forces coalesced. In every nation, ambitious men and women plotted and planned. “The Church is too big and too powerful. We need to show that we are in charge! And, I want my piece of that pie!”
They hired philosophers and theologians. Not surprisingly, all whom they hired concluded: “People must be free to have their own religions.” With each such pronouncement, “I want my piece of that pie!” was cleverly hidden from view by incessant demands for “theological justice and fairness and opportunity for all.”
The desire for land and wealth combined with an urge for sex outside of Catholic marriage. In England, the last Henry was driven to declare himself “pope” in England. His new freedom to fornicate metastasized into murdering wives with whom he was dissatisfied. His followers didn’t care. They were rewarded for approving everything Henry said and did. They all got their piece of the pie as Church lands and property were confiscated.
The newly rich were happy. “I’ve got my piece of the pie!”, successful schismatics cackled to themselves. Many of their countrymen were worried. “Our nation has become so corrupt that we are all going to Hell.”
To pacify such people, entire Churches, utterly subservient to the state, were invented and installed. Some were staffed by rogue Catholics. They made sure the early schisms’ liturgies, pretend-priests, and vestments looked and sounded Catholic. The deception was enhanced by holding services in churches confiscated from Catholics.
Since then, generations of politically correct pseudo-intellectuals have described themselves the same way. “We are truly Christian because we have made, and are making, the necessary updates to our faith that changing times demand.” They have solemnly shared many, many, many similarly profound thoughts as they strolled down the broad, sloping pathway in front of them.
In the past 500 years, schismatics have gone on steroids. They’ve invented an amazing 30,000 new schisms. Vain and pompous men and women have insisted “I have built a new ladder to Heaven. As you climb it, don’t forget to tithe!”
Many people ignore those who encourage schism. They respond: “Jesus said to the first Pope, ‘Thou art Peter, and on this rock, I build My Church.’ Jesus didn’t say that to anyone else. Until He does, I’m going to remain a Catholic.”
Why does God allow schisms?
For five hundred years, we’ve seen that The Creation Program does one thing extraordinarily well: it separates sheep from goats with amazing efficiency.
