Apologetics for the Masses #457 - Mike Gendron's Anti-Catholic Video Eviscerated; Part 4

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Topic

Taking apart Mike Gendron's Anti-Catholic Viral Video...Piece-By-Piece.

General Comments

Hey folks,

Two things:

1) Thank you to all of you who sent emails volunteering to review my book for Amazon. Turns out there were WAY more volunteers than the publisher will allow me to send books to. So, I had to go through a sort of semi-lottery to come up with the 20 folks whose names I submitted to the publisher. I'll be contacting the ones who will be getting a copy from the publisher in the next few days. For all the rest of you, I thank you again for your interest and I'm sorry I can't send more books out.

2) It looks like they've moved the publication date of my book up from October 17th to September 19th. So, if you want to get the 25% discount for pre-ordering, you'll need to do so before then. Here's a link to use to pre-order the book: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/a-blue-collar-answer-to-protestantism/ The discount code is: bluecollar25.

Introduction

This week I'm continuing with my "analysis" of Mike Gendron's anti-Catholic YouTube video, which is titled: "Ex-Catholic Exposes the TWISTED Teachings of the Catholic Church". It should actually be titled: Twisted Ex-Catholic Exposes Himself as a Liar and a Fraud. You can view it here if you so desire: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdlczbO5Csc). It's a video of a presentation he did at Revolve Bible Church which is located, of all places, in San Juan Capistrano, California. The title of his presentation was: "Catholics and Christians - How Different?" Come to think of it, I probably need to contact the pastor of that church and let him know that he is, by posting this video, also liable for the lies and misinformation that Gendron doled out in that presentation.

We've gotten through the first 5+ minutes, published a response from Gendron, and then my reply to what he had to say, so now I'm going to pick up from there, and go through another 5 or 6 minutes of the video. As I did before, what I'm going to do is go through his video and simply quote from it and then comment on those quotes. I'll give the time stamps for where in the video those quotes are so that anyone can go back and check to make sure I've quoted it accurately and to also make sure of the context that I'm giving.

Just keep in mind, that the whole purpose of this is to give you guys the kind of information you need to counter the misperceptions, half-truths, and outright lies that are peddled by this guy and that are then picked up by folks listening to his presentation who are ignorant of the fact that they aren't being told the whole truth. Or, they are already inclined to distrust any and all things Catholic, so they don't pick up on the obvious contradictions in some of the things that he's saying. If Catholics are not informed enough to counter this garbage, then non-Catholics stay non-Catholics, and all too often, ignorant Catholics fall prey to this propaganda and wind up leaving the Church. It's up to us, folks, to keep that from happening.

Let's rock and roll...

Challenge/Response/Strategy

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
5:30 - “So when you look at the history of the Church, you can see the 1st 600 years - we refer to it as the ‘Ancient Church’ - this is where Scripture was boldly proclaimed. Then you have the ‘Medieval Church’ over the next 900 years, where Scripture was hidden from the people. Then God raised up the Reformers. We have the Reformation Church in the 1500's, where Scripture was restored to the people, put in the common vernacular, so people could read the Word of God and be set free from religious deception...the Medieval Church was dominated by the Roman Catholic Church and it continues its slide into apostasy.

My Comments
"Scripture was hidden from the people." For 900 years. Really?! So, that's why the monks were in the scriptorums of their monasteries spending all that time making copies of the Scriptures, by hand, so as to better hide Scripture from the people? Of course! That makes perfect sense. And they hid these Bibles they were copying because, as we all know, when someone is able to read the Bible for themselves, they would immediately recognize that the Catholic Church has deceived them, and they would leave the Church forthwith. Which is why there are 1.2 billion Catholics in the world today, because none of them have ever read the Scriptures so as to decide for themselves what God's Word actually teaches. Oh, and there's that whole thing with most of the people in the first 1500 years of Christianity being illiterate, so of course Scripture had to be "hidden" from folks who can't read.

But, this statement of his raises a question: Where was the "one true apostolic church founded by Christ," that he has mentioned a few times already in this video, during those 900 years that Scripture was "hidden" from the people? Where was that church? Why wasn't it giving people Bibles so they could read for themselves what the Word of God was saying and thus avoid the "darkness of Romanism"? If the Catholic Church was a counterfeit church, then where was the "real" church?

