Protestant... Oh How I HATE That Term...

[Marsha_Adams]

When it comes to what people call you, think of how much fun you’re gonna have on this side of the Tiber when people call you a “Romanist” or a “Papist” and when they call your faith “the Romish Deception.” Shucks. People hardly ever call us Papists any more. I miss it.

Mercy:

No problem, find yourself a solid Seventh Day Adventist and they will gladly call you the anti-christ and the whore of babylon. If they are having a good day they might rein themselves in and just call you a papist.

I was born and raised Seventh Day Adventist, so I know what I’m talking about, but it has to be a SOLID SDA because a lot of them have gotten PC lately and don’t use those terms any more, the really faithful ones still do.

Marsha

 

[Singinbeauty]

In addition to this, you say you are not protesting anything in the Catholic Church, but you are not Catholic. So obviously there is something you are disagreeing with. Right?

To disagree is not to protest my friend. I may not agree with it but I certainly am not saying there is anything particularily WRONG with it. It’s just not the path that God has me on.

 

[Verita]

Au contraire my friend. The term ‘protestant’ and it’s negative connotation has not dissolved as I run into the disgust when some catholics utter it. But I am glad that it has not negative meaning with you.

If there are people who dislike your particular branch of Christianity, then it won’t matter what you call yourselves, they’ll find some way to make it derogatory. Those types of people could probably call you “Christians” and still say with disgust. It doesn’t have anything to do with the term, it’s just what’s in their hearts.

Protestant, by the way, is a historical term. It applies to Christians branches that descended from the churches that formed out of the reformation, from those who did actively protest the Church. It’s an entirely accurate way of describing you.

 

[JimO]

No problem, find yourself a solid Seventh Day Adventist and they will gladly call you the anti-christ and the whore of babylon. If they are having a good day they might rein themselves in and just call you a papist.

I was born and raised Seventh Day Adventist, so I know what I’m talking about, but it has to be a SOLID SDA because a lot of them have gotten PC lately and don’t use those terms any more, the really faithful ones still do.

Marsha and Mercy,

I know how both of you feel having grown up Catholic in the South, but I’m sure that Singing has been hurt just as deeply. No Christian wants to be judged and condemned to hell by another Christian. There are plenty of radical Muslims who will tell us we are all going to hell. But, Jesus calls us to bless those who curse us and that is the best witness we can give, particularly to another Christian.

 

[Verita]

Agreed.
I am not WANTING to be considered equal. What you think is what you THINK. But I want the catholic community to know, as a whole, that ALL christians are EQUAL in Gods eyes as His children.

Good for you, you have your wish. That is what the Catholic Church teaches.

 

[JimO]

If there are people who dislike your particular branch of Christianity, then it won’t matter what you call yourselves, they’ll find some way to make it derogatory. Those types of people could probably call you “Christians” and still say with disgust. It doesn’t have anything to do with the term, it’s just what’s in their hearts.

You know, this problem is certainly not confined to Catholics and “Protestants”. I have friends who are Baptists and others that are Assembly of God. You cannot get much different theologically. I’ve heard Baptists say that AoGs are letting demons speak through them when praying in tongues and AoGs say that Baptists aren’t filled with the Holy Spirit.

This is Satan’s greatest victory - to cause division.

 

[corvidae]

To disagree is not to protest my friend. I may not agree with it but I certainly am not saying there is anything particularily WRONG with it. It’s just not the path that God has me on.

You can protest, even if you protest privately.

It seems you seek relativism and this is why I say that. You say there is nothing wrong with the Catholic Church, but you will not join it. So either you do not believe anyone has the truth and so it does not matter what denomination you are, or you believe everyone is perfect, and so it does not matter what religion you are. Either way it denies differences which plainly exist.

I urge you to pursue Truth, for Jesus said his purpose was to testify to the Truth. I passionately urge you to not repeat Pilate “what is truth?”

I believe that relativism is wrong, it is a religion based upon Pilate’s statement rather than Jesus’ statement. It seems that relativism IS the unity you seek, when in reality, relativism is no unity at all and is more dangerous to truth than denominations are.

A lone Raven

Think about the amazingness of this, the two statements have echoed down throughout history, one For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth, and the other What is truth.

We are repeating an ancient trial, and in almost the exact same words. I have much more respect for someone who is testifying to the truth, even if they have that truth slightly wrong than for someone who simply asks what is truth

 

[mercygate]

Mercy:

No problem, find yourself a solid Seventh Day Adventist and they will gladly call you the anti-christ and the whore of babylon. If they are having a good day they might rein themselves in and just call you a papist.

I was born and raised Seventh Day Adventist, so I know what I’m talking about, but it has to be a SOLID SDA because a lot of them have gotten PC lately and don’t use those terms any more, the really faithful ones still do.

Marsha

That explains a lot!

