FRUSTRATION with Protestantism

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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.
No, but I think I speak fairly well from a Lutheran POV. It is more than my opinion that the people you mentioned, while they may offer some generally agreeable insight, are not particularly in line with Lutheran doctrine, and are therefore, objectively, poor representatives of confessional Lutheranism.

Jon
 
it is easy to get frustrated with Protestants-if your personality and psyche is better served by straightforward unchanging answers within an organized structure one should find great
comort in the Roman Catholic Church-the fact that it has not changed its core dogma I believe is one of its strengths-Also most Priests are far better educated than most Protestant “Preachers” -

My Church does have a strong intellectual tradition & I rarely hear of Anglicans pounding away at sola scriptura-our Priests are well educated and yet my Lord do we have controversy::::::
 
No, but I think I speak fairly well from a Lutheran POV. It is more than my opinion that the people you mentioned, while they may offer some generally agreeable insight, are not particularly in line with Lutheran doctrine, and are therefore, objectively, poor representatives of confessional Lutheranism.

Jon
You missed my point by focusing on Lutherans alone. The bigger picture is that depending on the preacher one listens to, Protestant history and theology is conveyed on radio, often moreso than sensationistic televangelists .

Again, is not all about Lutherans.
 
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?
Are you angry at the different things you previously believed? Are you angry at some of the negative effects various teaching had on your life? I know what helped me in overcoming any negative feelings from the past is studying what was wrong with various teachings I was under and how they don’t line up with Catholic teaching. I dabbled in WoF type stuff. I found a number of books that talk about what is wrong with that teaching. this is true of sheparding movement, Bill Gothard and his seminars, dispensationalism and the rapture etc. Another thought for you is to learn to forgive yourself. Sometimes one of the hardest persons to forgive is oneself. Forgive yourself in that we believed and followed a number of these things. Forgive those that taught them or even have given you negativity in returning to the Catholic church. I guess I’m at a loss at the source of anger for you and maybe trying to narrow it down will help you overcome.
 
Are you angry at the different things you previously believed? Are you angry at some of the negative effects various teaching had on your life? I know what helped me in overcoming any negative feelings from the past is studying what was wrong with various teachings I was under and how they don’t line up with Catholic teaching. I dabbled in WoF type stuff. I found a number of books that talk about what is wrong with that teaching. this is true of sheparding movement, Bill Gothard and his seminars, dispensationalism and the rapture etc. Another thought for you is to learn to forgive yourself. Sometimes one of the hardest persons to forgive is oneself. Forgive yourself in that we believed and followed a number of these things. Forgive those that taught them or even have given you negativity in returning to the Catholic church. I guess I’m at a loss at the source of anger for you and maybe trying to narrow it down will help you overcome.
I can tell you that I am disturbed and somewhat angry at the distortions of Catholic teachings by some Protestants. Many times the CC is painted as evil . Yes, I feel misled. You are right, learning about teachings and studying through them is helpful.
 
I can tell you that I am disturbed and somewhat angry at the distortions of Catholic teachings by some Protestants. Many times the CC is painted as evil . Yes, I feel misled. You are right, learning about teachings and studying through them is helpful.
I understand and yes it becomes annoying and if all you have is Protestant stations, then the better thing would be to turn it off or listen to other things. I know some Catholic radio stations do broadcaste over the internet and maybe you could to to their web sites and listen live through the web site. Ave Maria radio in Detroit does that and I think you can get some of Catholic Answers this way. I am an adult convert myself. I understand your frustration. I know it has helped me to study what is off or wrong with some teaching especally if your were involved in different para-church influenced Churches (most of them independent).
 
I know what you mean OP. I spent some time in a protestant sect and when I came to the realization that I couldn’t be a protestant any longer, I arranged for a face-to-face conversation with the pastor to tell him I was grateful for the support he had shown me, but I had to leave attending this church. I didn’t want to just fire off an email. After this every supposed “friend” I had made there never talked to me again. So already I have bad personal experiences with protestantism that color my reaction to it.

Also the reading I’ve done into the effects of protestantism on history and protestant theology makes me very sad and angry when protestantism crops up in the catholic church.
 
I understand and yes it becomes annoying and if all you have is Protestant stations, then the better thing would be to turn it off or listen to other things. I know some Catholic radio stations do broadcaste over the internet and maybe you could to to their web sites and listen live through the web site. Ave Maria radio in Detroit does that and I think you can get some of Catholic Answers this way. I am an adult convert myself. I understand your frustration. I know it has helped me to study what is off or wrong with some teaching especally if your were involved in different para-church influenced Churches (most of them independent).
Thanks for the understanding, it goes a long way with issues such as this. I can’t get CC radio at home, but I listen to Catholic Answers on my Kindle through Y tube.
 
