Catholic Fundamentalism is on Facebook. Every day, we see the amazing excuses that those in the 40,000 schisms use to justify their little groups.
They teach us a lot about about the Protestant mindset. Protestants make two big mistakes. First, they overemphasize the importance of “independence” Secondly, they underestimate the importance of “obedience”. Such thoughts come under the heading of The Protestant Ethic, a vague umbrella under which anyone may believe and do anything as long as they say, sincerely, “I believe in Jesus and The Bible.”
Each of the 40,000 schisms was invented by a vain man. He replaced obedience to his earlier schism with his own ideas for a “better religion”. Beginning a schism is like starting a business, also encouraged by those of the Protestant Ethic. Protestants do not understand that the 40,000 theologies are merely marketing plans designed to convince an identifiable group to join and support their schism.
Catholics are different. Catholics are more concerned with obedience than independence. Why the difference?
Catholics take Jesus more seriously, particularly His very clear instructions on getting into Heaven. “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood you do not have life in you.” tells us in its greater fulness: “To have life in you, you must receive Catholic Communion. The only thing on earth that provides My actual Body and Blood is The Only Church I Founded.”
How do the obedient know that He Founded One Church, instead of 40,000 schisms? Catholics take His Words seriously: “Thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hells shall not prevail against it.” He did not say that to any of the schism-inventors.
Those in the 40,000 schisms don’t like being reminded of such “Catholic Passages”, and there are many. They threaten the credibility, and the incomes, of half a million ministers in the 40,000 schisms. In fact, the only theological principle that the 40,000 man-invented schisms have in common is a universal dislike of The Catholic Church.
Those led astray do not “have life in” them. They are often kept from having “life in you” by the clergy in the schisms. Many reach a logical conclusion: The Protestant Ethic isn’t.
Many are convinced that they should shun The Only Church Jesus Founded. Those in the 40,000 schisms rejoice. It’s how they make a living.
