Quote:
Originally posted by wolf
The infalllibility of the pope is a major piece of Catholic doctrine.
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Doctrine meaning that it is an interpretation by a religious bureacracy; not the teachings of that religion's god.
First, if the pope was really infallible, then it says so in the bible. The bible does not make that claim. Instead a religious bureacracy invents a claim that the pope is infallible. IOW the bureacracy has brainwashed its weaker followers. Better (thinking) Catholics need not believe that bureaucratic decree.
Second, if the Pope is infallible, then the pope would be a god. But a "god pope' violates the 1st commandment about false gods. Therefore the pope must only be a man - and therefore is fallible. The bureacracy's doctrine is wrong either way - either by being in conflict with the 1st commandment (god's decree) or because statement was made in error by a fallible man called a pope.
Devout Catholics need not believe interpretations from a bureacracy - concepts that are not even based on the bible. Instead devout Catholics hold concepts fundamental in Catholic religion above anything a church bureaucracy may invent - the infallible pope.
Not all Catholics dispute this infallibility claim. It is their right to believe the pope is infallible. It is their right to believe doctrine if they want - including bureacracy decree that priests cannot marry because god says so. Just more doctrinefrom the bureacracy that is not found in any fundamental Catholic concepts. Devout Catholics believe in the religion before they believe inventions from a religious bureacracy.
Conclusion: devout is simply an interpretation of that person about himself - having no relationship to what the church bureacracy says or fears. You cannot tell me I am or are not devout. I cannot make a valid claim on you. To do so would violate the principles of religion - a relationship between one person and his god(s).
Church cannot, in all honesty, tell us that you are or are not devout. Church bureacracy can only tell us whether THEY feel THEY are devout. Each individual makes that personal decision because religion is a relationship between the one person and his god(s). The Church has no right to tell you what your religion is - especially when their doctrines (infallible pope and priests cannot marry) are not even based upon biblical teachings. Church doctrine is simply how that bureacracy personally believes.
Is church bureacracy devote? Only each individual in that bureacracy can make that personal decision. To say otherwise is to say anyone can impose their religious beliefs on another - a violation of what religion is about.