IMO... It's better to be Protestant, but tell me why it's better to be Catholic

[guanophore]

IMO…it’s better to be Protestant, but tell me why it’s better to be Catholic. But remember, Catholics and Protestants are one in Christ for those who actually are known by God through Christ. Please try to keep your responses grounded in official Catholic teaching. I’ll start:

1. It’s better to be Protestant because historic Protestant theology rest in the finished work of Christ for our eternal standing before God, We are justified by the person and work of Jesus Christ who earned our complete forgiveness and reconciliation for us, We are saved from God to God, and for God on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, historic Protestant theology teaches that we have eternal peace with God because of the merit of Jesus Christ.

It is very Catholic of you to notice this!

It is always good to see that our separated brethren have been able to preserve the Apostolic Teaching in these matters.

 

[guanophore]

Hiyas

It’s better to be Catholic, for me because I am Catholic :clapping::dancing::extrahappy:

I don’t believe Catholicism needed reformation - and you can’t prove it did

As always, just my thoughts

If reformation was not needed, then the Church would not have done so at the Council of Trent. People are always in need of Reform, and there were some serious abuses going on at the time. The doctrine did not need to be Reformed. That is where they got off the rails.

 

[One_in_Christ_1]

One in Christ:

1. Why do you think Catholics don’t believe in the finished work of Christ?
2. Define what you mean by “better.”

I am not responding now because, at first glance, this question seems like a setup based upon a straw man of Catholicism.

The finished work of Christ as most know is related to the controversial phrase of Faith Alone. I guess those two words of Faith Alone are loaded words which can mean different things to different Christians. It seems that Catholics believe in the finished work of Christ too. Could you please post what you mean by believing in the finished work of Christ from a Catholic perspective?

 

[One_in_Christ_1]

For me, it’s better to be Catholic because, while Protestantism teaches salvation through Jesus Christ, it doesn’t always provide as clear a path for a practicing Christian.

Here’s the way I look at it:
The Bible is inerrant, but very complicated. More time spent reading it would be better than less. It would be extremely dangerous to claim that by reading the Bible only a little, one could gain all its wisdom.
If someone were to spend 20 minutes reading the Bible, they would be wiser than they were before they started
If someone were to spend 2 years reading the Bible, the wisdom they would gain would be greater

I think it’s a similar comparison when you think of thousands of years of Catholic religious dedicating their whole lives to the reading and the studying of the Bible and Christianity, and working together to interpret it for the faithful. This greater sense of unity, as well as the greater collective period of time spent on study, yields different results than each individual having full responsibility to arrive at their own conclusion, even though the materials used (the Bible) are equal.

I also think that this is why there are so many Protestant sects. To me, it’s just a whole bunch of slightly differing but incomplete understandings of what is there.

I’m interested in hearing your thoughts!

I agree that many Protestants to their peril ignore church tradition from generations past in understanding the Scriptures, which can lead to the same heresies found throughout the history of the church. It is wise to seek out tradition found throughout the church.

 

[One_in_Christ_1]

For me it is better to be Catholic.
see John chapter 6.
Jesus said----unless you eat my body and drink my blood you will not have eternal life— my paraphrasing.

It is only in the Catholic church that we receive the Real Body and Blood of Christ. The Protestant churches do not have the Real Presence because their ministers are not of the apostolic succession.

Jeanne

That’s a tough one to apply consistently since Protestants do not have the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. If we applied John as it was written, Protestants would have no life in them according to those verses.

 

[One_in_Christ_1]

If reformation was not needed, then the Church would not have done so at the Council of Trent. People are always in need of Reform, and there were some serious abuses going on at the time. The doctrine did not need to be Reformed. That is where they got off the rails.

That is a true statement which shows that we are really one in Christ!

 

[Roblox84]

In my opinion it’s better to be Catholic because it gives you a better relationship with Christ. It also depends on what “protestants” you are talking about. Some protestants do nothing only study the bible and preach how the bible is Jesus. But mainly a Church that has sacraments gives you the best opportunity to come closer to Christ. Everything a Catholic does, including fasting, confession, pennance are all things to better the relationship. A lot of protestants may think these aren’t necessary for salvation, but I like to say that Catholics do more then just the bare minimum necessary for salvation. Unlike most churches who are out to prove that they are right, we just worship the lord.

