When a person in the church is weak, here is reason to look for.
I Cor. 11:29-30 ... For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die).
So when a person in the church is weak, look for that person to be mishandling the word of God. He could not be weak in the faith and handle the scriptures correctly. It would be impossible.
Paul said, "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily ..."
Unworthily means: failing to make proper effort toward ... failing to give proper attention to ... failing to give proper respect toward ...
Shortly after I was born again, in 1975, I was attending a church group and I began writing down each scripture spoken at the service and when I came home I took that verse and thought about what it was saying and tried to apply it to my life.
It turned out the church group I was attending was very corrupt although I didn't know it at the time. Finally God removed me from that group by giving me the poison gas dream which showed the speakers at church were gassing the people to death with what they were saying.
Poison Gas Dream: in 1979, God gave me the following shocking dream ... In this dream, I went into a room where a meeting was going on. There was one vacant seat on the aisle and I sat down and began listening to a man who was speaking to the group. Another man rushed and went to the front of the room and said, "Stop ... wait ... can't you see ... It's too late! It's already begun."The first man resumed speaking to the group. I looked out the window to see what had already begun, and was shocked at what I saw. There was a tall, civil defense type pole with a yellow warning speaker on top of the pole. Out of the speaker was coming a poison gas. I knew it would kill the people and shockingly the gas was coming from our own speaker which was supposed to warn us. I looked at the man who was sitting next to me. He was sitting upright. He had a big smile on his face. He was looking directly at the speaker in an attentive way. But this man was a corpse. He was dead though he looked alive. Then I looked at people around the room and they were already dead also. And as I sat back in my seat, I felt myself falling asleep, dying as I listened to the speaker.
But even though the teaching at the church I was attending in the late 70's was corrupt, I was dealing with specific scripture cited which was not corrupt. I just kept thinking those teachings pastor was doing didn't pertain to me but I knew the scriptures he was quoting did pertain to me so I wrote down those scriptures and spent time between services studying on my own those scriptures and I grew in things of God as I applied these to my life. (I did also take in some corrupt things but after I left that group God uprooted the corrupt teaching one by one.)
One Wednesday night several weeks after receiving that poison gas dream, I was at the regular church service and I looked at the man sitting next to me. He was exactly like the corpse in my dream. He was smiling and seemed very attentive, but he was dead. I looked at the other people in that meeting and they were dead. I got up and went to restroom and said to God, "I think you are showing me to leave this church group. I am leaving. But if you want me to come back, I will come back." God didn't want me to come back. Later God showed me that many of the teachings were corrupt. This was a faith movement church. It was very similar to the experience Pam Padgett told about when God took her out of the Catholic church.
Here is Pam Padgett's story:
I was raised in the Catholic church and attended a Catholic elementary school for five years. We were taught many doctrines, including that the Catholic church was the only true church and that we would go to hell if we left it. We were also taught that "lay people" (people who were not in the Catholic clergy) should not read the Bible, and that we shouldn't go to other churches.
Then when I was 14 years old I was born again, and had a thirst to read the Bible. My younger sister had attended a Vacation Bible School that the Baptist church in our town held and had received a small New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. She had put this in a drawer and no one read it. But after I was born again, I remembered it being there and at night I would get it from the drawer and read it under the covers with a flashlight.
I wasn't afraid to read the Bible even
though we were taught we shouldn't do this. But I hid doing this thinking that my parents would worry if
they knew I was reading it. Looking back I think I was protected by
God from fear of the teaching that we shouldn't read the Bible.
A few years later I went to college and met a friend who told me she was a born again Christian. We talked about various things. For my birthday she gave me a larger Bible, and it included both the Old Testament and New Testament. At times as we talked I would say something that I had been taught in the Catholic church. My friend would ask "Where is that in the Bible?" I had no idea that anything I had been taught was incorrect. But as my friend asked "Where is that in the Bible?" I began to try to find out what the Bible said about that subject and I found many doctrines were not according to the Bible.
One of the first things I remember coming to light was when I said something about Mary being "assumed" into heaven. My friend asked me where this is in the Bible.
In the Bible we are told of Jesus being taken into heaven ...
Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
In the Catholic church we learned about this ... but also were taught that a similar thing (which the Catholic church calls "the Assumption") happened to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Since we are told in the Bible of Jesus being taken up into heaven, I assumed the teaching about Mary must also be in the Bible. But I was unable to find this in the Bible and was puzzled.
