CULT 003A
                 THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 
                             or
                 THE ROMAN ROAD TO SALVATION

   The  Roman Catholic Church maintains as irreversible  and 
 mandatory  doctrine (we will use their term "DOGMA" in  the 
 remainder of this writing) that they,  and ONLY  they,  are 
 the church that was started by Jesus Christ.  They claim to 
 have been the "church of stability" since Christ created it 
 in  his discourse with Peter as described in Matthew  16:18 
 and  19.  By  claiming  to be the ONLY  church  started  by 
 Christ,  it  also  purports to be the ONLY vehicle  to  the 
 SALVATION  of  Christ.  You MUST be Catholic to  be  saved, 
 according to the Baltimore Catechism #2, page 73.
 
   Before  we look at the books of John and  Matthew,  where 
 the Roman church claims as its authority. I believe that it 
 is  important  to  look at the FACTS of  recorded  history. 
 Let's look AT THE RECORD OF HISTORY,  and see how  "stable" 
 the Roman Catholic church has really been.  We must bear in 
 mind  that  the word "church" does not occur in  the  Greek 
 text  of the New Testament.  The Greek word "Ekklesia"  was 
 translated into our word "church".  The word's true transla 
 tion  means "called out assembly" (Wescott and  Hort).  The 
 true meaning,  then as now,  refers to all believers in the 
 "GOSPEL"  of  Jesus Christ.  It does not refer to any  reli 
 gious organization.
 
   There  are  a number of DOGMATIC doctrines of  the  Roman 
 Catholic church that were NOT part of the original  church. 
 The  Roman Catholic Church continues to make the claim that 
 "the Church has always taught (????????)!"  You can fill in 
 the blank with EACH and EVERY dogma listed below.  Look  up 
 the scriptures under the dates of certain doctrines. 
 
        THE DATES AND DOGMAS ARE:
 DOGMA                                YEAR INSTITUTED
 _______________________________________________________
 
 o      BAPTISM BY AFFUSION (Sprinkle)                  300
 
 o      PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD                            300
 
 o      MAKING THE SIGN OF THE CROSS                    310
 
 o      ANATHEMA DECREED TO ANYONE WHO ADDS OR          325
        CHANGES THE CREED OF FAITH OF NICE (see
         year 1546)
 
 o      COUNCIL OF LAODICEA REJECTS APOCRYPHA           370
 
 o      VENERATION OF ANGELS AND DEAD SAINTS            375
 
 o      THE SACRAMENT OF THE MASS                       394
        Missa Recitata (Low Mass-Priest +1)
        Missa Cantata (Singing Mass-")
        Missa Solemnis (High Mass-Priest +2)
        Missa Pontificalis (Bishop + Priest+?)
 
 o      THE WORSHIP OF MARY                             431
 
           Mary, QUEEN OF HEAVEN                431
           (Jeremiah 7:18, 44:17 & 25)
           Mary, MEDIATRIX                      431
           (I Tim 2:5, Mt 11:28, Ecc 9:6)
           Mary, EVER-VIRGIN                    431
           (Mt 1:25, Mk 6:3, Jn 2:2-4)
           Mary, CO-REDEMPTRIX                  785
           (Acts 4:12, Ps 146:5, Heb 7:25)
           Mary, WORSHIP                        788
           (Romans 1:25,Is 42:8, John 7:10)
           Mary's HOUSE MOVED 
            BY ANGEL TO LORENTO,ITALY          1265
           Mary, MOTHER OF GOD                 1508
           (Mt 12:46-50, Mark 8;19-21, Acts 1:14)
           Mary, SINLESS                       1864
           (Luke 1:46-47, Romans 3:10-19 & 23)
 
 o      PRIESTS BEGAN TO DRESS IN "PRIESTLY" GARB       500
 
 o      SACRAMENT OF EXTREME UNCTION                    526    
        DOCTRINE OF PURGATORY  (Gregory)                 593
        (I John 1:7-9;2:1-2, John 5:24, Rom 8:1)
 
 o      LATIN LANGUAGE AS ONLY LANGUAGE OF PRAYER       600
        (I Corinthians 14:9)
 
 o      PRAYERS TO BE DIRECTED TO MARY ORDERED          600
        (Matt 11:28,Luke 1:46,Acts 10:25 & 14:14)
 
 o      TITLE OF POPE DECLARED FORE-RUNNER OF THE       600
        ANTI-CHRIST (Gregory, Bishop of Rome)
 o      TITLE OF POPE USED FOR THE FIRST TIME           610
        (Luke 22:24-26)****
 
 o      KISSING THE FEET OF POPE ORDERED                709
        (Acts 10:25-26 & Rev 19:10, 22:9)
 
 o      TEMPORAL POWER OF THE POPE DECLARED             750
        (Matt 4:8-9, 20:25-26, John 18:38)
 
 o      COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE ORDERED REMOVAL       754
        OF ALL IMAGES AND ABOLITION OF IMAGE WORSHIP
 
 o      WORSHIP OF CROSS, RELICS AND IMAGES AUTHORIZED  788
        (Exodus 20:4,Deut 27:15,Psalms 115)
 
 o      FABRICATION AND USE OF HOLY WATER               850
 
 o      VENERATION OF ST. JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY       890
 
 o      BAPTISM OF THE BELLS                            965
         Ceremony of actually baptising bells to
         ward off demons and to call the elect to
         vespers when blessed bells are rung
        
 o      CANONIZATION OF DEAD SAINTS                     995
        (RomanS 1:7, I Corinthians 1:2)
 
 o      FASTING ON FRIDAYS & DURING LENT                998
        (Matt 15:11,I Cor 10:25, I Tim 4:1-8)
 
 o      CELIBACY OF PRIESTHOOD DECLARED                1079
         Married Priest Ordered to cast off wives
        (I Tim 3:2-5 & 12, Matt 8:14-15)
 
 o      INSTITUTION OF ROSARY PRAYER BEADS             1090
 
 o      INQUISITION OF HERETICS                        1184
 
 o      SALE OF INDULGENCES                            1190
 
 o      DOGMA OF TRANSUBSTANTIATION DECLARED           1215
        (Luke 22:19-20, John 6:35, I Cor 11:26)
 
 o      CONFESSION OF SINS TO PRIEST ORDERED           1215
        (Ps 51:1-10, Luke 7:48 & 15:21, I John 1:8-9)
 
 o      ADORATION OF THE WAFER OR HOST                 1220
        (John 4:24)
 
 o      BIBLE FORBIDDEN TO LAYMEN                      1229
        (John 5:39, II Tim 3:15-17)
 
 o      SCAPULAR PROTECTION DECREED                    1287
        (Brown cloth with picture of Virgin
         to contain supernatural virtues to
         protect wearers)
--next section is CULT 003B