by
Ralph Woodrow
CHAPTER TWELVE
PAPAL IMMORALITY
IN ADDITION TO the conclusive evidence that has been given,
the very character and morals of many of the Popes would tend to
identify them as successors of pagan priests, rather than
representatives of Christ or Peter. Some of the Popes were so
depraved and base in their actions, even people who professed no
religion at all were ashamed of them. Such sins as adultery,
sodomy, simony, rape, murder, and drunkenness are among the sins
that have been committed by Popes. To link such sins with men who
have claimed to be the "Holy Father", "The Vicar of Christ", and
Bishop of bishops", may sound shocking, but those acquainted with
the history of the Papacy well know that not all Popes were holy
men.
Pope Sergius III (904-911) obtained the papal office by
murder. The annals of the church of Rome tell about his life of
open sin with Marozia who bore him several illegitimate
children.1 He was described by Baronius as a "monster" and by
Gregorovius as a "terrorizing criminal." Says a historian: "For
seven years this man ... occupied the chair of St.Peter, while
his concubine and her Semiramis-like mother held court with a
pomp and voluptuousness that recalled the worse days of the
ancient empire."2
Many more immoral acts and practices of the Popes are given.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ARE POPES INFALLIBLE?
ADDING TO THE many contradictions with which the Romish
system was already plagued, there were Popes, like the god Janus
of olden times, who began to claim they were "infallible." People
naturally questioned how infallibility could be linked with the
papal office when some of the Popes had been very poor examples
in morals and integrity. And if the infallibility be applied only
to doctrines pronounced by the Popes, how was it that some Popes
had disagreed with other Popes? Even a number of the Popes
including Virilinus, Innocent III, Clement IV, Gregory XI,
Hadrian VI, and Paul IV - had rejected the doctrine of papal
infallibility! Just how could all of this be explained in an
acceptable manner and formulated into a dogma? Such was the task
of the Vatican Council of 1870.
The Council sought to narrow the meaning of infallibility
down to a workable definition, applying such only to papal
pronouncements made "ex cathedra." The wording finally adopted
was this: "The Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra - that
is, when in the exercise of his office as pastor and teacher of
all Christians he defines ... a doctrine of faith or morals to be
held by the whole Church - is, by reason of the Divine assistance
promised to him in blessed Peter, possessed of that infallibility
... and consequently such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are
irreformable."l
All of the problems were not solved by this wording,
nevertheless papal infallibility became an official dogma of the
Roman Catholic Church at the Vatican Council of 1870.
Woodrow gives contradictory infallibility from Pope histories.
NOTES:
CHAPTER TWELVE
1.Chiniquy, 'The Priest, the Woman, and the Confessional,' p.138.
2.Cotterill, 'Medieval Italy,' p.331.
3.Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook, p.774.
4.The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.8, pp.425, art. "John X, Pope."
5.Chiniquy, 'The Priest, the Woman, and the Confessional,' p.138.
6.The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.8, p.426, art. "John XI."
7.Ibid., p.427, art. "John XII."
8.Liber Pontificalis, vol.2, p.246.
9.The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.2, p.661,662, art."Boniface VII"
10.Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook, p.775.
11.Ibid.
12.The Catholic Encyclopedia,vol.2,pp.668,668,art."Boniface VIII"
13.Ibid., p.670.
14.History of the Church Councils, Bk.40, art.697.
15.The Catholic Encyclopedia. vol.4, p.435, art. "Councils."
16.Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook, p.778.
17.Chiniquy,'The Priest, the Woman, and the Confessional,'p.139.
18.Durant, 'The Story of Civilization: The Reformation,' p.10.
19.Sacrorum Concilioriurn, vol.27, p.663.
20.Durant, 'The Story of Civilization: The Reformation,'p.10.
21.Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook, p.779.
22.Durant, 'The Story of Civilization: The Reformation,' p.13.
23.Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook, p.779.
24.Ibid.
25.The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.8, p.19, art. "Innocent VIII."
26.D'Aubigne, 'History of the Reformation,' p.11.
27.Chiniquy,'The Priest, the Woman, and the Confessional', p.139.
28.Diarium, vol.3, p.167.
29.Life - July 5, 1963.
30.The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.9, pp.162,163, art. "Leo X."
31.Durant, 'The Story of Civilization: The Reformation, p. 344.
32.D'Aubigne, History of the Reformation,' p.59.
33.The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.8, p.407, art. "Joan, Popess."
34.Ibid., p.408.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
1.The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.7, p.796, art. "Infallibility."
2.Ibid., vol.14, p.316, art. "Strossmayer."
3.Ibid., vol.6, p.141, art. "Formosus."
4.Ibid.
.................
Weeelllll....coming to modern times. It is a noted and recorded
FACT the Roman Catholic Church with many of its leaders DID
NOTHING (and in some situations, even worked with) AGAINST HITLER
and his kin, during the second World War. This is not to say that
SOME individual Catholics in "office" or lay members stood by and
let Hitler and his men do what they did, without resisting or
helping the innocent. But in the main, the TOP ones did little to
resist the evil of Hitler. The present Pope (in 2003 when this is
being presented to this Website) finally admitted such to the
Jews, and apologized, asking forgiveness from them and the world.
Then for you who go back to the 80s or 70s or before (I go back
to 1961 to 1972) as part of the Worldwide Church of God, under
Herbert W. Armstrong and Garner Ted Armstrong, and have come to
see what went on and how that church organization developed
(especially from the 70s onward), what you have read about the
evils or sex sins - inner fightings at the "top level" - proud
infallibleness, hard-handed rulership - lavish physical living -
abuse of brethren - will sadly all come to mind. For as Solomon
said, "There is nothing new under the sun."
As is all admitted and recorded by the Catholic Encyclopedia, the
gross sins of some of the Popes down through the centuries can
hardly uphold the papal office and succession as "God's true
Eldership from the apostle Peter" - Keith Hunt
.............
TO BE CONTINUED
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