How come some Protestants really believe

[GKC]

Gosh, Brendan.
All I can say is
Praise God from whom all blessing flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Jon

or

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years …

GKC

 

[AbideWithMe]

I’ve posted it on CAF a few times in the past, but since you have asked, here it is again.

Having turned away from God for several decades (rebelling against Him since my early teens) I was into paganism at that time, getting deeper into it at that stage, and was not looking to return back. I was driving home from work one sunny day and as I drove across a busy, major West London crossroads there was a sudden ‘brightness’ in the sky, everything around me appeared to stop, and a voice asked me, “Where are you running to?” and then asked, “What are you running from?”. At that moment I realised that the very thing I had been running from all those years was the thing I was trying to find. So I cried, apologised, begged for forgiveness, and then before I knew it I was out and over the other side of the crossroads. No car crash, not even a beep of the horn from the other cars. It was as if time stood still for a few minutes.

I then arrived home in a state of shock and went off to Confession the next day, and opened up to the priest. As chance would have it, the Gospel reading for that Sunday (which was the following day) was the Prodigal Son, which I was given to read as penance. And then at Easter Sunday shortly afterwards that same priest absolutely soaked me with Holy Water when he was sprinkling the congregation. He looked straight at me, smiled and whoosh, soaked me full in the face. And that was it.

Thanks for posting that, Brendan!

or

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years …

GKC

…Still with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbed pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following Feet
And a voice above their beat
‘Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me.’

 

[Mickey]

that Catholics won’t be in heaven because they aren’t “saved”…
Seriously, do they really believe that?

And why are Christian kids really “so much better” because they can recite Bible verses? ( got this little “dig” from my own DH’s aunt last night…)

I KNOW better than to believe this … I do not believe this at all…
But it still hurts…

Catholics are the first protestants.

 

[GKC]

Thanks for posting that, Brendan!

…Still with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbed pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following Feet
And a voice above their beat
‘Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me.’

… Halts by me that footfall:
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?
‘Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me.’

GKC

 

[Kakieanne]

What a beautiful story Brendan. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Miriam1947]

Wow, Brendan, thanks for posting that.

I must have missed when you posted before. Conversion/reversion stories are my favorites.

 

[cheezey]

Because most people–not all–automatically believe what they are taught growing up without questioning it at all.
Most people believe the teachings of the religion of their family because it is what they are told is the truth–and everyone around them in their church agrees with it, so it is reinforced.

I’m sure Protestants get hurt, too, by many Catholics’ belief that they don’t have “the full truth” or the proper Eucharist, etc, etc…
.

Yup, a little, but I’d rather say ‘by others who don’t believe the same things, no matter their organized religion’. And then there are some who ache ( hurt ) that there is so much animosity, especially in that part of their life where unity is most needed. Simply, in each other, through God’s merciful love.

I disagree. In my experience most people tend to fall away in their teens, from what their family taught them. It took me over 20 years before I saw sense and came back because of what I suddenly realised was the Truth.

Maybe a bit of both of the above quotes.
I know many who have fallen away from their faith, but something of their childhood ‘truth’ remains, whether they like it or not!
For example, one I know thinks his inherited faith is hogwash, yet he doesn’t dare to avoid the greater obligations. If it is hogwash to him, then why would it bother him to forgo the obligation?

 

[Peter_J]

Because most people–not all–automatically believe what they are taught growing up without questioning it at all.
Most people believe the teachings of the religion of their family because it is what they are told is the truth–and everyone around them in their church agrees with it, so it is reinforced.

I’m sure Protestants get hurt, too, by many Catholics’ belief that they don’t have “the full truth” or the proper Eucharist, etc, etc…

To look at it another way, too many people (in any camp) try to make it into a one-way street.

 

[Brendan_64]

Because most people–not all–automatically believe what they are taught growing up without questioning it at all.

In that case they have not been taught correctly. We should question what we are taught. If we don’t question then we don’t believe, we just accept. One only believes after one questions what one is taught. Do we want a Body of Christ made up of people who accept, or a Body of Christ made up of people who believe?

 

[siamus2k13]

that Catholics won’t be in heaven because they aren’t “saved”…

Seriously, do they really believe that?

Well…

Many believe that Catholics aren’t truly born again, which is a must…

 

[Brendan_64]

Well…

Many believe that Catholics aren’t truly born again, which is a must…

And there are also a fair few Catholics who believe that unless someone is a member of the Catholic Church they cannot be saved.

 

[siamus2k13]

To the “Born Again” Mindset

Being born again is not just a mindset…

 

[siamus2k13]

To the “Born Again” Mindset,

The True Catholic Position:
Salvation is COMPLICATED. Jesus tells us in the bible that there are many prerequisites:

My position.

Salvation is not complicated.

Being saved may be difficult some days, but salvation, is not complicated at all.

There are all kinds of prerequisites?

No there isn’t.

 

[Della]

My position.

Salvation is not complicated.

Being saved may be difficult some days, but salvation, is not complicated at all.

There are all kinds of prerequisites?

No there isn’t.

Actually, it’s not complicated, but it isn’t easy, either. The theology of salvation is not the same as the theology of redemption. A lot of people think they are one and the same thing, but they aren’t.

Christ has finished the work of redemption when he died on the cross, rose again and presented himself as the offering for our sins to the Father. A done deal, so to say. That isn’t complicated at all.

