Any Catholic ever been out debated by a Protestant?

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Just curious has any catholic ever had this experience.

When you finally figure out Protestants really “disagree” with you.

I remember it was about 20 years ago. I was on my Catholic university campus,

when a friend of mine from engineering class handed me a pamphlet with all

this stuff about how the pope was evil. And how catholics didnt know how to read the bible.

It came as a shock to me. I never had heard such stuff and didnt have any arguements.

It was just a total shock to learn about such things.

I remember I kept going to mass , but I started to go to a weekly bible study with them.

They said they were non-denominational. So I would go to mass early and then go to church with them on Sunday.

I remember a lot of clapping and singing, it was hard to get used to at first.

After a couple months I was getting comfortable.

Then I overheard them gossiping really bad about a member , calling them a sinner and stuff.

Anyway, I stopped going shortly after.

Just wanted to say, if you are an unprepared catholic, the protestant arguements are

really strong.
 
tweetiebird said:
Just wanted to say, if you are an unprepared catholic, the protestant arguements are really strong.
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It’s not that their arguments are strong it is that an unprepared Catholic is weak, just like anyone who is unprepared.
 
I had the opposite experience. 🙂

I grew up southern baptist with a very solid scriptural foundation.

When I met my husband, who was raised Catholic we had heated debates about theology. We both began to research and I was convinced, actually through scripture, to convert.

That being said, I don’t think the shortcomings of the members of a Church are the best way to decide whether or not a Church teaches the truth. You’ll find shortcomings in any church, because the people that attend are human and will fall short.

My husband won the day because he convinced me of the truth of apostolic succession and the Eucharist, and because I’d always had a problem meshing my knowledge of the Bible with the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine I’d been raised to believe… not because he said “look we’re better than everyone else, no one here sins!”
 
tweetiebird said:
Just curious has any catholic ever had this experience.

When you finally figure out Protestants really “disagree” with you.

I remember it was about 20 years ago. I was on my Catholic university campus,

when a friend of mine from engineering class handed me a pamphlet with all

this stuff about how the pope was evil. And how catholics didnt know how to read the bible.

It came as a shock to me. I never had heard such stuff and didnt have any arguements.

It was just a total shock to learn about such things.

I remember I kept going to mass , but I started to go to a weekly bible study with them.

They said they were non-denominational. So I would go to mass early and then go to church with them on Sunday.

I remember a lot of clapping and singing, it was hard to get used to at first.

After a couple months I was getting comfortable.

Then I overheard them gossiping really bad about a member , calling them a sinner and stuff.

Anyway, I stopped going shortly after.

Just wanted to say, if you are an unprepared catholic, the protestant arguements are

really strong.
Click to expand...
like Steve mentioned they aren’t really that strong it’s that the depth that’s needed to explain what is being questioned can’t be summed up in the same sentece as the question is posed. rather it would need a pamplet just for one question and these flyers usually throw a lot of garbage at the catholic.
 
Ive tried debating with my bro-in-law (former Catholic) now non-denominational Christian but when I try to give my position (ergo Church’s teaching) he raises his voice and tries to drown me out. At the same time he says “I like apples, you like orange” -whatever that means. Thus I can’t even put a counter defense.

I do give a caveat though (in my mind :p) before talking that that the one who raises his voice is the defacto loser. 😃

MJ
 
Catholic who has truly studied can be beaten by a protestant in a debate.
 
I do my best to not mistake the ability to debate as an indication of the truth: It is said that the devil speaks with a silver tongue.
 
In reality, sometimes it depends on whether one is a good debater or not and on the person you debate with; whether that person is twisting words with a forked tongue or bent on attacking your belief with a one-tracked mind. With the latter there is no fruitful outcome to any debate as it will turn into a useless argument.

Also it can be your word against them. For example, you say Peter is the rock and they say it is his confession. One can argue that until kingdom come and if there is no openness to reason, again it can end in frustrating stalemate.

Perhaps the best thing is to tell the truth about our belief honestly in the best possible way we can present it. Admit if we are unable to explain it adequately or do not have enough knowledge on the subject but promise to comeback after looking into the matter.

Winning a debate just for the sake of winning it will not win a soul but giving truthful information about your faith may get the other side to think about it even if he/she does not agree.
 
