Does anyone have bad stories from their Protestant days?

[damooster]

Here’s mine:

When I was first stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, I didn’t have a car so I walked everywhere. One day I was walking across the street to the enlisted club when an innocent looking guy pulled over and asked me if I wanted to go to church with him. I was agnostic at that time, but he seemed nice enough, so I agreed to go the following Sunday.

When I got to his church, I noticed that everyone was looking at me funny (I later found out it was my gold wrist band and gold chain). The pastor introduced himself to me and everything, and he seemed nice enough, but when the service began, he started yelling “women who wear gold jewelry are prostitutes and men who wear gold jewelry are their pimps.” People started staring at me again, so I took that as my cue to take off the jewelry. I stayed but it was the most uncomfortable hour I’ve ever had.

To make matters worse, the guy that brought me to the church kept coming by my barracks. He would stop by all the time and I would hide from him; he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. The church apparently let soldiers live in the house they had there so that they could escape the evils of the barracks, and they apparently wanted me to stay there too. They wouldn’t take no for an answer. I was getting ready to file charges, but a few weeks later, I found out I was going to deploy to Kuwait for 6 months. I was ecstatic; even though I was going to be living in a tent, in the middle of the desert during the summer, I was so happy to get away from that guy and his church!

 

[kalt]

I have had the same experience with Catholic priest, but as we know it is not the norm or correct according to the Catholic Church but I trust correct in Christ’s eyes.

I have read on this forum recently that my children or Catholic children should not even be welcomed to receive a blessing at Communion if they are not receiving Communion. Lovely… At least so far at my children’s school that are not turned away to receive a blessing at Communion…yet…

Let me find the post…
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=292341

God Bless!

Thanks for supplying the link. Did anyone do research to figure out if the info is legit.

If it is, then everyone who isn’t Catholic will just have to sit politely as they would in any other religion’s ceremony. It’s not your religion anyway, so what do you care?

I think it’s horrible that someone wouldn’t attend a family member’s or friend’s wedding because they can’t handle being a different denomination.

It’s unthinkable that someone wouldn’t go to their funeral Mass. That is really cruel. I wouldn’t count that person a friend, and I would consider any family member who did that a creep of the first order. I’m really shocked that someone would do this. What kind of person???

 

[kalt]

Here’s mine:

When I was first stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, I didn’t have a car so I walked everywhere. One day I was walking across the street to the enlisted club when an innocent looking guy pulled over and asked me if I wanted to go to church with him. I was agnostic at that time, but he seemed nice enough, so I agreed to go the following Sunday.

When I got to his church, I noticed that everyone was looking at me funny (I later found out it was my gold wrist band and gold chain). The pastor introduced himself to me and everything, and he seemed nice enough, but when the service began, he started yelling “women who wear gold jewelry are prostitutes and men who wear gold jewelry are their pimps.” People started staring at me again, so I took that as my cue to take off the jewelry. I stayed but it was the most uncomfortable hour I’ve ever had.

To make matters worse, the guy that brought me to the church kept coming by my barracks. He would stop by all the time and I would hide from him; he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. The church apparently let soldiers live in the house they had there so that they could escape the evils of the barracks, and they apparently wanted me to stay there too. They wouldn’t take no for an answer. I was getting ready to file charges, but a few weeks later, I found out I was going to deploy to Kuwait for 6 months. I was ecstatic; even though I was going to be living in a tent, in the middle of the desert during the summer, I was so happy to get away from that guy and his church!

I wonder if they know that people prefer being deployed to war zones to sitting through their services and dealing with their recruiters.

 

[masuwerte]

Be honest. You’re not “sorry” to hear it.

I know that the EC has kept a lot of Catholic form. We’re not so far removed. However, your Wucharist is not exactly the same thing.

If you believed in the Catholic Eucharist, you would believe that you would first recieve in your First Holy Communion, a sacrament.

I think you want to separate things, believing that it’s the real pressence, but chucking the sacrament of First Holy Communion.

