Roman Catholicism as Mystery Babylon
The Roman Catholic institution claims herself as the "one true Church founded in 33 A.D." However, the inconsistencies of Roman Catholicism can make one ask, "Is she truly the Church founded in 33 A.D.?" The Roman Catholic institution claims that the Popes are Peter's successors, that it gave the world the Bible, and that it's supposedly the Bride of Christ. However, many Baptist and Protestant theologians have come to believe that the Whore of Revelation, Babylon the Great, could be the Roman Catholic institution. Why? It's because Roman Catholicism poses as the true Church, but she's a harlot.
The description in Revelation 17 goes this way, to describe the Harlot:
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me and said, “Come, and I will show you how the famous prostitute is to be punished, that great city that is built near many rivers. 2 The kings of the earth practiced sexual immorality with her, and the people of the world became drunk from drinking the wine of her immorality.”
3 The Spirit took control of me, and the angel carried me to a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a red beast that had names insulting to God written all over it; the beast had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and covered with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup full of obscene and filthy things, the result of her immorality. 5 On her forehead was written a name that has a secret meaning: “Great Babylon, the mother of all prostitutes and perverts in the world.” 6 And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's people and the blood of those who were killed because they had been loyal to Jesus. (GNT)
One could look at Old Testament symbolism and think about it. Purple and scarlet are symbols of authority. A gold cup is a symbol of authority. The priests of the Old Testament wore golden breastplates with precious stones. At first, Mystery Babylon seems to be a legitimate church. However, if one looks into Mystery Babylon, surprise, she's a counterfeit church. She has power over all the Earth. No religion today on Earth ever claims to have as much power over politics as Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism poses as the true Church, but it's a counterfeit. Roman Catholicism is as counterfeit as the anti-Catholic cults that all combat for supremacy. In terms of numbers, Roman Catholicism controls a huge population of people. However, numbers don't necessarily make it right (Matthew 7:21-23).
Think of the Popes vs. Peter. Catholicism declares Peter requested to be crucified downward because he wasn't worthy to die like the Lord Jesus Christ. However, the Popes have made blasphemous claims such as "God of the Earth", the "Vicar of Christ" (and only the Holy Spirit fills that role), "Holy Father", "Jesus Christ under the veil of flesh", etc. Most Roman Catholics may not even know that or try to explain it off as "satanic propaganda". Why would these men who claim to be successors of Peter, declare themselves such? Peter never regarded himself as the Vicar of Christ or lord of the flock! It's a n illegitimate position. Even worse, some people are relying on AI chatbots, which by the way, are subject to error.
The Whore of Revelation's claims are shaky at best. However, her historians have rewritten history, accusing others of revisionism, while her historians are also guilty of revisionism. One of the greatest things she's done is to deny that Roman Catholicism once forbade Bible reading. Now, Roman Catholicism claims that she, and she alone, compiled the Bible. Didn't the apostles already compile their writings during their lifetime? Peter never had his office in Rome. Peter may have been brought to Rome later in life. However, it seems Peter was crucified in Golgotha, which may be why Peter said tht he wasn't worthy to die like Jesus!
Jesus warned in Matthew 7:21-23, "By their fruits you will know them." Titus 1:16 says that such people profess to know God but by their actions, deny Him. There's a great contradiction. As James 2 also emphasizes, faith without good works is dead. It's not an authentic faith. Rome has the nerve to use James 2 to teach salvation by faith and works, but somehow diminish the value of James 2:10-11. True salvation results in good works. However, Roman Catholicism has had a well-hidden history of scandals. The difference is that when Baptists and Protestants aren't allowed to put their pastors on a pedestal. However, Catholicism believes that priests save their mortal souls, which makes it easy to blackmail them. Trying to expose a priestly scandal? Well, the Catholic priest may deny your salvation. Trying to expose someone in your Catholic parish for mortal sin? Well, the chances of that person even getting chastised are super low, unless it's done to save face.
Even before the Reformation, a lot of Christians had paid the price for opposing Mystery Babylon. Jan Hus was burned at the stake for opposing indulgences. William Tyndale was burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English. Jerome of Prague, a friend of Hus, was also burned for heresy. The Foxe's Book of Martyrs contains so many writings that also expose the Baptist martyrs and Protestant martyrs. Today, many of these are hushed up as it's bad publicity for the Great Whore of Revelation. Of course, the Great Whore would do anything to maintain her firm grip.
What's funnier is that some Catholic apologists say Babylon is a code word for Rome. This becomes a self-defeating argument. Why would Peter call Rome, Babylon, if ever, Babylon was a code name for Rome? Babylon has never been associated with good, only evil. If Peter was really in Rome, he was probably on death row at that very moment. Rome was probably called Babylon because of its influence as a world power. It was probably called the Babylon of his day. Even if Peter went to Rome, it was most likely against his will. Peter was the apostle to the Jews. Paul never wrote to Peter at all. Peter may have only gone to Rome to be crucified.
Rome claims to preach the Gospel, but preaches another Gospel (Galatians 1:8-9). It's a church beholden to signs and lying wonders. 2 Thessalonians 2 also warns of the following:
5 Don't you remember? I told you all this while I was with you. 6 Yet there is something that keeps this from happening now, and you know what it is. At the proper time, then, the Wicked One will appear. 7 The Mysterious Wickedness is already at work, but what is going to happen will not happen until the one who holds it back is taken out of the way. 8 Then the Wicked One will be revealed, but when the Lord Jesus comes, he will kill him with the breath from his mouth and destroy him with his dazzling presence. 9 The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders, 10 and use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved. 11 And so God sends the power of error to work in them so that they believe what is false. 12 The result is that all who have not believed the truth, but have taken pleasure in sin, will be condemned. (GNT)
There will be people who will love not the truth. God has judged certain people to be judged through signs and wonders. There are many miracles today that claim to be of God, but not of Satan. What we forget is that Satan can appear as an angel of light. Unfortunately, Roman Catholics would rather listen to their Pharisees first over the Bible. As Isaiah 29:11 predicted, people's hearts are far from God. These are people who are so Totally Depraved, spiritually speaking, that they're unable to discern the truth from the false. The wonder of all kinds of false miracles and wonders teases the senses. However, not all miracles are from God. In fact, these signs and wonders of Satan are rather limited. However, Satan still has enough power to deceive people lost in their sinfulness.
A voice from Heaven is heard saying in Revelation 18:4, "Come out of her My people...", not "Come out of her all of you." God has a certain number of elect people trapped within Mystery Babylon, as well as every other false religions in the world today. These people are unable to spiritually discern. They must be born again, not by infant baptism, but by the supernatural act of the Holy Spirit. These particular people inside Mystery Babylon, are for whom the Father has chosen, whom Christ has died for in a particular redemption, and whom the Holy Spirit will make willing. Only those Elect people trapped within Roman Catholicism, will respond to the call to come out of her and go to Jesus.