ScandalsWithintheCatholicChurch...

WhyaretheresomanyscandalswithintheCatholicChurch? SexualmisconductchargesbroughtagainstCatholicpriestshavegeneratedbigmediaheadlinesandthe detractorsandhatersoftheCatholicChurcharehavingafieldday,temporarily.Isaid"temporarily" becauseoftherecordofsurvivabilityoftheCatholicChurchforalmosttwomillennia,andofthe "person"whoisitshead. Butbeforecontinuing,letusputthisparticularscandalintoitspropercontext. 1.TheCatholicChurchismorethanfourtimesaslargeasallofnonCatholicChristianitycombined. Since1950theChurchintheUnitedStateshashad109,694priests.Duringthattimeperiodofoverfifty years,4392(asreportedinFebruary2004)wereaccusedofmolestingminors,oraboutfourpercent. Remember,thatnumberisthetotalnumberofthosechargedandnotthenumberofthosefoundguilty. Wecannotbesonaiveastoignorethefactthatmanyofthosearefalsechargesandwerebrought aboutbygreedinhopesofgainingamonetarysettlement.Werememberthepersonwhofalsely accusedtheArchbishopofChicagoandwholaterdroppedthecharge,sayingthathehadlied.Keepin mindthatthoseallegedlychargedwithpedophiliaareasmallminorityofthetotalcharged. Keepinmindalsothatthesefiguresdidnotcomeaboutallatoncerecently,butarespreadoutasfar backas1950,over50yearsago.SomeoftheaccusedpriestsweredischargedbytheChurchdecades agoandhundredsofothershavesincepassedaway,makinganydefenseintheirbehalfanimpossibility. Remember,wecouldnothavehadJesusChristasaSaviorwithoutalsohavingaJudastobetrayHim. 2.ThesesupposedsexualabuseproblemsarenotaCatholicclergymonopoly,astheguiltyareinall nonCatholicChristiandenominationsaswell.Recentfigureshaveshownthatanaverageof3500 religiousinnonCatholicsectsarechargedsimilarlyeveryyear.Whatwithtensofthousandsof individualChristiansectsintheworldtoday,theseabusesdonotreceivetheattentiongiventothe CatholicChurchbythemedia. SomeofthetensofthousandsofnonCatholicsectsopenlyacknowledgethatthey"ordain"homosexual ministers.Howmanyofthosewouldyousupposearepedophiles? However,itistheCatholicChurchwhichhasalwaysbeenthe"bullseye"ofthetargetofdetractors sinceitsverybeginningalmost2000yearsago.Theliberalmediahaveatendencynottosensationalize scandalsinProtestantismandtheydojustthereversefortheCatholicChurch.Theyhaveputthe CatholicChurchunderamicroscope,lookingforanypossibleaberrationwhichtheytakegreatpridein blowingalloutofproportion.

Didn'tJesussay,"Lethimwhoiswithoutsincastthefirststone..."? John8:7 3.FromthefiguresIhavelistedabove,thegreatmajorityofCatholicpriestswhoarenotpartofthis scandal,arelookeduponasguiltyuntilproveninnocent,insteadoftheotherwayaroundasitisinthe secularworld.Whatkindofcompassionforthegreatmajorityofinnocentpriestsisespousedbythe liberalmedia,andbythoseindividualnonCatholicswhoenjoyattackingtheCatholicChurch? ItappearsthatallCatholicpriestsarebeingtreatedwithsuspicion.IsthatbeingChristlike? Isthisfairtotheinnocentwhoarethevastmajority? 4.Dowecondemnallexecutivesoflargecorporationsbecauseoftheallegedactionsofthoseofafew? DowecondemnallofIslambecauseoftheactionsofsomemilitants? 5.DowecondemnPeterbecauseofJudas? 6.JesusHimselfsatattablewithsinners.ThatisasignthatallarewelcometoHistable. "Andashesatattableinthehouse,behold,manytaxcollectorsandcameandsatdownwithJesusand hisdisciples.AndwhenthePhariseessawthis,theysaidtohisdisciples,"Whydoesyourteachereat withtaxcollectorsandsinners?"Butwhenheheardit,hesaid,"Thosewhoarewellhavenoneedofa physician,butthosewhoaresick.Goandlearnwhatthismeans,'Idesiremercy,andnotsacrifice.'ForI camenottocalltherighteous,butsinners." Matthew9:1013 TheCatholicChurchis,andhasalwaysbeenahospitalforsinners,andnotahotelforsaints(Mark2:17). ThevisibleCatholicChurchispopulatedbyfalliblehumanbeings,andallhavesinned. Romans3:23,5:12. Didn'tSaintJohnsay,"Ifwesaythatwehavenotsinned,wemakeHimaliar,andHiswordisnotinus"? 1John1:10 ThepurposeoftheCatholicChurchistomakesaintsinheavenoutofsinnersonearth. ContrastthatwithsomeProtestantsectswhoclaim,"oncesavedalwayssaved".Thatstatementreally means,"wecansinasmuchaswewantbecausewearealreadysaved".Ifanyoneclaimsthatthey aresavedinthislife,aren'ttheyreallyproclaimingthemselvesasbeingsaintsalready? 7.ThosewhorelishattackingtheCatholicChurchareguiltyofallofthefollowing: A."Lethimwhoiswithoutsincastthefirststone..."? John8:7 B."DonotbeastumblingblocktoJewsandtoGreeksandtotheChurchofGod..." 1Corinthians10:32 C."IamtheleastoftheApostles,andamnotworthytobecalledanApostle,becauseIpersecutedthe ChurchofGod."