Also, many people that would attend a Catholic Church would actually get fuller definitions of bible passages that are read to us not to prove our Church right, but to become the best Christian.

 

[Lutheranteach]

I’ve never wanted to the Catholic Church to say it’s better to be protestant. I just want it to someday say it’s as good.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I’m Catholic for several reasons:

1.) God does not expect everything to be a one-on-one experience. He works through men, always has, whether it was through prophets, Persian kings like Cyrus delivering Israel back from the Babylonian Captivity, or through the missionary work of men like Paul, Silas, and Timothy. God gave us sacraments as life-lines to save our souls and these sacraments like confession, Eucharist, marriage, baptism, they come to us by men through Christ. Confession and the Eucharist especially are gifts of the Church that save our souls, Christ-centered but delivered by human beings.

2.) The early church was liturgical, not happy clappy and just a free for all

3.) Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a component of the faith the early Christians embraced. It is evidenced in early writings and in the simple etchings and artwork of the catacombs. We can read intercessory prayer requests to the BVM on catacomb walls…

4.) The Catholic Church in ecumenical councils with the popes playing an important role fought off heresies like arianism, nestorianism, monothelitism, gnosticism, all the evil “isms” that plagued orthodoxy. The Catholic Church saved us from the lies of the evil one and have preserved truth. The Gates of Hell have not prevailed because of the work of Christ through His Church.

5.) The Bible was brought to us by the Church. The Church was the editing staff, the decider of what was not authentic, and what was indeed inspired and holy.

6.) The papacy–The Rock of Peter is alive and well, The Catholic Church is not a group of folks with a Bible just looking backward and trying to re-create the early Church. It is the Church and it continues to take on the issues of the day and put them in context for us.

7.) The Catholic Church is anti-abortion

8.) The Catholic Church is anti remarriage

9.) The Catholic Church is able to analyze war with the just war doctrine and call a spade a spade in this area when so many are unwilling to do so

10.) The Catholic Church has fought against stem cell research in fetal tissue and the immorality of in vitro when many are silent or buy into it

11.) The Catholic Church rejects trial marriages and free sex and all the other silliness of our age

12.) GK Chesterton once said that the Catholic Church is the only thing that keeps a man from becoming the child of his age. That is proven to be true, no doubt

13.) We can’t do this alone. I’m not qualified to interpret Scripture. 2,000 years of councils, papal wisdom, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are the only holistic entities capable of revealing the truth, context, and overall meaning of Scripture

14.) The Eucharist, the Eucharist, the Eucharist, the Eucharist!!! No protestant denomination has the fullness of this sublime, timeless, life-changing food

15.) Christ built one Church. He didn’t build a Bible and threw us to the wind blindly to interpret it as we see fit, complete with our own human machinations and frail sinfulness

16.) Faith and works go hand in hand. It is folly to say we are saved by faith alone. Doesn’t James tell us this? Faith alone is folly. It’s evidenced by James and Paul’s context with Romans and grace/faith should be taken in its proper context. The Catholic Church does this.

17.) The Communion of Saints–we are a family of God alive and dead, caring for each other, always

18.) Sacramentals like the rosary, holy water, blessed objects make Satan hope in his boots. Love 'em!

19.) Men like John Paul II, my hero, who enlighten and open our eyes to Christ…

20.) The Marian apparitions that have shown Catholicism to be the Church of Christ and the many other miracles associated with Catholicism in the Eucharist, stagmata, Fatima, visions, etc. These miracles only pound home the truth that this is the Church.

 

[Lutheranteach]

In my opinion it’s better to be Catholic because it gives you a better relationship with Christ. It also depends on what “protestants” you are talking about. Some protestants do nothing only study the bible and preach how the bible is Jesus. But mainly a Church that has sacraments gives you the best opportunity to come closer to Christ. Everything a Catholic does, including fasting, confession, pennance are all things to better the relationship. A lot of protestants may think these aren’t necessary for salvation, but I like to say that Catholics do more then just the bare minimum necessary for salvation. Unlike most churches who are out to prove that they are right, we just worship the lord.