Hey, Singin’! Let’s get Marsha to introduce you and me to some SDAs and we can both be called names we don’t like!

 

[THutch04]

I just want to know if a Protestant is defined as any church that is not Orthodox or Catholic, or if it’s actually a set of beliefs. Because I didn’t grow up Catholic or Orthodox, and yet I was taught that Sola Scriptura was NOT acceptable or correct, and I was taught about the bishops, deacons, priests, ect. That’s why I just stuck to denominational labels, because I found “Protestant” to be too broud a category when you’re referring to specific beliefs.

 

[JimO]

I’m pretty sure that the term “Protestant” refers to those denominations that trace their lineage to the Reformation that was started by Luther, including those tracing back to Calvin and other contemporaries. The Church of England and those branching from it, although not directly part of the Reformation, were theologically aligned with the Protestant churches in existance at the time; thus, they were labelled “Protestant” as well.

 

[rr1213]

I just want to know if a Protestant is defined as any church that is not Orthodox or Catholic, or if it’s actually a set of beliefs. Because I didn’t grow up Catholic or Orthodox, and yet I was taught that Sola Scriptura was NOT acceptable or correct, and I was taught about the bishops, deacons, priests, ect. That’s why I just stuck to denominational labels, because I found “Protestant” to be too broud a category when you’re referring to specific beliefs.

That’s because the Anglican tradition, by its own perceptions, is not totally Protestant and, at the same time, is Catholic albeit not Roman Catholic. Now, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, Anglicans are simply another flavor of Protestantism. In the eyes of more traditional Protestants, Anglicans are simply “Catholic-lite”. At least until all the more recent liberal nonsense took over many of the Anglican Churches, such as the Episcopal Church.

 

[irishmac]

I am not WANTING to be considered equal. What you think is what you THINK. But I want the catholic community to know, as a whole, that ALL christians are EQUAL in Gods eyes as His children. The only favorites He has are the Jewish community.

Singinbeauty, can I tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a man, a good Father, who provided for every happiness for his children, to which he had two. The children would be given such great things as long as they did as the Father instructed; his rules were quite reasonable. This family lived in a great house with every heart’s desire.

One day, one of the children decided to think about the rule the Father had layed out for them. The rule became very difficult to live with, so, in a huff, that child gathered his belongings and stormed out of the house. “I do not agree with this rule,” the child said, slamming the door. The Father watched as his child turned his back and walked away. The wayward child took up living in the backyard treehouse, built as a replica of the house of the Father.

In the meantime, the other child followed the rules of the Father without doubt. He trusted that the Father would not mislead him. The child continued living with the happiness the Father bestowed on his child.

One evening, the Father had a wonderful meal set at the table. He walked to the door, opened it, and shouted, “Come inside, my child, and taste the food of my table.” But the protesting child was so famished that he fell in dilerium, shouting back, “Your food is not food for me. It’s not even real.”

Now, the Father never stopped loving His wayward child, hoping that one day the child would return to the Father’s house. Every day the Father goes to the door, opens it, and shouts, “Come inside, my child, and taste the food of my table.”

So, tell me how this story should end?

Dominus vobsicum!

 

[rr1213]

Singinbeauty, can I tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a man, a good Father, who provided for every happiness for his children, to which he had two. The children would be given such great things as long as they did as the Father instructed; his rules were quite reasonable. This family lived in a great house with every heart’s desire.

One day, one of the children decided to think about the rule the Father had layed out for them. The rule became very difficult to live with, so, in a huff, that child gathered his belongings and stormed out of the house. “I do not agree with this rule,” the child said, slamming the door. The Father watched as his child turned his back and walked away. The wayward child took up living in the backyard treehouse, built as a replica of the house of the Father.

In the meantime, the other child followed the rules of the Father without doubt. He trusted that the Father would not mislead him. The child continued living with the happiness the Father bestowed on his child.

One evening, the Father had a wonderful meal set at the table. He walked to the door, opened it, and shouted, “Come inside, my child, and taste the food of my table.” But the protesting child was so famished that he fell in dilerium, shouting back, “Your food is not food for me. It’s not even real.”

Now, the Father never stopped loving His wayward child, hoping that one day the child would return to the Father’s house. Every day the Father goes to the door, opens it, and shouts, “Come inside, my child, and taste the food of my table.”

So, tell me how this story should end?

Dominus vobsicum!

…depends on whether Catholics or Protestants are the true prodigal sons…

 

[Nicholas_Larkin]

All right… I know what kind of can I am opening with this but I am gonna do it anyways…

I HATE the term Protestant. There I said it. I am Non-Denominational (and we have had so many convo’s about that term… this is not the place for it!) but because I am not catholic I am considered protestant. Gee, that’s fair.

