FRUSTRATION with Protestantism

[123me]

In response to ‘it’s not in the bible’ from non Catholics you could just state the facts without being confrontational.

That’s what I am doing as my coworker keeps saying this so I’ve written this on my facebook wall and referred her to it so she can have a look in her own time.

We are not a sola scripta faith, so if you think some of our teachings are not in your bible it either means 1 of 3 things:

1 you are interpreting the common scripture differently

or 2 it is a church teaching which can be found in the Catechism (Catholics believe Jesus gives the power to teach based on the apostolic authority and succession),

or 3 it may be in what you call apocryphal books of the OT (Catholics naturally don’t consider them apocryphal, these books were never excluded from the main OT section of the catholic bible

And I agree with last poster about facebook it can become a bit of an obsession, I am using it for posting Catholic stuff mainly but always trying to punctuate the feed with everyday life, cannot think of anything worth talking about much other than using it for Catholic evangelisation.

 

[OraLabora]

Personally, I cancelled Facebook a while back. It has some fun elements to it but I found it to be a breeding ground for trouble . Trouble in marriages, trouble in friendships etc. The level at which some people are consumed with FB is staggering. Yes, go read a Catholic bible, and if your looking to make it more interesting, read an electronic one with commentaries.

I signed on to Facebook mainly to keep an eye on my kids (teens at the time). Otherwise I’ve got no use for it, though I still have a profile. I haven’t looked at FB in months. My kids are young adults now so I feel less compelled to supervise their use of social media.

 

[SeekerWillie]

I read your whole post, but wanted to comment on this.

I’ve had people make comments that in Catholicism, people can’t pray directly to God. We have to do so through a priest. Where the ---- does this come from? The first time a friend asked me that I said I’d never heard that before.

Or Catholics want homosexual people to be priests so they can molest children (while the first could’ve been curiosity, the second was surely an attack). People so tolerant they can’t respect my beliefs.

Or other similar nonsense. I mean… where does this **** come from?

Oh, goodness. These are certainly less…charitable…than what I heard growing up. The things I heard were along the line of “Catholics aren’t really ‘Christian,’ because they aren’t saved,” “Catholics worship Mary and the saints,” “Why should I confess to a priest? I can just go straight to God,” “Catholics don’t read the Bible”…that sort of thing.

I’m so sorry you’ve heard such hurtful lies about the Church. Ignorance can be so cruel…

 

[cheezey]

Shut off the radio. …

:clapping::clapping::clapping: ]

Frustration and anger are a result of unrealistic expectations not being met. It is unrealistic to believe that worldwide Protestantism is going to change or that you can do anything about it. **Focus on what God has placed you in charge of and nothing else. **

Be an example by way of demonstration

---

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen. ***

-Tim-

**** Yes, the constant erroneous attacks on the Catholic Church are annoying. A ton of recycled nonsense gets spewed out by Evangelicals. As a Protestant I believed the crafty reconstructions of Protestant thought. I had to be “reprogrammed” from the bible only philosophy. Missing books of the bible is another one.

Not all are erroneous regarding the Catholic faith, just to say…

I get frustrated with Protestantism too, they want to speak but just won’t listen.

Some do. Listen, that is.

In response to ‘it’s not in the bible’ from non Catholics you could just state the facts without being confrontational.
…

We are not a sola scripta faith…

and that’s a good thing!

Oh, goodness. These are certainly less…charitable…than what I heard growing up. The things I heard were along the line of “Catholics aren’t really ‘Christian,’ because they aren’t saved,” “Catholics worship Mary and the saints,” “Why should I confess to a priest? I can just go straight to God,” “Catholics don’t read the Bible”…that sort of thing.

I’m so sorry you’ve heard such hurtful lies about the Church. Ignorance can be so cruel…

Sadly, true.

It is my firm opinion that no one should speak authoratatively about another’s faith if they have received little to no instruction on the subject. I cannot count the number of times I have heard misunderstandings about the Catholic Church and many mainline Protestant Churches. I have corrected the obvious ones, but I have always prefaced it with “I could be wrong, but…”. (Even though I know some misunderstandings are just so blatantly wrong. Catholics do NOT worship Mary!!!)