Also, many people that would attend a Catholic Church would actually get fuller definitions of bible passages that are read to us not to prove our Church right, but to become the best Christian.

I can agree with much of this. I do find, in my own experience, that many who go though such things as fasting, penance, confession, even crossing oneself do so merely out of habit or rote memorization with no idea why they actually do so.

 

[One_in_Christ_1]

In my opinion it’s better to be Catholic because it gives you a better relationship with Christ. It also depends on what “protestants” you are talking about. Some protestants do nothing only study the bible and preach how the bible is Jesus. But mainly a Church that has sacraments gives you the best opportunity to come closer to Christ. Everything a Catholic does, including fasting, confession, pennance are all things to better the relationship. A lot of protestants may think these aren’t necessary for salvation, but I like to say that Catholics do more then just the bare minimum necessary for salvation. Unlike most churches who are out to prove that they are right, we just worship the lord.

Also, many people that would attend a Catholic Church would actually get fuller definitions of bible passages that are read to us not to prove our Church right, but to become the best Christian.

That’s the truth of the matter. Not all Protestant churches are the same. Since the Catholic Church is so big, are the Parishes different too, but with less diversity than the Protestant churches?

 

[Roblox84]

I can agree with much of this. I do find, in my own experience, that many who go though such things as fasting, penance, confession, even crossing oneself do so merely out of habit or rote memorization with no idea why they actually do so.

Yes that’s absolutely true. There are many Catholics out there that do them out of repetition or because it was forced on them. My biggest issue with my Church is how the sacraments are forced on me since I was a kid, but that’s my personality issue. I guess we should try as hard as we can not to loose sight of why we do them.

 

[centurionguard]

I’m Catholic for several reasons:

1.) God does not expect everything to be a one-on-one experience. He works through men, always has, whether it was through prophets, Persian kings like Cyrus delivering Israel back from the Babylonian Captivity, or through the missionary work of men like Paul, Silas, and Timothy. God gave us sacraments as life-lines to save our souls and these sacraments like confession, Eucharist, marriage, baptism, they come to us by men through Christ. Confession and the Eucharist especially are gifts of the Church that save our souls, Christ-centered but delivered by human beings.

2.) The early church was liturgical, not happy clappy and just a free for all

3.) Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a component of the faith the early Christians embraced. It is evidenced in early writings and in the simple etchings and artwork of the catacombs. We can read intercessory prayer requests to the BVM on catacomb walls…

4.) The Catholic Church in ecumenical councils with the popes playing an important role fought off heresies like arianism, nestorianism, monothelitism, gnosticism, all the evil “isms” that plagued orthodoxy. The Catholic Church saved us from the lies of the evil one and have preserved truth. The Gates of Hell have not prevailed because of the work of Christ through His Church.

5.) The Bible was brought to us by the Church. The Church was the editing staff, the decider of what was not authentic, and what was indeed inspired and holy.

6.) The papacy–The Rock of Peter is alive and well, The Catholic Church is not a group of folks with a Bible just looking backward and trying to re-create the early Church. It is the Church and it continues to take on the issues of the day and put them in context for us.

7.) The Catholic Church is anti-abortion

8.) The Catholic Church is anti remarriage

9.) The Catholic Church is able to analyze war with the just war doctrine and call a spade a spade in this area when so many are unwilling to do so

10.) The Catholic Church has fought against stem cell research in fetal tissue and the immorality of in vitro when many are silent or buy into it

11.) The Catholic Church rejects trial marriages and free sex and all the other silliness of our age

12.) GK Chesterton once said that the Catholic Church is the only thing that keeps a man from becoming the child of his age. That is proven to be true, no doubt

13.) We can’t do this alone. I’m not qualified to interpret Scripture. 2,000 years of councils, papal wisdom, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are the only holistic entities capable of revealing the truth, context, and overall meaning of Scripture

