You just don't understand the dogma of papal infallibility. Yeah, we have had horrible popes. Yeah, we have even had popes that taught heresy. Papal infallibility only applies in very specific situations. Actually, the situation it applies to the most is when the Pope, acting as first amongst equals, is settling disputes in the Church once and for all. Look at the dogma of the Immaculate Conception - Christians, even Saints, were on both sides of that issue and debated it for centuries. A Pope finally settled it, once in for all. With synodal issues, if you have 2 camps, the Pope can settle that. Patriarch Barthomew isn't first amongst equals, so he doesn't have the power to do this. This is why the Eastern Orthodox needs to come back in communion with Rome.
There were small groups that broke off before then, but they were very small and rather insignificant, to be honest. Read the article I sent you.
You're welcome!
- Understood. I don't know much about the "American Orthodox Church" to be frank. But I do know enough about Church ecclesiology and history to know that I am not really interested in taking a "deep dive" into Eastern Heterodoxy. I've already written them off. But, I guess if it means anything, I will concede that apparently there is now an American ethnic church.
- Check out the Catholic Encyclopedia article on schisms: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13529a.htm
Except many Eastern bishops ran to Rome for help when they argued with each other...
And you say the Pope is "important" but you reject being in communion with him... Non-sequitur.
- I have no idea. I honestly don't care about the Eastern Heterodox.
- There have been wayyyy more schisms than that if you study the history of Christendom. My point is that the Eastern Heterodox church is not as great of an alternative to Catholicism as they try to make you believe. I honestly lost a lot of respect for them after a lot of them attacked me online because of my super-orthodox Christian views...
Even the Church Fathers the Eastern Heterodox venerate knew the Pope was the supreme ruler of the Church:
https://thecatholicstate.com/papal-supremacy-is-proven-by-the-bible-and-early-church/
Eastern Heterodoxy is in constant schism, has constant excommunications, and has weird morally relativistic standards like 3 divorces is fine and contraception is okay, amongst other things. Not to mention, I am born of Western European blood, and all the Eastern Churches are separated based upon ethnicity. So what am I? Greek? Russian? Something else? It's all a huge clustermuck... No thanks! We may have heretics in the Catholic Church hierarchy, but at least the official teachings are what Christians have believed since the First Century!
There is more evidence of a historical Jesus then there even was of historical figures like Alexander the Great. Even skeptical atheist researchers, like Bart Ehrman, acknowledge the historical existence of Jesus.
They actually do believe that the Messiah will be a worldly leader - a Caesar Augustus type world emperor - and Catholic teaching is that this "messiah" will actually be the Antichrist. He will be the "King of the Jews" and proclaim himself the second Christ, but will focus on leading all peoples into worldly things. Things will get so bad that the Jews will collectively realize they made a BIG MISTAKE and then, as a group, convert into Christianity right before the Second Coming of Christ.
Geez... For a group of people into conspiracy theories, and likely skeptical of what the mainstream media says, you sure don't do your homework...
Just more Jewish Mainstream Media lies:
That's just the mainstream media lying to you:
Yes, they do. They are cursed in that they love worldly things instead of God, and will pay for this in Hell.
Thanks. Let me know what you think!
(((The Mainstream)))
It's supposed to come from this passage:
"Let Dan be a snake in the way, a serpent in the path, that biteth the horse's heels that his rider may fall backward." -Genesis 49:17
It's not Dogma, but it is a consistent belief amongst Saints that this refers to the Antichrist, who will be born of the tribe of Dan.
Look at these to get you started:
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01559a.htm
https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-antichrist