1Corinthians15:9 D."Butthesepeople,likeirrationalanimalsbornbynatureforcaptureanddestruction, revilethingsthattheydonotunderstand,andintheirdestructiontheywillalsobedestroyed." 2Peter2:12 E."Fearnot,forIamwiththee:turnnotaside,forIamyourGOD.Ihavestrengthenedthee, andhavehelpedthee,andtherighthandofMyJustOnehathupheldthee*. Beholdallthatfightagainstthee**shallbeconfounded***andashamed, astheyshallbeasnothing****,andthemenshallperishthatstriveagainstthee." Isaiah41:1011 *The"JustOne"hasupheldHisChurcheverydayineverycenturyforalmost2000years. Matthew28:20. **ThesearetheattackersoftheCatholicChurch,past,present,andfuture,untiltheendoftime. ***Splitintomorethan37,000piecesasProtestantismistoday,withmorepiecesaddedweekly. ****Psalms127:1 SowhyaretheresomanyscandalsintheCatholicChurch? SimplybecauseHolyScripturetellsusthattherewillbescandalswithintheonlyChurchwhichJesus Christfounded.Iftherewerenoscandals,thenHolyScripturewouldbeinerror,woulditnot?Sohow cananyonebecomeupsetwhenscandalsdoarisewithintheChurch? "Woetotheworldbecauseofscandals!Foritmustneedsbethatscandalscome,butwoetotheman throughwhomscandaldoescome!" Matthew18:7 AndHesaidtoHisdisciples,"Itisimpossiblethatscandalsshouldnotcome;butwoetohimthrough whomtheycome." Luke17:1" InthetimethatJesuswalkedtheearth,therewasthegreatesthumanscandalizerofalltime,Judas. JudaswasoneoftwelvechosenbyJesusChristHimself,sowhatwasthescandalrateamongChrist's closestdisciples?Itwasabout81/2%. "FromthedaysofJohntheBaptistuntilnowthekingdomofheavenhassufferedviolence,andmenof violencetakeitbyforce." Matthew11:12 "Woetoyouwhenallmenspeakwellofyou,forsotheirfathersdidtothefalseprophets."

Luke6:26" "Blessedareyouwhenmenrevileyouandpersecuteyouandutterallkindsofevilagainstyoufalselyon myaccount.Rejoiceandbeglad,foryourrewardisgreatinheaven,forsomenpersecutedtheprophets whowerebeforeyou." Matthew5:1112 AcomparisonbetweenJesusChristandHisMysticalBody.HeistheheadandHisChurchisHisbody (Ephesians1:2223).Youcannotseparatetheheadfromthebody.Theyareone. Whathappenstotheone,mustalsohappentotheother. ReferencetoJesusChrististhefirstofthelinesfollowing,andtoHisBody,theCatholicChurch,the second. TheyrebelledagainstHisAuthority. TheyrebelagainstitsAuthority.2Peter2:10 TheysaidCrucifyHim,Matthew27:23. Hereticshavebeentryingtocrucifyitfor2000years. HeiscalledBeelzebub,Matthew10:25. TheycallittheChurchofSatan. Theysaidheisafalsemessiah,Luke22:7071. Theysayitisafalsechurch. HecalledHimselftheSonofGOD. ItclaimsitwasfoundedbyGOD,Matthew16:18. HecalledHimselfTruth,John14:6. Itclaimstobeinfallible,1Timothy3:15. HecalledHimselfKing,John18:37. ItsaysitistheonlytrueChurch,Matthew16:18. Hecouldnotsin. Ithasnospotorwrinkle,Ephesians5:27. Hewasnotbelievedbymany,Luke22:67. Itisnotbelievedbymany.