Anything and everything that is NOT catholic is considered protestant… right? So, mormans or JW’s or some obscure cult that doesn’t believe that Christ is the Lord of All and the Savior of our Souls are considered protestant? From what I understand ‘protestant’ is a person or group that protests the Catholic Church, right? I don’t protest the RCC… Why am I still protestant? I get lumped in with anyone and everyone who are not even christian by definition but because they aren’t catholic they are protestant…

Does this seem fair?

I personally prefer to call “protestants” my seperated brethren. But still, I recognize them as Christians, just as I recognize Catholic’s as Christians (for I am one), but the term “protestant” is used because all other Churches broke off from the Catholic Church by protesting. All belonged to the Catholic Church at one time, during the Apostolic age. Rather you believe this or not, this would be why a lot of Catholics refer to non-Catholic Christians as “protestants.” I hope this helped. May God bless you.

 

[whosebob]

I just want to know if a Protestant is defined as any church that is not Orthodox or Catholic, or if it’s actually a set of beliefs.

JMJ + OBT​

The following article in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia may be helpful to you, Singinbeauty, and other forums members reading and/or participating in this thread:

Protestantism

Sometimes the tone of the articles in the 1913 C.E. can be a bit polemical and aggressively defensive of the Catholic Faith, which has a lot to with the time period during which they were composed and edited. Even so, most of its articles, even the more polemical ones, are scholarly and accurate and can still serve as a valuable reference for learning about Catholicism and related subjects.

In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

IC XC NIKA

 

[Rowsdower]

Why? Unless the very thought of someone thinking you are ‘protestant’ is a horrible thing… It kinda sounds like we can’t lose the ‘title’ because that would mean catholics and protestants would have to be the SAME… The Lord in Heaven forbid! The very thought that catholics would have to lower themselves to someone thinking that they are equal to protestants is just ghastly…

Would you like being called a Muslim (which means "one who submits to God)? After all you do worship the God of Abraham like they do. I hope you submit yourself to God. So why shouldnt I call you a Muslim?

 

[Rowsdower]

My grandmother’s family were of Huguenot stock.
Dashiell of Maryland formerly DeChiel of Lyon until this little episode when they fled for their lives
These things you mention were not a one sided affair.
WP

It was war, people die in war. I hold no grudge against protestants for killing my ancestors.

 

[BobCatholic]

I am Non-Denominational

There’s no such thing as non-denominational.

If your church has a particular set of doctrines, then it is a denomination - that’s what a denomination is - a group of believers with a particular set of doctrines.

Now, if your church has no doctrines, then it must be unitarian universalist and that’s still not non-denominational.

Now, if you wanna say your church is just a generic Christian Church, fine. But the term “non-denominational” is a lie made up by satan to try to redefine words to mean what they don’t mean (like homosexuals did with the word “gay” - it used to mean “happy” before the gay agenda got a hold of it and redefined it to suit their means.)

There. I said it. You had your steam-releasing rant, I had mine

 

[BobCatholic]

Think about the amazingness of this, the two statements have echoed down throughout history, one For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth, and the other What is truth.

Agreed.

That’s why I don’t believe that the opposite of truth is error.

The opposite of truth is relativism.

“There is an absolute truth” versus “there is no absolute truth”

There may be degrees of truth as the Church teaches, among the various religions, but also on the flip side of the coin: there is degrees of relativism.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

You mean like the help that outlawed Catholicism in Britain, stole the Church’s lands and property, raped nuns and executed thousands of Catholic clergy and forced the rest to convert to Anglican Protestantism?

That kind of help we don’t need, thank you very much.

Paul

Not thousands - a few hundred at most. In England and Wales & Ireland. In Scotland: one.​

And a great many clergy conformed to the reformed English Church without being forced. Likewise in Scotland - no force was needed. In Ireland, there were about 250 martyrs altogether, laity included; in England, 600, laity included. Ireland was in the odd position of having relatively few martyrs, yet staying mainly Catholic. The variations in how religion changed or did not depended largely on the social arrangements in the country in question.

OTOH, there were appalling atrocities when Louis XIV tried to convert the Huguenots to Catholicism in 1685 by revoking the Edict of Nantes. There was a great deal of violence then, which far exceeded the worst cruelties of the reign of Elizabeth I. Not to mention the massacres of Huguenots in Paris & other French cities after August 24 1572. Thousands were killed. Compared to the sufferings of the Huguenots, the sufferings of Catholics don’t look very impressive. Catholic repression of Protestants has always been much harsher than repression by Protestants. The 50 Catholics martyred under Henry VIII from 1535 to 1544 are few compared to the French Protestants put to death in France for their faith at the same time.

Most of the losses to Catholicism happened as a result of various legal measures, not as a result of violence (apart from some vandalism; Christians in the Roman Empire had vandalised pre-Christian holy places & shrines, so it’s not as though their descendants could complain).

I do wish people would not confuse Britain and England - they were not & are not the same. It would be rather like calling all North Americans Canadians ##