Protestants and the 'Evil One'

  • Thread starter Thread starter Singinbeauty
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
water said:
The initiation of division among Christianity** in history** was certainly not by God.

Who else wants our Christian brothers and sisters to be divided other than Satan himself?
Click to expand...
I agree that Satan will do anything in his limited power to bring down the Church (which remember I believe is the Body of Christ - catholics & protestants) but I think that the catholic church has and needs to take SOME responsibility for the reformation. During the time that it happened there was some not-so-nice people running things and their pride and evilness got the better of them. Why else would one of your popes apologize for it? There were a LOT of different issues going on at the time BUT you can’t just point the finger at Satan and not at some of the leaders of the catholic church of the time. They acted on their own and made the decision to kill people who spoke against the church. Before you take out the splinter in your brother’s eye concentrate on the 2x4 in your own… I think this most DEFINITELY works in this senario also…
water said:
Most of you guys are following Christ wholeheartedly. I know for sure if you were born Catholic, you would be Catholic and said the same thing how much you love God. Similarly, if I were born to be a Protestant, I would probably just like you too.

However, who started all these problems that now we have to stay here and argue . :o
Click to expand...
Humans, not Satan… The issue came about because of people on BOTH sides. You can’t leave out the catholic church when talking about the reformation. They did some pretty stinky stuff that caused people to turn away…
water said:
If you attend a Catholic mass tomorrow, you would know what Jesus wanted us to be in the tomorrow’s Gospel? Divisions or Be One?

So go to mass tomorrow. 😉
Click to expand...
I do not feel compelled to attend mass… but I appreciate the invite… it’s on my list of things to do and experience. But, I like my church! 🙂
 
SB, if you read my post you see that I explicitly talked about exactly what you were saying–that there were members of the Catholic Church who so went against what the Church actually TAUGHT that the earliest ‘reformers’ like Luther were as you say driven to protest the WRONG ACTIONS.

(I know I tend to post on the long side so you might not have bothered, but really, go back and look at the post and see if it doesn’t acknowledge that fault existed on BOTH sides).
 
Singinbeauty,

Did I say Protestant cause the division? I thought I said Satan.

Of course, most of the time it was humane being that causes all sort of horrible things, but it is Satan who did the work behind the scene. It was Satan who blinded people.

Without going further to debate the following topics but who else wanted us to forget about His Real Body and Blood? who else wants us to abort baby? who else wants us to say Catholic is a cult? who else wants us to not even think much of Virgin Mar who should’ve been blessed by all ages? who else want us to forget all about the sacraments? who else wants us to stop loving each other and praying for each other when you are in Heaven? (thinking that no one can help you when they are in Heaven?

Who else wants us to not see the Whole Truth…other than Satan himself?

You can see that the divisions just didn’t stop and it keeps continuing on today. At every single mass, we pray for the union. Does your church or you pray for the union of all Christians every day?

Thanks!
 
Certainly the results of the poll show who I wouldn’t want to take with me to help defend our faith at any interfaith gatherings.
 
Just thought that on the topic of the work of the “Evil One” in our lives – whether we be Lutheran, Catholic, or whatever, C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters is an excellent read on the subject.
 
As I read this thread I remember all the times that I have been told that I as a Catholic am led by the “evil one” and was not a Christian.

It is very unfortinuate that Catholics or Protistants think that others are led by “evil” and not God.
 
Singinbeauty said:
I don’t know about the other protestants on this site but I am THOROUGHLY sick of having my beliefs labeled as being led by Satan or the Evil One… *sigh…

I DO NOT FOLLOW SATAN NOR DOES HE HAVE A HOLD ON ANYTHING I BELIEVE… GOD IS MY ROCK, MY SOUL, AND MY LOVE. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING I DO AND BELIEVE IS FOR HIM!

