differences in catholics and protestants living in sinful life

[Adamski]

I notice catholics are very aware of thier sin and fall away from attending church but protestants even if they are doing something very public in their sinful life are more Likely to continue attending weekly church services

 

[Tezza]

I have trouble being in the presence of the Eucharist, especially if I am in mortal sin and cant receive. Also, the temptation to spiritual sloth seems stronger when weakend by sin.

 

[eamonnroma]

I notice catholics are very aware of thier sin and fall away from attending church but protestants even if they are doing something very public in their sinful life are more Likely to continue attending weekly church services

A terrible shame - I suppose that it is the guilt feelings that the Catholic church imposes on its members, keeps people away.

 

[hapidawg]

I notice catholics are very aware of thier sin and fall away from attending church but protestants even if they are doing something very public in their sinful life are more Likely to continue attending weekly church services

I am not sure your observation is accurate. I think there are many Catholics living in severe sin attending Mass and taking the Eucharist. At the same time, Protestants that stay away from Church out of lifestyle guilt. If a Christian is under conviction of sin in his life, there is no better place for him to be than Church. Church should be a hospital for sinners, not a museum for the righteous. I do understand your point about the Eucharist

 

[peter26]

In a Protestant service there will be a penitential rite, just like in a Catholic Mass. The difference is that Protestants do not believe in mortal and venial sins or (as a rule) in sacramental confession. This penitential rite is therefore regarded as washing away all sins (rightly or wrongly). That would only give you a few minutes to commit some sin before Communion, and so under Protestant theology one would not have to worry about receiving unworthily. In spite of this, the Book of Common Prayer tells us that if we receive unworthily, we provoke God “to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of death”.

 

[4Squarebaby]

I notice catholics are very aware of thier sin and fall away from attending church but protestants even if they are doing something very public in their sinful life are more Likely to continue attending weekly church services

In a we are all sinners world there is a different feeling and teaching from everybody come into the hospital to the other side of come but don’t get in line at the end because you are not worthy yet

 

[Gertabelle]

I notice catholics are very aware of thier sin and fall away from attending church but protestants even if they are doing something very public in their sinful life are more Likely to continue attending weekly church services

I’m not sure I can agree with your statement, seeing as we are basing this on what we experience in our circle of friends and acquaintances.

What I see is that when Catholics are aware of their sin, they go to confession and start over. There’s no lapse in their attendance or their prayer life.

The Catholics I know who have stopped attending are the ones who don’t express the slightest remorse for or awareness of the damage of their sins. They say things like, “I confess my sins to God and He forgives me. I don’t need a priest.” They rarely attend mass, by their own admission.

In other words, some of my friends stopped attending mass because they don’t think they need it. My friends in the pews are the ones who will be the first to tell you they need the sacrament of confession and the prayers of the community.



My two cents’ - which really isn’t worth much, seeing as it’s all anecdotal.

Gertie

 

[3DOCTORS]

As has been pointed out, there’s no way to draw a general conclusion from bits and pieces of evidence. However, the potential for different approaches may revolve around these differences:

Protestant belief in “Once Saved Always Saved” could tend toward a false sense of security; however, if one’s heart is truly set on pleasing God and living a holier life, one would hopefully not use that as a way of evading responsibility for one’s sins.

Catholic belief in the Sacraments - Reconciliation and Eucharist both - gives an external significance to our process of accountability for sin, and our belief in the Real Presence should make us take very seriously the need to be in a state of grace before receiving. Some may feel fearful or scrupulous, or on the other hand may not comprehend how serious this obligation is, or resent it as another “rule” and decide to rebel against it and receive anyway.

So regardless of which variant of Christianity one follows, the original or a derivative, the sincerity of the individual human heart on the road to holiness is what determines the chances of living a holy life. Willingness to open one’s heart to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, being accountable rather than lazy, etc. will give God room to work in that person and draw them to Himself.

 

[Memaw]

A terrible shame - I suppose that it is the guilt feelings that the Catholic church imposes on its members, keeps people away.

It’s NOT the Church that “imposes” guilt, it’s God. The Catholic Church reminds us that we are in need of forgiveness. That’s why Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Confession. The Church summons us back to the State of God’s Grace. We should be thankful for Christ’s Church to guide us. God Bless, Memaw

 

[Tezza]

A terrible shame - I suppose that it is the guilt feelings that the Catholic church imposes on its members, keeps people away.

I never said I stay away. I responded to the OP’s question with honesty about possible reasons why someone would refrain from Mass if living in habitual, serious sin. If you don’t think shame and sorrow are appropriate responses when standing in the presence of Christ, well, you may never have encountered Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

 

[JonNC]

I notice catholics are very aware of thier sin and fall away from attending church but protestants even if they are doing something very public in their sinful life are more Likely to continue attending weekly church services

The reason I continue to attend Divine Worship is because it is there that forgiveness of sins is offered in Holy Absolution and the Eucharist.

Jon

 

[Adamski]

I am not sure your observation is accurate. I think there are many Catholics living in severe sin attending Mass and taking the Eucharist. At the same time, Protestants that stay away from Church out of lifestyle guilt. If a Christian is under conviction of sin in his life, there is no better place for him to be than Church. Church should be a hospital for sinners, not a museum for the righteous. I do understand your point about the Eucharist

A catholic attending mass in sin will also be in denial a protestant many times will be aware of it and go o well while a catholic aware of it won’t attend mass

 

[ltwin]

I notice catholics are very aware of thier sin and fall away from attending church but protestants even if they are doing something very public in their sinful life are more Likely to continue attending weekly church services

Well, one of the functions of public preaching of the Word (a highlight of most Protestant services) is to serve as a call to repentance and change of life. Therefore, from a Protestant perspective, anyone whether saint or sinner is most welcome to a church service because at least there they will be confronted with their sin and brought to repentance.

Now, any responsible church would make sure that people living publicly sinful lives would not exercise any kind of leadership role within the congregation (since that would be holding those people up as examples by which Christians should look to). But simply coming to church does no harm and, at least the Protestants in my church circles, would rather you come to church and leave a heathen then never come at all.

 

[JustaServant]

A catholic attending mass in sin will also be in denial a protestant many times will be aware of it and go o well while a catholic aware of it won’t attend mass

What you are talking about is the Sacrament of Confession which Protestants lack. It does constitute a problem, but I don’t think it’s accurate to say the Protestant ‘lives in denial’. Hypocrisy does not discriminate between Catholic and Protestant.