So, the snake oil that Gendron is trying to sell to folks, is that there was this "one true apostolic church founded by Christ," that for the first 600 years of Christianity, was giving everyone Bibles so they could read for themselves what the Bible said. And, in this Church, the Scriptures were being "boldly proclaimed". But, the question is, which I asked Mike Gendron and which he either could not or would not answer: Who was it that was boldly proclaiming the Scriptures in the "one true apostolic church founded by Christ"? Who were the leaders of that church in the 2nd century? 3rd century? 4th? 5th? 6th? Who were they, Mike? Give me some names? Where are the ruins of their churches? Where are the records of their existence? If that church was not the Catholic Church, then what church was it? Was it the Baptist church? The Evangelical church? The Lutheran church? Oops, no...couldn't have been the Lutheran church. The man who founded that church wasn't born for several hundred more years. So, what church was it?! Was it more than one church. Were there denominations?

Furthermore, who was it that decided which books should and should not be considered the inspired, inerrant, Scriptures that all of these unknown, unnamed, Bible-preaching men were preaching from? I mean, c'mon, Mike...how do you know that your Bible contains the inspired, inerrant, Word of God? Who told you? Whose authority do you rely on for that belief? Give me some names. How do you personally know that your Bible is the inspired, inerrant, Word of God? Who told you?

Continuing with Gendron's phony time line: After 600 years, the Catholic Church apparently somehow grabbed all the Bibles from everyone all over the world who had them, and then hid the Scriptures from the people so that no one could ever know what God's Word actually said. Again, which is why the monks labored so diligently to copy the Scriptures by hand...to keep them out of the hands of the people. Noble monks. Copying books by hand which they know no one will ever read! Oh, the humanity! And, during this time, the "one true apostolic church founded by Christ," simply disappeared. It's gone from history. For 900 years the gates of Hell apparently prevailed against the church of Jesus Christ. That is, essentially, the argument Mike Gendron is making.

"...in the 1500's, where Scripture was restored to the people, put in the common vernacular..." So the myth goes. Here's the thing, though...that is nothing but an out and out lie. And I will cite none other than the original King James Bible as my source for saying it is a lie. In the original Introduction to the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, it talks about how the Scriptures were translated into the "vulgar" languages (the vernacular) of all the peoples to whom the Gospel was brought relatively soon after they were evangelized - and that was every time a new nation was evangelized. And that was from the beginning of Christianity up to the 1600's when the KJV was being translated!

Here are a few quotes from the Introduction of the original KJV:

"The Scripture being translated before in the languages of many Nations..."

"...but the Syrians, Egyptians, Indians, Persians, Ethiopians, and infinite other nations being barbarous people translated it into their (mother) tongue..."

"John Bishop of Sevil by Vasseus, to have turned them into Arabic, about the year of our Lord 717; Bede by Cistertiensis, to have turned a great part of them into Saxon: Efnard by Trithemius, to have abridged the French Psalter, as Bede had done the Hebrew, about the year 800: King Alfred by the said Cistertiensis, to have turned the Psalter into Saxon: Methodius by Aventinus (printed at Ingolstadt) to have turned the Scriptures into Slavonian: Valdo, Bishop of Frising by Beatus Rhenanus, to have caused about that time, the Gospels to be translated into Dutch rhythm, yet extant in the Library of Corbinian: Valdus, by divers to have turned them himself, or to have gotten them turned, into French, about the year 1160: Charles the Fifth of that name, surnamed the Wise, to have caused them to be turned into French, about 200 years after Valdus his time, of which translation there be many copies yet extant, as witnesseth Beroaldus. Much about that time, even in our King Richard the second's days, John Trevisa translated them into English, and many English Bibles in written hand are yet to be seen with divers, translated as it is very probable, in that age."

So for Gendron to say, that the Scriptures were not translated into the "vernacular" until Martin Luther essentially came along and saved them from the clutches of the Roman Catholic Church, and got them into the hands of the people, is either the height of ignorance, or the depth of depravity. Which is it, Milke? Were you unaware of these historical facts, or did you simply ignore them because they don't fit your narrative about the Catholic Church so lying was the path you chose? Or, do you believe the KJV is wrong?

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
6:20 - “When you look at the Roman Catholic Church, it does have a thin veneer of truth that hides a false and fatal gospel...we share common truth with Roman Catholics. We believe in the fundamentals of the faith, if you will. The Roman Catholics believe and teach that there is a Triune God, Jesus is the 2nd Person, He was born of a virgin, He lived a sinless life, obeying the law perfectly, then He went to Calvary’s Cross, He died there for the sins of the world, and then 3 days later He was raised from the dead, and He will come back to judge the living and the dead. Those are the common truths that we share with Roman Catholics.”

My Comments
Okay, let me get this straight: He believes that Catholics believe and teach the "fundamentals of the faith". He acknowledges that Catholics believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior...that He died on the Cross for our sins. Yet, we're not saved? I thought we were saved by faith alone? He is pretty much admitting that Catholics have faith. So, we have faith, but we're not saved. Huh? Sounds like he's being a bit of a hypocrite here. So, what is this "false and fatal gospel" that we really believe in? He doesn't say in this segment that I watched, so I imagine he will do so in later times. I'll be waiting for it and will let you know.

