Czarov's(inc) Challenge To Dismas.(rc)-part Ii

[marccatholic]

marc...

thanks you are back.
I would suggest your good riend Dismas look into this NICOLAITAN DOCTRINE because this doctrine led to the establishment of the Clergy to rule over the Laity which God hated!

This clerical system later developed into the PAPAL HEIRARCHY of priests and clergy lording over the flock.

We would like to hear Dismas' comment on this topic....Thanks

Dismas,he's waiting for your comment.Thanks.

BTW,i've already given him the links about their religion (Iglesia ni Cristo) from the catholic answers.

God bless.

[Dismas]

[quote name='marccatholic' post='1411008' date='Oct 29 2007, 06:46 AM']marc...

thanks you are back.
I would suggest your good riend Dismas look into this NICOLAITAN DOCTRINE because this doctrine led to the establishment of the Clergy to rule over the Laity which God hated!

This clerical system later developed into the PAPAL HEIRARCHY of priests and clergy lording over the flock.

We would like to hear Dismas' comment on this topic....Thanks

Dismas,he's waiting for your comment.Thanks.

BTW,i've already given him the links about their religion (Iglesia ni Cristo) from the catholic answers.

God bless.[/quote]
Well, I've heard of numerous doctrines, but for some reason, this magical Nicalatian Doctrine doesn't seem to be found in the Catechism, or most any Catholic resource I have looked through.

The Church Fathers are also silent on such a doctrine. But the Nicolatians are spoken of.

Now, from a number of Protestant, anti-Catholic, and even a couple Iglesia references, I have found that this "Nicolatian Doctrine" to be some teaching that duped Christians into a superiority of the clergy mentality in the first century. There is some bastardized attempt to hack "Nicolatian" into "Nike" the pagan goddess of victory and "laos" which is to refer to the laity. So this is a weak attempt to "prove" that there is a secret and magic doctrine which claimed "victory over the laity" hidden in the dark recesses of Catholicism. Now we could take that approach, or we could look more sensibly at the word "Nicolatian" and notice that this is better described as "Regarding Nicolas".

Who is Nicolas? Well, we don't really know, other than a leader of a Gnostic or pagan movement. Some ancient writings refer to Nicolas as one of the seven deacons, who apparently apostatized into Gnosticism. More writings point to the Nicolatians as being Gnostics or pagans, entertaining some of the Faithful with religious feasts and orgies. This makes far more sense than this silly and modern conspiracy theory, as John the Apostle lived and attended to the Faithful in a region and time steeped in Gnostic activity. John wrote his Gospel and his Epistles and even the Apocalypse because the Faithful were being pressured into Gnosticism and pagan beliefs, and he was determined to refute their false claims with sacred Truth.

Furthermore, as the persecutions of Nero and Domitian were raging, I find it ludicrous to believe that the clergy were taking steps to cash in and take control of the Faith. Being clergy in those days meant you were first to be hunted, first to be imprisoned, and first to be tortured and killed.

Frankly, the Christian Faith had no great avenues of money and power until after it was legalized in the Fourth Century. Even then, the ones with the money and power were the Arians, heretics who claimed Jesus was not God, who devoured the church coffers and seduced the Imperial throne. And just as the Arians, Iglesia may perhaps explode into prominence, wealth and power, perhaps even persecuting and killing a pope or ten, but it will fail to destroy the Catholic Church, and will fade to dust like all false religions made by men. The Catholic Church, however, shall endure forever as the true Bride of Christ.

Next time Czarov, find a real doctrine to attack. You can find plenty in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it's even online.

[url="http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm"]http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm[/url]

Sincerely,
Dismas

Edited November 4, 2007 by Dismas