"Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by OUR epistle." - Selene
-- You will note: "have learned." Meaning past tense.
You say: "St. Paul was referring to a tradition that was taught by them by their words or by their epistle, and not by anyone else. It is an "apostolic" tradition, not a tradition from the past."
So again I ask:
"You are saying that the Apostles themselves said we should pray the rosary, Mary didn't die or have additional children after Jesus, we should pray to Mary or the dead saints for intercession, said the mass LITERALLY turns bread and wine into the actually body and blood of Christ, there is a place called Purgatory, a place called Limbo, and that there should be an ongoing position of Pope and he will be infallible?
You will also note that Paul said traditions "which you have learned" putting it in the past tense. That means the traditions in place AT THAT TIME.
Care to show where ANY of the things I mentioned were practiced traditions in place AT THAT TIME?"
-- The question is simple. Where and when did the actual Apostles encourage these things?
Paul was talking about the things accepted AT THAT TIME.
Remember, he said "HAVE LEARNED."
Having spent the first 22 years of my life a Catholic I have learned that several of these practices were established/created CENTURIES after the original Apostles and Paul walked the earth and not based on anything they supported or encouraged.