Catholicism

[Confused Ape]

What do we think about the Catholic Church? I just want to test the waters, I will not fight/argue with hateful words or cursing, so don't throw me out yet, I am just curious.

Just to be different to most of the posters here.

I think the Catholic Church is promoting thinly disguised paganism.

1: The Virgin Mary was turned into the equivalent of a goddess. Even her title, Queen of Heaven, was originally given to pagan sky goddesses.

2: Pagans have a god or goddess for every occasion. Roman Catholics have a patron saint for every occasion.

What Are Patron Saints?

The article goes through the history of patron saints up to the Middle Ages when the practise had spread beyond churches to occupations and diseases.

They aren't supposed to be gods and goddesses, of course.

Few practices of the Catholic Church are so misunderstood today as devotion to patron saints. From the earliest days of the Church, groups of the faithful (families, parishes, regions, countries) have chosen a particularly holy person who has passed on to intercede for them with God. Seeking the intercession of a patron saint does not mean that one cannot approach God directly in prayer; rather, it's like asking a friend to pray for you to God, while you also pray—except, in this case, the friend is already in Heaven, and can pray to God for us without ceasing.

But -

All Christians should adopt their own patron saints—first and foremost being those whose name they carry or whose name they took at their Confirmation. We should have a special devotion to the patron saint of our parish, as well as the patron saint of our country and the countries of our ancestors.

It's also a good practice to adopt a patron saint for your family and to honor him or her in your house with an icon or statue. The saints are powerful intercessors, and, in this day and age when they are so often neglected, we could use their prayers more than ever.