 Hewasdeniedbymany,Luke22:5760. Itisdeniedbymany. Hewasderided,notbeingunderstood. Itisderided,notbeingunderstood,2Peter2:12. NotunderstandingHim,theywalkedaway,John6:66. Notunderstandingit,theywalkedaway. Hehadmanyfalseaccusers,Mark14:5659. Ithasmanyfalseaccusers. Hewasmocked,Luke23:3537. Itismocked. Hewasscandalized,Luke17:12. Itisscandalized. Hewashatedwithoutacause,John15:1825. Itishatedwithoutacause. Hisaccuser,Judas,died,Matthew27:5. Itsaccusersdie,butstill,theChurchlivesontoburyitsaccusers. Hisenemieswouldstumbleandfall,John18:6. Itsenemiesstumbleandfall. WehavenokingbutCaesar,John19:15. Wehavenoneedofit,aswehavetheBible. CananythinggoodcomeoutofNazareth?John1:46. CananythinggoodcomefromRome? Theycriedout,"NotthisonebutBarabbas",John15:1825. Itisalsorejectedbytheworld. HeboreHisCross,John19:17. Itbearsacrossalso,thecrossofpersecutionforalmost2000years. HediedontheCross,John19:30. Ithasthousandsofmartyrs,manyoncrosses.

 "Iftheworldhatesyou,knowthatithashatedmebeforeithatedyou.Ifyouwereoftheworld,the worldwouldloveitsown;butbecauseyouarenotoftheworld,butIchoseyououtoftheworld, thereforetheworldhatesyou." John15:1819 TheCatholicChurchiscertainlynotoftheworld,foritis: ACitysetonaMountain,Matthew5:14. ADwellingPlaceforGOD,Ephesians2:22. ASpiritualHouse,1Peter2:5. GOD'sBuilding,1Corinthians3:9. MountZion,Psalms2:6,Micah4:7,Hebrews12:22. MyChurch,Matthew16:18. OurMother,Galatians4:26. TheBrideofChrist,Joel2:16,John3:29,Revelation21:2. TheBodyofChrist,Ephesians1:2223,Colossians1:24. TheChurchofGOD,Acts20:28. TheChurchoftheFirstborn,Hebrews12:23. TheCityoftheLivingGOD,Hebrews12:22. TheCityofTruth,Zechariah8:3. TheCongregationofSaints,Psalms149:1. TheDaughteroftheKing,Psalms45:13. ThedispenseroftheWisdomofGOD,Ephesians3:711. ThefinalauthorityofGODonearth,Matthew18:1518. TheFoldofChrist,John10:16. TheHeavenlyJerusalem,Galatians4:26. TheHolyCity,Revelation21:2. TheHolyMountain,Zechariah8:3. TheHouseofChrist,Hebrews3:6. TheHouseofGOD,1Timothy3:15,Hebrews10:21. TheHouseholdofGOD,Ephesians2:19. TheKingdomofGOD,Luke4:43. TheKingdomofHeaven,Matthew13:31. TheLamb'sSpouse,Revelation19:7,21:9 TheNewJerusalem,Isaiah65:18,Revelation3:12,21:2. ThePillarandFoundationofTruth,1Timothy3:15 SincetheCatholicChurchistheBodyofChrist,itmustexperiencethesamepassionasHedid.Hewas persecutedandcalumnizedunjustly,andsomustHisChurchsufferthesametrials.

Theperse ecutorsandca alumnizerssh houldrealizethatwhentheyattackthe eCatholicChu urch,theyare e reallyatta ackingitsfoun nder,JesusChristHimself. . Inrejectin ngHisChurch h,theyareinf fact,rejecting gHim. keepawayfro omthesemen nandletthem malone.Fori ifthisplanorwork,isofm men, "SonowIsaytoyou,k itwillbeo overthrown;b butifitisofG God,youwillnotbeablet tooverthrowit.Elseperha apsyoumayf find yourselve esfightingeve enagainstGo od." Acts5:38 39 Ifonlythe eattackersan nddetractorsoftheCatho olicChurchwo ouldstopigno oringtheseve ersesandhee ed theveryimportantme essagetheypresent.Theymightthennoticethatnomanmadeinstitutioncou uld possiblyh havelastedfo or2000years, ,whileatthesametimehavingtoendu uretheunend dingattackso of constants slingsandarr rowsfromcountlessheret ticsandfromallquarters. Nowyoupleasetellme,justwhois sprotectingth heCatholicChurch? Almost20 000yearslate er,HisONEan ndONLYChur rchlivesandisstrongerth hanever. Nomatterhowhardth hepersecutor rstry,HisKingdomwilllas stforever, Daniel7:1 14,Hebrews1 1:8. HisChurchwilllastunt tiltheendoftheworldaspromisedbyHiminMatth hew28:20. whodoesnotbelievewhat tHehasprom misedhascalle edHimaliar. . Anyonew ,IHAVEGIVE ENYOUPOWE ERTOTREADUPONSERPE ENTSANDSCO ORPIONS, "BEHOLD, ANDOVERALLTHEMIGHTOFTHEENEMY;AND DNOTHINGSH HALLHURTYO OU." Luke10:1 19 byBobStanley y,March28,2002 Writtenb UpdatedD December21 1,2006 Backt toHomePage e... Backt toDefenders.....