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Those who defend the assertion of historical fact for the Great Apostasy of the Catholic Church point out that all of the false doctrine and practice of Catholicism ''only gradually'' developed, with incremental, and cumulative, subtle deviations from the truth by a process of [[syncretism]], beginning as early as the first century, which by the time of the [[Middle Ages]] had developed into a complete and total condition of apostasy with no truth or spiritual understanding remaining in it.<ref>[http://evidenceforchristianity.org/where-and-when-did-the-catholicism-begin/ Where and when did the Catholicism begin? by John Oakes (evidenceforchristianity.org)]</ref> They see the development of the Great Apostasy as a [[Pathology|pathological]] form of spiritual cancer which grew slowly over the centuries and spread until the whole body was entirely and terminally diseased. In the language of Isaiah 1:4-6

Those who defend the assertion of historical fact for the Great Apostasy of the Catholic Church point out that all of the false doctrine and practice of Catholicism ''only gradually'' developed, with incremental, and cumulative, subtle deviations from the truth by a process of [[syncretism]], beginning as early as the first century, which by the time of the [[Middle Ages]] had developed into a complete and total condition of apostasy with no truth or spiritual understanding remaining in it.<ref>[http://evidenceforchristianity.org/where-and-when-did-the-catholicism-begin/ Where and when did the Catholicism begin? by John Oakes (evidenceforchristianity.org)]</ref> They see the development of the Great Apostasy as a [[Pathology|pathological]] form of spiritual cancer which grew slowly over the centuries and spread until the whole body was entirely and terminally diseased. In the language of Isaiah 1:4-6

:"Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the L<small>ORD</small>, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil."

:"Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the L<small>ORD</small>, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil."

They unhesitatingly submit that the Catholic Church only claims to have the name of Christian, as a terminally ill and actively dying man, on life-support and riddled with disease, in complete [[denial]] claims to be perfectly healthy. They see no good in the Catholic Church, only "doctrines of devils"<ref name=1T/><ref>Compare Mark 3:28-30; John 10:37-38; see also [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy]].</ref> Every Catholic appeal to the writings of the [[Ante-Nicene Fathers]] as demonstrations of the apostolic origin and root of Catholic doctrine and [[dogma]] is rejected on the ground that those writings only clearly demonstrate how early the false and corrupt apostate doctrines of Catholicism began to develop in the Church—which only proves to those who reject Catholic doctrine and dogma that a great apostasy ''must'' have occurred. Catholic apologists see this as a [[logical fallacy]]. They protest that a great apostasy of the whole Church is rooted in one fundamental [[premise]]: that Jesus did not keep his promises.<ref name=promises/>

They unhesitatingly submit that the Catholic Church only claims to have the name of Christian, as a terminally ill and actively dying man, on life-support and riddled with disease, in complete [[denial]] claims to be perfectly healthy. They see no good in the Catholic Church, only "doctrines of devils"<ref name=1T/><ref>Compare Mark 3:28-30; John 10:37-38; see also [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy]].</ref>  

Every Catholic appeal to the writings of the [[Ante-Nicene Fathers]] as demonstrations of the apostolic origin and root of Catholic doctrine and [[dogma]] is rejected on the ground that those writings only clearly demonstrate how early the false and corrupt apostate doctrines of Catholicism began to develop in the Church—which only proves to those who reject Catholic doctrine and dogma that a great apostasy ''must'' have occurred. Catholic apologists see this as a [[logical fallacy]]. They protest that a great apostasy of the whole Church is rooted in one fundamental [[premise]]: that Jesus did not keep his promises.<ref name=promises/>

*Churches professing [[Apostolic succession]] hold that the Ante-Nicene Fathers only articulate or express the original, authentic apostolic Christian doctrine that was faithfully handed on by word of mouth and guarded by the Holy Spirit in the full deposit of the faith handed on once and for all to the apostles of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:13-14 and 2:1-2, 14-15; 1 John 2:24; 2 John 9-11; Jude 3).

*Churches professing [[Apostolic succession]] hold that the Ante-Nicene Fathers only articulate or express the original, authentic apostolic Christian doctrine that was faithfully handed on by word of mouth and guarded by the Holy Spirit in the full deposit of the faith handed on once and for all to the apostles of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:13-14 and 2:1-2, 14-15; 1 John 2:24; 2 John 9-11; Jude 3).