*pant pant…

Did I make that clear enough? Or should I remind you how hurt you feel and frustrated you get when a protestant comes in and tells you that you worship the dead and your pope is the anti-christ? :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
Click to expand...
Two points:
  1. If Protestantism teaches different doctrines (and it does) from those held by the original Christian Church, where did these differences come from? From men? Sort of. Satan has been at war with God for a long, long time. Given this fact, who is ultimately behind the division that has wounded the Body of Christ?
What do you suppose his game plan is for leading as many people as possible into hell? I think he has a host of strategies, and attacking and breaking down the one Church founded by Jesus Christ is high on that list. Obviously, he has succeeded on many fronts.

Therefore, I would agree that you are not following Satan. I do think that you are following a belief system that does not contain the fullness of Christianity as God intended, and the errors have a source that is unpleasant to contemplate.
  1. How do you think that Catholics feel when Protestants talk about us worshipping Mary and the Saints or the Pope or what have you?
Hope this helps. :tiphat:
 
gcnuss said:
Just thought that on the topic of the work of the “Evil One” in our lives – whether we be Lutheran, Catholic, or whatever, C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters is an excellent read on the subject.
Click to expand...
KathleenElsie said:
As I read this thread I remember all the times that I have been told that I as a Catholic am led by the “evil one” and was not a Christian.

It is very unfortinuate that Catholics or Protistants think that others are led by “evil” and not God.
Click to expand...
Maybe I need to clarify myself a bit. I know there are more Protestants out there are way more holier and loving than anybody else. I don’t think Protestants as a persons are led by evil, but I believe protestantism itself - the initiation of it - the divisions - is.

Here is the reason why I believe the way I believe:

John 17:20-26
…Jesus prayed saying: “Holy Father, I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you.
…And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one…”

(it is from this coming Sunday’s Gospel)

Are we one yet? No.

If I go out to defend my faith, I would bring my brother, my sister. They are not Catholic but a very devout Lutheran.

The real battle is not about Catholic vs Protestants but about Christians vs Satan.
 
As a recent convert to Catholicism from Protestantism, I will never doubt the authenticity and realness of the faith of protestants, I have many many good friends who are protestant and have amazing faith.

However, coming from a Protestant background into Catholicism, I do sincerely believe that many things are missing from Protestantism. This isn’t manifested in a “Hah hah hah, we’re better then you”, but in mourning for my Protestant brothers and sisters that they don’t have the teachings of the church, that they don’t realize we can pray for help from the saints and Mary, and most of all, that they don’t have 6 of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.

I do think that Satan had a role on both sides of every schism, and that we should be working to come back together with a passion fueled by love.
 
Randy_Carson said:
A subtle but critical clarification to your question:

Were we one? Yes.

Are we one now? No.

What changed?

It wasn’t us.

Hope this helps. :tiphat:
Click to expand...
When I answered the pole, I didn’t think the word “Protestants” - I immediate thought about the division. Surely, we cannot say all Protestants or all Catholic are “Holy ones” or “Evil ones” - we don’t know each person’s heart.

The question should’ve been “Protestanism” …in my opinion.

I thought about the bigger picture and responded to the pole. Evidentally, I wasn’t thinking well enough that people couldn’t read my mind what I was trying to say.
 
criffton said:
I do think that Satan had a role on both sides of every schism, and that we should be working to come back together with a passion fueled by love.
Click to expand...
That is something we should do - In fact, my brother, as a Lutheran, who bought me a Catholic bible and helped me study at first. 😃
 
Let us see what the Lord actually said in the bible.Gospel of St John Chapter 10 Verse 16…“I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.These also I must lead and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
Also Gospel of St Mark Chapter 9 Verse 38 - 41…John said to Jesus,"Teacher,we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us. Jesus replied,“Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you,will surely not lose his reward.”
Hope that answers all the bias about anyone.
 
larryhc said:
Let us see what the Lord actually said in the bible.Gospel of St John Chapter 10 Verse 16…“I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.These also I must lead and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
Also Gospel of St Mark Chapter 9 Verse 38 - 41…John said to Jesus,"Teacher,we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us. Jesus replied,“Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you,will surely not lose his reward.”
Hope that answers all the bias about anyone.
Click to expand...
That is pretty clear.
 
