Even Roman Catholics Must Depend Upon 'Private Judgment'!
Students of Holy Scriptures are sometimes maligned and ridiculed by Roman Catholic believers because the Papal followers allegedly have an un-erring Pope to follow in matters of faith and morals, etc. Those who depend upon God's word, as did the Bereans (Acts 17:11); as did the New Testament Christians (John 20:30-31); as Paul instructed Timothy (II Tim. 3:16-17 and 2:15); as did the Colossian Christians (Col. 4:16); as did the Thessalonian Christians (I Thess. 5:27 and II Thess. 3:14) .... not only have ample inspired precedent for following the written word of God, but we're in excellent company as we obey the writings of God. (I Cor. 14:37 and I Cor. 4:3.)
The Hierarchy Teaches Catholics To Avoid Private Judgment!
In 1870, when the Vatican Council passed the Papal Infallibility Decree, a scholar who had been a Catholic priest for 49 years wrote:
"In future every Catholic Christian when asked why he believes this or that can and may give but one answer: 'I believe or reject it because the infallible Pope has bidden it to be believed or rejected'." (J.J.I. von Dollinger, Declarations and Letters, pp 100.)
Cardinal Manning wrote:
"The appeal to antiquity (Thus to the Bible. LWM.) is both a treason and a heresy. It is a treason because it rejects the divine voice of the church at this hour, and a heresy because it denies that voice (of the Pope, LWM) to be divine." (Temporal Mission of the Holy Ghost, 4th edition, page 238.)
Cardinal Manning later made this statement even stronger when he wrote:
"The appeal from the living voice of the church to any tribunal whatsoever, human history included, is an act of private judgment and a treason because that living voice is supreme; and to appeal from that supreme voice is also a heresy because that voice by divine assistance is infallible." (Daily Telegraph, Oct. 8, 1875.)
For A Catholic To Accept the Bible Rather Than the Pope Is Treason!!
Yes .... it's there in bold black and white on page 5, of the Daily Telegraph. If the devout Catholic APPEALS to ANY source whatsoever, for religious information, OTHER than the 'living voice' . . .. the Pope . . . . then that devout Catholic is declared GUILTY OF TREASON AND HERESY! Is it any wonder that otherwise sincere and intelligent Catholics are scared-to-death to think for themselves?
But we maintain . . . that EVEN the most devout and most faithful Roman Catholic has HAD TO EXERCISE 'PRIVATE JUDGMENT' sometime in their lives.
(1) The devout Catholic believes that there is a God . . . . But he MUST have judged or concluded this . . .. even as a child, for himself.
(2) The devout Catholic believes that Christianity comes from God.
(3) The devout Catholic also believes that Christ promised an infallible source of authority for believers of all future centuries to follow.
The foregoing three basic, fundamental premises are also either accepted or rejected by those who embrace any shade or degree of so-called Christian faith. The atheist, agnostic or skeptic has rejected them, but persons who have accepted them, did so and do so upon the basis of PRIVATE JUDGMENT! And, in this respect, and to this point, there is no difference between the devout Catholic and an equally devout non-Catholic believer.
Incidentally, THE BIBLE clearly teaches the above three basic truths. Here, however, the departure begins .... because,
(4) The devout Catholic has been convinced, and has accepted it, that the INFALLIBLE SOURCE OF RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY, resides within the 'living voice' of the Church of Rome! THIS THE BIBLE DOES NOT TEACH .... but, since it is treason and heresy for the believer of the (4th) premise to use the Bible as a separate source of religious authority, the Catholic believer from this point forward . . . forever ... resigns the use of his or her 'private judgment' and unquestioningly accept the decrees of the Hierarchy!
Once the devout Catholic has crossed the thresh-hold to complete and total thought-control on all matters of religion and spirituality, then he or she is indoctrinated into the thinking that all others who STILL RELY upon the freedom of speech, judgment and worship . . . . free from God ......Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." . . . . "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth!" . . . . (we repeat) . . . the devout Catholic considers all of us who rely upon the freedom to think and reason concerning these matters, to be entirely lost ... wrong .... incorrect!
Therefore, we have penned this brief study. The Catholic cannot afford to forget that once .... sometime in the past .... perhaps almost as an infant .... before mature mental ability had been reached . . . . that they had to DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES! They supposedly have been kept free from making any errors by their infallible Pope since that time .... but how can they be sure that their mental decisions of 'private judgment' led them to a true and authentic institution, ordained of God?
The fact of the matter is . . . that the devout and sincere Roman Catholic, made a grave error in 'private judgment' when they accepted the (4th) premise, i.e., that Christ set up the 'Papal succession theory' and that the Popes are incapable of committing an error in doctrine, etc.
Devout Catholics may ask . . . "If Christ didn't establish the Papacy, then WHAT IS THE INFALLIBLE TEACHING AUTHORITY?" Here's the answer:
. . . These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (John 20:31.)
Peter wrote: ". . . . The word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (I Peter 1:25.)
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim. 2:15.)
"Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." (John 17:17.) IT ENDURES FOREVER!! It will never be replaced except at judgment!!