I found reason to follow up on this post. "I am quoting God.. Allen." For clarification only: The Church teaches that only the original penned documents were inspired. The same Gaurrantee does not extend to copies or translations. The church merele authorises these as being as close to the truth of the originals as possible. Some control must have to be in place else Tom Dick or Harry can produce as many spurious editions as they should want. And that has happened, outside of church control has it not. It is true that the Church also taught that all of relevation was handed down to the Apostles by Jesus, and following on by the Paraclete at Pentecost. All of the Apostles . Not just the evangelists or those writers of sacred scripture. These Apostles were given the mission to Preach the word, and Baptise. Not print and distribute books., but to propagate the faith to the whole world. Nothing new, no novelty could be added. This is called Sacred Tradition. Quite distinct from historical tradition or custom. eg the cult of Mary. These cults or customs are tolerated or encouraged according as to their worth in promoting and remaining in accord with the teachings of Sacred Tradition. i.e. The are not contradictory. The promote the teachings of Jesus Christ and the holy lifestyle. Note carefully here, Nor are they dogmatic. For this mission they had no need of Scripture. That is, whilst it is an important help to their work, it was/is not absolutely essential to their mission, the Paraclete being promised to them and their successors. All of them in unity of the Holy Ghost. They do not come from Scripture. Scripture came from them. And they authorised it. All of them in council. The preachers dont preach scripture, Preachers preach the Word handed down to them, and use Scripture where ever it helps. Which is undoubtedly often. That is essentially the Church position. OK so is not this logiccal, considering that before the printing press and in a world of predominate illiteracy , first Rabbis, and then Bishops (Apostles) lead the flocks for millenia? A safe System. Only after the Press, and universal education and imperfect litteracy did we get the foundation of the chaos we have today, where everyone and his dog proudly claims a personal right to deal with God directly, or reject Him as he choses according to his wits in reading or not reading, what is essentially standing alone a complex text. I think I have expired all my thoughts on this subject. I am looking forward to getting involved once again in the intrigue and heresy of modern science. Philip. ----- Original Message ----- From: Philip To: geocentrism@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2005 10:46 AM Subject: [geocentrism] Re: Saul of Tarsus.. Nick & Dan I am quoting God.. Allen. Yet Allen you have ignored my request to you. How do you know that the men who translated and transcribed the scriptures into the words you are quoting were sufficiently qualified to do it correctly. If you ascribe to them the gift of the Holy Ghost to protect them from error, are you not giving an even greater power of infallibility to these men, than we give to the POPE , which is very limited. You seemed to have missed this question sent previously. I would appreciate it being addressed, coupled with a natural follow on. which also was asked before. How then do you decide which book to follow. Can the Book tell you? Maybe they all do. The Mormonns say their book does, and their book was given them by Joseph smith who says an angel guided him to it. The only way I could trust a Book to be from God, and even then with some doubt , is to see it fall from the sky in much as the manner of the 10 commandments. Yet even in this God entrusted Moses , a man with authority to pass it on. Philip.