(January 14, 2017 at 2:00 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: With that being said, as a Catholic, I agree that the bible alone should not be considered the main pillar of truth or authority. Bc many things are confusing, not clear, and can be interpreted many different ways. Unfortunately that is why we have so many different denominations to christianity.
But different sects have plagued Christianity from the start. Not all "Christians" were on board with Paul's preachments, for instance, and that reaches back to the very start of the movement. There seems to be a considerable difference between Paul's brand of Christianity and that of James the Just, for example. The early Church was constantly marginalizing this or that group as heretics, even before there was a 'Bible' over which they could squabble. It makes sense that you, a Catholic, would argue that extra-Biblical authority is needed to avoid heresy, but you must admit that Catholicism's claim to authority in the first place is the result of the historical winners in that early contest of ideas/interpretations driving out conflicting views, planting a flag, and declaring victory.
It doesn't strike me as especially inspired -- just the messy workings of history, as usual.