Idea, maybe good, maybe bad; let me know

[Claudius]

I find that most protestants just do not like the Catholic Church even though they know nothing about it. Their entire religion is really centered around not being Catholic instead of being a Christian (which would eventually lead them to being Catholic). There is this strange double standard that exist that I am sure many of us have run into, if a protestant believes differently from the other protestants, it is ok, but if a Catholic believes the exact same thing, they are still just wrong for no reason other then they are Catholic.

Now I am not ashamed at all of being Catholic. I actually think that protestants should be ashamed to be protestant but we all know how that goes. Anyway, I know that if I ask a protestant to come to Mass they will refuse. This is usually because of some strange interpretation of the Bible that tells them that if they ever enter a Catholic Church they automatically go to Hell. (ever notice how according to them everyone`s interpretation is correct except the Catholic one)

So with this to contend with I think I may have thought up a way to save some of them. Let me state specifically that I am not out to trick or decieve anyone or to hide that I am a Catholic. I was thinking of using the Liturgy of the Hours as a kind of half way house for protestants. Here is what I mean by that. Catholicism is really a very deep and spiritual, rich and fullfilling way of life that most protestants have Culture Shock when they get anywhere near it. They do not understand it readily and so they fear and hate it out of bigotry. They are used to going to Sunday worship in a tent with a guy passing a collection plate and screaming into a microphone while doing magic to make people pass out. (can I get an amen) They only read one verse of the Bible at a time, and sometime it is only half a verse or two half verses put together from different parts to make it say what they want and the rest of the time the preacher gives his own private thoughts on the matter. The idea of a Liturgy of the Mass is so alien to their lives that to go to Mass is overkill for most protestants.

So, I was thinking of just getting a little building. I would leave it kind of plain. I don`t want to overstimulate them. I would not call it a Church, just a place to pray. There would be no pastor or preacher. It would be just lay men getting together to pray. Priest of course would be more them welcome to come but the idea is that I do not want random protestant minister number 4587 to show up and start preaching. However, the way we prayed together would be to use the Liturgy of the Hours. Protestants can not possibly object to reading and praying from the psalms can they? If they attend for a while they will eventually become adjusted to the idea of liturgical prayor and worship. As we read through the Bible in big sections every Sunday, the truth of the Bible will hopefully be opened to them and they will begin to appreciate the Catholic Church and faith for what it really is. I think of it as training wheels for them.

Comments, suggestion. What do you think?

 

[dmelosi]

So with this to contend with I think I may have thought up a way to save some of them.

Not sure what you mean save some of them, but only God knows who is saved. I think maybe you need to understand what the Catholic Church says about who gets to heaven.

 

[Claudius]

When I used the word saved I do not refer to going to heaven. I don’t use protestant termanology. I refer to saving them from the lies of protestantism that are actively trying to prevent as many protestants from gaining the joy of heaven as they can. I refer to saving them from bigoted hatred of the Catholic Church. I refer to saving them from themselves and the monsters that many of them try so hard to become.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Protestants are not without reason or religion. It was actions in Rome which drove the Protestant reformation. I would suggest you read about the reason Martin Luther attempted to reform the Church through harsh means. The issue today is most Protestants are taught they need an independence from Rome at all cost. That teaching is invalid in base. Additionally many Protestants are crushed when they deepen their bible study and find their link to the Catholic Church. I would be cautious to offer a bible study outside the Church, or to recruit Protestants. We should always allow Protestants to know the doors to the [Catholic] Church are open to all and we thank them for their return invitation.

 

[LilyM]

I find that most protestants just do not like the Catholic Church even though they know nothing about it. Their entire religion is really centered around not being Catholic instead of being a Christian (which would eventually lead them to being Catholic). There is this strange double standard that exist that I am sure many of us have run into, if a protestant believes differently from the other protestants, it is ok, but if a Catholic believes the exact same thing, they are still just wrong for no reason other then they are Catholic.

Now I am not ashamed at all of being Catholic. I actually think that protestants should be ashamed to be protestant but we all know how that goes. Anyway, I know that if I ask a protestant to come to Mass they will refuse. This is usually because of some strange interpretation of the Bible that tells them that if they ever enter a Catholic Church they automatically go to Hell. (ever notice how according to them everyone`s interpretation is correct except the Catholic one)

So with this to contend with I think I may have thought up a way to save some of them. Let me state specifically that I am not out to trick or decieve anyone or to hide that I am a Catholic. I was thinking of using the Liturgy of the Hours as a kind of half way house for protestants. Here is what I mean by that. Catholicism is really a very deep and spiritual, rich and fullfilling way of life that most protestants have Culture Shock when they get anywhere near it. They do not understand it readily and so they fear and hate it out of bigotry. They are used to going to Sunday worship in a tent with a guy passing a collection plate and screaming into a microphone while doing magic to make people pass out. (can I get an amen) They only read one verse of the Bible at a time, and sometime it is only half a verse or two half verses put together from different parts to make it say what they want and the rest of the time the preacher gives his own private thoughts on the matter. The idea of a Liturgy of the Mass is so alien to their lives that to go to Mass is overkill for most protestants.

