If you are a Christian, what is the real reason for you not being a Catholic?

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Hi all again,

As far as the reason for me leaving the catholic chuch,

When I was going to catholic church

I went to church because I felt obligated and/or I had to go and obey the rules of the church, and to please my parents, priests and nuns.

I did not go to church because I wanted to go to.

I went to church to prevent having Mortal sin on my soul.

I really never experienced 😦 the reason for wanting to go to mass.

I just felt I was being told what to do and I did it out of obligation to follow the rules or else…

I did not go to church because God loved me and I wanted to honor and love Him back.

sad I know, but true for me at least.

God bless,

truth
 
Hello mgrfin,
Thanks for your reply! It is true I have not read Kempis’ work. He is obviously an exceptional person. Someone who, if I had made it past the catholic dogma, I might have enjoyed. And I’m sure there are others within the catholic circle who do find a way to that personal relationship with the Almighty. But all the misinformation the catholic church spreads around when a person is young and impressionable is a disservice to humanity. For instance, when I was young, there was a Heaven, Hell and Limbo. Well, as we all know, (it is on record) now it is said (from the Vatican) there is no Hell or Limbo (in the classic sense that is). So how can you believe what you hear coming from Rome? I always remember hearing when I would ask a priest something, that the answer was “a mystery.” Truly, there are answers to all of life’s mysteries, but I rarely got a clear one from any priest I met. Worse, I was very disillusioned by the church. Since then, I have gotten many encouraging answers from another source and I have found hope once more. I can leave it at that but I also wish to see ended the harm the church does to others. What is wrong with that?
Tom
 
fbl9 said:
🙂 tmg i take it you missed out on Thomas Kempis"s book imitation of Christ. or even heard of Bishop Fulton J Sheen as an ex catholic who came back home i truly feel sory for you and hope you may come back to the full truth what one thinks is the truth is a lot different then knowing the truth.
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Hello and thank you fb19,

Great post, and I agree and let me add; Protestants are not encouraged to read, Thomas à Kempis, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen or; Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Francis de Sales, Saint Ignatius, Saint Benedict and so on. If they did they might decide to become Catholic.

In fact, they (Protestants) are discouraged from reading any of these authors’s and their works, because they are “Catholic” authors.

They (Protestants) do not know what they are missing. This is one of the reasons why Protestantism will certainly fail, this is the “dumbing down” of Christianity. This is in part, what I based my thoughts on, in my earlier post (# 231).

Additionally, (addressing other posters here), when I wrote about the differences in Scripture (post # 215), I wasn’t talking about the deutercanonical or apocrypha books that the Protestants removed from the Bible (that is an entire discussion topic by itself), I was writing about the Books in the Bible that we both (Protestant and Catholic’s) still share…They are different!

Protestants actually believe that they coined the phrase ‘A personal relationship with Christ” and they don’t have a clue that it is actually Catholic, just as “WWJD”, (‘What Would Jesus Do?”), is actually Catholic!, started by Catholics**.**

I think this occurs because they (Protestants), meet and speak to Catholics who do not know or truly experience their own Catholic faith, I pray for these Catholics.

Take Care and May God Bless You!
 
whatisthetruth said:
Hi all again,

As far as the reason for me leaving the catholic chuch,

When I was going to catholic church

I went to church because I felt obligated and/or I had to go and obey the rules of the church, and to please my parents, priests and nuns.

I did not go to church because I wanted to go to.

I went to church to prevent having Mortal sin on my soul.

I really never experienced 😦 the reason for wanting to go to mass.

I just felt I was being told what to do and I did it out of obligation to follow the rules or else…

I did not go to church because God loved me and I wanted to honor and love Him back.

sad I know, but true for me at least.

God bless,

truth
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Okay, you were forced to go to Church. You are now an adult and you are not forced, whether to go to a bible church, or to the Catholic Church down the street.

I seem to be missing the point, or are you? When you went inside that Catholic Church, Jesus Christ was present - really, truly present in that Tabernacle. When you go into your current church, there is hardly a Cross, there is no altar, there is no tabernacle, there is no Jesus physically present.

