Catholic Scandal...?

Once again there is a notable Catholic scandal in the news concerning pedophilia among the priests and systemic cover-up in the institutional structure. I'm not going to get on a big anti-Catholicism harangue because that's just not what I am called to, but I have something to say about this:

It all comes of failing to follow the scriptures.

For well over a thousand years the 'church' in Rome has trampled on the New Testament scriptures that were given to us by the Holy Spirit to guide us. The differences between Catholic practice and the NT example are much too numerous to consider here, but regarding this particular case:

If you create an unbiblical priestly office, assign to these 'priests' unbiblical titles of reverence ('Father'), and require of them an unbiblical vow of celibacy, then you are gonna get what you got here. Read your Bible people! And keep your children away from such nonsense. This isn't just a little aberration from recent years or the industrial age or something like that: it has been there like this all along. In fact, the impetus that first set Martin Luther on a collision course with the Vatican and history was his visit to Rome where he saw first-hand the open debauchery among the 'priests'.

It all comes of failing to follow the scriptures.

Evangelicals, read this part very carefully:

Jesus set up His ekklesia in a particular way for particular reasons and we have one hell of a nerve to think it is acceptable to rearrange that! The scriptures make it very clear what the ekklesia is supposed to be! Paul made it very clear that no ekklesia is free to depart from this pattern!

When you do, people get hurt!

Real people.
Real hurt.
Well, duh!

Yet we evangelicals have just as many unscriptural 'church' traditions as the Catholics, but we think somehow that since we aren't selling indulgences to the highest bidder that it is OK for us to do so.
Read your Bible people!

Then again, come to think of it, the last time I saw Rod Parsley, right before I unplugged the doctor's office television, he wasn't very far at all from the selling of indulgences.
No, not far at all...