Expert: Marvin Howard - 1/30/2008

Question
I was reading one of your responses and as usual found inconsistencies in your history and interpretations.  In your response to a question you wrote this concerning Priscillianus so called first Christian martyr who you say disagreed with the Catholic Church inferring that he is some way agreed with you:

The first known, Christian martyr at the hands of catholicism was a Spanish elder/bishop: Priscillianus. He was murdered by the apostates (ironically it was catholicism calling him the apostate or heretic) in 385; some 148 years before the two bodies finally parted ways officially. With the length of communication times in the fourth century (hampered by modes of travel across great distances), and the fact that this death occurred only 4 years after the Nicene council (where catholic doctrine was first codified from 325 to 381) was dismissed, we cannot be sure exactly which doctrines of catholicism he fought. However, since the false doctrines were relatively few (as catholicism had not fully digressed and is actually still digressing), it is likely that it was all of them.  

What I wish to know is in what way did he agree with your beliefs?  Priscillianus a "mystic" was Catholic and he argued that to make himself a fit habitation for the divine a man must, besides holding the Catholic faith and doing works of love, renounce marriage and earthly honour, and practise a hard asceticism. Some of his beliefs deemed heresy were:

Women were forbidden to join with men during the time of prayer; fasting on Sunday was condemned; no one was to retreat at home or in the mountains during Lent; the Eucharist was to be taken in church and not brought home; excommunicated persons were not to be sheltered by bishops; a cleric was forbidden to become a monk on the motivation of a more perfect life; no one was to assume the title "doctor" (Latin for teacher); women were not to be accounted "virgins" until they had reached the age of forty.

What part of this even remotely sounds like the Church of Christ beliefs?  Honestly to say this man was in some way part of your "so called" history of the true church is just plain wishful thinking.  As always with no real history of your church you have to make it up.  

Answer
Hi!

M.M., we have crossed swords before on this subject. I do not intend to do it again. However, you say you read my answer. Obviously, you did not read it thoroughly. I said plainly that the catholics leveled false charges against those they wanted to execute. I would not be amazed to hear that Priscillianus was accused of being the man in the moon. Moreover, I also gave myriad sources. You do state an untruth that I am making up history as I go along.

I know you will not believe this. Your mind is made up and you would not change your mind if God Himself came to you and beat you over the head in an attempt to make you listen. Therefore, I say again to you; Matthew 10:14. I am finished with you.