That is the beginning of the difference. You didn’t tell us why you are a Protestant. You didn’t tell us why you left the Catholic Church, assuming it hasn’t nothing to do with divorce which your bible loving church professes, dispite the fact that divorce is forbidden in your Scriptures.

What else can you tell us about this? Now, tell us the truth - no fudging, no lying, no dissimulation. No hiding, like a lot of protestant apologists do on this site.

peace
 
FredSmith said:
Then you’ve got no right to criticize mine.
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Hello Fred,

The truth doesn’t change because of its source or “messenger”, just as the truths in your religion remain true for Catholics and Protestants, the truth never changes.

If you truly wanted an explanation of Catholicism, from Catholic “scholars” you would be researching other sources (books and the internet). Many of us here are regular people, we are not famous authors or scholars, yet there exist truth in many of these posts. If the “source” of truth, truly mattered to you, you would find another source. I don’t think that you are interested in truth, you have that Protestant “stumbling block”.

Research:
Roman Catholic Links
Catholic Answers, home page
Jimmy Atkins
The Coming Home Network
Scripture Catholic
A list of Catholic Scripture verses that defend Catholic doctrines.
Catholic Bible Verses
Thomas à Kempis,
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen,
Saint Thomas Aquinas,
Saint John of the Cross,
Saint Teresa of Avila,
Saint Francis de Sales,
Saint Ignatius,
Saint Benedict,
Where We Got the Bible
Catechism of the Catholic Church
EWTN (Catholic TV)
Catholic Biblical Apologetics
Catholic Apologetics on the Internet
Catholic Apologetic Information
Catholic Online
 
Jimmy_B said:
Hello Fred,

The truth doesn’t change because of its source or “messenger”, just as the truths in your religion remain true for Catholics and Protestants, the truth never changes.

If you truly wanted an explanation of Catholicism, from Catholic “scholars” you would be researching other sources (books and the internet). Many of us here are regular people, we are not famous authors or scholars, yet there exist truth in many of these posts. If the “source” of truth, truly mattered to you, you would find another source. I don’t think that you are interested in truth, you have that Protestant “stumbling block”.

Research:
Roman Catholic Links
Catholic Answers, home page
Jimmy Atkins
The Coming Home Network
Scripture Catholic
A list of Catholic Scripture verses that defend Catholic doctrines.
Catholic Bible Verses
Thomas à Kempis,
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen,
Saint Thomas Aquinas,
Saint John of the Cross,
Saint Teresa of Avila,
Saint Francis de Sales,
Saint Ignatius,
Saint Benedict,
Where We Got the Bible
Catechism of the Catholic Church
EWTN (Catholic TV)
Catholic Biblical Apologetics
Catholic Apologetics on the Internet
Catholic Apologetic Information
Catholic Online
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And that is the difference between us: when you talk about a search for truth, you make a list of men amd man made organizations.

When we talk about a search for truth, we’re talking about the word of God.

I’m curious, do you think it’s possible for you to go just one post without being rude?
 
FredSmith said:
That’s right. It still does not say that Mary is the mother of God.

And how arrogant must you be to believe that you need to “correct” God’s word?

If you’re not born again, then all of the Roman Catholic rituals in the world aren’t going to help you.
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Hey, Fred.

We are baptised. By definition we are born again, according toi the words of Jesus to Nicodemus.

You have little claim on salvation, since salvation comes through the Catholic Church. You are not part of the Catholic Church, and outside this Church there is no salvation.

peace
 
mgrfin said:
Hey, Fred.

We are baptised. By definition we are born again, according toi the words of Jesus to Nicodemus.
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There’s nothing in the account of Jesus speaking to Nicodemus that suggests that we’re saved by baptism.
You have little claim on salvation, since salvation comes through the Catholic Church.
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The Bible says that salvation comes through Christ and His atonement on the cross.

Thanks for your opinion, but I believe I’ll stick with God’s word.
You are not part of the Catholic Church, and outside this Church there is no salvation.
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So you say. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we have to be Roman Catholics for Christ to save us.
 