Oh, bother…I hope this makes sense. <cough cough, sniff>

Disclaimer: forgive typoos. I am still not seeing well after a wicked, wicked cold.

 

[otjm]

I’m a Catholic revert. For at least 15 years I was into Fundamentalism and dabbled with many Protestant denominations. I’m a practicing Catholic (again) for a few years now.

I’m not sure that I would call it anger, but I have developed some degree of resentment towards Protestantism that I need to work through. Frustration is another emotion. Whether you are a cradle Catholic or a revert, do you have any of the same feelings?

The “its not in the bible” mantra from Protestants is tiresome as well. Sometimes I can’t get a good Catholic AM/FM radio station and I end up listening to my old Protestant radio station as a supplement and that fuels my discontent. Any understanding on that too?

First, welcome back!

Not trying to analyze you, but it is not at all uncommon that we have a far harder time forgiving ourselves than God does of forgiving us. I am reminded of the visual in the Old Testament where God says “I will cast your sins behind my back”.

It seems a bit trite to say it, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. God forgave you; face today with that clean slate.

As others have said, if there is something that drags it all back - a preacher on the radio, a certain activity - change; do something else.

In order for our psychological and spiritual health, we need to accept the forgiveness we have received. And that can be hard - who is harder on us than we ourselves? You have asked for forgiveness and have received it, now pray for the ability to accept that forgiveness, to also cast that all behind your back, and to move forward in Christ.

 

[JonNC]

I’m a Catholic revert. For at least 15 years I was into Fundamentalism and dabbled with many Protestant denominations. I’m a practicing Catholic (again) for a few years now.

I’m not sure that I would call it anger, but I have developed some degree of resentment towards Protestantism that I need to work through. Frustration is another emotion. Whether you are a cradle Catholic or a revert, do you have any of the same feelings?

The “its not in the bible” mantra from Protestants is tiresome as well. Sometimes I can’t get a good Catholic AM/FM radio station and I end up listening to my old Protestant radio station as a supplement and that fuels my discontent. Any understanding on that too?

Jubilarian,
It is my sincere prayer that you find peace, and release from your frustration and anger.
Catholics here have told me they seek that peace often during Eucharistic Adoration. While I as a Lutheran do not practice Eucharistic Adoration other than during worship, that weekly Adoration often brings me peace, so I am certain it has the same effect at other times.

I’d further recommend seeking out other media services, such as EWTN on TV and on Sirius Radio, as well as The Catholic Channel on XM.

Jon

 

[Randy_Carson]

For example, one Ash Wednesday I was in a deli and a woman said to me as she saw the ashes on my head, “oh I remember that”. I smiled and said something like ,“well, we will all return to dust”.

She said: “It’s not in the bible.”

Jubliarian: “Neither is the word ‘trinity’. God bless your day, ma’am.”

 

[Randy_Carson]

Personally, I cancelled Facebook a while back. It has some fun elements to it but I found it to be a breeding ground for trouble . Trouble in marriages, trouble in friendships etc. The level at which some people are consumed with FB is staggering. Yes, go read a Catholic bible, and if your looking to make it more interesting, read an electronic one with commentaries.

:clapping:

So did I.

 

[chero23]

I get frustrated with Protestantism too, they want to speak but just won’t listen.

lol, that’s not a clown haha laugh but more of a frustration laugh. But yes they can be very stubborn.

 

[Adamski]

I have had the same problem as the OP it is very difficult I think because basically I realize I had been lied to my entire life on what the Catholic Church believes originally from my liberal parents who sad “Vatican 2 says” you don’t need to go to mass or
Confession “Vatican 2 says” you just need to be a good person

Then 7 years being told what the catholic church believes from my evangelical pastor

Basically I was lied to about religion until in 2009 I said to myself
I wonder what the catholic answer is for that and I typed in Google “catholic answer Eucharist”

 

[JustaServant]

I’m a Catholic revert. For at least 15 years I was into Fundamentalism and dabbled with many Protestant denominations. I’m a practicing Catholic (again) for a few years now.

I’m not sure that I would call it anger, but I have developed some degree of resentment towards Protestantism that I need to work through. Frustration is another emotion. Whether you are a cradle Catholic or a revert, do you have any of the same feelings?

