My girlfriend is a Baptist

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jpink1019 said:
I meant simply what i said. It is unfair.
do you consider where the Holy Spirit can work?
How many of these churches have you been to? How many “non denominational” people have you met? how can you judge so many people to this extent?
“all manner of false teachings?”
“heretical free for all??”
how dare you make such a sweeping accusation.
Christ had love and compassion for “heretics” and lost people.
what you said does nothing more than create division.
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The heresies promulgated in non-denominational “churches” are many. For starters:
Denial of the real (as opposed to symbolic) presence in the Eucharist
Denial of Church Authority
Adherence to Sola Scriptura
Adherence to Sola Fide
Rejection of the need for Baptism for salvation
Rejection of Apostolic Authority and the ministerial priesthood
Denial of Mary as Theotokos (God-Bearer)
Acceptance of “Believer’s Baptism” only
Removal of certain books of Scripture from the Canon
Lack of necessity of interior conversion
Denial of Covenant Theology (reducing the our relationship with Christ to being purely legal, rather than familial)
Do I really need to go on?
 
For what its worth, it probably is wisest to marry a person of the same faith. Millions of Protestants, of course, marry other Protestants but of different denominations. There’s a study out indicating that so many Protestants convert to another religion. My experience is that they change denominations but not abandon Protestantism. Sometimes couples compromise, but most major denominations are similar enough so few complications arise.
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The problem with a Catholic-Protestant marriage is that the Catholic Church claims that it alone is the true church and considerable emphasis is put upon church affiliation, the authority of the magisterium, etc. Protestant churches in general don't have that emphasis, with a few exceptions. Remember that Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons are not Protestants, They don't see themselves as Protestants and Protestants don't see them as Protestants.

 If a Catholic falls desperately in love with a Protestant (as happens), there are various alternatives. Find a middle road - Eastern Orthodoxy, maybe the Episcopal Church. Or, agree on one church, perhaps the church of the spouse more devoted to his or her religion. God doesn't give one iota what church we go to. We are not saved by church membership! We are saved by the grace of God. Remember how Jesus answered the lawyer who asked how could he inherit eternal life? Not a word about church, creed, doctrine, etc. Love God and love your neighbor. When the lawyer pressed, Jesus gave us the beautiful parable of the Good Samaritan.

 Religion has wrecked many marriages because of pious and/or stupid arrogance and intolerance. We are to blame for that, certainly not God.
 
Roy5 said:
For what its worth, it probably is wisest to marry a person of the same faith. Millions of Protestants, of course, marry other Protestants but of different denominations. There’s a study out indicating that so many Protestants convert to another religion. My experience is that they change denominations but not abandon Protestantism. Sometimes couples compromise, but most major denominations are similar enough so few complications arise.
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The problem with a Catholic-Protestant marriage is that the Catholic Church claims that it alone is the true church and considerable emphasis is put upon church affiliation, the authority of the magisterium, etc. Protestant churches in general don't have that emphasis, with a few exceptions. Remember that Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons are not Protestants, They don't see themselves as Protestants and Protestants don't see them as Protestants.

 If a Catholic falls desperately in love with a Protestant (as happens), there are various alternatives. Find a middle road - Eastern Orthodoxy, maybe the Episcopal Church. Or, agree on one church, perhaps the church of the spouse more devoted to his or her religion. God doesn't give one iota what church we go to. We are not saved by church membership! We are saved by the grace of God. Remember how Jesus answered the lawyer who asked how could he inherit eternal life? Not a word about church, creed, doctrine, etc. Love God and love your neighbor. When the lawyer pressed, Jesus gave us the beautiful parable of the Good Samaritan.

 Religion has wrecked many marriages because of pious and/or stupid arrogance and intolerance. We are to blame for that, certainly not God.
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The problem is this: The Catholic Church alone possesses the fullness of truth any so called “middle ground” is leaving that fullness for something less.
 
Roy5 said:
God doesn’t give one iota what church we go to.
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Actually, I believe that Jesus (God Incarnate) does. He even prayed as much right before he gave Himself up to die on the cross. How does your view that any church is as good as another answer Jesus’ prayer?
 
