"Protestant"s not a religion

[eucharisteo]

I’m fighting a white Franciscan cat and a 3 year year old trying to pet the cat… so if this gets messed up …sorry. The cat’s behing my laptop in my prayer corner.

Why do people say they are Protestant when they usually have a specific slant of faith…Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Church of Christ [aka Christians (only)], Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Anglican, Pentecostal, SDA, LDS, etc. ?

bbbbbbb …that was the cat.

I have a non-denominational background…not only that…from a Methodist and Baptist persepecitive, but mainly Church of Christ. But I even rejectected denominationalism as a heresy. Yea…sure I am Catholic. But I also have a deep love for Orthodoxy…whom I consider very close to Catholicism in spite of what they say. They are wrong when they say Catholics have more in common with Protestants than they do with Orthodoxy… That is just plain rediculous to me.

I’m curious of what you reall profess to be…not Protestant, but non-denom… believing in infant baptisms, like my mom’s family, OSAS, believer’s baptism, etc.

Are you here to proselytize or to learn?

 

[Mannyfit75]

I’m fighting a white Franciscan cat and a 3 year year old trying to pet the cat… so if this gets messed up …sorry. The cat’s behing my laptop in my prayer corner.

Why do people say they are Protestant when they usually have a specific slant of faith…Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Church of Christ [aka Christians (only)], Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Anglican, Pentecostal, SDA, LDS, etc. ?

bbbbbbb …that was the cat.

I have a non-denominational background…not only that…from a Methodist and Baptist persepecitive, but mainly Church of Christ. But I even rejectected denominationalism as a heresy. Yea…sure I am Catholic. But I also have a deep love for Orthodoxy…whom I consider very close to Catholicism in spite of what they say. They are wrong when they say Catholics have more in common with Protestants than they do with Orthodoxy… That is just plain rediculous to me.

I’m curious of what you reall profess to be…not Protestant, but non-denom… believing in infant baptisms, like my mom’s family, OSAS, believer’s baptism, etc.

Are you here to proselytize or to learn?

I actually wrote a blog about religion being condemned by Bible Christians when in fact, religion is favored in the Bible.

Here is my blog.

blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=94585300&blogID=428960953

If you do not have myspace account I will copy and paste what I wrote. I apologize for the typos.

 

[Mannyfit75]

**I have been coming across several websites particularly from Youtubers and some comrades in real life that they do not believe in organized religions, or that all religions false. They do profess in one God but denounced religion as if it were a bad thing. In this blog, I will mainly focus on two Monotheistic faiths, Judaism and Christianity. I will discuss other religions but this blog will be about Judaism and Christian. I will not discuss Islam since I do not believe what they believe.

Part I: Religion: What is it?

According to Wikipedia, religion is defined as follows:

A religion is a set of tenets and practices, often centered upon specific supernatural and moral claims about reality, the cosmos, and human nature, and often codified as prayer, ritual, or religious law. Religion also encompasses ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and religious experience. The term “religion” refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction.

If you taken any religious history in college, you could probably conclude that there are varies religions in the world. The Monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which professes an Abrahamic faith. I do believe Muslims got the concept right that there is a One God. However, that is where I draw the line in the sand. I do not believe in many of the tenets of Islam. I believe their beliefs are contrary to what God has revealed through Jesus Christ.

All religions do have one thing in common. They believe is some sort of supreme being that they were created. That the it has a beginning and the end. However, there are religions that have a different view on life and death. Buddhism is different. I cannot really get into Buddhism right now since I know little about it. However, I encourage you all to go to religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm. It gives a general description on Buddhism.

Many religions encourages people to do good. But which one is the true religion? One must find what the truth is first in order to find out the one true religion.

Continue
**

 

[Mannyfit75]

**
II. The Religion: Truth Religion.

I believe that in the fullness of time, God created the heaven and the earth. He also created man and woman. The first man is Adam and the first woman is Eve who was created from the side of Adam, when God put him in a deep sleep. When mankind fall into sin when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they sinned. Death came into the world. God however promised our race (Genesis 3:15) that a messiah would come. That this messiah would be the seed of the woman who would crush the seed of the serpent. God revealed himself to Adam, then Noah, then Abraham, then Abraham’s children, then Moses, and other prophets. This faith or religion is Judaism. It is the first true religion because God has revealed himself to his Chosen people, the Israelites.

