Some Catholic Apologists Are Good People, Humanly Speaking

I remembered the time I used to waste my time on Catholic fake defenders such as the site The Splendor of the Church ran by Abraham Arganiosa, a Novus Ordo priest. The behavior of the members of that site is anything but admirable. I made a hasty generalization for more than some time about the attitude of Catholic apologists. In truth, it's easy to ignore that some Catholic apologists are good people, humanly speaking. I checked out Catholic Answers and Aleteia. I also checked out Catholic apologist Taylor Marshall or Catholic Answers' very own Trent Horn. I'd say that official Catholic apologetics sites are very scholarly, courteous, and polite - a far cry from what The Splendor of the Church is with many of its contributors. The members of Catholic Answers and other scholarly Catholic sites defend their stand without losing their cool. Those sites are very scholarly and I'm impressed at how they remain professional in the face of disagreement. It's because they know that apologetics is all about dealing with disagreement and that they must do it as nicely as possible. 

I noticed that James White had invited some Catholic apologists in for a formal debate. Try watching the debates White has with Catholic apologists. I don't think White would want to invite anybody from Arganiosa's group or even Arganiosa himself. However, White had invited Jesuit priest, Mitchell Pacwa over a formal debate. In due fairness, Pacwa shows a great degree of professionalism in contrast to Arganiosa. I met some Baptist apologists who refuse to debate with members of Splendor of the Church but would engage in any real scholar in Catholicism. White knows very well how to select his battles. Some Catholic apologists would also avoid arguing with Steven Anderson (who I'd agree is a nut) in contrast to White. I guess some Catholic apologists know better to debate with a real born-again Christian scholar than a nut like Anderson. A formal debate should be an intellectual discourse or defense of the faith, not a boxing match or a wrestling match.

Some Catholic apologists are also model citizens in one way or another. Some of them are very aware of their behavior because they represent the Vatican. Some of them defend their stand as nicely as possible. Some of them even renounce the hypocrisy in their parishes such as people who are religious yet living in sin. Some of them managed to be good spouses and good parents. However, all these are but dirty rags when it comes to meeting the standards of a holy, righteous God (Isaiah 64:6). I'm not shooting down their good works. Rather, I'm shooting down the fact that they may be good citizens but they're trusting in both Christ and good works at the same time. Worse, these Catholic apologists may be decent people, with no criminal record to speak of, actively helping others but they're still guilty of idolatry. Catholics may say that they don't worship idols but they are praying to Mary and those their church has deemed saints. To pray to anyone but God (and they say they're simply asking the saints to pray for them) is still idolatry. They unknowingly spread lies whenever they defend doctrines in Catholicism, not in the Bible even if they're not charlatans with criminal records. Some even lie that they trust Christ alone for their salvation when actions speak otherwise. They're still trusting in Christ plus Mary, the saints, and the rituals. 

Salvation is in receiving Jesus Christ alone as one's Lord and Savior. It's to put your trust 100% on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for your sins. It's not Jesus plus infant baptism, good works, sacraments, and the like. Instead, it's all about trusting Christ alone for your salvation then this faith is not alone. Instead, this faith results in genuine good works. The call for Hebrews 9:14 is to be saved from dead works to serve the living God. Catholics may argue they serve God but are they serving God the way the Bible says they should? Instead, they're still adding rituals and sacraments. It's a dead system that condemns even the best Catholics to remain cut short of God's glory. A Catholic apologist can still live a good life (humanly speaking) but still end up in Hell if they don't trust Jesus alone for their salvation. It's because salvation has never been by works but by faith which results in real good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). I pray any Catholic apologist right now reading the Bible will get all of these before it's too late.