Hi mgrfin

so we meet again, the pleasure is mine:)

In honor of you request,
mgrfin said:
You didn’t tell us why you are a Protestant.

What else can you tell us about this? Now, tell us the truth - no fudging, no lying, no dissimulation. No hiding, like a lot of protestant apologists do on this site.
peace
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I am sorry for being blunt, but I do not want to leave you guessing where I am coming from.

I believe God’s will for Jesus’ one united church is, not the way of the Roman Catholic church teaching

I believe the following was not part of God’s plan for Jesus’s church.
In ( ), I stated a short word or phrase in what I do believe

I do not believe…

in the presence of Jesus (Holy Eucharist) at communion (spiritual)
in confessing my sins to a priest, bishop etc (directly to God)
that a priest can forgive sins any more than I can (just a man a sinner like me in the eyes of God)
in purgatory (does not exist)
the need to bless myself with “holy water” before and/or after mass (we pray for blessings, do not need water too)
reciting prayers in repetition (bible discourages it)
I have to observe all the holy days of obligation
(Lord said honor the Sabbath)
I have to fast on the days doctrine says I have to (prayer/fast is important should be done throughout the year and not when told to do so)
I have to abstain from meat on fridays during Lent (where in bible is this supported?)
Mary lived a sinless life (she was a sinner like anyone else)
in infant baptism (one has to repent first, then be baptized)

in summary I believe,

communion is a symbolic remembrance and appreciation of what Jesus did for all of us,
making a sincere confession and repentance of my sins directly to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be forgiven of my sin/s
believe only in heaven or hell, purgatory does not exist
God blesses us in his timing not ours, we can pray for blessing without the need of “holy water”
in talking/praying to God without reciting written prayers which have been said over the centuries
in God’s commandment…“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” throughout the whole year.
I have free will on when to fast and pray
I do not have to abstain from meat on the days a doctrine says I have to
Mary was a sinner just like the rest of us
baptism by immersion only, one has to repent and then be baptized (which of course a baby can not do)

I am sorry to be blunt, you asked me not to hold back

I do not believe in order to honor God according to His word and pleasing to him, I, or any member of the church Jesus built needs to believe in or participate in any of the things I do not believe or participate in (stated above in first group) to stay on the road to paradise (heaven) and experience more and more of the fullness of His truth along their spiritual journey.

For my beliefs on salvation which are also different from the Roman Catholic Church please refer to post 106 in this thread
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthrea…=206817&page=3

God bless,

Truth
 
FredSmith said:
And that is the difference between us: when you talk about a search for truth, you make a list of men amd man made organizations.

When we talk about a search for truth, we’re talking about the word of God.

I’m curious, do you think it’s possible for you to go just one post without being rude?
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Fred,

Is accusing Catholics here of being “rude” going to be your only response to every “Catholic” Post?

If you can support your beliefs, or positions here by using the Bible and or any other source, then go for it.

Simply, and I do mean “simply”, saying, “your rude” because someone disagrees with you, is dumb and doesn’t, at all advance any of your positions here.

If you are an authority on anything, list it here and “teach me”. I am looking forward to real questions and real answers from you, can you do that?; or , are you going to stick with “he is being rude to me” or “they are all picking on me”? as you defense of Prostestant beliefs?

You keep mentioning the Bible, well start using it. Please provide real evidence, or a logical response that supports your beliefs.

It is these types of short, baseless, meaningless answers that make Protestantism so appealing to so many. It takes a lot of effort to explain Catholic doctrine, because it is based on the entire Bible, in context, where as, many Protestant beliefs are based on a handful of verses.

If I am incorrect in any of my posts here, please give me a logical, based on a Biblical example, where I am in error. I am looking forward to it.

Thank you
 
FredSmith said:
That’s right. It still does not say that Mary is the mother of God.
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Uhm…How could Mary NOT be the mother of God?

Mary is Jesus’ mother. Jesus is part of the Trinity, one God in three persons. Jesus is God, Mary is Jesus’ mother, therefore she must be the mother of God.

