Deciding between Protestantism or Catholicism

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Dr-Pepper

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Hello Catholic Answers. I am raised in a Mormon Family, became Agnostic, now I’m a Christian again. I just don’t know what to choose. Catholicism or Protestantism. Why would you think Catholicism is right from Protestantism?
Another thing. Is there biblical evidence for purgatory or church hierarchy? I’m still kinda iffy about church hierarchy cause I came from the false Mormon church and they had bishops, Stake leaders, and the leader of the church Russel M Nelson. So it makes me iffy about church hierarchy.
 
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Catholicism can give you everything Protestantism offers, but Protestantism can never give you what Catholicism offers. Mainly, the real body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
 
One very easy point to look at is that the Catholic Church is the only church founded by Jesus. Look up who created all other denominations of Christianity (they are all fallible men). I will pray for you that God gives you clarity and guides you in your journey.
God Bless!
 
Welcome to CAF, @Dr-Pepper! We’re glad you’ve joined us. Please feel free to examine all the different forum categories and post frequently.

Christ, Himself, established the Church that came to be called the Catholic Church. The other religions that claim to be Christian, but not Catholic (and even anti-Catholic), were invented by men much like the church-going men you’ve met in your home community.

Do you think that men who invented religions centuries after Jesus died could possibly know more than Jesus about what Jesus wanted His Church to be? That these men could possibly know more about what Christ ordained than His apostles (and those who followed in their footsteps), who actually walked with Christ?

Think about the significance of the answers to those questions.
 
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Dr-Pepper said:
Hello Catholic Answers. I am raised in a Mormon Family, became Agnostic, now I’m a Christian again. I just don’t know what to choose. Catholicism or Protestantism. Why would you think Catholicism is right from Protestantism?
Another thing. Is there biblical evidence for purgatory or church hierarchy? I’m still kinda iffy about church hierarchy cause I came from the false Mormon church and they had bishops, Stake leaders, and the leader of the church Russel M Nelson. So it makes me iffy about church hierarchy.
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Purgatory
2 Maccabees 12:41-46
1 Cor 3:11-15
Matt 5:23-25

Declared at the Council of Florence
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm
 
Gene Fadness: A Mormon Who Became A Catholic - The Journey Home (10-9-2006)


Glen Allen: A Baptist Minister Who Became Catholic - The Journey Home (7-14- 2003)


A couple videos you might enjoy watching. They might help you on your reasons for the Catholic church.
 
Dr-Pepper said:
Another thing. Is there biblical evidence for purgatory or church hierarchy? I’m still kinda iffy about church hierarchy cause I came from the false Mormon church and they had bishops, Stake leaders, and the leader of the church Russel M Nelson. So it makes me iffy about church hierarchy.
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What the Early Church Believed: Purgatory.




 
When you said you are choosing between becoming Catholic and Protestant it sounds like a simple choice. Except that second choice has over 45,000 items on the menu so your work is only beginning.

However the Catholic Church was founded in 33AD by the Apostles and had existed for 2,000 years. It’s a historical fact (Google it).

One reason you can tell that the Catholic Church is the one church is that well, it’s actually only “one” church unlike the myriad of Protestant churches.

I don’t know how Mormon bishops interact with their congregation but here you will hardly ever see one (maybe at confirmation), there role is a Shepard to guide the local church, ordain new priests etc. They were given this power when Jesus laid his hands upon the Apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit. They in turn ordained new bishops all the way down to today. If you do not like a particular parish you can move to another one.
 
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The big difference between Catholic and Protestant, in my opinion, is the question of “Bible alone” (Protestant view), or the Catholic view of Bible+Tradition+Magisterium.
If the Bible were the one and only important foundation of Jesus’ teaching - do you think He would have written a book? But did He? Not that we know of, but he did establish a church, right? What about Christians who lived in the first couple centuries after Christ? Were they not Christians? But how could they be – if the New Testament didn’t exist?
Have you read about how the New Testament canon was established?

 
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Dr-Pepper said:
I’m still kinda iffy about church hierarchy cause I came from the false Mormon church and they had bishops, Stake leaders, and the leader of the church Russel M Nelson. So it makes me iffy about church hierarchy.
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That is understandable but remember that Jesus established a hierarchy too. The keys were given to Peter only and he had supremacy among the Apostles, so much so that Paul went to him for instruction and when in doubt. Then there were disciples besides the Apostles, there were deacons and presbyters, it is all in the Bible. Plus Jesus himself when he talked about the kingdom of Heaven, he implied there is a hierarchy.
 
Dr-Pepper said:
Is there biblical evidence for purgatory
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Revelation 21:27 tells us that “nothing unclean will enter heaven.” Are you perfect now? Do you expect that you’ll be perfect at your death? (Of course not!). So, then… something has to happen between your death and your entry into heaven. That “something” is the process of purgation which perfects you.

So, it’s there, very simply put, in Scripture!

(p.s., welcome to CAF!)
 
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Leonel1 said:
Catholicism can give you everything Protestantism offers, but Protestantism can never give you what Catholicism offers. Mainly, the real body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
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Protestantism offers heresy so Catholicism would not give that. Catholicism is the fullness of the truth. Protestantism has some truth but also heresy, and that heresy makes Protestantism false. Having some truth does not lead one to heaven. There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.

To the OP, choosing to be Catholic or Protestant is not a choice one makes. Study, learn the faith, and Christ will lead you to His church.
 
Peacemaking said:
I don’t believe in purgatory but there is a Lake of Fire with an indeterminate amount of pain for purification purposes.
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Then you believe in purgatory. 😉

(It’s not a “place”… you know that, right? We’ll experience it as disembodied souls, so it can’t be a ‘place’!)

It’s a process of purgation. That’s it.
Peacemaking said:
Somewhere long ago in theology theologians went off course when they started merging Greek philosophical ideas like free will ahead of actual biblical doctrines like predestination and the sovereignty of God.
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“What has Athens to do with Jerusalem”, eh? I think they’ve already tried that one… 😉
Peacemaking said:
pope who they claimed infallible in 1870
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No, we didn’t. I suspect you misunderstand what “infallibility” is, and what its limits are.
Peacemaking said:
Parables are never to be interpreted literally.
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Glad you brought that up. Things like “this is my body”… “do this in remembrance of me” aren’t parables, and are to be taken literally. That’s generally misunderstood by mainstream (non-Catholic) Christianity…
 
Peacemaking said:
Transubstantiation is straight out of paganism. Mithraism, if I recall correctly. But then Rome was overrun with pagans at one time and now all the holidays are on pagan gods feasts days.
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This is sheer, utter garbage and has no business being posted in a thread to someone considering conversion. Reported to moderation.
 
Peacemaking said:
Transubstantiation is straight out of paganism. Mithraism, if I recall correctly.
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You do not recall correctly. Not even remotely.

The Transubstantiation is a unique aspect of Catholicism. To my knowledge, there is nothing equivalent to it in all of history.
Some people in this world seem obstinately determined to stay spiritually blind…
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People in glass houses…
 
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