Becoming Protestant

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kbwall

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I just want to start by saying that I have no intention of becoming protestant, for a number of reasons. This is just hypothetical. Yes, I got the idea from the guy who made the topic about Islam, but this is slightly different; Islam denies Christ is God, and denies Him as a savior. Protestantism teaches both of those things, but many of the their teachings go contrary to Catholocism.

So, my question is obvious; would a Catholic go to Hell for leaving the Church and going Protestant? Assume they have full knowledge of what they are doing and know church teachings.
 
kbwall said:
So, my question is obvious; would a Catholic go to Hell for leaving the Church and going Protestant? Assume they have full knowledge of what they are doing and know church teachings.
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Apostacy, heresy, and schism are all grave matter. If done with full knowledge and free will, a mortal sin.
 
If Catholics are correct than Protestants doomed, and vice versa. In the end I believe the primary beliefs that Christ is deity is most important and Christianity in general will be saved.
 
Catholics aren’t necessarily doomed if Protestants are right. There’s no protestant doctrine that dooms Catholics; that seems to be little more than personal prejudice.
 
kbwall said:
I just want to start by saying that I have no intention of becoming protestant, for a number of reasons. This is just hypothetical. Yes, I got the idea from the guy who made the topic about Islam, but this is slightly different; Islam denies Christ is God, and denies Him as a savior. Protestantism teaches both of those things, but many of the their teachings go contrary to Catholocism.

So, my question is obvious; would a Catholic go to Hell for leaving the Church and going Protestant? Assume they have full knowledge of what they are doing and know church teachings.
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What is the intent really? Did they leave out of spite of the Catholic Church? Or did they leave because they have been genuinely searching for God? And if they didn’t find God in the Church, perhaps it is more their pastor’s fault than their own, that is why they found a better faith elsewhere.
 
Dubay said:
If Catholics are correct than Protestants doomed, and vice versa.
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Untrue on both counts, but more untrue on the “vice versa.” Most Protestants do not believe that Catholics are doomed and do not even have beliefs that require some theological footwork in order to avoid that conclusion, as the Catholic “extra ecclesiam nulla salus” does. The Catholic position is that people who know the Church is true and refuse to enter it are doomed if they don’t repent.

So as with the Islam question in another thread, the OP question strikes me as frivolous.

Edwin
 
Dubay said:
If Catholics are correct than Protestants doomed, and vice versa. In the end I believe the primary beliefs that Christ is deity is most important and Christianity in general will be saved.
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While I hope you are right everything we “do” know suggests otherwise. Neither Catholic or Protestant (or anyone) can say definitively who is in hell, we do have a pretty good “suggestion” based on what Christ revealed. He only built One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. He calls all His children to His Church to receive Him in the Sacraments. Those that break away and want nothing to do with His Church aren’t doing His will. Even if they call their church christian and say they follow Christ, they don’t. At least not in fullness. And God didn’t let any angels stay on the fence during the epic battle in Heaven. They all had to take sides and so must we all. Either we are with Christ (and in doing so with His Catholic Church) or against Christ. For those who are ignorant of this reality we pray and “hope” that they will be saved but the fact of the matter is we simply don’t know. God is a loving and merciful God but Father Barron hit the nail on the head when he warned of the dangers of domesticating Jesus Christ. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The path is narrow. But assuming that all will be well just by saying Christ is Lord (when Scriptures and Divinely inspired and protected Sacred Traditions suggest otherwise) is risky and I would personally say even downright foolish. That is why it’s all the more important to reach our protestant brothers and sisters. This quote is from Stephen Colbert (of all people) “Protestants don’t make me angry as much as disappointed. Unlike the world’s crazy made-up religions, they’re so close to getting it right. They’re a single Pope away from reaching their full potential.”
 
kbwall said:
Catholics aren’t necessarily doomed if Protestants are right. There’s no protestant doctrine that dooms Catholics; that seems to be little more than personal prejudice.
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Well, there are a couple of things:
  1. Protestants who believe that sola fide is a necessary belief for salvation are inclined to say that Catholics who follow the teachings of the Church are not “true Christians.” However, I would say that these are a minority of Protestants today–the vast majority, even if they believe strongly in sola fide, would say that what matters is to have faith rather than having all the right opinions about it.
  2. Traditionally Protestants have accused certain Catholic practices (the Mass and the invocation of saints chief among them) of idolatry and blasphemy. Idolaters and blasphemers, in any traditional Christian account, cannot be saved unless they repent. Again, this is not a view most Protestants today would hold, but some still do and in the past probably most did.
Edwin
 
Contarini said:
Untrue on both counts, but more untrue on the “vice versa.” Most Protestants do not believe that Catholics are doomed and do not even have beliefs that require some theological footwork in order to avoid that conclusion, as the Catholic “extra ecclesiam nulla salus” does. The Catholic position is that people who know the Church is true and refuse to enter it are doomed if they don’t repent.

So as with the Islam question in another thread, the OP question strikes me as frivolous.

Edwin
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Not true, the focus within Catholicism of praying (some interpret it as worship) to Mary if Sola is accurate will be problematic.
 
Dubay–just curious. I’ve noticed on several threads that many of your posts don’t sound very Catholic, and frequently sound as though you’re finding fault with the Church, which seems strange since you designate that you are, in fact, Catholic. Are you uncomfortable with Church teachings, since you often tend to water down statements others have posted?
 
Dubay said:
Not true, the focus within Catholicism of praying (some interpret it as worship) to Mary if Sola is accurate will be problematic.
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Which sola? If you look at my next post, I granted that lots of Protestants do have theological reasons for condemning Catholicism, though most today have moved away from these positions. By both sola fide and sola scriptura, asking for Mary’s prayers could be seen as an indifferent matter–there’s nothing about either concept that requires one to condemn Catholics for this practice. Also, not all Protestants hold to sola fide, and while all hold to some form of sola scriptura there are many different variants of it.

Edwin
 
I would add the Eucharist to the Idolatry some protestants condemn Catholics for. If the Real Presence is not there we worship bread and wine.
 
kbwall said:
So, my question is obvious; would a Catholic go to Hell for leaving the Church and going Protestant? Assume they have full knowledge of what they are doing and know church teachings.
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Maybe, maybe not. Depends on what’s in their heart and why they decided to do such a thing.
 
1ke said:
Apostacy, heresy, and schism are all grave matter. If done with full knowledge and free will, a mortal sin.
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True, but “going protestant” doesn’t really qualify for apostacy…depending on what “type” of protestant one becomes.
 
Contarini said:
Which sola? If you look at my next post, I granted that lots of Protestants do have theological reasons for condemning Catholicism, though most today have moved away from these positions. By both sola fide and sola scriptura, asking for Mary’s prayers could be seen as an indifferent matter–there’s nothing about either concept that requires one to condemn Catholics for this practice. Also, not all Protestants hold to sola fide, and while all hold to some form of sola scriptura there are many different variants of it.

Edwin
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I appreciate these comments and respectfully respond that the same can be said about Catholicism in regards not all are monolithic in practice. We are all sinners no exceptions.

I am just saying before we point fingers make sure we are not in a glass house.

Peace and Love

John 3:16
 
Dubay said:
I appreciate these comments and respectfully respond that the same can be said about Catholicism in regards not all are monolithic in practice. We are all sinners no exceptions.

I am just saying before we point fingers make sure we are not in a glass house.

Peace and Love

John 3:16
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Pointing fingers in a glass house is not problematic; throwing stones IS. 😃
 
Reminds me of a joke that ends “People in grass houses shouldn’t stow thrones”
 
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