The “its not in the bible” mantra from Protestants is tiresome as well. Sometimes I can’t get a good Catholic AM/FM radio station and I end up listening to my old Protestant radio station as a supplement and that fuels my discontent. Any understanding on that too?

I am a revert as well. I spent twenty years away from the Church, and at one point stood in a pulpit as a Baptist pastor. I can empathize VERY MUCH with your emotions.
What advice can I give? Well, you mention fundamentalism, but you don’t specify the type, there are many. One thing you need to be careful of is not to transfer how you thought as a fundamentalist into the Catholic Church. What I mean is that sense of negativity the pervades fundamentalism simply does not fit with Catholicism. You need to make a conscience effort to avoid that.
Second, time will dissipate many of these feelings. Take your time to just sit in the pew at Mass and get used to just being Catholic. Don’t try to be super-Catholic, just humble yourself and work on your journey. As you grow that frustration will disappear.
Thirdly, get to know Protestants that are not anti-Catholic, Lutherans, Episcopals, Methodist, ect.
It’s been almost eight years for me back in the Church, and that frustration is gone. I’ve even added several people I used to know from our old church on my Facebook page. I’ve learned to live and let live. I’ve learned to accept people where they are. Oh, I can debate them into the ground, but I do it only rarely now.
Look at my posts when I first joined CAF and my posts now. The anger and frustration will go away, I know it did for me.

 

[tigerprowl]

I’m not sure that I would call it anger, but I have developed some degree of resentment towards Protestantism that I need to work through. Frustration is another emotion. Whether you are a cradle Catholic or a revert, do you have any of the same feelings?

The “its not in the bible” mantra from Protestants is tiresome as well. Sometimes I can’t get a good Catholic AM/FM radio station and I end up listening to my old Protestant radio station as a supplement and that fuels my discontent. Any understanding on that too?

Interesting topic. I was born and raised Catholic, and drifted away for awhile, before committing to returning devoutly.

I went to a Catholic high school, and my first run-in with anti-Catholicism is when I was dating this girl who invited me to her Baptist church one Wednesday evening. I will not go into details, but after that evening, I was fully aware that a LOT of scorn exists towards the Catholic faith. Truth be told, after sitting through almost three hours of sermon, and ANOTHER 90 minutes by four or five parishioners, I “pretended” to “get saved” just to get out of there, since they wouldn’t let me leave until I “converted”. I remember going to confession that week. I remember scheduling time with one of our Sisters at high school to confess what had happened.

Then off to college - Clemson University, which thankfully had a Catholic church, but I was in the extreme minority. I remember many anti-Catholic comments made towards me, mostly from Southern Baptists. Aside from that, though, most other Protestants (Anglicans, Presbyterians) were very friendly and made no issue of it.

It’s interesting how certain Christian religions stand on extremely shaky ground, so they can only resort to knocking down other Christians. Truly sad.

 

[Jubilarian]

I get what you are saying. I’m sure Protestants would say Catholics are rationalizing their doctrines but I just can’t understand how Protestants can’t see how they removed certain books of the bible for example. Complete rationalization when questioned on it. How do they swear by a book that Catholics compiled. Was the Holy Spirit wrong? Anyway, thanks.

 

[Tommy999]

I get what you are saying. I’m sure Protestants would say Catholics are rationalizing their doctrines but I just can’t understand how Protestants can’t see how they removed certain books of the bible for example. Complete rationalization when questioned on it. How do they swear by a book that Catholics compiled. Was the Holy Spirit wrong? Anyway, thanks.

I am a protestant inquirer and have met many nice Catholics, Lutherans, and other Christians on this site. I thank CAF for that. I have learned a lot about Catholicism here.

I can understand the frustration some Catholics feel regarding some of the misconceptions about Catholicism that exist among protestant Christians. I share some of those concerns, and possibly a few of those same misconceptions. On CAF, I have had many of those misconceptions corrected by charitable and patient Catholics who I admire for their faith and helpfulness.

Keep in mind that the Protestant Reformation took place in the 1500’s and there have been multiple generations of protestant families who were raised that way for the past 500 years, including mine. Therefore, it’s more of an issue of believing what you are raised in to a certain degree, I think.

