Josh,

You may not realize it, but your comments contradict one another. On the one hand you say you have “qualms” with the doctrine of Purgatory (One should have more than “qualms”; it is an outright, unbiblical heresy foisted on the world in 600 AD by Pope Gregory), yet you don’t have a problem with people climbing these stairs on their knees. (For the record–Neither I nor any of my DefCon brethren would say that visiting the Holy Land is of any particular worth).

Yet I believe that if you understood why these people are performing such a ritual, you would see the problem. The reason for this practice is these people believe that by scaling these steps they can gain a pitiful “indulgence” in order to shorten their stay in Purgatory. Thus, these people are seeking to merit some measure of mercy form God by their works. The practice of climbing the “Scala Sancta”–as well as the blasphemous worship of statues, trinkets, and dead men’s bones–are all geared toward shortening one’s stay in Purgatory. I think you can see now why we abhor such practices, and refer to them by their rightful title–”idolatry”.

Have you been to the Scala Sancta? The post provides a quote from Charles Spurgeon that seems very applicable in your case.

If our mild milk-and-water Protestants could see Popery with their own eyes, they might have less to say against [Protestant] bigotry; and if those who play at ornate worship could see whither their symbolism tends, they would start back aghast, and adhere henceforth to the severest simplicity.

I don’t understand how you can see people performing a supposedly good, religious deed in exchange for forgiveness from God as wicked and blasphemous. It would indicate you don’t have a very good understanding of the true gospel.

Thanks,
Bill

I certainly have my qualms with the doctrine of purgatory, in general, and indulgences, in particular (the two doctrines being bound up together); and I furthermore doubt these stairs are the ones leading to the original praetorium. However I do not believe kneeling and praying at these steps is particularly idolatrous. They are not worshipping the steps themselves.

I see no difference between this act and kneeling at the altar of a protestant church. Protestants do not worship altars. Roman Catholics do not worship the Scala Sancta

And if we are going to fault them for believing a particular place to be holy, then we must likewise fault protestants who hold the “Holy Land” & many of its sites in some high regard. In fact the whole “earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” So why would one site be deemed holier than any other by anyone, Roman Catholic or Protestant? I think that if we are to be consistent in this matter, then that is a question that must be considered.

The Romish whore and everything she stands for is fit for absolutely nothing but being cast back into the blackened pit from whence it arose.

I can scarcely imagine a more overt or perverse evil than the usurping of God’s glory of which Mystery Babylon – the fountainhead of all idolatry – is guilty of attempting with all her demonic power and cunning and shrewd deception every minute of every hour of every day! Hers is the very height and the distilled essence of Satanic hubris and wickedness for her aim is ever to exalt her throne above that of God Almighty!

But oh how low shall she be brought when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords returns to earth in great glory and power rendereing judgment and justice to the powers and principalities of this fallen, sin sick and corrupted world system! In that day there will be two camps and all will be divided into the sheep and the goats, and those hell spawned rebels, the sons and daughters of Satan who have worshipped the Baals and Ashterahs of their own depraved hearts will find themselves cast into the everlasting lake of fire as the heavens rejoice: “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.”</i – Rev. 19:1-2.

In Him,
CD

- The Pilgrim