14.) The Eucharist, the Eucharist, the Eucharist, the Eucharist!!! No protestant denomination has the fullness of this sublime, timeless, life-changing food

15.) Christ built one Church. He didn’t build a Bible and threw us to the wind blindly to interpret it as we see fit, complete with our own human machinations and frail sinfulness

16.) Faith and works go hand in hand. It is folly to say we are saved by faith alone. Doesn’t James tell us this? Faith alone is folly. It’s evidenced by James and Paul’s context with Romans and grace/faith should be taken in its proper context. The Catholic Church does this.

17.) The Communion of Saints–we are a family of God alive and dead, caring for each other, always

18.) Sacramentals like the rosary, holy water, blessed objects make Satan hope in his boots. Love 'em!

19.) Men like John Paul II, my hero, who enlighten and open our eyes to Christ…

20.) The Marian apparitions that have shown Catholicism to be the Church of Christ and the many other miracles associated with Catholicism in the Eucharist, stagmata, Fatima, visions, etc. These miracles only pound home the truth that this is the Church.

**:thumbsup:NOW HERE’S A TRUE CATHOLIC!!!

Thanks For Stepping Up To The Plate. Beautifully expressed. Thank You**

 

[Lutheranteach]

I’m Catholic for several reasons:

1.) God does not expect everything to be a one-on-one experience. He works through men, always has, whether it was through prophets, Persian kings like Cyrus delivering Israel back from the Babylonian Captivity, or through the missionary work of men like Paul, Silas, and Timothy. God gave us sacraments as life-lines to save our souls and these sacraments like confession, Eucharist, marriage, baptism, they come to us by men through Christ. Confession and the Eucharist especially are gifts of the Church that save our souls, Christ-centered but delivered by human beings.

2.) The early church was liturgical, not happy clappy and just a free for all

3.) Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a component of the faith the early Christians embraced. It is evidenced in early writings and in the simple etchings and artwork of the catacombs. We can read intercessory prayer requests to the BVM on catacomb walls…

4.) The Catholic Church in ecumenical councils with the popes playing an important role fought off heresies like arianism, nestorianism, monothelitism, gnosticism, all the evil “isms” that plagued orthodoxy. The Catholic Church saved us from the lies of the evil one and have preserved truth. The Gates of Hell have not prevailed because of the work of Christ through His Church.

5.) The Bible was brought to us by the Church. The Church was the editing staff, the decider of what was not authentic, and what was indeed inspired and holy.

6.) The papacy–The Rock of Peter is alive and well, The Catholic Church is not a group of folks with a Bible just looking backward and trying to re-create the early Church. It is the Church and it continues to take on the issues of the day and put them in context for us.

7.) The Catholic Church is anti-abortion

8.) The Catholic Church is anti remarriage

9.) The Catholic Church is able to analyze war with the just war doctrine and call a spade a spade in this area when so many are unwilling to do so

10.) The Catholic Church has fought against stem cell research in fetal tissue and the immorality of in vitro when many are silent or buy into it

11.) The Catholic Church rejects trial marriages and free sex and all the other silliness of our age

12.) GK Chesterton once said that the Catholic Church is the only thing that keeps a man from becoming the child of his age. That is proven to be true, no doubt

13.) We can’t do this alone. I’m not qualified to interpret Scripture. 2,000 years of councils, papal wisdom, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are the only holistic entities capable of revealing the truth, context, and overall meaning of Scripture

14.) The Eucharist, the Eucharist, the Eucharist, the Eucharist!!! No protestant denomination has the fullness of this sublime, timeless, life-changing food

15.) Christ built one Church. He didn’t build a Bible and threw us to the wind blindly to interpret it as we see fit, complete with our own human machinations and frail sinfulness

16.) Faith and works go hand in hand. It is folly to say we are saved by faith alone. Doesn’t James tell us this? Faith alone is folly. It’s evidenced by James and Paul’s context with Romans and grace/faith should be taken in its proper context. The Catholic Church does this.