I’m a Protestant, by the way.
 
FredSmith said:
There’s nothing in the account of Jesus speaking to Nicodemus that suggests that we’re saved by baptism.

The Bible says that salvation comes through Christ and His atonement on the cross.

Thanks for your opinion, but I believe I’ll stick with God’s word.

So you say. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we have to be Roman Catholics for Christ to save us.
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Of course, you misunderstood and took my words out of context, with a little twist of your own.

I said we were ‘born again’. I didn’t say we were saved. Baptism doesn’t save us solely.

You haven’t stuck with God’s words up till now. You have missed out on his message and his Church and its authoritative mission

Why should we expect you to listen to God’s words now?

Don’t ask me such naive questions about scripture, Fred. If you need quotes, look under “Church” in your concordance.
I don’t have to do that for you, do I?

BTW, Don’t twist my words in the future, Fred.
 
HannahLisa said:
Uhm…How could Mary NOT be the mother of God?

Mary is Jesus’ mother. Jesus is part of the Trinity, one God in three persons. Jesus is God, Mary is Jesus’ mother, therefore she must be the mother of God.

I’m a Protestant, by the way.
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I like to made it simple. Jesus is true God, and True Man. In the fullness of time, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He took a form of slaved born of a woman, born under the law. He is God, the Second Person of the Trinity.

He had a mother. His mother is Mary. Jesus is God. Therefore, Mary is the Mother of God. In Greek, she is the Theotokos, God-Bearer.

The title itself does not imply, that Mary is the Mother of the Trinity. She is only the Mother of the Second Person of the Trinity, incarnate. Jesus Christ. She is a created being by God. She didn’t exist befor him.

Jesus is eternal. Mary isn’t. Mary is the perfect creation of God. She is the type of Ark. The Ark of the New Covenant. The New Covenant being Jesus.

Elizabeth also addressed Mary the following: “How is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

In the Hebrew context, Jews never address God as G-d. In many cases, they address God as Lord, or Adonai. So when she called Mary mother of my Lord is no different than "mother of God. Because Jesus is God. God is also Lord.
 
Hi HannahLisa
HannahLisa said:
Uhm…How could Mary NOT be the mother of God?

Mary is Jesus’ mother. Jesus is part of the Trinity, one God in three persons. Jesus is God, Mary is Jesus’ mother, therefore she must be the mother of God.

I’m a Protestant, by the way.
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It is true that Mary birthed Jesus, there is no question.

But Mary is not the Mother of Jesus, with a capital “M”

everyone’s mother on the face of this earth was alive and at least in her early teens,already alive(scary to think earlier than her teens but you get my point, I hope) when they were conceived, including Mary’s mother,

However to think of Mary as Jesus’s mother in that sense, I can not swallow. Jesus was alive right from the beginning of time according to John 1, Mary was born in the new testament way after Jesus was alive in heaven,

So Mary could not be Jesus’ mother in every meaning of what a mother is.

That is what I believe,

Truth
 
FredSmith said:
That’s right. It still does not say that Mary is the mother of God.

And how arrogant must you be to believe that you need to “correct” God’s word?

If you’re not born again, then all of the Roman Catholic rituals in the world aren’t going to help you.
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Where does it say in your bible say that Jesus is God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity?

You misunderstand Scripture. I am baptised, therefore, I have been born again.

Don’t even bother to argue this if you say you are a bible Christian.

peace
 
whatisthetruth said:
However to think of Mary as Jesus’s mother in that sense, I can not swallow. Jesus was alive right from the beginning of time according to John 1, Mary was born in the new testament way after Jesus was alive in heaven,

That is what I believe,

Truth
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The more I read what Protestants say who come to this site, the thankful I am for the Catholic Church.

Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary. He was God, and Mary is the Mother of God.

Jesus did not exist from the beginning of time. What lack of clarity does exist for someone who would say such.

The Word existed from all time. The Word was not Jesus. Through the union of the human and divine nature, Jesus came into existence. The human Jesus did not exist for all time. He exists now, and for all time.

peace
 
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