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
7:20 - “But what happens outside of the Bible is Roman Catholic tradition. We know that the Gospel is fully contained in Scripture. Paul tells us that in 1 Cor 15:1-4, where he defines the Gospel - it is the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus, according to what? Scripture. In other words, we need no other book, no other authority, if you want to know how to be saved, it’s fully contained in the Bible. But the Roman Catholic Church has many ungodly traditions outside of the Bible, and many of these traditions nullify and oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” {He is showing a slide here that states: ‘The Gospel is according to Scripture alone (1 Cor 15:1-4).’}

My Comments
Again, here comes the Word of Gendron: "Paul tells us that [the Gospel is fully contained in Scripture] in 1 Cor 15:1-4, where he defines the Gospel." Uhm...no, Paul doesn't say anything in 1 Cor 15:1-4 about the Gospel being "fully contained" in 1 Cor 15:1-4. If that's the case, then what the heck do we need the rest of Scripture for? That's simply Mike Gendron's private, fallible, non-authoritative interpretation. An interpretation which, as he has previously admitted, carries absolutely no weight and absolutely no authority whatsoever. Unless, of course, he's talking to ignorant Catholics, and then the Word of Gendron is infallible.

And, if 1 Cor 15:1-4 is all you need to believe in order to be saved - it's the entire Gospel according to the Word of Gendron - the "death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus" - then, why aren't Catholics saved? Gendron himself, in this video, as I just showed, agrees that Catholics believe in the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus. So, if Catholics, according to Mike Gendron, believe in the entire Gospel, then how can he say we aren't saved? By the way, Mike...what about Romans 2:6-7 and John 6:51-58 and Matthew 7:21 and 19:17 and what they have to say about salvation? They don't count? It's 1 Cor 15:1-4 and only 1 Cor 15:1-4? Those verses trump the entire rest of Scripture?

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
8:00 - “This is why many Evangelicals believe Catholicism is a valid form of Christianity, because of that thin veneer of truth that hides a false and fatal gospel.

My Comments
And, what exactly is he calling a "thin veneer of truth"? Nothing less than the entirety of the Gospel. Catholics believe, according to Mike Gendron, in the entirety of the Gospel as presented in 1 Cor 15:1-4, yet Gendron calls that a "thin veneer of truth". Mike, the entirety of the Gospel - the Gosple that is "fully contained" in 1 Cor 15:1-4 is nothing more than a "thin veneer of truth" to you? You ought to be ashamed of yourself to downplay and dismiss the Gospel in such a manner.

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
8:10 - “So when you look at Catholicism’s departure from the apostolic faith, it really began in 431, where they declared Baptism is what regenerates the soul. Today you are probably aware that many Roman Catholics are baptized at 7-days old. That is said to be, “the Regeneration,” they are made alive in Christ.

My Comments
Whoa! Wait a minute! In the first 5 minutes of this video, he says that the Catholic Church has been an "apostate" church from the very beginning, and he cited 1 Timothy 4 as proof. The Catholic Church has been around, as he put it, "Ever since the Lord Jesus founded His church 2000 years ago." But now he's saying that the Catholic Church was actually the church, or at least part of it, of the true apostolic faith until 431 A.D.? Which is it, Mike? Has the Catholic Church been a false church since the first century as you said earlier, or did it only become a false church in the 5th century? Little tiny bit of a contradiction here, Mike. Could you clear that up for us?

Furthermore, this thing about Baptism. First of all, where does he get this claim about Catholics baptizing their babies 7 days after their born? And that we call Baptism, "The Regeneration"? Any citations for all of that, Mike? Of course not. No citations for anything that he says. Unless of course, he's citing the Catechism out of context. Secondly, where did he get the idea that the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) was the first place it was ever taught that we are regenerated through Baptism? Has he not read the Bible? John 3:5, 1 Peter 3:20-21; Matt 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Ezek 36:25-27; Acts 8:12-13, 36-38; Acts 9:18; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:27; Col 2:12; Titus 3:5-7, all of which speak to how we are born again through Baptism, receive the Holy Spirit through Baptism, have our sins forgiven through Baptism, and we are made members of the Body of Christ (the Church!) through Baptism.