CWBetts said:
The heresies promulgated in non-denominational “churches” are many. For starters:
Denial of the real (as opposed to symbolic) presence in the Eucharist
Denial of Church Authority
Adherence to Sola Scriptura
Adherence to Sola Fide
Rejection of the need for Baptism for salvation
Rejection of Apostolic Authority and the ministerial priesthood
Denial of Mary as Theotokos (God-Bearer)
Acceptance of “Believer’s Baptism” only
Removal of certain books of Scripture from the Canon
Lack of necessity of interior conversion
Denial of Covenant Theology (reducing the our relationship with Christ to being purely legal, rather than familial)
Do I really need to go on?
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but not all of this is true.
again please don’t speak for so many people.
A lot of what you stated here comes from the catholic church such as the apostolic authority and others, that is obvious. But you are still generalizing. Batism for example is needed.
 
CWBetts said:
We are done here, until you can make a reasonable argument.
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it is perfectly reasonable…
you chose to continue to make generalizations. I am asking you to back it up.
how do you know? for example how do you know that most “non denom” dont’ believe in the necessity of baptism?
 
Avood said:
I have been in a serious relationship now for over 4 years. I love my girlfriend and we talk often of a future together and getting married. But, we still run into problems and issues when it comes to religion and where our future will take us since she is a Baptist and I am a Catholic. I love her and know that God gives us love and so there must be a way to reconcile or at least come to understandings. I don’t know exactly what my question is but I was hoping for some advice on where to go with this and how to approach it next time we have a discussion or debate. I would love to hear anyone’s advice especially someone coming from a similar situation. Thanks
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My dad was Baptist although he was not a practicing Baptist and my mother is a cradle Catholic. My dad’s side of the family was as devoutly Baptist as my mother’s was Catholic.

My dad agreed to raise us Catholic, he kept his word and he went to Mass on the all the special occassions, but he never coverted and his side of the family has never interfered. My parents were happily married for 39 years until my dad died 11 years ago. So while it may not work for some, it did work for them.

My advice is to lay all the cards on the table so that she knows exactly how you feel about the issues. Make sure you know exactly how she feels.
 
jpink1019 said:
it is perfectly reasonable…
you chose to continue to make generalizations. I am asking you to back it up.
how do you know? for example how do you know that most “non denom” dont’ believe in the necessity of baptism?
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Personal experience with non-denominational friends and family members, and a geeral understanding of flawed Protestant theology. I, my self, am a former Fundamental Independent Baptist. I know their teachings. Even if I would concede the “necessity of baptism” (which we both know that to them it is “just a symbol,” and therefore unnecessary) you cannot pretend that they don’t hold the same view on the others. Especially the teachings on Mary and the teachings on the Blessed Sacrament.
 
CWBetts said:
Personal experience with non-denominational friends and family members, and a geeral understanding of flawed Protestant theology. I, my self, am a former Fundamental Independent Baptist. I know their teachings. Even if I would concede the “necessity of baptism” (which we both know that to them it is “just a symbol,” and therefore unnecessary) you cannot pretend that they don’t hold the same view on the others. Especially the teachings on Mary and the teachings on the Blessed Sacrament.
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no i would not pretend.
Those teachings are very specific to the catholic church
 
jpink1019 said:
but not all of this is true.
again please don’t speak for so many people.
A lot of what you stated here comes from the catholic church such as the apostolic authority and others, that is obvious. But you are still generalizing. Batism for example is needed.
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A vast number hold that while baptism is nessecery for membership in their "church. it is not nessessary for salvation.
 
jpink1019 said:
Those teachings are very specific to the catholic church
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Catholic teaching has been consistent for 2000 years. The same teaching (from a different perspective) has been going just as long in the Eastern churches. This is timeless, unified Christian teaching.

The variations introduced in the last 500 years (and multiplied in the last 50) by individuals interpreting scripture on their own without guidance are specific deviations from constant, unified Christian teaching.