During the reign of Cesear Augustus, God would come down as flesh. According to the prophet Issiah that a virgin shall give birth to son and he shall be named Immanuel. Jesus is this child, whom Issiah prophecize. Angel Gabriel visited Mary, and told her that the power of the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and she shall conceived and bear a son, and he shall be called Jesus which means God saves.

He was born in Bethelem, which means “house of bread” in Hebrew. In the Gospel of John, Jesus called himself, “I am the Bread of Life.” So this does revealed something to us. Anyways, if you read Gospel, Jesus lived with his twelve Apostles, betrayed by Judas, suffered, died and was buried and on the third day he rose again. After 40 days of his resurrection, he ascended into heaven and now rules his kingdom. He left us Apostles, who Jesus gave authority.**

 

[Mannyfit75]

**

Jesus build his Church upon Peter, the first Pope, and grant him authority by giving him the keys of the Kingdom. He is like the Prime Minister, or steward. Jesus of course is the King of Kings. When the Apostles died, they pass their authority to the bishops. This Church for 1000 remain united. However in 1054 AD, the Western Christianity and Eastern Christian split into 2. The Catholic Church (West Christianity) and Eastern Orthodoxy (in Constantinople). The cause of the split was more political than theological. There is great hope and I pray, that the two will become One Church again.

In its current status, both the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Church are still in Schism. I do not believe them to be heretics just because they deny the Pope’s authority. In the West, by 1530, Catholicism would break again. Martin Luther founded Lutheranism due to some abuses made by the Catholic Church. Soon there were other Christians who felt the same way as Luther and founded their own. John Calvin, and others. These men would be called Protestants. They created a new doctrines. Bible Alone and Faith Alone. They throw away Sacred Tradition, the Seven Sacraments (lower it to 2 Sacraments), and by the 19th Century removed 7 the Deutrocanonical Books in the Bible.

There well over 2,000 Protestant Denominations today, which have different set of beliefs. It is a fractured form of Christianity. Many of what they believe contradict another Protestant sect. Despite, my respect for their love of Scripture, I have totally lost any respect for any of them. They have accused the Catholic Church of many false misconception of our faith.

I wonder if they consider themselves Christians, why to do they hate the Catholic Church so much. They hate the beliefs rather the Catholics themselves. Some would even go around preaching the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon.

In recent months, the Born-Again Christians, or some Non-Denomination Christians, or whatever they call themselves now have been preaching around condemning entire religions and even religious organizations.

I don’t know when this idea came about but I find it completely foolish and ignorant. If they are Christians, preached this kind of doctrine. They should read the Bible. The Bible itself does not condemned a religion that contains the truth.

Consider these passages in the New Testament written by Timothy, Paul, and James.

Acts.26
[5] They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.
1Tim.2
[10] but by good deeds, as befits women who profess religion.
1Tim.3
[16] Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the Spirit,
seen by angels,
preached among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.

James.1
[26] If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is vain.
[27] Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Paul speaks about Judaism as a religion. Christianity has its origins in Judaism. Our Old Testament is from the Jews. If all religion were false. You might as well deny Jesus or the concept or belief of a Messiah who save us from our sins. If all religion were not true. Then our faith is dead.

What am I getting at? I’m not condoning other religions. I am warning people that preaching against religion itself could lead to many false teachings. It could lead to the denial of Jesus Christ, who is himself a Jew.

Not all religion are the same. They do contain some truth in it. Like I said before, there is only one true religion. It is Christianity. It is found in the Catholic Church. The founder of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ. He is the Head and we are his Members, the Church. Paul said that the pillar and bulwark of truth is the church. What is the Truth?

Jesus has this answer. “I am the Way, the Truth, and Life.” He also said, “the Truth shall set you free.” Seek the truth first, read the Bible, read the Writings of the Early Church Fathers, and read the documents of the Catholic Church. Finally if you are Catholic, read all the Sixteen Documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

I also like to add one more thing. When the Pope invited Non-Christians for a private prayer meeting, it does not mean he is condoning their religion. He is tolerant man. When he kissed the Quran, it was done out of respect. That kiss was not acknowledge that Mohammed is a truth Prophet.

I also like to add that in Jesus times, Jesus spent his time with sinners, tax collectors. He even had a Gentile (Non-Believer) ask him to heal his slave, or how about the Apostles in Acts, when they Apostles ate with the Gentiles, when the Mosaic Law forbids them to do so. Of course this was resolved after the Council of Jerusalem.