Then there are the unaminous testimonies of the Church Fathers and other early Christian writers on this point. To name just a few, all before 431 A.D. - St. Justin Martyr, in the First Apology, #66, states that in Baptism we are created anew. St. Ambrose (On the Mysteries), says of Baptism: "This is the water in which the flesh is submerged that all carnal sin may be washed away. Every transgression is there buried." Tertullian (On Baptism) writes: "Baptism is a carnal act in as much as we are submerged in the water; but the effect is spiritual, for we are freed from our sins." Origen (In Gen., XIII): "If you transgress, you write unto yourself the handwriting of sin. But, behold, when you have once approached to the cross of Christ and to the grace of Baptism, your handwriting is affixed to the cross and blotted out in the font of Baptism." And there are many others who could be quoted here. In fact, there is so much written about Baptism befrore 431 A.D., pretty much all of which agrees with Catholic teaching and disagrees with the Word of Gendron, that it would not have taken but a miniscule effort to, at the very least, correct this error in his timeline, if not correct this error in the Word of Gendron.

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
8:35 - Then you have the “Sacrifice of the Mass” in 500 A.D. That’s where the Roman Catholic Church continues the work of redemption on an altar that Jesus finished on the Cross.

My Comments
And, pray tell, to what exactly was Justin Martyr referring to in 155 A.D. when he wrote this: “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” He's describing the Mass. Anyone who says otherwise is either exceedingly ignorant, or just a plain ol' liar.

And, if Jesus finished the work of redemption on the Cross. If He did all there was to do 2000 years ago and nothing else can be done...if there is nothing else that needs to be done...in order for a person to be saved. Then how is it that a person can not be saved one day, and then get saved the following day? What was done on the one day for that person, that had not been done on the previous day? Jesus' work was finished 2000 years ago. So, was the difference between a person being unsaved on September 8, 2023, and then being saved on September 9, 2023...something Jesus did, or something the person who got saved did? Well, according to the Word of Gendron, it can't be something Jesus did...Mike tells us His work was completed 2000 years ago. Yet, it can't be something the person who got saved did, because there is nothing anyone can do, according to the Word of Gendron, that would in any way impact their own salvation...Jesus did all that needed to be done. So, what was the difference between being unsaved one day and being saved the next day...something Jesus did or something the saved person did that the unsaved person didn't do? Or, maybe both (as the Catholic Church teaches)?

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
8:45 - Then [in 1190 A.D.], you have indulgences...

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
8:55 - Then you have transubstantiation [in 1215 A.D.]...

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
9:15 - Then you have Purgatory [in 1438 A.D.]. It was first announced as a doctrine in 596 - by the way, 596 was the 1st pope of the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory I, and he’s the one that began teaching Purgatory...

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
10:02 - In 1545, at the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church elevated its tradition to be equal in authority to God’s Word. |

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
10:10 - Then you had the Immaculate Conception of Mary in 1854. Catholics are taught that Mary not only was conceived without sin, but lived a sinless life.

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
10:25 - “1870, at Vatican Council I, Papal Infallibility was pronounced.

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
10:33 - “And then in 1950, Catholics began asking questions: ‘Wait a minute, if Mary never sinned, and sin is what causes death, where’s Mary?’ So, they had to come up with another infallible dogma - Mary was miraculously assumed into Heaven.

Gendron Anti-Catholic Video
10:53 - “These are Roman Catholic traditions that departed from the faith of the Apostles.”

My Comments
On all of those, he gets it wrong. He distorts, he gives half truths, and he outright lies. This newsletter would get way too long if I were to try and respond in depth to each one of those errors, so I'm not going to. But I think I've shown, with my comments on his errors regarding his dating of the Church's teachings on Baptism and the Mass, that he is either completely clueless, or an out-and-out liar when it comes to the teachings of the Catholic Church and to history.

But, there is one thing, specifically, out of those few quotes that I want to comment on - the fact that he thinks the Catholic Church had to hastily come up with a new Marian dogma because Catholics were asking questions about the ramifications for Mary's life (and death) of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. First, as if it would take Catholics almost 100 years to think: "Gee, if Mary never sinned, and it is sin that leads to death, then she must not have died. So, where is she?" Second, as if, in 1950, someone in the Vatican, all of a sudden realized, "Oh, crap...we need to come up with a new dogma to explain where Mary is...people are catching on and asking questions!" Really?! That's the best you can do, Mike? That's pretty pathetic.

Mike, where do you get this garbage from? This really is pathetic and it makes you look, quite frankly, intellectually dishonest. The facts are out there, Mike, for anyone and everyone with a sincere desire for truth to find them. It's only people with a pre-set agenda or who prefer to be deliberately ignorant, that don't bother to look. Disagree with what we believe, Mike, if you will, but at the very least present our beliefs, and our history, in a factual and truthful manner. What you are doing here is disgraceful and shameful and anyone who calls themselves a Christian should never engage in such conduct unbecoming of a gentleman. All of which leads me to ask, Mike, is all of this simply an attempt to drown out your own conscience?

Closing Comments

That's it for this week, folks. I may not have time next week for another issue, but if not, definitely the week after. God bless!

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