Catholics and Catholic defenders are boastful when it comes to the numbers of the members to their beloved Constantinian Church, im sorry, Catholic Church^^. And Constantine is related to the history of the Catholic Church. My inspiration on writing this is because of what i read in our book:
"Encyclopedia Britannica @1974".Let's go back on being boastful of these catholics and catholic defenders, they always say that their church have the biggest membership in all Christian sects/denominations/groups. I know one catholic defender, lets name him, Catholicdefender2000 owner of the blog catholicfaithdefender2000.blogspot.com.
I do not mention him to attack him, but i just noticed that he always want to point out in his blog that it is the INC and members who are boastful and also said by other jealous catholics here.
They boast: 80-90% of the population in the Philippines is affiliated with the "ROMAN" Catholic Church. Then, they will have a top list of countries with most members are of their church... (70 million+ filipinos are catholics but only 50% are church goers because most are ignorant and non practicing catholics!^^)
But most of us ask,
WHY IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH "UNIVERSAL"? How Catholicism spread in the world? and so on.
HOW IT SPREADLets study some of the history of the Catholic Church, using my Encyclopedia and to some sources:
"Its success in the 'missionary continents' of Asia, Africa and the Americas results largely from the fact that the earliest colonization of these continents was carried on by the Catholic powers: Spain, Portugal and France." Encyclopedia
Middle Ages (313-1517)"By the 10th century the religious and cultural community that is called Christendom had come into being. In every european state the religion of the state was Roman Catholicism."
Encyclopedia
The Reformation to the First Vatican Council (1517-1870)"Although the Roman Catholic Church lost many members in Europe during the 16th century, the discoveries of new lands, mostly under the leadership of stoutly Catholic Spain and Portugal, gave the church new members to offset losses; and Roman Catholicism became a force in colonialism."
"The 17th and 18th centuries however, was a period of decline in Roman Catholicism in almost every area of activity. Inspite of this growing archaism, the Roman Catholic Church survived the French Revolution, which again many observers thought would be its death blow. But survival is the best word; the 19th century was another period of decline, one in which the church adopted firm position against almost every intellectual, social, and political development that is called modern."
Encyclopedia
From the First vatican Council to the Present"The losses in Europe was balanced by the fantastic growth of Roman Catholicism in the United States (the result of European immigration) and North America became the most prosperous area of the Catholic Church."
Encyclopedia
Let us see if the Encyclopedia is accurate, it has been REVEALED that the key why Catholicism spread throughout the world is not just because of sending missionaries to countries by the church but because of "COLONIALISM" done by Spain, Portugal and France. Is it true? What do you think? OFCOURSE! Try to read history!^^
Below is the chart i got from (i think 2005 statistics)
catholic-hierarchy.org, top list of countries with most catholics:
You will notice that the top 15 countries, if not European (which in the past the state religion was Roman Catholic), are fruits of the Spanish and Portuguese Colonialism.
Let us compare that statistics from (i think 2009 statistics), from this boastful but dumb catholic defender, catholicdefender2000:
Same countries in the top 15, and my question: Is it true that the Catholic Church's adherents increase? In what way?
Maybe you wonder why i asked that, i just hope that our overall population (in the world) is steady even only in the years 2005-2009 so that we can know if Catholics number REALLY increase... In what way does it increase? Because of converts from other religion? or because of the
FACT THAT TOTAL WORLD POPULATION INCREASE?
Do you know the other secret of the Catholic Church beside from the "colonialism of catholic nations"? Any guess? So easy...
The invention of the doctrine
"infant baptism"! This is their best formula why the Catholic Church is universal and with many adherents! That's why they will fight just not to pass the RH BILL and use their influence and power, because that is their only key to preserve Catholicism and its survival!
See for yourself! Ask yourself,
"why i am born-catholic?"Dont you even think of it once in your life? That why so many people are born-catholic...?
(Compare the 2 charts)In 2005 and 2009 statistics, you can see that numbers increased, i wonder before why, especially many reports say that the Catholic Church have a decline in members and church officers...
Is because of this very big idea of the RCC! Is it not unfair? That you are baptized in the Catholic Church
whether you like it or not?
Fertility Rate AffectsSee this chart from
wikipedia:
This is just an example, in Christianity, on the 25, 210,195 adherents increase per year, only 10% of the number was because of conversion, and the 90% was because of birth increase. How much more in the Catholic Church? Can you imagine?^^
Lets proceed...
In the first part i mentioned Constantine(Emperor/Constantine I), what do you think the relation of this person to the Catholic Church?
SPREAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE PASTLets go back in the past...
