I’ll make it clear. I am talking about Roman Catholicism.
The Lord says to Peter: “I say to you,” he says, “that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church” . . . On him he builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep John 21:17], and although he assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet he founded a single chair [cathedra], and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. Indeed, the others were that also which Peter was *, but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair. So too, all [the apostles] are shepherds, and the flock is shown to be one, fed by all the apostles in single-minded accord. If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church? (The Unity of the Catholic Church 4 [A.D. 251]). ~St. Cyprian
The Lord says to Peter: “I say to you,” he says, “that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church” . . . On him he builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep John 21:17], and although he assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet he founded a single chair [cathedra], and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. Indeed, the others were that also which Peter was *, but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair. So too, all [the apostles] are shepherds, and the flock is shown to be one, fed by all the apostles in single-minded accord. If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church? (The Unity of the Catholic Church 4 [A.D. 251]). ~St. Cyprian
I have not looked at any of the posts. I do want to point out that your portrayal of Protestant vs Catholic is skewed. You paint a brief picture of Protestanism and a subjective view of Catholicism.I’ve been both. For the first 47 years of my life, I was an active and faithful member of various evangelical Protestant churches. In 2004, my husband and I converted to Catholicism, and we’ve been active and faithful Catholics.
So which is easier?
I don’t want to post my opinion yet (mainly because I have to go to work now!). Also, I am interested in reading what others have to say.
On the surface, it seems that Protestantism is the “easier” path. No obligations, no sacraments. For many Protestants, no fear of ever losing heaven. Great music, friendly people, lots of activities for children and teenagers. Lots of activities for all ages, actually.
Catholics have obligations, including the Sunday Mass obligation. Catholics have sacraments. Catholics must avoid “mortal sin” or they will not go to heaven. Catholic music is often bearable, but seldom great. Many Catholic parishes are hard to make friends in. Often there are very limited activities for Catholics–maybe a Bible study, and maybe not. Probably not a weekly kids’ club–instead, the kids get “religious education”–no campfires or craft projects or sing-alongs in CCD! And youth groups–often they are pretty small, because all the Catholic teens are over at the Assemblies of God weekly youth meeting along with hundreds of other teens! Or the Catholic teens have stopped attending Church entirely, to the dismay of their parents.
But is Protestantism really easier? Hmmm…
I encourage anyone to think about and answer this question. Obviously converts to Catholicism have personal experience with both forms of Christianity, but I know a lot of Catholics who have knowledge of Protestant life and practices, too.
In my experience the obligations are Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, Bible study, mens groups, family groups, potlucks and rallies. The music is open to discussion. I found friendly people that were in my experience superficial. Activities were always geared around being tied to that church.
How do you handle the mystery hidden for all ages. The mystery that reveals to the rulers, to authorities.
King James says it better.
The Church. The Mystery that Paul was given grace to preach about. The Church through which the manifold wisdom of God is known. How do you wrestle with that one?
Agreed. How ever there are enough of a variation, if one wanted to, could shop around until they found one they were required to do the least in and be Christians by name sake only. I suppose one could make the same point regarding even Catholics, those who simply go to Church one day out of the week, and return to their normal life in between.
