On crimes against children, to be fair to all:

Direct comparison studies indicate that abuse rates among Catholic priests and Protestant ministers are comparable, falling within a similar 2–5% range, though data collection methods differ significantly between the two groups. The John Jay College of Criminal Justice report found that approximately 4% of Catholic priests were credibly accused of abuse between 1950 and 2002, while data from Christian Ministry Resources and insurance claims suggests Protestant clergy abuse rates are similarly 2–3% or roughly 260 claims per year across 165,500 churches.

Key findings from available research include:

Data Disparity: The Catholic Church has a centralized hierarchy that maintains meticulous records, leading to higher visibility and publicity of cases, whereas the decentralized nature of most Protestant denominations makes comprehensive data collection difficult and often results in underreporting.

Offender Demographics: Studies show that the majority of offenders in both Catholic and Protestant settings are male, typically middle-aged (around 40–60 years old), and often serve in mid-level positions like associate pastors or youth ministers.

Contextual Factors: While the absolute number of Catholic cases is high due to the Church's size, experts note that abuse is not unique to Catholic clergy; rates in Protestant churches are often driven by volunteers rather than ordained ministers, and some studies suggest Protestant congregations may have higher total allegations due to a larger number of volunteer youth leaders.

Group Estimated Offender Rate Data Source/Context Catholic Priests ~4.0% John Jay College Report (1950–2002) Protestant Clergy 2–3% Christian Ministry Resources / Insurance Claims K-12 Educators 5–7% Comparative institutional data General Male Pop. ~5% Comparative baseline

Experts emphasize that no formal comparative study has ever definitively proven that one denomination has a significantly higher incidence of abuse than the other, with the perception of a Catholic problem largely attributed to the Church's centralized record-keeping and the sheer scale of its global membership.

I so agree!!

One would never know that by their crimes against children.

That's what happens when you have homosexuals trying to suppress their sinfulness by going into the priesthood. No Catholic priests, homosexual or not, meets the biblical requirements for being a pastor or elder that's clearly laid-forth in scripture. It must be a married man with obedient children. The Catholic Church ignores this and the molestation problem is fruit of disobedience from God's word.

One doesn't need a church to worship God.

Well you certainly didn't test that with scripture did you?

That sentiment sounds rugged and independent, like a man declaring he doesn’t need a body because he’s quite fond of his head. It has a certain frontier charm, right up until you open the Bible.

Start with the obvious: Christ did not die to create a loose association of spiritual freelancers. He established a church. Not a vibe. Not a podcast. A real, visible people. In Matthew 16:18, He says He will build His church. Not suggest it. Not outsource it to your morning coffee devotion.

The apostle Paul, who was not known for ecclesiastical minimalism, says the church is the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12. If you don’t need the church, then apparently elbows and knees are optional now. Let me know how jogging goes with that arrangement.

And just to make sure no one tries the “just me and God” routine, we’re told plainly in Hebrews 10:25 not to neglect meeting together. The early Christians didn’t take that as a polite suggestion. They gathered, worshiped, received the Word, and submitted to leadership.

Which brings us to another uncomfortable point: Scripture actually commands believers to submit to elders in Hebrews 13:17. Hard to do that from your couch while declaring organized religion a trap. Unless your couch has recently been ordained.

Now, are there bad churches? Of course. There are bad marriages too, but that doesn’t mean you declare covenant life itself a scam and marry your houseplant. Abuse of a thing does not cancel its proper use.

The idea that “organized religion is a trap” usually ends with one man appointing himself pope of his own private universe. No accountability, no correction, no sacraments, no discipline. Just him, his Bible, and a suspiciously consistent agreement between the two.

Christians don’t gather because God needs attendance. We gather because we do. God has ordained the church as the ordinary means of grace, where the Word is preached, the sacraments are administered, and the saints are built up together.

So no, you don’t need a church the way a fish doesn’t need water. You can certainly try life without it. Just don’t be surprised when things start to smell off rather quickly.

You should absolutely be a part of a solid church but that's where the discernment kicks in. There are a lot of churches I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire.

The only trap you seem to have forgotten is the one where the wolves single out of sheep for slaughter away from the herd and shepherd.

Apostasy is a big component of the illuminati. So, are they really priests or infiltrators? Apostasy happens across all the religions to destroy them.