The way I see it, the RCC makes the claim it is the only true church. Any organization that makes such a claim exposes virtually everything it does or believes to intense scrutiny. Therefore there will be mountains of criticism of the organization and its product by making such a claim, where there will be little written in its defense. The Catholic Church has had to squander vast amounts of money and resources because of its exposed wrong doings. The resourses squandered in such defenses should have been spent feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty, etc., then there would have been no time for the wrong doings. But alas, squandering one's wealth seems to be the mark of monolythic organizations. And "legal beagals" thrive in glutiny on them.
Microsoft is an example of the principle. Microsoft is the target of virtually every software writer, hacker, bug and worm developer. None of that changes the fact that Microsoft retains the lions share of the software market. Microsoft has had to spend vast amounts of its resources to protect itself from challenges to its own unfairness and wrong doings. The money Microsoft spends in it's defense should have been spent in educating the uneducated, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc. But alas, PRIDE and GREED are powerful enemies of righteousness.
What the Catholic Church fails to recognize is that it is but one part of the big picture of God's church. It is not the whole enchilada! Just as there were Twelve Apostles, there could be Twelve parts of the Church of Jesus Christ, all rightly claiming to be the true church of Jesus Christ!
The Catholic Church claims Peter as its root, Others may claim various other Apostles as the root. The true vine is Jesus Christ, all others are mere branches. Those branches that do not produce the fruit that Jesus intended, are pruned away, and new branches grow to produce the fruit.
So, let's cut the non-sense of claiming to be "the one true church", and get busy about the Lord's work for His church.
To the Catholic Priesthood, I say this, prune away those false dogmas such as the eternal powers of Mary, the vain repitition of memorized prayers, and the others that the protestants have rightly pointed out to you as "false doctrine". Clean up your own ranks, making each Priest accountable for what he does to others. Rest assured, your sins will find you out!
To the Criticisers scriptures say this. Do not accuse unjustly! And, Be sure to remove the beam from your own eye before you attempt to remove the speck from the eye of another. Paul teaches that before you partake of the Lord's Table, that you rectify and reconcile all differences that you have with your brothers. Matthew teaches, If your brother refuse to hear you, take another with you, if he then refuse to hear you, accuse him before the church and let the congregation deal with the brother! Catholics, The accusations against you have been presented to the congregation of Jesus' church. You have been accused of your wrong doctrines, what say you in your own defense? Remember you cannot claim to be the true church, merely a part of the true church. The Catholic church is not the true vine, but only a branch!