Salvation, OTOH, is not guaranteed to us. Christ’s redemptive act makes salvation possible, but we have to cooperate with God’s grace in order to obtain it. As St. Paul admonished: Phil.2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Also, St. Peter warned us: 2Pt. 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog turns back to his own vomit, and the sow is washed only to wallow in the mire.

This is only a couple of biblical admonitions to keep faithful to Christ or suffer the consequences. It’s not that salvation is complicated, but it must be gained, not through our own merit, of course, but through obedience to Christ and his Gospel as he gave it to his Church.

 

[Patti_M]

Actually, it’s not complicated, but it isn’t easy, either. The theology of salvation is not the same as the theology of redemption. A lot of people think they are one and the same thing, but they aren’t.

Christ has finished the work of redemption when he died on the cross, rose again and presented himself as the offering for our sins to the Father. A done deal, so to say. That isn’t complicated at all.

Salvation, OTOH, is not guaranteed to us. Christ’s redemptive act makes salvation possible, but we have to cooperate with God’s grace in order to obtain it. As St. Paul admonished: Phil.2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Also, St. Peter warned us: 2Pt. 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog turns back to his own vomit, and the sow is washed only to wallow in the mire.

This is only a couple of biblical admonitions to keep faithful to Christ or suffer the consequences. It’s not that salvation is complicated, but it must be gained, not through our own merit, of course, but through obedience to Christ and his Gospel as he gave it to his Church.

Great post Della!

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

Some protestants have the mistaken notion they can know the eternal fate of others. It might of those people Christ was talking about when he said “get back, I knew you not.”

 

[cshoremom]

I fully agree.

It’s one thing if the OP’s aunt was bragging about kids memorizing verses. (And that’s something which the OP hasn’t really said, anyway, and so I don’t think it’s anyone’s business here to judge this lady whom we don’t know.) But to dismiss Bible memorization by kids is utterly silly. Kids have to memorize all sorts of things. If I were raising Catholic children, they’d absolutely be taught to memorize parts of the Bible. I can say from my own experience that’s it’s an invaluable gift to have those memorized parts–Psalms, passages from the prophets, parts of the NT—surface seemingly unbidden at times when I need to lean on them, meditate on them, or calm or exhort myself with them.

Now, darn it, I wish my parents had made me take piano lessons, too.

Actually, what bothered me WAS the fact that she was bragging about how much “better” Christian kids were being raised because they memorized verses. ( I have nothing against that mode of learning…whatever works…I was so taken aback that I couldn’t tell her ( without seeming defensive) that in teaching 1st-5th grade CCD and now the middle school and the high school confirmation classes that we also teach the Bible… We aren’t about so much memorizing verses that we can recite on command… but in taking Scripture, reading the Word of God, studying it so we know what it means and how it applies to our life and living…My kids and the kids we teach know a lot about the Bible and the sacraments
I believe she got defensive when my MIL asked how my son was doing with his EDGE classes…so we talked about that for a bit, and that is where her comment came in…Kind of like she dismissed anything he was learning and said " Well, the kids at OUR church do this and how nice that their parents are raising them so well…" Um, and we are not??

She is in her 60’s…She was raised Catholic…she raised her son with no religion whatsoever, and now she’s a fairly new "on-fire " Christian ( I won’t mention what denom.Not necessary, and don’t want to offend…)
So her comments really got to me…I know they shouldn’t… She thinks her way is the only way… But , sadly, she is pushing people away… even my kids feel uncomfortable around her now. ( which is 99% of why this bothers me) We do visit her, though not nearly as often, now that Great Grandma, who lived with her, has passed away… We always try to stay away from “hot button” religion conversations, but she always seems to throw in a dig. Why does it have to be that way???
Her “know it all attitude” has actually backfired… My MIL, also raised Catholic, left the church an a few years ago started to attend Protestant services with her… Now MIL has been back to the Catholic church, and is reading a lot of literature about Catholicism, an coming “back to the Church” I pray for her every day …and I do pray for DH’s aunt…
Thank you all for your very interesting and informed responses… I always learn so much!!!

 

[believerdoc]

that Catholics won’t be in heaven because they aren’t “saved”…
Seriously, do they really believe that?

And why are Christian kids really “so much better” because they can recite Bible verses? ( got this little “dig” from my own DH’s aunt last night…)

I KNOW better than to believe this … I do not believe this at all…
But it still hurts…

This seems a strange statement to be posted on a forum which does exactly the same thing to many Protestants; day after day, year after year. Seems we need to love each other more the way Jesus does.

 

[believerdoc]

I apologize if I have broken any forum rules but please understand that although these things can be “regional” as you put, I was left with some very deep wounds from these experiences. I would love to have grown up being accepted by people of different faiths.

Might I suggest that to be accepted by people of other faiths you must also accept people of other faiths.

 

[cshoremom]

This seems a strange statement to be posted on a forum which does exactly the same thing to many Protestants; day after day, year after year. Seems we need to love each other more the way Jesus does.

I am “venting” that I am hurt by those that say that Catholics won’t go to Heaven.
I am hurt by the "holier than thou " attitude of my DH’s aunt.
I Do love…too much at times…Actually, I don’t think we can love anyone TOO much…But sometimes, I feel like other’s don’t, so why should I??? But I know better.

I am sorry that my post offended.