Introduction

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

2 Timothy 4:3 (NLT)

My parents were raised in the Roman Catholic Church. They raised me in the Catholic Church as well. Neither my parents nor I ever completely read through the New Testament until we were older adults. Instead of studying the Scriptures for ourselves, we relied on the Catholic Church as our primary source for learning the teachings of Jesus. In hindsight, this was a huge mistake that I hope others who read Beware of Hypocrisy will avoid.

I wrote this book as a warning to those who learned all they know about Christianity from a church instead of through reading and studying the New Testament, especially the Gospels, themselves. Exclusively relying on one institution for such vital information can be dangerous, yet this seems to be a trend in our society. My hope is that this book will help you to understand why you should not fall into this trap.

After years of analyzing the teachings of Jesus as documented in both canonical manuscripts (i.e., ones accepted by the Church and included in the Bible) and non-canonical manuscripts (i.e., ones rejected from being included in the Bible), I am saddened by how much of what churches are teaching and doing appear to be contrary to these teachings of Jesus. After almost two thousand years of making assumptions and inventing doctrines, churches have subtly changed, over time, the teachings of Jesus into something different from what is presented in the Scriptures.

Despite the problems that will be discussed in this book, I have no desire to see the churches closed down, since they do provide vital services to humankind. They offer a mechanism where the community of faithful can gather to worship, pray, discuss Scripture, share Communion, support one another, and assist the needy. Furthermore, it is one of the best ways of introducing people to Christianity. However, I hope to see positive changes come about in the established churches and new churches coming into existence that better follow the teachings of Jesus as presented in the New Testament.

A Protestant pastor once told me that a large portion of his time is spent meeting with people seeking his consent to do something the Scriptures plainly say is a sin. Usually they think that their circumstances are unique or dire enough to warrant an exemption. They think if a church official can be convinced that their sin is justified, then God will think so also, thus soothing their conscience.

In a similar way throughout history, a constant pressure has been put upon churches, especially by emperors, kings, and other prominent individuals, to permit various sins. Once a church permits a sin for one individual, the sin usually becomes a part of that church’s doctrine, permitting others to commit the sin seemingly guilt free.

Over the centuries, various denominations have declared different doctrinal stands regarding what is a sin and what is not. This is why so many different churches declare such wildly varied and oftentimes opposing doctrines. For example, some churches celebrate homosexual marriages, while others teach homosexuality is a mortal sin.

Modern churches have such diverse doctrines that people can now shop around for a church with teachings and doctrines that are copacetic with their chosen lifestyle. Because the Bible does not give specifics on every issue, people oftentimes demand the churches provide definite, unambiguous doctrine on all important issues so they can live their lives without questioning whether or not something they are doing, or not doing, is a sin. Churches need congregants for their survival; therefore, many have evolved to accommodate the desires of the masses.

My analysis approach throughout this book will be to first state the teachings of Jesus regarding a given topic, as presented in the Bible, and then contrast it with what churches teach and do regarding the subject. It is not my intent to present the churches’ rationalizations/justifications for what they have done, assumed, or taught. Numerous publications are available from various churches that explain their doctrines and assumptions.

Reading the official Catholic reasoning behind concepts like indulgences, papal infallibility, putative marriages, and annulments can make even a well-educated scholar’s head spin. It seems that when churches come across holes or contradictions in previously declared doctrine, they must invent new words, concepts, and assumptions to remedy the situation. Over the centuries, this has made their doctrines and the rationalizations for them extremely complicated.

My analysis is primarily based on teachings from the New Testament, especially quotes of Jesus from the Gospels. I believe that Jesus had, by far, the closest relationship with God while being in the flesh compared with any other person or prophet who has ever lived. As a result, his understanding of God’s law exceeded all who preceded him. He had the knowledge and authority to correct misinterpretations in the law that were being practiced at the time.

For instance, Jesus stated, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (Matt 19:8–9). Here, Jesus is instructing us not to follow the teachings of Moses, but instead follow the original way of God, which Jesus was then revealing.

Likewise, in several places in the Old Testament, it is written, “life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21; Exod 21:24). However, Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matt 5:38–39). Thus, we find different and even contradictory teachings when comparing the Old Testament with the New Testament, even though many scholars use elaborate reasonings and assumptions arguing otherwise.

Typically, I put greatest weight and value in the direct quotes of Jesus from the Gospels, followed by quotes of the apostles, and then other New Testament teachings. Therefore, most quotes in this book are direct quotes of Jesus from the Gospels or other New Testament writings.

Throughout this book, if I refer to the early churches as a whole or the Catholic Church in particular, I capitalize Church. If I do not capitalize church, I am indicating Christian churches in general.

The issues of greatest concern, which I discuss in this book, include how churches have effectively reversed the teachings of Jesus regarding adultery, marriage, money, greed, prayer, and idolatry. I will show that the Catholic Church considers itself infallible. I will also demonstrate how it appears that most churches have made their survival and what is good for their organizations more important than the Word of the Lord.