My parents had encyclopedias called Catholic Books of Knowledge. The next time I went there for a weekend visit from college, I looked up "the Assumption" in the encyclopedia. I was shocked to read that this was NOT in the Bible! It was a tradition that was taught and passed down from generation to generation.
A few years later I went to college and met a friend who told me she was a born again Christian. We talked about various things. For my birthday she gave me a larger Bible, and it included both the Old Testament and New Testament. At times as we talked I would say something that I had been taught in the Catholic church. My friend would ask "Where is that in the Bible?" I had no idea that anything I had been taught was incorrect. But as my friend asked "Where is that in the Bible?" I began to try to find out what the Bible said about that subject and I found many doctrines were not according to the Bible.
One of the first things I remember coming to light was when I said something about Mary being "assumed" into heaven. My friend asked me where this is in the Bible.
In the Bible we are told of Jesus being taken into heaven ...
Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
In the Catholic church we learned about this ... but also were taught that a similar thing (which the Catholic church calls "the Assumption") happened to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Since we are told in the Bible of Jesus being taken up into heaven, I assumed the teaching about Mary must also be in the Bible. But I was unable to find this in the Bible and was puzzled.
My parents had encyclopedias called Catholic Books of Knowledge. The next time I went there for a weekend visit from college, I looked up "the Assumption" in the encyclopedia. I was shocked to read that this was NOT in the Bible! It was a tradition that was taught and passed down from generation to generation.
What a shock to learn this!
----
I also found that there is no mention of "pope" or "cardinal" in the Bible, although these are high positions in the Catholic church.
---
Seeing these erroneous doctrines seemed to help open my eyes to what I saw in the Bible that was contrary to what I saw in the Catholic church. I recall reading in the Bible and having the following stand out strongly to me ...
Luke 20:45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Reading this I saw clearly the Catholic priests, bishops, cardinals, and pope wearing long robes and the awe "lay people" had in seeing them (especially bishops, cardinals, pope).
---
Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
----
I also found that there is no mention of "pope" or "cardinal" in the Bible, although these are high positions in the Catholic church.
---
Seeing these erroneous doctrines seemed to help open my eyes to what I saw in the Bible that was contrary to what I saw in the Catholic church. I recall reading in the Bible and having the following stand out strongly to me ...
Luke 20:45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Reading this I saw clearly the Catholic priests, bishops, cardinals, and pope wearing long robes and the awe "lay people" had in seeing them (especially bishops, cardinals, pope).
---
Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray,
use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be
heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for
your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
The Catholic church taught to "say a rosary", saying the same prayers over and over while using a string of beads to keep track of how many times we had said each prayer ... vain repetition.
And the main prayer we were taught to say with the rosary was praying to Mary! Jesus told us to pray to the Father. We aren't to pray to Mary or people who have died and the Catholic church has designated as saints. No where in the Bible are we told to do this. We are to pray to God.
I also saw vain repetition in the saying of "Mass" (a set of prayers and rituals repeated at each church service). And no where in the Bible are we told anything about a "Mass".
We were also taught to say the "Stations of the Cross" ... stopping in front of 14 plaques or pictures which depicted various things that happened before and when Jesus was crucified (such as Jesus praying in Gethsemane, Jesus carrying the cross, etc.) and saying defined prayers at each plaque. Vain repetition, and not in the Bible.
---
In the Catholic church we were taught that in order for our sins to be forgiven, we needed to confess our sins to a priest ("go to confession"), that the priest would assign penance for us to do (such as saying a certain number and types of prayers, example: multiple "Hail Mary" prayers), and that the priest had power to forgive our sins.
In the New Testament we are not instructed to go to a priest to confess all the sins we have committed since our last "confession". We confess our sins to God as soon as we see we have sinned and repent (turned from doing that sin again).
And there is nothing we can do to pay for our sins. Neither does a priest have power to forgive our sins. Our sins are paid for by the blood of Jesus.
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, HE (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Catholic church taught to "say a rosary", saying the same prayers over and over while using a string of beads to keep track of how many times we had said each prayer ... vain repetition.
And the main prayer we were taught to say with the rosary was praying to Mary! Jesus told us to pray to the Father. We aren't to pray to Mary or people who have died and the Catholic church has designated as saints. No where in the Bible are we told to do this. We are to pray to God.