I know what you mean OP. I spent some time in a protestant sect and when I came to the realization that I couldn’t be a protestant any longer, I arranged for a face-to-face conversation with the pastor to tell him I was grateful for the support he had shown me, but I had to leave attending this church. I didn’t want to just fire off an email. After this every supposed “friend” I had made there never talked to me again. So already I have bad personal experiences with protestantism that color my reaction to it.

Also the reading I’ve done into the effects of protestantism on history and protestant theology makes me very sad and angry when protestantism crops up in the catholic church.
Again, your understanding means a lot because a subject like this can be either hard to articulate or no individuals want to talk about it.

It really is unfortunate about losing the friends in your former church. Personally I think it stems from Protestants being indoctrinated about the “evils” of the CC. In addition, I actually had a “forum elder” on this site tell me that after 15+ years as Fundamentalist, I really had no understanding of historic Protestant theology because I often listened to Protestant radio. I guess he thought that was all I did. 🤷
 
Finding a protestant you like might help you get rid of that frustration.Though I think it is justified to get a little annoyed with the “If its not in my bible I don’t believe it” crowd.
 
Shut off the radio.

Silence is the door-keeper of the interior life.
  • St. Josemaria Escriva
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.

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-
Thank you Tim for saying this. I have struggled with this too and what you wrote finally makes sense. For a long time it had frustrated me that there was nothing I could do to change Protestantism. This certainly helps to bring me back to reality.
 
TimothyH;12553782:
Shut off the radio.

***I agree with Timothy.

I actually have discovered the more I listen to “protestant” radio, the more Catholic I become. I just want to share my head. Turning off the radio works for me. I just simply fill my phone with Podcasts that are spiritually and morally beneficial (The Journey Home, Catholic Answers, some Al Kresta and a fleet of other great speakers) and I’m never tempted to listen to it. It unnerves me to hear so much anti-Catholic stuff.

I will listen once in a while however to find out what they are up to… I feel like a “papist spy” though.

Very, very true. Good words my friend.
 
Shut off the radio.

Silence is the door-keeper of the interior life.
  • St. Josemaria Escriva
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.

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-
True words to be heeded. My problem is not always knowing how to surrender to his will.
 
Thank you Della. What a great response and I can take all your words to heart. They make sense. Extremely helpful. It is tough sometimes when a Protestant tosses their sola scriptura quips at you. I need to work on some rather quick Catholic apologetics answers because sometimes these “debates” are in passing, someone you bump into at a store.

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 (the anointing of ashes I suppose). I had no great response and wished her a nice day.
If you look at the bottom of my post, I have a book which I made, it has a lot of apologetic information. Their is a section near the back in regards to ashes.

Check it out.
 
I get frustrated with Protestantism too, they want to speak but just won’t listen.
Being there, they feel that whatever they say is true, and when you have a legit counter argument they look at you as though your the antichrist.
 
Being there, they feel that whatever they say is true, and when you have a legit counter argument they look at you as though your the antichrist.
Or like deer in the headlights. Catholic beliefs/practices can be so foreign to some Protestants that they simply have no context in which to place them except “non-Christian”–merely because Catholicism is so far outside their faith experience, or at least they think so.
 
Or like deer in the headlights. Catholic beliefs/practices can be so foreign to some Protestants that they simply have no context in which to place them except “non-Christian”–merely because Catholicism is so far outside their faith experience, or at least they think so.
Heavy sola scriptural indoctrination is at the root . I know, I’ve been there.
 
Heavy sola scriptural indoctrination is at the root . I know, I’ve been there.
Me too, big time. My saving grace was the Catholic films I saw as a child, such as “The Song of Bernadette” and other such wonderful ones. When I was under 13 we were Episcopalian but even so my parents had a deep-seated fear of Cathlicism as if it were some exotic thing that might eat you alive–like a tiger. They never said a word against the Church but they wouldn’t let me have a picture of the Sacred Heart and discouraged any interest I might show in Catholicism. Even among many Protestants who are closer to the Catholic Church than Evangelicals usually are can have some pretty strange misconceptions and bias they learned as children. These things can be hard to overcome in oneself or in others due to the blandishments of the world, the flesh and the devil–although most people are unaware they are being manipulated by any of these.
 
Again, your understanding means a lot because a subject like this can be either hard to articulate or no individuals want to talk about it.

It really is unfortunate about losing the friends in your former church. Personally I think it stems from Protestants being indoctrinated about the “evils” of the CC. In addition, I actually had a “forum elder” on this site tell me that after 15+ years as Fundamentalist, I really had no understanding of historic Protestant theology because I often listened to Protestant radio. I guess he thought that was all I did. 🤷
Yes it’s quite a shame. I was just following my conscience but they must have thought that I was sinning. I get the feeling that they must have "marked’ me à la Romans 16:17.
 
Code:
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?
Well there are stuff in the bible that they either ignore or twist the meaning of so I would just ignore it.
I too am frustrated with Protestantism. Just remember some of them were raised Protestants so it might not be their fault.
Do not keep listening to that station.
 
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