Catholics have a need that I don't understand to add so much onto the Word of God.
Nonsense. All Catholic doctrine is based, directly or indirectly, on Scripture. Your problem is that you refuse to understand.
1) The hierarchy of the clergy: the Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests.
Matt. 16:18; 18:18 – Jesus uses the word “ecclesia” only twice in the New Testament Scriptures, which demonstrates that Jesus intended a visible, unified, hierarchical, and authoritative Church.
Acts 20:17,28 – Paul refers to both the elders or priests (“presbyteroi”) and the bishops (“episkopoi”) of the Church. Both are ordained leaders within the hierarchical structure of the Church. (“presbyteroi” is a biblical office abolished by the so called reformers. You have no priests or bishops, contrary to Scripture)
1 Cor. 12:28 – God Himself appoints the various positions of authority within the Church. As a loving Father, God gives His children the freedom and authority to act with charity and justice to bring about His work of salvation.
2) The costumes and rituals that bear a closer resemblance to the OT priesthood and practices than anything mentioned in the NT.
Liturgical dress are not costumes. They are only worn for public worship.
These vestments and colors are truly symbols that can lead us to God and towards great and more beautiful participation in His mysteries. They also help us to recall the mission that all priests have.
Reflecting on the priesthood and its vestments, Pope Benedict spoke of how this represents a sort of putting on Christ, speaking and acting “in persona Christi”. For the priest, the vestments bear a very deep meaning; they are robes of love that reflect their special mission and identity in Christ. They reflect the gift of self, their obedience and their particular relationship with God. They are reminders of who they are and how they must strip themselves of all the worldly attachments, giving up their own lives in order to act in the name of Christ.
What Is The Meaning Of A Priest’s Vestments? A Practical Guide
3) The extreme elevation of Mary to some sort of divine status, (along with Joseph, who isn't worshiped).
"some sort of divine status" is a standard anti-Catholic lie and derailer that has been debunked repeatedly. We honor Mary in a special way because God honored her first. See Luke 1. It is the same honor you give to Paul, human to human, just more of it. Mary played a special role in God's plan of salvation, we don't downplay that importance the way you do.
You dismiss or ignore our explanations and don't read my links because you are afraid of the truth.
Mary: The Blessed Virgin (Index Page)
4) The depiction of Jesus as an emaciated European who is still on the cross. (Tragic blasphemy)
1 Cor. 1:23- Paul preaches a Christ crucified, not just risen. Catholic spirituality focuses on the sacrifice of Christ which is the only means to the resurrection. This is why Catholic churches have crucifixes with the corpus of Jesus affixed to them. Many Protestant churches no longer display the corpus of Jesus (only an empty cross). Thus, they only preach a Christ risen, not crucified.
1 Cor. 2:2 – Paul preaches Jesus Christ and Him crucified. While the cross was the scandal of scandals, and is viewed by the non-Christian eye as defeat, Catholic spirituality has always exalted the paradox of the cross as the true tree of life and our means to salvation.
2 Cor. 1:5-7- if we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort as well. If we unite our sufferings with His, we will be comforted by Him.
Suffering - Scripture Catholic
The very concept of redemptive suffering is missing in Protestantism.
5) The claim that the Catholic denomination is "the one true church".
The historical church is not a denomination, it is the one true church, as history clearly shows; but not the only church with truths. We don't deny the truths found in non-Catholic communities. We are not the exclusivists you make us out to be. In fact, Catholicism is far more inclusive than you are aware.
6) The claim that Peter was the first Pope, even though Jesus called him "Satan" and he denied Christ three times.
A non-sequitur fallacy. Immediately after Jesus scolded Peter for his lack of understanding (not his teaching) Jesus explained redemptive suffering, which is completely absent in Protestantism.
(There is no Pope in Scripture!)
Yes, there is.
Authority of the First Popes - Fr. Dwight Longenecker
7) Praying to saints, not God.
Why Would Anyone Pray to Saints Rather Than to God?
8) The confession of sins to a priest, who then decides the rituals that must be performed for forgiveness.
Another anti-Catholic misrepresentation.
John 20:21 – before He grants them the authority to forgive sins, Jesus says to the apostles, “as the Father sent me, so I send you.” As Christ was sent by the Father to forgive sins, so Christ sends the apostles and their successors forgive sins.
John 20:22 – the Lord “breathes” on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins. The only other moment in Scripture where God breathes on man is in Gen. 2:7, when the Lord “breathes” divine life into man. When this happens, a significant transformation takes place.
John 20:23 – Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” In order for the apostles to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them
because the apostles are not mind readers. The text makes this very clear.
They have created a "top-heavy" religion that is so far from the true Christianity of the Bible as to make it almost unrecognizable.
"almost unrecognizable" due to prejudice and ignorance, and too much pride to be corrected.
Not found anywhere in the Bible. It is the invention of Martin Luther, who was mentally ill, not taught or practiced by the Apostles. Sola scriptura (a Latin phrase) has proven to be an unworkable man made tradition. Hopeless division proves it.
Your assault on the Sacrament of Reconciliation amounts to a cheap attack on the biblical NT priesthood, which you are forced to deny.
The Office of New Testament Priest