If you believed in that, you wouldn’t feel hurt by not recieving.

The writer, I believe, is UM.

Wucharist? Stay classy, kalt.

Why would you think we don’t look at a person’s first reception of Holy Communion as a sacrament? If you want to know what the Episcopal Church really teaches about Holy Communion, look it up in our catechism.

 

[Stephen_C]

I think you are all forgetting about the Sacrament of Confession here…. And when we should not take Communion. And why we would do more harm to our non-Catholic Christian brothers and sisters if we allowed them to partake….I would much rather have you mad at us/me then placing your soul in peril.

 

[emeraldcoast]

Thanks for supplying the link. Did anyone do research to figure out if the info is legit.

If it is, then everyone who isn’t Catholic will just have to sit politely as they would in any other religion’s ceremony. It’s not your religion anyway, so what do you care?

Actually what that link seemed to prove to many of the Roman Catholics is that not just non-Catholics but also Catholic children are not to be blessed at Communion when they have not received their First Communion. Yes, withhold a blessing from the Catholic children at Communion when they go up with their parents not just the non-Catholic children. Don’t offer a blessing to the babies in the Catholic Mom’s and Dad’s arms.

God Bless!

 

[Tezza]

I remember attending a Lutheran service with my then boyfriend. I was a cradle Catholic but poorly catechized (as are most 30 somethings today). The service was very similar to a Catholic liturgy (they even kneeled and some used the sign of the cross) and when it came time to go forward to receive communion I hesitated. I remember very well my first Holy Communion, the time spent learning about the Eucharist and practicing going forward to receive, our first Confession prior to the big day, my beautiful white dress my grandmother made and my veil, the excitement and pagentry of the day. I had no idea what the Lutherans went through to receive communion, if there was special instruction, what they believed. Out of respect for their church, I did not receive. This was before I had any idea what the Catholic teaching was on reception of communion in other faith communities. My boyfriend was, amazingly, offended that I didn’t receive. He couldn’t understand why a Christian wouldn’t want to participate. We didn’t last too long.

Could not one just have respect for the beliefs of the Catholic Church and it’s members, and the process we go through to receive the Eucharist versus just walking in off the street (or being invited, or there for a wedding or funeral) and participating?

 

[holyrosary11]

I Hope to hear some stories

God Bless

EC

I don’t know if this counts (?), but a friend told me he overheard some men talking. One said to the other that he was cheating on his wife but it was OK because he “once saved always saved” & Jesus understood…:hypno:

 

[emeraldcoast]

I remember attending a Lutheran service with my then boyfriend. I was a cradle Catholic but poorly catechized (as are most 30 somethings today). The service was very similar to a Catholic liturgy (they even kneeled and some used the sign of the cross) and when it came time to go forward to receive communion I hesitated. I remember very well my first Holy Communion, the time spent learning about the Eucharist and practicing going forward to receive, our first Confession prior to the big day, my beautiful white dress my grandmother made and my veil, the excitement and pagentry of the day. I had no idea what the Lutherans went through to receive communion, if there was special instruction, what they believed. Out of respect for their church, I did not receive. This was before I had any idea what the Catholic teaching was on reception of communion in other faith communities. My boyfriend was, amazingly, offended that I didn’t receive. He couldn’t understand why a Christian wouldn’t want to participate. We didn’t last too long.

Could not one just have respect for the beliefs of the Catholic Church and it’s members, and the process we go through to receive the Eucharist versus just walking in off the street (or being invited, or there for a wedding or funeral) and participating?

Do you believe that it is the Lord’s invitation or the Roman Catholic Church invitation to partake in the Lord’s Supper for Baptised Christians? Whose invitation is it?

God Bless!

 

[O.S.Luke]

While I feel bad for anyone who feels excluded from anything (Everyone has felt excluded from something, so we can all sympathize.), I’ve never understood why someone would feel excluded from participating in something they don’t believe in.

If I went to a wedding of a different religion and I couldn’t participate in some part of it because I’m not a believer, why in the world would I feel hurt by that?