So, I was thinking of just getting a little building. I would leave it kind of plain. I don`t want to overstimulate them. I would not call it a Church, just a place to pray. There would be no pastor or preacher. It would be just lay men getting together to pray. Priest of course would be more them welcome to come but the idea is that I do not want random protestant minister number 4587 to show up and start preaching. However, the way we prayed together would be to use the Liturgy of the Hours. Protestants can not possibly object to reading and praying from the psalms can they? If they attend for a while they will eventually become adjusted to the idea of liturgical prayor and worship. As we read through the Bible in big sections every Sunday, the truth of the Bible will hopefully be opened to them and they will begin to appreciate the Catholic Church and faith for what it really is. I think of it as training wheels for them.

Comments, suggestion. What do you think?

Plenty of Protestants are more mature about faith matters than you appear to be, and certainly more so than you give them credit for. My Lutheran brother-in-law for one is happy to go to Mass at least at Easter and Christmas, and probably does so more often, being my sister is Catholic and the children are being raised as Catholics.

I’ve had the joy of having a Baptist friend of mine attend Ash Wednesday Mass with me. And we manage to discuss the differences in our faiths without either side belittling or condemning the other as well.

 

[Claudius]

I do not deny that some of you may have meet some ok protestants but that has not been my experiance. They tell me things like the Pope is wrong because “he is really a space alien”. Ok, that was probably the craziest thing that I have every heard but a the end of the day, anything even resembling Catholicism a little bit and they freak. I heard a guy denouncing the anglican church as the spawn of satan himself. I asked why he thought this, and the man replyed that if they looked like the devil, here meaning cathlicism, they they much be the same as the devil.

I say we should help them. Praying the psalms is a nice and very healthy practice. Perhaps if we massage them and let them see that all of the lies are just that, lies, then they will be a lot better able to accept the truth, Catholicism.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

I do not deny that some of you may have meet some ok protestants but that has not been my experiance. They tell me things like the Pope is wrong because “he is really a space alien”. Ok, that was probably the craziest thing that I have every heard but a the end of the day, anything even resembling Catholicism a little bit and they freak. I heard a guy denouncing the anglican church as the spawn of satan himself. I asked why he thought this, and the man replyed that if they looked like the devil, here meaning cathlicism, they they much be the same as the devil.

I say we should help them. Praying the psalms is a nice and very healthy practice. Perhaps if we massage them and let them see that all of the lies are just that, lies, then they will be a lot better able to accept the truth, Catholicism.

When telling them their lies are lies, they will probably think you are a lair? These intentions are good, however this subject is far deeper than it appears in these posts. If you wish to go to them fine. Be honest you’re there to convert them which makes you unwelcome to many of them.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I think that in the first place you need to revise your thinking on Protestants in general. You seem to have painted the whole of Protestantism with a pretty broad brush. You seem to have run into the fundamentalist and (some) evangelical varities that consider the Catholic Church as apostate and get into name-calling, etc. The majority of Protestants are not like that, but often aren’t as vocal as these groups are. And you must remember that large numbers of these groups are ex-Catholics who were poorly catechized and/or have a beef against the Church and some of it’s members.

 While there are disagreements in doctrine, most Protestants do not act like the ones you have described and do not like it any better than we do. They go to church, observe the Commandments, study their Bibles and try to live a good Christian life. We don't like it when some groups paint us with a broad brush and we should not do the same thing to them.

 The best course of action for a Catholic to take when running into anti-Catholicism is to know your faith, defend your faith and correct misinterpretations in love, without arguing, live a fully Christian life, and pray for them. Let them see Christ in you. When things get hot, graciously bow out of the conversation, and take the wind out of their sails. Also there are plenty of Apologetic books written by former fundamentalist that you can buy and even lend to people which can help to clear up misconceptions.

 

[puzzleannie]

I find that most protestants just do not like the Catholic Church even though they know nothing about it. Their entire religion is really centered around not being Catholic instead of being a Christian (which would eventually lead them to being Catholic). There is this strange double standard that exist that I am sure many of us have run into, if a protestant believes differently from the other protestants, it is ok, but if a Catholic believes the exact same thing, they are still just wrong for no reason other then they are Catholic.

. . .
Comments, suggestion. What do you think?

remember you asked for comments

I think your generalization, like most general claims that begin with the words “all Protestants . . .” is false, unsubstantiated, based on limited personal experience, true of a few individuals possibly, not applicable the the entire group you label with an imprecise term, and absolutely useless for the purposes of rational discussion on this forum.

far more helpful would be a suggestion that begins:
in my experience a barrier to evangelizing some non-Catholics has been that they seem, from what they have told me or I have observed, to . . .
would it not then be a good idea to approach such individuals or address their concerns in this way . . . .