Questions for Catholics (Tract)

by James Jacob Prasch

 

“As a priest, I know of thousands of reasons people become a Roman Catholic.  I only know of one reason why people leave.  That is they read the Bible for themselves and end up with more questions than any priest could ever hope to answer.”  ~Cardinal Edward Manning

 

Dear Friend, let us reason from the Scriptures together:

 

Come now, let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).  For all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

 

If Mary is sinless (CCC 494), why in Luke 1:47 does she say she needs a savior?

 

If Mary is co-mediatrix between us and God (CCC 969), why does 1 Timothy 2:5 say that there is only one mediator, Jesus Christ?

 

If Mary is co-redeemer (CCC 494) why does Acts 4:12 state that there is salvation in no other name but Jesus and that there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved?

 

If Mary is to be worshipped as the Queen of Heaven who presides over the Eucharist as popes Pious XII[1] and John Paul II[2] and as Catholic Doctrine teaches[3], why does Jeremiah 44 specifically forbid the worship and offering of cakes and wine to the Queen of Heaven?

 

If according to 1 John 2:3-4, 7; 3:22-24; 5:2-3; and 2 John 6 we are to obey the Ten Commandments and if in the second commandment of Exodus 20:4-5, idolatry is defined in both the Hebrew and the Greek as bowing down to a graven image and if according to Rev 21:8 idolaters have their part in the lake of fire outside the city of God, why do Catholics bow down and pray to graven images?

 

If praying to and inquiring of the dead is a death penalty offense in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; 20:27; 1 Samuel 28:9) why should any professing Christian pray to dead saints (Isaiah 8:19)?

 

If the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7) why must one atone for their own in purgatory (CCC 1030-31; 1459)?

 

If one must atone for their sins in purgatory, why does Jesus say, “It is finished” on the Cross (John 19:29) and Paul say that to be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23)?

 

If it is impossible to know whether or not one will enter Heaven as Catholic doctrine states in the Council of Trent[4], reaffirmed in Vatican II, why does 1 John 3:2-3; 5:11-13, 20; Romans 8:15, 38-39; 10:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:8; 6:17; Titus 3:5 and John 3:16 all say that we can have assurance of salvation for those who have put their faith and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins?

 

How does Jesus die sacrificially at every mass (Pocket Catechism: St. Joseph Edition, 2003, p. 45) if Hebrews 7:25-26; 9:25-26; 10:10-12 and 1 Peter 3:18 say the Messiah died only once and Rom 6:9 says that after being raised from the dead He will never die again?

 

How does the mass atone for sins if Hebrews 9:22 says that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins?

 

If the wine of the mass is the literal blood of Jesus (CCC 1374) why do Catholics drink it as Acts 15:29 prohibits the ritual consumption of blood?

 

If Jesus is physically present in the Eucharist of the wine and the wafer (CCC 1374) why does Jesus say not to believe anyone that says He’s returned physically and to avoid the inner rooms where people say He is since when He returns EVERY eye will see (Matt 24:26-27; Acts 1:11; Rev 1:7; 19:11)?

 

If the priest is to be called “Father” and the pope “Holy Father” why then does Jesus say to call no man on earth your father for you have but one father He who is in Heaven (Matthew 23:9)?

 

If Peter is the first pope why does James give the decision of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:19?

 

If popes are infallible why does the doctrine not exist until the 1870’s and why does Paul rebuke Peter to his face in Galatians 2:14?

 

If Peter means “little flakes of stone” in Aramaic and if Jesus is the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4) [5] and the cornerstone upon which the Church is built (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; 20:17; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6-7) how then is Peter the Rock?

 

If the Rock is Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:4)5, and Moses was prevented from entering the Promised Land for striking the Rock more than once (Numbers 20:11-12; 27:14; Deuteronomy 1:37) how will Catholics enter the Promised Land with the doctrine of the perpetual sacrifice of the mass which ritually sacrifices Jesus at every mass contrary to Hebrews 7:27; 9:25-26; 10:10-12; 1 Peter 3:18 and Romans 6:9 and then drinks his blood contrary to Acts 15:29?

 

If the pope is prevented from having a wife why does Paul specially say that Peter and the other apostles have a right to bring their wives with them on mission (1 Corinthians 9:5)?