Reuben_J said:
In reality, sometimes it depends on whether one is a good debater or not and on the person you debate with; whether that person is twisting words with a forked tongue or bent on attacking your belief with a one-tracked mind. With the latter there is no fruitful outcome to any debate as it will turn into a useless argument.

Also it can be your word against them. For example, you say Peter is the rock and they say it is his confession. One can argue that until kingdom come and if there is no openness to reason, again it can end in frustrating stalemate.

Perhaps the best thing is to tell the truth about our belief honestly in the best possible way we can present it. Admit if we are unable to explain it adequately or do not have enough knowledge on the subject but promise to comeback after looking into the matter.

Winning a debate just for the sake of winning it will not win a soul but giving truthful information about your faith may get the other side to think about it even if he/she does not agree.
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Further to this we have to always remember Jesus’ words about loving one another. Sounds like a cliche nowadays (as if it was that easy) but the real meaning imo is that we must talk with Love because without it we’ll be like empty gongs. Who wants to listen to the clangings of heated words?

MJ
 
tweetiebird said:
Just curious has any catholic ever had this experience.

When you finally figure out Protestants really “disagree” with you.

I remember it was about 20 years ago. I was on my Catholic university campus,

when a friend of mine from engineering class handed me a pamphlet with all

this stuff about how the pope was evil. And how catholics didnt know how to read the bible.

It came as a shock to me. I never had heard such stuff and didnt have any arguements.

It was just a total shock to learn about such things.

I remember I kept going to mass , but I started to go to a weekly bible study with them.

They said they were non-denominational. So I would go to mass early and then go to church with them on Sunday.

I remember a lot of clapping and singing, it was hard to get used to at first.

After a couple months I was getting comfortable.

Then I overheard them gossiping really bad about a member , calling them a sinner and stuff.

Anyway, I stopped going shortly after.

Just wanted to say, if you are an unprepared catholic, the protestant arguements are

really strong.
Click to expand...
I believe the best place to start, regardless of the issue, is: where is the practice of sola scriptura found in scripture? After all, sola scriptura is the touchstone of protestantism. If they cannot answer that question (and they cannot) then there is really no point in discussing other protestant practices, beliefs, and teachings (that clash with catholic practices, beliefs and teachings) all of which are based on the practice of sola scriptura, via individual interpretation.
 
An amazing 65% of Jehovah’s Witnesses in my area are ex-Catholics. This shows the abysmal catachesis taking place in our Church in the recent past. So yes, Catholics can definitely be out debated by a Protestant, or even a fringe group. There’s nothing magical about being Catholic. If you don’t know your stuff you are vulnerable.
 
My very best friend who is like a sister to me is a Protestant and I can talk with her about anything concerning G-d. We have our differences but simply accept and respect each other so we can talk about even the Eucharist or their Last Supper celebration or services at the synagogue.

One thing though that I find hard to refute is that Catholics have idols in church. There’re statues of dead people that Catholics worship. G-d says in the bible that we shouldn’t even make an image of anything that is in heaven.

How would you refute this???
 
RedSoxWife said:
I had the opposite experience. 🙂

I grew up southern baptist with a very solid scriptural foundation.

When I met my husband, who was raised Catholic we had heated debates about theology. We both began to research and I was convinced, actually through scripture, to convert.

That being said, I don’t think the shortcomings of the members of a Church are the best way to decide whether or not a Church teaches the truth. You’ll find shortcomings in any church, because the people that attend are human and will fall short.

My husband won the day because he convinced me of the truth of apostolic succession and the Eucharist, and because I’d always had a problem meshing my knowledge of the Bible with the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine I’d been raised to believe… not because he said “look we’re better than everyone else, no one here sins!”
Click to expand...
See I love you just for the name you have lol. GO SOX!
 
I do not believe it comes down to being “out debated” by anyone. I talk about my faith with many Protestants everyday. They have their doctrine (which is ever changing) and I have mine. I present my belief and that of the Church and walk away. No sense in sitting there and debating issues with them that will only end in a “he said she said” type of conversation. I just tell them what the Church teaches and pray that the Holy Spirit “work” on them. I am sure they are praying for me as well and at the end of the day…everyone is praying for everyone 👍
 
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