Unless you can prove to me that the Pope denounces Jesus Christ himself then perhaps you have every right to complain about the Pope. However, I do not see that. I personally think the Pope is praying that they all convert to Catholicism.**

 

[Peter_J]

Yea…sure I am Catholic. But I also have a deep love for Orthodoxy…whom I consider very close to Catholicism in spite of what they say. They are wrong when they say Catholics have more in common with Protestants than they do with Orthodoxy… That is just plain rediculous to me.

You’ll hear all kinds of opinions on that. Personally I quite agree with you: I believe that Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are very similar and Protestantism is generally the “odd man out”. (I say “generally” because Anglicans and Lutherans are pretty similar to Catholics and Orthodox.)

Orthodox will often point to the fact that Catholics and Protestants alike insert the “filioque” into the Creed. But even on this issue I think that Catholics and Protestants are more different than similar: Catholics believe that the Pope has the authority to permit the alteration of the Creed, whereas Protestants believe that no such permission is even needed! Not exactly what I’d call “similar”.

 

[MIZER]

There are a number of Protestant Sects that don’t want to be called protestant. They say they aren’t protesting anything and they believe their form of religion was practiced by the earliest Christians, only they weren’t visible on the scene because at that time of course, they were being murdered and persecuted by the evil Catholic empire. This is the belief of my Baptist sister.

 

[churchcamefirst]

There are a number of Protestant Sects that don’t want to be called protestant. They say they aren’t protesting anything and they believe their form of religion was practiced by the earliest Christians, only they weren’t visible on the scene because at that time of course, they were being murdered and persecuted by the evil Catholic empire. This is the belief of my Baptist sister.

Too bad how brainwashed one can be.

 

[Publisher]

I’m one of those “brainwashed” members of a sect known as the Society of Friends.

I call myself a “Friend” or “Quaker” when someone asks me my faith tradition. Friends don’t really fit into the “Protestant” mold…and we don’t fit into the Catholic mold either.

I am here to simply learn and understand others faith traditions…I have no desire to “convert” anyone. If “your” faith brings you close to God…that’s enough as far as I’m concerned.

 

[SyCarl]

Of course Protestantism is not a religion. The religion is Chrisianity. Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, non-demoninational etc. are all branches of that one religion.

 

[churchcamefirst]

Of course Protestantism is not a religion. The religion is Chrisianity. Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, non-demoninational etc. are all branches of that one religion.

Actually, every other religion is an off-shoot from Catholicism. The first Christians were Catholics. We have a right to call ourselves Christians before any other religion saw the light of day.

 

[RNRobert]

Of course Protestantism is not a religion. The religion is Chrisianity. Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, non-demoninational etc. are all branches of that one religion.

I would have to disagree. The Catholic Church is the original Christian Church. The Orthodox broke off in the Middle Ages over various doctrinal issues (although I think distance and language differences played a big role) although they retained Apostolic Succession. The Protestant revolt led by Martin Luther placed individual interpretation of the Bible over the Authority established by Christ and thus shattered Christian unity.
On an earlier thread, a non-Catholic member objected to the use of the word “Protestant” as a blanket term for non-Catholic, non-Orthodox Christians. However, I feel that the term is appropriate considering that non-Catholic, non-Orthodox churches, whether the older ‘mainline’ churches or the ‘non-denominational’ storefront church down the street, are Protestant by heritage and by nature. By heritage since all of them can trace their roots back to Luther, Calvin, or one of the other original Reformers. By nature since their main raison d’etre is protest. Mainly they ‘protest’ against the Catholic Church- it’s the one thing they can probably all agree on (not all take the hardline ‘Whore of Babylon’ attitude, but they at least think the Catholic Church is egregiously wrong on several of its teachings).They also protest against each other- the original ‘reformers’ disagreed with other from the start- and Protestantism has continue to splinter down to this day. I saw this firsthand- in the Baptist church I used to attend, the pastor wanted to have a group of elders make most church decisions instead of having the congregation vote on them. The congregation was split down the middle, with each side quoting Bible verses to back up their argument. In the end, the minister left, taking half the congregation with him to start another church. This was 15 years ago- I wonder how many times those churches have subdivided since then?