On the necessity of Baptism: most nondenominationals adopt the teaching that Baptism is not a sacrament and does not affect salvation on the baptized person. They teach it as being a symbol necessary only to show obedience or follow example. As Baptism is plainly a “work” and their adherence to Sola Fide prohibits the involvement of works in salvation, they have even more reason to distance themselves from Baptism. Therefore, they teach that it is unnecessary (though they are more likely to tap dance around the question).
 
jpink1019 said:
how do you know?
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Why would anyone want to belong to a religion (non-Denominationalism) that doesn’t seem to offer any solid truth or belief? To an observer it seems like you all like Jesus, but can’t agree on what he teaches and you all like the Bible but can’t agree on what it means. How do you follow Christ and the Bible if you can’t definitively answer any questions about what it means to do that?
 
CWBetts said:
Again, another pointless post. Would you care to actually contribute?
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no actually i was hoping to end the conversation. I agree there are obvious teachings exclusive to the catholic church. If i have anymore questions on the church’s teachings i will ask another. Otherwise i may continue to post throughout the thread.
 
jpink1019 said:
no actually i was hoping to end the conversation. I agree there are obvious teachings exclusive to the catholic church. If i have anymore questions on the church’s teachings i will ask another. Otherwise i may continue to post throughout the thread.
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Actually, if you look hard enough, you will find non-Apostolic Christians who agree with Catholic doctrine on each teaching, though not all of them. The Los Angeles Church of Christ (LACC), for example, does hold that Baptism is necessary for salvation.

If you want the conversation to end, perhaps you should just exit (I don’t want to get rid of you but there are too many fired-up Catholic apologists around to allow a non-Catholic viewpoint have the last word).
 
Avood said:
I have been in a serious relationship now for over 4 years. I love my girlfriend and we talk often of a future together and getting married. But, we still run into problems and issues when it comes to religion and where our future will take us since she is a Baptist and I am a Catholic. I love her and know that God gives us love and so there must be a way to reconcile or at least come to understandings. I don’t know exactly what my question is but I was hoping for some advice on where to go with this and how to approach it next time we have a discussion or debate. I would love to hear anyone’s advice especially someone coming from a similar situation. Thanks
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I am a Baptist and married a lapsed Catholic who became Baptist. Fast forward twenty years-I am converting to Catholicism and he still struggles with some of the beliefs.

Bearing in mind there are many different types of Baptists, please keep a few things in mind:
-some, but not all, Baptists believe Catholics are not Christians
-all Baptists (except Reformed Paedobaptists) are dead set against infant baptism
-a cornerstone of Baptist belief is OSAS
-etc., etc. etc.

If children do not enter the picture, the worst case scenario is you go to church alone.
If children do enter the picture, you have a much more difficult scenario. When and if will your children be baptized? Will they receive first communion? Confirmation? If you alternate Baptist/Catholic churches, are you okay with the Baptists trying to convert them every other Sunday? If your little one becomes gravely ill and you want him to be baptized for the sake of his soul and his Baptist mother forbids it, will you be okay with that? Will he go to Christian, Catholic or public school? What happens at the dinner table when your little one asks you why you belong to the church of the anti-Christ, the great whore of babylon? (never underestimate what people are willing to ask your children when you are not around.) Just putting forth a few of the things I have experienced or heard of.
 
jpink1019 said:
i am sorry but u jump to conclusions and misunderstand what the person was trying to say about salvation.
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I was a Protestant for many years, and I know what is meant when a person refers to themselves or others as “saved” (past tense). It indicates a belief in instant salvation which they erroneously believe occurs when one “accepts Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.” The person, it is believed, is then “forever saved.” But not every Protestant believes this. And that is not what a Catholic means by salvation. The same words used by Catholics and Protestants have different meanings.

What conclusions have I jumped to, and what do I misunderstand about “salvation”? Protestant belief is based upon the opinions of a particular denomination’s founder about what he/she/they think(s) the Bible means. Catholics believe the teachings of the Apostles that have been handed down to us for 21 centuries. Catholics and Baptists are like water and oil – not a good blend for marriage.

Jim Dandy, former Baptist, ecstatic to be Catholic
 
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