I’ve been reading the CCC a little and I like what it is says in paragraph 818:

“818 “However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers… All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church.”272 (1271)”

I would wager that most modern-day protestants don’t know much about Catholicism and most aren’t exposed much to it. Like Catholics, they are too busy living their lives to the best of their ability and asking for God’s help and direction in dealing with life’s problems and challenges.

In my local church, Catholicism has not been spoken of ever that I recall. The emphasis is on growing in your walk with Christ and having Him guide your actions and life, and to pray for all Christians everywhere, including Catholics.

By the way, frustration is a two-way street. While I have met a lot of very nice and charitable Catholics on CAF, not all have been so.

Comments like (paraphrased) “Protestantism is like living in tents on the outer grounds of the heavenly mansion whereas Catholics reside in rooms inside the mansion” and other condescending statements like "The only way a protestant can be saved is through “Invincible Ignorance” and similar quips.

Since I am confident in my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I try to dismiss these statements and continue to “…press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”. – Phil 3:14.

On a lighter note, I remember a Catholic who came to work one Ash Wednesday with ash marks on his forehead. I understood this meant he had gone to mass that day and it was placed there by a Catholic priest. However, I overheard a fellow protestant who was not familiar with the practice say to him, “Hey, you have some dirt on your forehead” and pointed to it. “You might want to go to the restroom and clean it off”. He genuinely thought he was doing the Catholic a favor. I got a chuckle out of that but respected and admired the Catholic’s response, which was to gently explain he had gone to Ash Wednesday Mass and that it was placed there by a priest and that he knew it was there and that he would clean it off at the appropriate time.

My fellow protestant was a little embarrassed and said, “Ok. Cool. My bad”. There was no intended malice, just an unintended collision of cultures.

God bless you, Jubilarian. By the way, I would agree it is better to turn off the radio if it annoys you, or turn on a CD. I listen to protestant radio stations sometimes when I want to hear uplifting praise songs. I also listen to the Catholic radio station to and from work sometimes (Sonrise Morning Show and Catholics Answers Live are my two favorites).

 

[Contarini]

I’m a Catholic revert. For at least 15 years I was into Fundamentalism and dabbled with many Protestant denominations. I’m a practicing Catholic (again) for a few years now.

I’m not sure that I would call it anger, but I have developed some degree of resentment towards Protestantism that I need to work through. Frustration is another emotion. Whether you are a cradle Catholic or a revert, do you have any of the same feelings?

The “its not in the bible” mantra from Protestants is tiresome as well. Sometimes I can’t get a good Catholic AM/FM radio station and I end up listening to my old Protestant radio station as a supplement and that fuels my discontent. Any understanding on that too?

Fundamentalism dominates Protestant radio, and often dominates the public perception of Protestantism in the U.S. generally. So don’t judge all Protestants by the ones you hear n the radio.

Frankly, I generally don’t find that Catholic radio represents the richness of Catholicism very well either, although there is a good talk show in my area hosted by a convert named Mike Allen, and the quality of Catholic radio as a whole is generally higher than that of evangelical Protestant radio. Most Protestant radio preachers are only of comic value (which is probably a bad reason to listen to anyone who intends to be serious).

So be frustrated, but don’t dwell on it and don’t over-generalize about Protestants.

 

[Jubilarian]

Fundamentalism dominates Protestant radio, and often dominates the public perception of Protestantism in the U.S. generally. So don’t judge all Protestants by the ones you hear n the radio.

Frankly, I generally don’t find that Catholic radio represents the richness of Catholicism very well either, although there is a good talk show in my area hosted by a convert named Mike Allen, and the quality of Catholic radio as a whole is generally higher than that of evangelical Protestant radio. Most Protestant radio preachers are only of comic value (which is probably a bad reason to listen to anyone who intends to be serious).

So be frustrated, but don’t dwell on it and don’t over-generalize about Protestants.

I think your wrong. That which is heard on Protestant radio often accurately represents Protestantism . Perceptions are not altered. Here in NY , many denominations are represented on the radio and are far from being “comic”. If anything , TV evangelists lean more towards being unintentionally comedic.

When you come out of 15 years of incorrect doctrine , a certain amount of pondering is normal. To "dwell on it " is a bit strong. I think Protestantism sells itself quite well so there is no need for me to “over- generalize”.

