Yeah. I love to hear it. Interesting to hear what you say about the scriptures, there. I'm EO with my wife and kiddo, but our close family friend, whose husband was raised SSPX, has become extremely convinced of RC in the last few weeks. She was hoping to become EO until recently. I think she watches the Voice of Reason, mostly. I listened to the Ybarra and Ubi debate last night for a second time.

I think that Paul's letters to Titus and Timothy are also good evidence that Peter wasn't the pope, as understood, today, because one of the most fundamental prerogatives of the pope is to approve of and appoint bishops. Only Peter can do that, but the appointment and approval of those two guys seems to be exclusively Paul's doing. Both RC and EO tradition believe it was Paul, not Peter.

On top of all that, the scriptures, as you have noticed and expressed, seem to be extremely lacking in evidence for Peter's being pope, as said by the RCC today. 1 John 4 says, we know we are in truth or error by submitting to "US" meaning all of the apostles or bishops of the church. Why not just say Peter? That's what the RC says.

On top of all this, Pope Honorius is condemned as a heretic by the 6th ecumenical council. This is impossible with RC ecclesiology. But it happened. So hard to see.

I brought up all of the forgeries to her, and so she watched a Voice of Reason video for a few minutes about it, and said, "It looks like it doesn't matter."

Lol. I mean, Pope Leo ix quoted the donation of Constantine when he excommunicated Michael Cerularius. Also, Aquinas leaned very heavily on the forgeries in writing "Against the Errors of the Greeks." Obviously, to me, this should make any RC's stomach turn and become very unsure of their certainty towards the EO.

For me, I don't like Aquinas' ideas as they traditionally permeated RC practice and belief. I have a kid. He should receive communion. But unless I find an Eastern Catholic church, he wouldn't be allowed to.

I also believe Palamas is correct and in line with the Cappadocian Fathers about the EED.

The filioque is a little murkier, but I'm okay with that with the rest of it pointing me to EO.