Is the Pope a Catholic?

[McMouse]

Over the recent past there have been examples of religious and state leaders telling lies or distorting the truth. The Chinese are in denial regarding Tienamen Square yet we saw the tanks on tv. The Catholic church covered up child abuse and even now the full story has not been told. There are those who seek to deny the Holocaust happened. Our government took us to war in Iraq on lies and those responsible still defend their actions.

Why should any thinking person ever take as "gospel" words written hundreds or even thousands of years ago when we know that the powerful always record their 'truth' or version of events?

[steg]

maybe people never lied as much hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

The Catholic church covered up child abuse : not very well, every one knows about it

[McMouse]

Problem is we don't know if history is a truthful account. It's often said that "history is written by the victors"

[flobadob]

Because most people are mindless sheep.

[sandyRoe]

The Gospels, even though they were penned years after Christ ascended to Heaven, were God inspired. Every word in them is true.

[flobadob]

Exhibit A - sandyroe.

[sandyRoe]

Oh ye of little faith...

[jake-the-peg]

Good point but you want to aim it at the protestants not the catholics.

Catholic dogma is often based on "revealed wisdom" to various historical Popes and Saints. half of their stuff is nowhere in the Bible.

It's the other lot who pour over their magic books looking for answers in the words of the ancients

[McMouse]

Hardly a week goes by without hearing about a new cult or revelation. I think they've been at it for yonks. What about all the miracles and relics that pulled in the pilgrims. You can just imagine some ambitious monk going to the Abbot and saying "they've got that shroud over at Turin and I've discovered some bones in the crypt...think they could be the remains of St. James? We're on a winner boss"

[Old_Geezer]

So one can find examples of lies and/or distortions, so that means we should assume eveything is ? A thinking person will judge each case on its merits.

[McMouse]

Agree OG that matters should be judged on their merit. My point is that so much of what we are asked "to take on faith" owes it's origins to bygone times when the powerful of the day had the means to emply scribes or masons to record their version of things. Alternative accounts were supressed.