Why I Don't Believe in Alberto Rivera
Although I was born Catholic, I am no longer one, as I have been a Christian for several years now. Even so, I do not believe Alberto Rivera’s testimonies against the Catholic church, and I believe his “testimonies” do more harm than good to Christianity.
Alberto Rivera, according to published books and an illustrated series about him, is a former Catholic priest who reveals many of the Catholic church’s secrets. According to his testimony, the Catholic church is not actually run by the Pope, but is secretly run by one known as the Black Pope, and the church’s intentions is to purposefully mislead Catholics to false beliefs so that they would all go to hell, among many other things he says against the Catholic church. After reading much of his work, having been immersed in the Catholic faith for a long time before becoming a Christian, I can objectively say that I do not believe his revelations to be true.
Alberto Rivera tries to show that the Catholic church is consciously and intentionally misleading people, knowing full well that what they are teaching and pushing for is wrong, so that people would end up in hell, and he gives evidences that this is truly the case. Having a huge Catholic background before becoming a Christian, studying in Catholic schools in elementary and high school, one run by nuns and the other with Catholic brothers, studying the faith and immersing myself well enough with Catholicism to be awarded best in religion three times from these two different schools, I can witness that I do not believe Catholics know they’re wrong and are purposefully teaching this anyway to intentionally mislead people. Even if such things such as Rivera’s story that an underground tomb between a seminary and a convent, to bury aborted babies of nuns and priests exists, this would not imply that it is a rule.
I believe that Catholicism has a lot of incorrect doctrine; I believe they are wrong, but they are at least sincere about their beliefs (although sincerity in beliefs does not make it true) and I display this belief by the fact that I have left that religion. However, I did not move from one religion to another more correct religion. I left it for the truth. The truth as told by the Bible. And I, as many Christians do, do not consider Christianity a religion, but rather a lifestyle, or a relationship with God as described by the Bible. The Bible teaches that salvation is through Christ alone, no religion necessary, and as the Bible instructs, Christians have to spread the gospel truth so that people may be saved. However, salvation is by bringing people to Christ, not necessarily by making people turn against their former religion. And if the way people turn against their religion is via false testimony, then what happens when these people discover the truth? Their reality is shattered and they are left jaded by the deception to supposedly win them over for the truth, but instead they are merely won over to one side against their former side. And that is what I hated most about his testimony. I have evangelized, shared the word of God and have helped people to become Christians and live their life according to the Bible, and in the process, just like me, they leave their old religion, but I have never challenged anyone directly to go against or give up their religion, but only to give their lives to Christ, and in the process, they give up their former beliefs as taught by their religion when they are against the Bible, and also in the process, they give up their religion themselves, without coaxing from me, as it had also been with my case. I can discuss religion or beliefs of religions, as admitted openly by their members, and prove it contradicts the Bible, and thereby prove the religion wrong. I prove the religion wrong using only the Bible, without needing to use false (or at least dubious) testimony.
I know of a church that used Alberto Rivera’s testimony as if it was gospel truth. I know at least one person who uses it as an integral process of winning people for Christ. Isn’t the essential flaw of Catholicism is that they supposedly believe in the Bible, but plus their traditions? Aren’t Christians supposed to believe in the Bible only? Not in the Bible plus Alberto Rivera’s words? If this was the case, it seems you just give up one religion for another. What happens is these Christians have relied on the words of another person (much like Catholics and other religions do) and in this case, use those words to bash another religion to hopefully appall its members to join us instead, even though these words may be untrue, and even though this same result could be achieved by using only the Bible, ensuring that the facts stated really are facts.
The fact that Alberto Rivera’s words can be used to bash a religion, even though the words are suspect, gives that religion reason to defend itself. And when the religion challenges that testimony of one or more people, it shows that those supposedly leading you to Christ may be giving you untruths (See my other article, Liar, Liar), thus showing their unreliability. But how can one truly defend against a proper interpretation of the Bible? Thus, using Alberto Rivera’s testimony to try to win someone for Christ actually produces a loophole where souls may fall through, needlessly, I may add, as winning one for Christ using only what the Bible says produces a perfect net to save souls. And this is what I have found to be the biggest problem brought about by believing in Alberto Rivera’s words. Someone won by Alberto Rivera’s words alone, or by any words not found in the Bible, has a very weak foundation, and someone believing in them has an important loophole in their beliefs, which may be exacerbated later on, while the Bible is perfectly complete and self-sufficient, if studied and lived entirely.