 

[SyCarl]

I would have to disagree. The Catholic Church is the original Christian Church. The Orthodox broke off in the Middle Ages over various doctrinal issues (although I think distance and language differences played a big role) although they retained Apostolic Succession. The Protestant revolt led by Martin Luther placed individual interpretation of the Bible over the Authority established by Christ and thus shattered Christian unity.
On an earlier thread, a non-Catholic member objected to the use of the word “Protestant” as a blanket term for non-Catholic, non-Orthodox Christians. However, I feel that the term is appropriate considering that non-Catholic, non-Orthodox churches, whether the older ‘mainline’ churches or the ‘non-denominational’ storefront church down the street, are Protestant by heritage and by nature. By heritage since all of them can trace their roots back to Luther, Calvin, or one of the other original Reformers. By nature since their main raison d’etre is protest. Mainly they ‘protest’ against the Catholic Church- it’s the one thing they can probably all agree on (not all take the hardline ‘Whore of Babylon’ attitude, but they at least think the Catholic Church is egregiously wrong on several of its teachings).They also protest against each other- the original ‘reformers’ disagreed with other from the start- and Protestantism has continue to splinter down to this day. I saw this firsthand- in the Baptist church I used to attend, the pastor wanted to have a group of elders make most church decisions instead of having the congregation vote on them. The congregation was split down the middle, with each side quoting Bible verses to back up their argument. In the end, the minister left, taking half the congregation with him to start another church. This was 15 years ago- I wonder how many times those churches have subdivided since then?

I am sorry, but nothing you have said addresses the truth that there is one Christian religion. We are all Christians whether we agree on everything or not. Some people may deny others are part of it but that doesn’t make them right. Protestants who say Catholics are not Christians are wrong and vice versa.

 

[churchcamefirst]

I am sorry, but nothing you have said addresses the truth that there is one Christian religion. We are all Christians whether we agree on everything or not. Some people may deny others are part of it but that doesn’t make them right. Protestants who say Catholics are not Christians are wrong and vice versa.

**Catholics were the first Christians, then the Protestants decided to adopt it and call themselves Christians. Let’s admit that Catholics and Protestants are divided by our truth with Jesus Christ, and their half truths of Christ. I’m sorry, but Protestants are not in full communion with the church founded by Christ, and the sooner they come to terms with it, the better. **

 

[JonNC]

Catholics were the first Christians, then the Protestants decided to adopt it and call themselves Christians. Let’s admit that Catholics and Protestants are divided by our truth with Jesus Christ, and their half truths of Christ. I’m sorry, but Protestants are not in full communion with the church founded by Christ, and the sooner they come to terms with it, the better.

Not sure this statement squares with the Catholic Catechism.

818 “However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers … All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ;** they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church**.”[272]

819 “Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth”[273] are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.”[274] Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him,[275] and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity."[276]

Jon

 

[RNRobert]

Not sure this statement squares with the Catholic Catechism.

Jon

Yes, many Protestants can rightly call themselves Christian since they adore the Triune God, practice baptism and venerate the Scriptures, but these were all things that they took from the Catholic Church (which even Luther admits). One of the Vatican II documents, Unitatis Redintegratio, says:

It follows that the separated church and communities as such, though we believe they suffer from the defects already mentioned, have been by no means deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as a means of salvation **which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church. **

Are Protestants Christians? Yes. Do they contain the fullness of the faith? No.

 

[JonNC]

Yes, many Protestants can rightly call themselves Christian since they adore the Triune God, practice baptism and venerate the Scriptures, but these were all things that they took from the Catholic Church (which even Luther admits). One of the Vatican II documents, Unitatis Redintegratio, says:
Are Protestants Christians? Yes. Do they contain the fullness of the faith? No.

That sounds more like Catholic teaching than the post I previously responded to.

Jon

 

[eucharisteo]

I am sorry, but nothing you have said addresses the truth that there is one Christian religion. We are all Christians whether we agree on everything or not. Some people may deny others are part of it but that doesn’t make them right. Protestants who say Catholics are not Christians are wrong and vice versa.

SO how many Jesuses do you believe exist? There is only one Church founded by Christ… there are many sects that broke off of the first Christian sect known as the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The history of all of this is very present… Your not reading…apparently someone needs to give you a copy of the ancient church fathers.

Your comment reminds me of that movie “Multiplicity”.

 

[eucharisteo]

Manny, please stop using the bold on your text. It’s annoying and is like placing an exclamation mark at the end of every sentence. Just wright normal please.