At the UM church near me, they don’t believe in the real presence, and they have a communion with bread (regular bread with yeast) once a month. They call it Communion Sunday, I think. With the bread they serve grape juice.

This is nothing like Catholic Sacramental Communion.

I can only speak for the OFFICIAL understanding of the Eucharist in the United Methodist Church, which DOES believe in the Real Presence, and the Eucharist is a sacrament.

So why do you feel excluded when you aren’t allowed to participate in something that you don’t believe in? If you believed in it, you would accept the rules and have no problem with it.

How could you be hurt that you’re not allowed to recieve something you don’t even believe in? You’re feeling hurt that you can’t recieve the body and blood of Christ, but you don’t believe that that’s what it is.

I do believe in the Real Presence of Christ. So does my denomination. You question my pain? How arrogant.

You can participate by walking to the altar and getting a blessing from the priest. All you have to do is walk up, and when you get to the priest, you cross your arms on your chest. (Place each hand on the opposite shoulder.)

I am told that this is an illicit practice in Catholicism.

Don’t you think that is the purpose of going to someone’s wedding? To support the couple and to be part of the group? Is it really the time to protest Catholicism by sitting in your seat stewing, or worse, to walk out in a huff or wounded, when you could simply walk up with everyone else, Catholic and non-Catholic and recieve a blessing?

A wedding is a worship service where the sacrament of matrimony takes place. I don’t sit stewing. But it is painful to “half participate” in a Mass where Christ is present and I am not allowed to partake. So I choose not to come and participate, and will pray for the couple during the daily offices of that day. If a nuptial mass is not celebrated, I will certainly be there.

 

[Tezza]

Do you believe that it is the Lord’s invitation or the Roman Catholic Church invitation to partake in the Lord’s Supper for Baptised Christians? Whose invitation is it?

God Bless!

I believe he wants one faith, one Lord, one baptism. We are splintered, unfortunately. My prayer is we may someday all be one communion and receive Communion together.

I take from your resonse that you would find you are filled by the Lord’s invitation to receive in your faith community? Do you find anything lacking?

Thank you. God bless you as well!

 

[O.S.Luke]

Kalt:

A non-Catholic receiving a blessing at the Eucharist in a Catholic mass IS illicit, according to this thread.

O+

 

[emeraldcoast]

I believe he wants one faith, one Lord, one baptism. We are splintered, unfortunately. My prayer is we may someday all be one communion and receive Communion together.

I take from your resonse that you would find you are filled by the Lord’s invitation to receive in your faith community? Do you find anything lacking?

Thank you. God bless you as well!

Hi Tezza,

I don’t find anything lacking from the Lord’s Supper in my Church, or when I have attended the ELCA or Methodist Churches and have received Communion. The Lord is present how could anything be lacking?

God Bless!

 

[Peter_J]

Hi SpiritMeadow. I don’t really want to get into an argument about whether you “put words in my mouth” or not, so I’ll stick to facts we can agree upon.

You said:

At the risk of sounding like a broken record—does that make it right?

You seem to have missed an important lesson of youth. Two wrongs don’t make a right. You continually excuse poor behavior by claiming that the other side is doing the same. I don’t really see that as an excuse.

I took offense at this because I did not “excuse poor behavior”. Have you an apology to offer?

As a matter of fact (sorry in advance for getting off topic), one of my pet peeves (if it’s possible to have more than one pet peeve) is Catholic posters who can’t or won’t see that CAF has the same kinds of problems (in reverse, of course) that the typical Protestant forum does.

(To be fair, though, I would imagine that on any given Protestant forum there are lots of Protestants who can’t see that that forum has the same kinds of problems that CAF has. )

 

[Stephen_C]

Ok, one more time…and this will be my last post on this forum…
Holy Communion is the third Sacrament we as Catholic’s receive. The first sacrament is Baptism. The second Sacrament is Confession. The third is Holy Communion. So basically from a Catholic perspective, you need to be Baptized, and free from mortal sin to receive our Lord Jesus. ……If you see this as a act of exclusion, I am sorry. But I see it as a act of Love. As I do not want to place your soul in peril. Why can you not see that?

