False Advertising

Product commercials aired on television make wonderful claims indicating that girls will flock to a man chewing a certain brand of chewing gum, or a specific camera model. Well, while we all know these things to be exaggerations or outright fantasy, we are often convinced to buy them anyway.

But last night a commercial aired with the most blatant and outrageous and blasphemous lie I have ever heard! The Catholic Church is claiming to be responsible for "compiling the Bible." All of the holy writings regarded as divinely inspired were canonized (meaning cataloged into the Divine Library) as the Old Testament by the 5th century B.C. Jesus’ own extensive use of these writings demonstrates confirmation of their rightful place in the Bible. Jesus did not acknowledge any religious writings written after the book of Malachi (completed about 443 BC). Origen canonized the New Testament about 230 AD. Athanasuis acknowleged the same canon about 367 AD. So, where do the Catholics come into the picture? In 397 AD their Counsil of Carthage the Catholic Church decided that they would accept the 66 books of the Bible already canonized and added seven apocryphal books. They recataloged again in 1546 AD at the Counsil of Trent, dropping 3 of the Apocryphal writings they had imposed on the Bible.

Apocryphal writings cannot remotely begin to compare to the inspired scripture. They are ridiculous and are rejected by all respectable Bible scholars. Perhaps I can publish a Bible that includes Dr Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham and declare myself ‘The Mother of the Bible’! Who would ever dare such blasphemy! The inclusion of these apocryphal books into the Catholic Bible Canon has contributed to the common misconception that the Bible contradicts itself, thereby ruining its reputation.

Hebrews and Christians being led by holy spirit unanimously and immediately accepted inspired writings as each writing was completed. They rightfully belonged in the Bible canon long before Bible scholars and individual churches ever thought to make an official list of them. God authorized them himself by inspiring his servants to pen His thoughts. I am thankful that the truths and promises contained in scripture did not have to wait until the 14th century for the Catholic Church to "compile the Bible" canon.

Historically, the Roman Catholic Church has been responsible for the destruction of Bibles. Christians quickly seized the opportunity to mass-produce Bibles when the printing press was invented in 1456. For decades, Catholic clergymen waged war against the printing, distribution, and translation of the Bible. Bible translator William Tyndale was forced into hiding, and later killed due to persecution from numerous Catholic bishops across Europe. Any layperson caught in possession of a Bible was branded a heretic during the Spanish Inquisition. And who was behind the Spanish Inquisition? The Roman Catholic Church. They committed unspeakable atrocities throughout France, Germany, Italy, and Spain in an effort to preserve their non-scriptural doctrines and practices.