Before, early Christians are persecuted, but because of Constantine I, not only the church changed a lot, it is also not anymore the persecuted, but became the persecutor!
Constantine I "The edic of Milan, a cluster of documents issued by Constantine the Great in 313, made Christianity a lawful religion; by the end of the 4th century it had become the state religion. Historians call the church of this period Constantinian church designating the privileged position of the church within the state."
Encyclopedia"Constantine's biggest effect on Christianity was his patronage. He gave large gifts of land and money to the Church and offered tax exemptions and other special legal status to Church property and personnel.
These gifts and later ones combined to make the Church the largest landowner in the West by the 6th century.
Many of these gifts were funded through severe taxation of pagan cults."
source: wikipedia
“In calling for a church-wide purification of memory, john paul acknowledged the mistakes and cruelty imbedded in church history, including the INQUISITION, the FORCED CONVERSIONS OF NATIVE PEOPLES IN AFRICA, AND LATIN AMERICA, AND SUPPORT OF THE CRUSADES, WHOSE VICTIMS INCLUDED JEWS, MUSLIMS, AND MEMBERS OF THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH.” (Today. March 15, 2000)
FORCED CONVERSION to CatholicismTheodosius I"There is no support in the Bible for forced conversion, but there have been historical attempts by Christians to force the religious conversion of individuals, groups, and entire populations. Forced conversion was a key factor in the Christianization of the Roman Empire. In 392 A.D. the emperor Theodosius I instituted a law making Christianity the only legal religion of the empire, and forbidding Pagan practices by law..."
"On this date, Theodosius I decreed that only the followers of Trinitarian Christianity were entitled to be referred to as Catholic Christians, while all others were to be considered to be heretics, which was considered illegal."
Charlemagne"Charlemagne regarded the repelling of pagan invaders and their absorption and conversion as part of his obligation as defender of the faith and he forced the Saxons and Frisians to convert to Christianity."
Other..."The economic conquest of the Americas by various European forces coincided with and depended on conversion of the natives. Some of these conversions were forced."
"Religious persecution took place by the Portuguese in Goa, India from 16th to the 17th century. The natives of Goa, most of them Hindus were subjected to severe torture and oppression by the zealous Portuguese rulers and missionaries and forcibly converted to Christianity."
source: wikipedia"...most prosperous Jewish communities under Muslim and Christian rule in Spain, before the majority, together with resident Muslims, were forced to convert to Catholicism, be expelled or be killed when Spain became united under the Catholic Monarchs King Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492."
source: wikipedia"An International group of scientists has uncovered clear evidence that there were massive forced conversions to Catholicism by Muslims and Sephardic Jews in the 15th and 16th centuries in Spain and Portugal. "
source: eminetwork.euInquisition (Medieval, Spanish, Portuguese, and Roman Inquisition, all of those, the Catholic Church is connected and has its role...)
"An "Inquisition" is a legal inquiry. Historically there were three major Catholic Inquisitions. The Medieval Inquisition started around 1184 in response to the appearance of popular heretical movements throughout Europe, in particular Catharism and Waldensians in southern France and northern Italy. In 1478 Pope Sixtus IV reluctantly authorized the Spanish Inquisition under pressure from King Ferdinand of Aragon. Initially it investigated charges against Jewish and Muslim converts to Christianity of secretly practicing their former religions. It acted under the control of the kings of Spain. The early excesses of the Spanish Inquisition were condemned by Popes Sixtus IV, Leo X, Paul III and Paul IV. The Roman Inquisition began in 1542 when Pope Paul III established the Holy Office as the final court of appeal in trials of heresy and served as an important part of the Counter-Reformation. It was tightly controlled by strict procedural rules but was made infamous by the trial of Galileo."
(Catholicbridge.com)There is no escape when you are in that time, whether you like being a catholic or not, you should not question its authority or less, you will be tortured and put to death by burning at the stake. In this period, this is most frequent scene:
Everyone of us knows the history, we should not deny it.
So now, are you still amazed and proud of being a
CATHOLIC?Especially it spread not mostly because of wholehearted conversion, but because of the dirty and evil works of the Catholic Church in the past!
Christ said this:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.." Mat. 28:19
Christ didnt taught about forcing people to join the church, he didnt taught to torture and kill heretics, he didnt also taught that the gospel should spread by means of colonialism... Christ didnt command us anything of that and especially to baptize
INFANTS!So, dont be surprised if the Catholic Church is universal, and time will come and the prophecy will then be
FULFILLED!
"And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast." Revelation 18:2"They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
Revelation 18:10