To risk repeating what others (and I) have said:
Tell them you post on Catholic Answers, there are lots of Catholics sharing ideas and many Catholics there say it is like Bingo, if they built it, it they will come…Code:It depends upon what sort of Catholic or Protestant you are. Most Catholics I know tend to take the Church in stride without fretting too much about following its teachings closely. Many don't even know its teachings. One Catholic I know quite well said that his Italian-heritage family treats Catholicism as a cultural thing, and they don't worry about rules re birth control etc. They get to mass most weekends, skip meat Fridays during Lent, but little else. Their kids go to public schools (one family to a Protestant-founded prep school), to Protestant-founded and now secular colleges (including Yale and Princeton, smart kids), etc. They are told at a young age that Catholicism isn't to be taken too seriously, that much of it is traditional liturgy that is more symbolic than literal. The majority of their kids all but ignore the church when they become young adults, though some return for their weddings and baptisms. Others become thoroughly secular. A few become mainline Protestants, often because of such issues as the ordination of women and their rejection of certain key Catholic doctrines. Most Protestants I know tend to be similar - liberal thinkers. They consider themselves Protestant in large measure because they feel that gives them the freedom to think more-or-less as they please. They will discuss and debate religious matters at the drop of a hat without animus, except where Catholicism, fundamentalist Protestantism, and rigid Islam are concerned. They are strongly critical of any religion that they feel disallows them freedom of thought, that insist upon conformity when it comes to doctrine and such. The strictest (and hardest?) religion I find to be fundamentalist Protestantism, the sort that views alcohol, tobacco, the lottery, even fund-raising bingo, as well as most Sunday recreation as sinful. They are in many ways like Orthodox Jews with a different set of 'do nots'. Often they insist upon modest dress, abhor most popular music, sometimes home school their children, usually embrace a very conservative political and social outlook, feel the world is on its weay to hell, and so on. There are millions of them, especially in the South, and they include many Southern Baptists and Pentecostalists. In a curious way, while they agree with Catholicism on such major issues as abortion and same-sex marriage they are likely suspicious of Catholicism because it contrasts so sharply with their non-liturgical, evangelical worship style. They have become accustomed to thinking oif Catholicism as embracing many beliefs and practices not found in scripture. I presume the 'best Catholics' are monks and nuns,** though many here on CAF endorse traditional Catholicism with a certainty I find rare among lay Catholics in this area./**QUOTE]
You might enjoy reading the entire thread. You will see that I have a great deal of experience with Protestantism after 47 years, as do many others on this thread.
Exactly. I have posted many times since joining CAF about the “unwritten list of rules” in many evangelical Protestant denominations. In fact, before I ever thought about becoming Catholic, I was a member of a Protestant online forum, and I started a firestorm over there by posting a “list of rules” (unwritten) and asking, “Why?” I didn’t get banned, but I got slammed by many. OTOH, many other members of that board stood with me and said, “Yes, this is the way it is in my church, too.”
My question was purposely vague. I didn’t want to lead people into any kind of “correct” answer. I merely wanted people, both Protestant and Catholic, as well as others, to stop and think.
I was a Catholic for the first 25/30 yrs of my life … I have been a Nondenominational Christian for 30+ years … I never thought about ease. I focused on my relationship with my creator… no matter the cost to me.I’ve been both. For the first 47 years of my life, I was an active and faithful member of various evangelical Protestant churches. In 2004, my husband and I converted to Catholicism, and we’ve been active and faithful Catholics.
So which is easier?
I don’t want to post my opinion yet (mainly because I have to go to work now!). Also, I am interested in reading what others have to say.
On the surface, it seems that Protestantism is the “easier” path. No obligations, no sacraments. For many Protestants, no fear of ever losing heaven. Great music, friendly people, lots of activities for children and teenagers. Lots of activities for all ages, actually.
Catholics have obligations, including the Sunday Mass obligation. Catholics have sacraments. Catholics must avoid “mortal sin” or they will not go to heaven. Catholic music is often bearable, but seldom great. Many Catholic parishes are hard to make friends in. Often there are very limited activities for Catholics–maybe a Bible study, and maybe not. Probably not a weekly kids’ club–instead, the kids get “religious education”–no campfires or craft projects or sing-alongs in CCD! And youth groups–often they are pretty small, because all the Catholic teens are over at the Assemblies of God weekly youth meeting along with hundreds of other teens! Or the Catholic teens have stopped attending Church entirely, to the dismay of their parents.
But is Protestantism really easier? Hmmm…
I encourage anyone to think about and answer this question. Obviously converts to Catholicism have personal experience with both forms of Christianity, but I know a lot of Catholics who have knowledge of Protestant life and practices, too.
So what did they accuse you of? it’s hard to understand being kicked out for being too on-fire.
I am the opposite. I came from Protestantism to Catholicism because I just wanted to worship God. I am closer to Jesus now than ever before in my life.
Confidence is not pride.I am the opposite. I came from Protestantism to Catholicism because I just wanted to worship God. I am closer to Jesus now than ever before in my life.
I know Jesus died to save me and I can rest in blessed assurance that I am saved by grace through faith but, that does not mean that I am without sin. That does not mean that when I die, whoosh, there I am in Heaven.
I can only do what Paul said, persevere to the end and reap my reward. If that means a stay in Purgatory along the way, hey it means Heaven is where I will end up. It means I want to remain in a good relationship with God. I love and want to please Him. Why do you seem to think that this is a bad thing?
But one of the major things I have learned as a Catholic is humility. It is an important lesson and one I sorely needed.
I did not say it was. I was talking about my OWN humility not yours.