I also saw vain repetition in the saying of "Mass" (a set of prayers and rituals repeated at each church service). And no where in the Bible are we told anything about a "Mass".
We were also taught to say the "Stations of the Cross" ... stopping in front of 14 plaques or pictures which depicted various things that happened before and when Jesus was crucified (such as Jesus praying in Gethsemane, Jesus carrying the cross, etc.) and saying defined prayers at each plaque. Vain repetition, and not in the Bible.
---
In the Catholic church we were taught that in order for our sins to be forgiven, we needed to confess our sins to a priest ("go to confession"), that the priest would assign penance for us to do (such as saying a certain number and types of prayers, example: multiple "Hail Mary" prayers), and that the priest had power to forgive our sins.
In the New Testament we are not instructed to go to a priest to confess all the sins we have committed since our last "confession". We confess our sins to God as soon as we see we have sinned and repent (turned from doing that sin again).
And there is nothing we can do to pay for our sins. Neither does a priest have power to forgive our sins. Our sins are paid for by the blood of Jesus.
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, HE (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
---
The Catholic church does not allow its clergy to marry… forbidding to marry.
Also from a child I was taught that we could not eat meat (beef, poultry, pork) on Friday's … commanding to abstain from meats.
But in the Bible I saw the following warning of such false doctrines ...
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
---
Two scriptures especially stood out to me during this time:
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Our salvation is not through a priest, bishop, cardinal, or pope. Our salvation is not through doing various rituals, saying memorized prayers over and over, or following traditions and rules set up by man. Our salvation is not in a priest coming to pray over us before we die.
We are saved only through Jesus Christ. (The Word)
---
As various doctrines were proved to be false, I kept a list of these and reviewed them. But it was still hard to fully grasp that the Catholic church ... which I had been taught was the only true church ... would teach incorrect doctrines. Had I somehow misunderstood what was taught in the Catholic church?
I was helped in this in an unexpected way ....
The Catholic church does not allow its clergy to marry… forbidding to marry.
Also from a child I was taught that we could not eat meat (beef, poultry, pork) on Friday's … commanding to abstain from meats.
But in the Bible I saw the following warning of such false doctrines ...
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
---
Two scriptures especially stood out to me during this time:
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Our salvation is not through a priest, bishop, cardinal, or pope. Our salvation is not through doing various rituals, saying memorized prayers over and over, or following traditions and rules set up by man. Our salvation is not in a priest coming to pray over us before we die.
We are saved only through Jesus Christ. (The Word)
---
As various doctrines were proved to be false, I kept a list of these and reviewed them. But it was still hard to fully grasp that the Catholic church ... which I had been taught was the only true church ... would teach incorrect doctrines. Had I somehow misunderstood what was taught in the Catholic church?
I was helped in this in an unexpected way ....
One
day I asked a nun who attended the same college about one or two of
these doctrines. I wanted to go over the list I had, but when I
mentioned just one or two of them, she turned very white, as though the
blood had drained from her face. She was obviously very shaken at being presented with scripture. She said that this is why "lay
people" should not read the Bible. She said she couldn't explain why
these doctrines were not according to the Bible, and that I needed to talk with
someone else, such as a priest.
Seeing how afraid this nun was to look at what God has told us in the Bible made the situation clear to me. I hadn't misunderstood what I had been taught. These teachings were not based on what God has said.
I left the Catholic church.
------
After leaving the Catholic church, I continued to see wrong doctrines I had been taught there as I read the Bible.
It was especially shocking when I read that we are not to make graven images, and we are not to bow down to graven images. Each Catholic church I have ever been in had statues and people knelt down and prayed before these statues.
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
--
In the Catholic church we were taught to address the priests as "Father". Although I don't think I recognized this until long after I left the Catholic church, this also is against scripture ...
Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
In the protestant church group I joined after leaving the Catholic church, I followed what others did, simply calling the ministers by their names ... Richard, John, etc. ... much as in the New Testament Paul and Peter were addressed by their names.
---
As a child I had also been taught that all girls and women needed to have a covering on their heads when going to a church service. This was so strongly enforced that I remember being told by nuns and others to put a kleenex (tissue) on my head and hold it in place with a hair pin before going into a church building.
(I don't remember putting anything on my head during the time I attended the Catholic church after I went to college in 1973. According to the internet this doctrine was changed in the 1970s and females are no longer required to do this.)