17.) The Communion of Saints–we are a family of God alive and dead, caring for each other, always

18.) Sacramentals like the rosary, holy water, blessed objects make Satan hope in his boots. Love 'em!

19.) Men like John Paul II, my hero, who enlighten and open our eyes to Christ…

20.) The Marian apparitions that have shown Catholicism to be the Church of Christ and the many other miracles associated with Catholicism in the Eucharist, stagmata, Fatima, visions, etc. These miracles only pound home the truth that this is the Church.

I disagree with many of the things you’ve posted and feel with every core of my being correct in doing so.

 

[lil_flower_luv]

I disagree with many of the things you’ve posted and feel with every core of my being correct in doing so.

LOL.
Care to elaborate?

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Pretty powerful words, teach. I’m simply responding to the thread title. As a Catholic on a Catholic message board, makes sense, right? You wouldn’t expect a Catholic to embrace Lutheran ideas like sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gracia, the idea that the Pope is heretical and an anti-Christ and believe in only two sacraments, etc., right? Only makes sense. Sorry I tingled every part of your core, it’s my faith. God bless you.

I disagree with many of the things you’ve posted and feel with every core of my being correct in doing so.

 

[JeanneH]

That’s a tough one to apply consistently since Protestants do not have the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. If we applied John as it was written, Protestants would have no life in them according to those verses.

You are right. You have life but is it eternal life?

 

[JeanneH]

That’s a tough one to apply consistently since Protestants do not have the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. If we applied John as it was written, Protestants would have no life in them according to those verses.

Why wouldn’t you apply John as it was written? To me what Jesus is saying is plain.
Why wouldn’t you embrace the Real Presence?

You do have life, physical life. Are you sure you have eternal life without the Real Body and Blood of Jesus?

 

[TimeToGrow]

In my opinion the scripture tells why it would be better to be Catholic. It’s because of the Roman Catholic Faith

Matthew 8

5 And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grieviously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him. 8 And the centurion making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him: “”""""""“Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.”"""""

11 And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Roman Soldiors Faith was based on his understanding of ““Authority not the Scripture””". A faith Christ claimed was greater than the only people on the planet to have scripture and claimed to understand them.

The Roman new about Authority and they were a People who respected it. That is why it is better than any religious CHristian Group on the Planet. The Romans faith has been around for more than 2000 years. If the world will exist for another two thousand the Roman catholic Church will be there for it if keeps its faith in Christ the Lord and God.

Peace and Godbless

 

[Pug]

IMO…it’s better to be Protestant, but tell me why it’s better to be Catholic. But remember, Catholics and Protestants are one in Christ for those who actually are known by God through Christ. Please try to keep your responses grounded in official Catholic teaching. I’ll start:

1. It’s better to be Protestant because historic Protestant theology rest in the finished work of Christ for our eternal standing before God, We are justified by the person and work of Jesus Christ who earned our complete forgiveness and reconciliation for us, We are saved from God to God, and for God on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, historic Protestant theology teaches that we have eternal peace with God because of the merit of Jesus Christ.

I am very glad that I became Catholic all those years ago. However, I am very grateful for what I received/learned as a child from various Protestants. I was raised to believe in God, and I appreciate that. I was raised to love others. I learned to read the bible and listen to Jesus. I was told to worship God, not just in my room, but together with other Christians. Things like this. God used these and other things to lead me to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Once here, I learned so many things that I am so happy I learned! I belong here. I always wanted to sit at the Master’s feet, and here I can do that best, plus more than I ever imagined. He is the way and the truth and the life. There is no reason to leave such a place, until He takes me home.

If you are looking for a specific thing that is “more” for me here, it is the Eucharist and communion with the Trinity. As a result, I have more appreciation of heaven than I did as a Protestant. I used to not care about it, because I only looked upon it as a place with no tears. I didn’t see that as offering much more than total oblivion did. I’m trying to think of concrete terms, rather than a theological description, to help you see what it means to me. I guess you could say that before, despair lurked on my doorstep. Understanding God’s plan of salvation changed that.