 

If Peter had a Christian wife (1 Corinthians 9:5) why can’t the pope or Catholic priests/nuns marry?

 

If Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said that forbidding marriage is a doctrine of demons (Timothy 4:1-3) why is the Catholic priest/nun forced to be celibate?

 

If all believers are priests (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6) but priests are not allowed to marry why is any Catholic allowed to get married?

 

If we are all a kingdom of priests and James 5:16 says to confess our sins to one another why are Catholics required to confess their sins privately to a priest?

 

Could this doctrine of demons (i.e. forced celibacy) be the root cause of the all the sex scandals in the Catholic church

 

If a billion Catholics can’t be wrong, why does Jesus say that both the gate and the path leading to life is narrow and difficult but that the gate and path are wide and easy leading to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14)?  Why does Paul warn of a different Jesus and different Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4-5; Gal 1:8-9)?

 

What if the only way to enter Heaven is to be born again (John 3:3-6)?

 

What if the definition of false religion is to deceive or give a false appearance? What if false religion can fool men, but it cannot fool God?  What if God is not only a God of love and forgiveness, but also a God of justice and wrath?

 

What if Scripture warns against adding to or taking away from the inspired Word of God (Proverbs 30:6; 1 Corinthians 4:6; Revelation 22:18-19)?  What if Jesus warns against teaching the traditions of men as if they were commandments of God (Matthew 15:9)?  What if doing so sends both myself and my priest to hell (Matthew 23:15; Galatians 1:8-9)?  What if Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him LORD will enter heaven (Matthew 7:21)?  What if it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31)? 

 

What if the law is my schoolmaster to bring me to faith in Christ (Galatians 3:24)?  What if the purpose of the law is to bring about a knowledge of sin so that the entire world will be held guilty before a Holy God (Romans 3:19-20; 7:7)?  What if by breaking only one commandment I’ve broken all of them (James 2:10)?  What if no man will be justified by keeping the sacraments, the commandments or by being a good person (Romans 3:20, 28; 9:30-33)?  What if there is no one good but God (Psalm 14:1-3; Job 15:14-16; Luke 18:19)?  

 

What if a man must be born again or he will not and cannot enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-6)?  What if seeking to justify myself by keeping the law or being a good person reveals that I do not belong to Christ (Galatians 5:4)?  What if Jesus took our sin to give us His righteousness (Isaiah 53:11; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21), redeeming us from the curse of sin and death (Galatians 3:13) by paying our ransom (Matthew 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18) so that Christ might dwell in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:14-18), not works or sacraments (Galatians 3:11-12; Titus 3:5)?  What if it was the anguish of Jesus' soul on the cross that satisfied God's wrath (Isaiah 53:11) making the perpetual sacrifice of the mass a direct violation of Hebrews 9:25-28; 10:10-12? What if salvation and everlasting life are a free gift from God (Romans 5:15; Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-10) to all those who repent of their sin (Mark 1:14; Acts 17:30) and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ ALONE for forgiveness of all sin (John 19:30; 1 John 1:7)?  What if John, writing of Rome says "To come out of her my people, lest you partake in her sins and share in her plagues." (Revelation 18:4; 2:18-24)?

 

The person who gave you this tract loves you enough to be honest with you.  Please repent.  The Day of the LORD is near.

 

 



[1] http://w2.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_11101954_ad-caeli-reginam.html

[2] https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1997/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_23071997.pdf

[3] “…when [Mary] is the object of preaching and worship she prompts the faithful to come to her Son, to his sacrifice and to the love of the Father.” Vatical Council II, Offical Teachings of Roman Catholicism, Vol. 1, p. 420-421.

[4] Sixth Session, Justification, Canon XVI

[5] See also: Ex 17:6; 33:21-22; 34:5-7; Nu 20:8-11; Dt 32:4, 13-18, 30; 1 Sa 2:2; 2 Sa 22:2-3, 32, 47, 2 Sa 23:3; Ps 18:2, 31, 46; 19:14; 27:5; 28:1; 40:2, 9; 61:2; 78:15-20; 81:16; 89:26; 92:15; 94:22; 95:1; 105:41; 114:8; 137:9; Is 17:10; 26:4; 30:29; 31:9; 32:3; 33:16; 48:21; 51:1; Lk 20:18