OK, diana, so who is this "temporarily appointed leader who has absolute authority"?

The Pope?

He doesn't have absolute authority over me a Catholic. I do and think pretty much as I please. I don't live my life in obedience to the Pope, and I don't know any Catholics who do. The Pope certainly doesn't have authority over non-Catholic Christians. There are Catholics who believe the Pope has absolute authority, but usually what they hold as "absolute" is a confused misunderstanding of Catholic belief - just as Bill has posted a confused misunderstanding of Christian belief above.

I can't refute what Bill has posted. If that's what Christians believe, then they're wrong, and I join with Bill in opposing them. But even the fundamentalists don't believe what Bill says they believe.

-Joe Offer-