Many years later I saw in the Bible that women should have a covering on their heads ... but this covering is their hair ... not a hat or scarf or chapel veil or tissue as we had been taught:
1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God:but the woman is the glory of the man. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
--
In the Catholic church it is taught that the pope is the head of the Catholic church.
Jesus is the head of the church, the body of Christ, not the pope.
Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Comments by Joan Boney:
For several years in the 1970's, I operated a business in American Indian Arts. One of the magnificent American Indian potters was Margaret Tafoya. I was with Margaret after I was born again and she told me the following amazing story.
She took her 7 children out of the Catholic school that was on the reservation and sent them to McCurdy Mission School. The priest told her she could not do that. He said she must remove them and bring them back to the Catholic school. She replied that she wanted them to go to the McCurdy Mission School so they could study the Bible. The priest replied, "People like you do not need to study the Bible. We will tell you what you need to know." Margaret said, "No, I want them to study the Bible."
Then Margaret said the priest got so mad at her and he said, "If you do this, we will put you out of the church and you will never be able to confess your sins again." (Margaret was obviously very religious, often confessing her sins.)
Margaret said to me, "I don't know what came over me. I said to the priest, I don't have to confess my sins to a man like you. I will confess them to the Lord." And the priest was so angry and put her out of the Catholic church. But she continued to send her children to the mission school to study the Bible.
With great shame, Margaret told this story to me. I explained that no man can remove us from the real church. God adds us to the church and only God can remove one from the church. And I tried to explain what she did in saying this to the priest was not evil but was from the Holy Spirit.
I rejoiced greatly in this story. The power of God to deliver us is enormous.
Seeing how afraid this nun was to look at what God has told us in the Bible made the situation clear to me. I hadn't misunderstood what I had been taught. These teachings were not based on what God has said.
I left the Catholic church.
------
After leaving the Catholic church, I continued to see wrong doctrines I had been taught there as I read the Bible.
It was especially shocking when I read that we are not to make graven images, and we are not to bow down to graven images. Each Catholic church I have ever been in had statues and people knelt down and prayed before these statues.
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
--
In the Catholic church we were taught to address the priests as "Father". Although I don't think I recognized this until long after I left the Catholic church, this also is against scripture ...
Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
In the protestant church group I joined after leaving the Catholic church, I followed what others did, simply calling the ministers by their names ... Richard, John, etc. ... much as in the New Testament Paul and Peter were addressed by their names.
---
As a child I had also been taught that all girls and women needed to have a covering on their heads when going to a church service. This was so strongly enforced that I remember being told by nuns and others to put a kleenex (tissue) on my head and hold it in place with a hair pin before going into a church building.
(I don't remember putting anything on my head during the time I attended the Catholic church after I went to college in 1973. According to the internet this doctrine was changed in the 1970s and females are no longer required to do this.)
Many years later I saw in the Bible that women should have a covering on their heads ... but this covering is their hair ... not a hat or scarf or chapel veil or tissue as we had been taught:
1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God:but the woman is the glory of the man. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
--
In the Catholic church it is taught that the pope is the head of the Catholic church.
Jesus is the head of the church, the body of Christ, not the pope.
Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Comments by Joan Boney:
For several years in the 1970's, I operated a business in American Indian Arts. One of the magnificent American Indian potters was Margaret Tafoya. I was with Margaret after I was born again and she told me the following amazing story.
She took her 7 children out of the Catholic school that was on the reservation and sent them to McCurdy Mission School. The priest told her she could not do that. He said she must remove them and bring them back to the Catholic school. She replied that she wanted them to go to the McCurdy Mission School so they could study the Bible. The priest replied, "People like you do not need to study the Bible. We will tell you what you need to know." Margaret said, "No, I want them to study the Bible."
Then Margaret said the priest got so mad at her and he said, "If you do this, we will put you out of the church and you will never be able to confess your sins again." (Margaret was obviously very religious, often confessing her sins.)
Margaret said to me, "I don't know what came over me. I said to the priest, I don't have to confess my sins to a man like you. I will confess them to the Lord." And the priest was so angry and put her out of the Catholic church. But she continued to send her children to the mission school to study the Bible.
With great shame, Margaret told this story to me. I explained that no man can remove us from the real church. God adds us to the church and only God can remove one from the church. And I tried to explain what she did in saying this to the priest was not evil but was from the Holy Spirit.
I rejoiced greatly in this story. The power of God to deliver us is enormous.