 

[Tezza]

Hi Tezza,

I don’t find anything lacking from the Lord’s Supper in my Church, or when I have attended the ELCA or Methodist Churches and have received Communion. The Lord is present how could anything be lacking?

God Bless!

Hi again.

I know some who convert to Catholicism because the bread and wine weren’t believed to be anything more then a symbol in their church, or because it was only considered the body and blood based on the faith of the believers, or it was only the body and blood during the service and thus could be discarded afterward in a trash can. I know some who convert because the Catholic Church holds the belief it becomes and remains the body and blood through the act of consecration, thus it is protected in a tabernacle or exposed so believers may sit and pray with the same Jesus who walked the earth 2000 years ago.

I know many who visit the Catholic Church who don’t realize this is what we believe, and that we take St. Paul’s words seriously not to receive the body and blood of our Lord unworthily, thus jeopardizing our very souls. Though, I would admit, many Catholics don’t take this teaching to heart. We will be judged accordingly (God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner). The Church does not wish anyone to receive without instruction as in the early Church, i.e. the didache. Is this what Jesus wants? I believe so, because I believe he left us a Church to guide us. I also believe He all wants us to be one as he and the Father are one.

I know many who are very content in their faith communities whether the Lord’s Supper is a couple of times a year, once a month, or every week. Do they feel they are lacking by not receiving Communion while visiting a Catholic Mass? Some yes, some no.

I guess that’s where I was going with that

Peace in Christ,
Tez

 

[emeraldcoast]

Ok, one more time…and this will be my last post on this forum…
Holy Communion is the third Sacrament we as Catholic’s receive. The first sacrament is Baptism. The second Sacrament is Confession. The third is Holy Communion. So basically from a Catholic perspective, you need to be Baptized, and free from mortal sin to receive our Lord Jesus. ……If you see this as a act of exclusion, I am sorry. But I see it as a act of Love. As I do not want to place your soul in peril. Why can you not see that?

Hi Stephen,

The Roman Catholic Church would NEVER rebaptise my Children but they recognise my children’s baptism. We have the real presense of our Lord at our Eucharist. We also have Confession. Here is a great link to Reconciliation of a Penitent (Confession) in the Episcopal Church.
youtube.com/watch?v=pbWH1yILLII

An act of Love, to deny a Christian to the Lord’s Supper? Good luck with that one!

God Bless!

 

[Christine2009]

Most Catholic weddings and funerals around here are masses - which I certainly don’t begrudge Catholics. But it is simply too painful to be baptized and attend the celebration of a couple or the celebration of a loved one’s wife and not be able to participate in the sustaining sacrament of the Eucharist. When my father-in-law died, I had to escort my daughter out of the church when she found out she could not commune at her grandfather’s funeral (she had never been in a Catholic Church and did not know about the Catholics-only understanding of Eucharist).

I’m not asking Catholicism to change. I just can’t handle the pain of that.

This is news to me. I attended my first Catholic funeral service and took communion.

No one was asked if they were or were not Catholic. Just line up and take communion.

 

[Peter_J]

Ok, one more time…and this will be my last post on this forum…
Holy Communion is the third Sacrament we as Catholic’s receive.

Right. The practice of receiving Communion before Confirmation is a 20th century innovation. The traditional order of the Sacraments has always been Baptism - Confirmation - Eucharist. (If you managed to get to an Easter Vigil Mass, you most likely witnessed some catachumens receiving these three Sacraments, in the order I just mentioned.)

 

[Christine2009]

I don’t know if this counts (?), but a friend told me he overheard some men talking. One said to the other that he was cheating on his wife but it was OK because he “once saved always saved” & Jesus understood…:hypno:

Sounds like something that might have happened between some priests.
Maybe not “saved always saved” but perhaps,“Mother Mary will save my soul”.