A person can be won for Christ by using only the truth, the one truth all Christians rely on, and one seeking the truth must be exposed to the whole truth, but only the truth, lest they discard the truth because it was mixed with one carelessly believed untruth, so Christians, among all people, must be wary about the truth they proclaim, lest they cast doubt on the saving truth we hold on to so dearly.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2008, June 23, 9:22 pm)
Alberto Rivera, according to published books and an illustrated series about him, is a former Catholic priest who reveals many of the Catholic church’s secrets. According to his testimony, the Catholic church is not actually run by the Pope, but is secretly run by one known as the Black Pope, and the church’s intentions is to purposefully mislead Catholics to false beliefs so that they would all go to hell, among many other things he says against the Catholic church. After reading much of his work, having been immersed in the Catholic faith for a long time before becoming a Christian, I can objectively say that I do not believe his revelations to be true.
Alberto Rivera tries to show that the Catholic church is consciously and intentionally misleading people, knowing full well that what they are teaching and pushing for is wrong, so that people would end up in hell, and he gives evidences that this is truly the case. Having a huge Catholic background before becoming a Christian, studying in Catholic schools in elementary and high school, one run by nuns and the other with Catholic brothers, studying the faith and immersing myself well enough with Catholicism to be awarded best in religion three times from these two different schools, I can witness that I do not believe Catholics know they’re wrong and are purposefully teaching this anyway to intentionally mislead people. Even if such things such as Rivera’s story that an underground tomb between a seminary and a convent, to bury aborted babies of nuns and priests exists, this would not imply that it is a rule.
I believe that Catholicism has a lot of incorrect doctrine; I believe they are wrong, but they are at least sincere about their beliefs (although sincerity in beliefs does not make it true) and I display this belief by the fact that I have left that religion. However, I did not move from one religion to another more correct religion. I left it for the truth. The truth as told by the Bible. And I, as many Christians do, do not consider Christianity a religion, but rather a lifestyle, or a relationship with God as described by the Bible. The Bible teaches that salvation is through Christ alone, no religion necessary, and as the Bible instructs, Christians have to spread the gospel truth so that people may be saved. However, salvation is by bringing people to Christ, not necessarily by making people turn against their former religion. And if the way people turn against their religion is via false testimony, then what happens when these people discover the truth? Their reality is shattered and they are left jaded by the deception to supposedly win them over for the truth, but instead they are merely won over to one side against their former side. And that is what I hated most about his testimony. I have evangelized, shared the word of God and have helped people to become Christians and live their life according to the Bible, and in the process, just like me, they leave their old religion, but I have never challenged anyone directly to go against or give up their religion, but only to give their lives to Christ, and in the process, they give up their former beliefs as taught by their religion when they are against the Bible, and also in the process, they give up their religion themselves, without coaxing from me, as it had also been with my case. I can discuss religion or beliefs of religions, as admitted openly by their members, and prove it contradicts the Bible, and thereby prove the religion wrong. I prove the religion wrong using only the Bible, without needing to use false (or at least dubious) testimony.
I know of a church that used Alberto Rivera’s testimony as if it was gospel truth. I know at least one person who uses it as an integral process of winning people for Christ. Isn’t the essential flaw of Catholicism is that they supposedly believe in the Bible, but plus their traditions? Aren’t Christians supposed to believe in the Bible only? Not in the Bible plus Alberto Rivera’s words? If this was the case, it seems you just give up one religion for another. What happens is these Christians have relied on the words of another person (much like Catholics and other religions do) and in this case, use those words to bash another religion to hopefully appall its members to join us instead, even though these words may be untrue, and even though this same result could be achieved by using only the Bible, ensuring that the facts stated really are facts.
The fact that Alberto Rivera’s words can be used to bash a religion, even though the words are suspect, gives that religion reason to defend itself. And when the religion challenges that testimony of one or more people, it shows that those supposedly leading you to Christ may be giving you untruths (See my other article, Liar, Liar), thus showing their unreliability. But how can one truly defend against a proper interpretation of the Bible? Thus, using Alberto Rivera’s testimony to try to win someone for Christ actually produces a loophole where souls may fall through, needlessly, I may add, as winning one for Christ using only what the Bible says produces a perfect net to save souls. And this is what I have found to be the biggest problem brought about by believing in Alberto Rivera’s words. Someone won by Alberto Rivera’s words alone, or by any words not found in the Bible, has a very weak foundation, and someone believing in them has an important loophole in their beliefs, which may be exacerbated later on, while the Bible is perfectly complete and self-sufficient, if studied and lived entirely.
A person can be won for Christ by using only the truth, the one truth all Christians rely on, and one seeking the truth must be exposed to the whole truth, but only the truth, lest they discard the truth because it was mixed with one carelessly believed untruth, so Christians, among all people, must be wary about the truth they proclaim, lest they cast doubt on the saving truth we hold on to so dearly.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2008, June 23, 9:22 pm)