 

[Contarini]

I think your wrong. That which is heard on Protestant radio often accurately represents Protestantism . Perceptions are not altered. Here in NY , many denominations are represented on the radio and are far from being “comic”.

OK, so you’ve heard all of the following:

Episcopalians
Confessional Lutherans
Mainline Lutherans
United Methodists
Mainline Presbyterians
Confessional Presbyterians
Anabaptists. . . .

Perhaps you are luckier in NY than in the areas where I’ve mostly lived, but even when I lived in NJ I don’t remember hearing much theological diversity on “Christian radio.” The choices, if I remember rightly, were between Harold Camping’s heretical network and a pretty generic praise-and-worship channel run, ironically, by a conservative Holiness group called the “Pillar of Fire” which had once had a close relationship to the denomination my family started a hundred years ago. . . .

I’m sorry, but I am not convinced that you have any idea what mainstream, historic Protestant theology looks like, much less the more interesting, creative, profound work being done by modern Protestant theologians. Do you ever hear a Barthian perspective on “Christian radio”? Do you hear the ideas of Miroslav Volf or N. T. Wright? Robert Jenson? Shucks, my friend Beth Felker Jones, who is a very clear, accessible writer and one of the finest youngish theologians I know (sure, I’m biased), doesn’t have her own radio show. Until that happens, or someone of similar caliber shows up on evangelical radio, I’m not convinced that you can get anything like a decent impression of Protestantism from the radio.

Edwin

 

[Jubilarian]

OK, so you’ve heard all of the following:

Episcopalians
Confessional Lutherans
Mainline Lutherans
United Methodists
Mainline Presbyterians
Confessional Presbyterians
Anabaptists. . . .

Perhaps you are luckier in NY than in the areas where I’ve mostly lived, but even when I lived in NJ I don’t remember hearing much theological diversity on “Christian radio.” The choices, if I remember rightly, were between Harold Camping’s heretical network and a pretty generic praise-and-worship channel run, ironically, by a conservative Holiness group called the “Pillar of Fire” which had once had a close relationship to the denomination my family started a hundred years ago. . . .

I’m sorry, but I am not convinced that you have any idea what mainstream, historic Protestant theology looks like, much less the more interesting, creative, profound work being done by modern Protestant theologians. Do you ever hear a Barthian perspective on “Christian radio”? Do you hear the ideas of Miroslav Volf or N. T. Wright? Robert Jenson? Shucks, my friend Beth Felker Jones, who is a very clear, accessible writer and one of the finest youngish theologians I know (sure, I’m biased), doesn’t have her own radio show. Until that happens, or someone of similar caliber shows up on evangelical radio, I’m not convinced that you can get anything like a decent impression of Protestantism from the radio.

Edwin

Do you think I was a Protestant based on listening to the radio alone? I came out of “mainstream historic Protestant theology” big-time. I was immersed in several denominations and practiced the tenants of their theology. Radio was a supplement to my Protestant faith.

I’m not surprised that you used an extreme example like Harold Camping to make your point. Here in NY, Camping was rejected by the serious minded Protestants that run WMCA radio. Are Chuck Colson, Raoel Reese, James Dobson, Chuck Swindoll, John McArthur poor representatives of Protestant theology?

Is it your contention that I need to listen to the names you cited to get the clear the truth of Protestant theology? “Your not convinced”. What a foolish assumption to make about an individual that you have no real knowledge of. I will tell you what I’m convinced of, and that is that you are arrogant enough to dismiss my frustration about Protestant theology believing that you have some special revelation. Coming back to the CC was a miracle for this former hard core Protestant.

 

[JonNC]

I’m not surprised that you used an extreme example like Harold Camping to make your point. Here in NY, Camping was rejected by the serious minded Protestants that run WMCA radio. Are Chuck Colson, Raoel Reese, James Dobson, Chuck Swindoll, John McArthur poor representatives of Protestant theology?

From a Lutheran perspective, yes, they are, except for Reese, whom I’ve never heard of, so I don’t know.

Jon

 

[Jubilarian]

From a Lutheran perspective, yes, they are, except for Reese, whom I’ve never heard of, so I don’t know.

Jon

And you would not be speaking for all Lutherans, correct? I can assure you many Lutherans have gained insight from scripture and learned Protestant history from the preachers I mentioned. You offer an opinion.