with all due respect Pastor I am not buying into your interpretation. this is because I am stupid and get hung up on what the bible actually says. I have read your previous post and to me they sound evasive. I am in the debate forum arn't I?

Jesus oppointed Peter head of the Church on earth and then Peter acknowledged the divinity of Jesus and Then Jesus said lets keep that hush hush for now.

Thou art Peter(rock) Upon this rock I will build my church. We get lots of words from Peter. Petroleum, Petreglyph saltpeter. Believe me when I tell you Peter is the Greek word rock.

I called someone a lefty. was that bad? i feel guilty

  from one who obviously is woefully ignorent aren't you using the words of Paul to negate the words of Jesus.
at least that is what it looks like to a stupid person like myself. Aren't you the least bit concerned about my immortal soul. I am not here to win brownie points. I am trying to find the Truth. If I am wrong I go to hell.

Where I am at in my spiritual journey is here. What did Jesus Mean when He said Upon This Rock I build My church?
The entire notion of Papal Authority rest on this one phrase. I and millions of other catholics are going to be condemned to eternal hellfire and damnation because you cannot explain what Jesus really meant when he said that.

gee thanks

pastor was telling me about a catholic/protestant war on the board. how could there been a war with no catholics.
what did you do to them? Oh well...at least we have the supreme court.

whoa... are there no catholics on this forum...I am the only one?

Pastor

as in all things you are correct. That doesn't mean I understand it any better. and it doesn't really answer my question. no one is suggesting that we worship the pope. The question is does the Pope have a legitimate biblical authority. When Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father did he leave Peter in charge? If he did not then what did Jesus mean when he said upon this rock I build my church. I cannot have been the first person to ask this question in the history of the world. no disrespect intended

You know Dreamweaver. Most Catholics don't know what to make of the book of revelations and the clergy are not to keen to comment on it. Lets just say it is a book that leaves itself open to intrerpretation and I myself will never be knowledgeable enough to interpret it.

forgive me Pastor..I mispoke. Of course Jesus is the head of the church. what I meant to say is that here on earth that the representitive of Christ is the succesor of Peter.

Again I am just trying to understand. It sounds like what you are saying is the Pope is a man like any other man.
If this is what you are saying then you have to explain what Jesus meant by Upon this Rock I build my Church. Either Jesus gave Authority over the Church to Peter or he did not? I must add that I am not preaching...I don't have that authority

here Pastor we have Perfect concord.

there was a catholic/protestent war? when was this?
my intention is not to cause rancor, I am just trying to understand why protestants are well...protestants.

Yes there were many apostles...but Jesus only said to one of them...Upon this rock I build my Church. Peter is latin for Rock. it was a pun. Jesus was saying Peter I build my church on you. And he did. St Peters Basilica is built over his tomb. these are facts and it is all in the bible. Jesus never said anything about churches. There is only one church and it is headed by the succesor of St Peter.

  I guess this is where i fall in the great divide. The bible is open to so many interpretations. Just like the constitution. Where would we be without the Supreme Court to intrepret it for us. That is why we have the Curia. A court of Apostlic Successors to Peter to intrepret the bible. This is why we have such rancor and division among the protestants.

Pastor, please do not think me ungratefull. I am very gratefull that you are willing to share with me. Believe me when I tell you that these are not the kind of conversations that you can have with a preist. Try quoting the bible to a priest and see what that will get you. . But to me this is such a small thing like eating shellfish.

the real issue is apostolic succession. If Jesus appointed Peter as the first pope. Then that pope appointed the cardinals who named the next pope and that next pope said priest should not marry then is it not the will of God that preist should not marry because God could of always have  had the cardinals choose another Pope?

  you got me there. I have not a clue as to what you are sayng. Are you suggesting that priest choose not to marry? that boggles my mind... in a respectfull manner of course

My point is Pastor and again I say this with all humility...but do you honestly believe that the Holy Father would allow us to call him "Holy Father" if he thought it was inappropriate for us to do do? I think he has read the bible a time or two too.