Hi TK,Agreed Paidion-
But can a true disciple of Christ continue in the RCC with its Maryolatry and other abominations? To me it is more than a denominational difference, because it is highly questionable whether the RCC is even a Christian denomination.
Yes, a true disciple of Christ can continue in the RCC. I happen to have a friend who does. He doesn't worship Mary. Indeed, he got baptized (immersed) in a summer camp of the PAOC. I asked him if he wouldn't get in trouble with his church by doing that. But he wasn't worried about it at all.
When I was about 30, I used to ride my motorcycle to a special meeting of RC brothers and sisters in the basement of the RC church! It was one of the deepest fellowships I have ever experienced. They embraced each other (and me) and shared deeply their love of Jesus. Jesus was the focal point of the meetings. They sang songs of praise to Him. The local priest at the time was right with them in their worship. To my surprise, I heard him ask the group one time, "Can I hold mass on that Sunday?" I couldn't understand why a priest would ask his people for permission to hold mass. However, I heard that one of the "regular" Catholics had said,"I wouldn't go to that basement meeting for anything you could offer me!"
Interestingly, later on the group broke up. All joined various fundamentalist churches except just one brother and his wife. He is the one I mentioned who got immersed by the PAOC church. That brother is still with the RC church to this day.
What's hellish about the Mass? And by the way, my Christian step-daughter is with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and my Christian sister-in-law (before she died) was one of Jehovah's Witnesses.I guess what I am saying is that it is highly questionable that a true Christian can practice RC, including participating in the hellish Mass, any more than a true Christian can practice Mormonism or Jehovah Witnessism. If they can, what was the Reformation all about?