I voted that I don’t know… as a few others here have stated, I was thinking about the actual separation not the Protestants of today. There is no doubt that Satan was working from all angles to split the Church. Lately I’ve been struggling with this so I’m studying it. I had to say that I don’t know because I’m still working this one out.
There were wrongs done on all sides. While the Catholic Church was not free from fault, neither were the reformers. The question I keep asking myself is whether or not the reformation actually fixed anything? Did it produce any Christian sects that were any better the Catholic Church? To be honest I have to say that nothing really improved. It’s like any divorce, it did not eliminate problems, and the problems are just different.
One of the main criticisms of the Catholic Church was the inquisition. But then there were the Protestant Inquisitions which killed Catholics by the tens of thousands, burned witches by the tens of thousands. It caused so much religious persecution for example in England that the Puritans moved to the New World to worship freely.
Another thing that has bothered me about the reformation is the use of exaggerated or misrepresentations to support it. Someone here brought up indulgence. Yes there were some priests who were selling indulgences to line their own pockets. The Popes ordered that this not be done, but do you really think that someone willing to sell indulgences is going to listen to the Pope when they are already not listening to the Pope? Then there is the gross misrepresentation of what the inquisition was, how it was carried out and the number of people executed. If the reformation were such a good thing, no one would need to misrepresent the truth to support it.
There are over 20,000 protestant sects… Each believing something slightly different than the others. How can this be good for Christianity? It is one of the things used by those who seek to destroy Christianity… That there is no agreement even between Christians what Christianity is.
So I’m sorting through the history…
I did want to say that I do not question the faith of Protestants. Most truly love God/Jesus.
 
Jesus wants us to live in unity. He appointed Peter to be the first pope and to rule his church. Unfortunatelly some people who call themselves christians don’t respect the decision of Jesus and remain cut off branches. “What YOU bind on earth is bound in heaven…” YOU means pope, it doesn’t mean Luther, Henry VIII or anybody else.
 
Hello!

I missed the conversation(s) to which you refer as I have been spending more time on a erroneously named ‘Christian Apologetics’ website defending my faith. I will give you the site’s link if you want to view the venom that they spew. After spending a few days posting there, the Catholic Answers Forums are indeed a welcome resting place. I have been told outright by these ‘christians’ that I am going to Hell, that I worship Satan, that my Holy Father is the anti-Christ, that I am not a child of God, that I am pagan, that I do not love Christ, that I am not saved, that I am a liar, that I don’t know anything about the Bible, that the Early Church Fathers are indeed church infants, that anything good I do in my life is just ‘dirty rags’ to God if I don’t repent, that my child will be molested by priests, etc. etc. etc.

I am sorry if someone offended you by something that was said, but as I have learned, this Christianity ‘thing’ isn’t easy. Are you a follower of satan? Certainly not. That is just dumb! Do you love Christ? I am sure that you do. Are you going to Hell? Heck, I don’t know where I’m going to end up! How could I judge someone else’s soul? That is for God.

Does satan celebrate fellow when Christians sling insults from both sides? Yes, indeed he does!

Peace be with you. Do not despair.

Kelly
 
Hi Kelly I know your frustration.It is not our responsiblity to convert others…we will only experience disappointment . I feel the work of conversion is the work of God and we are His mere instruments if He wants to use us. We are like the brush in the hand of an artist,the chisel in the hand of a sculptor, a hoe in the hand of the gardener,a pen in the hand of a writer…mere instruments. Look at St Paul…who converted him ? He was persecuting the early followers and approved of the killing of St Stephen. And St Peter and the apostles who ran away although they witnessed His miracles and divine power…who converted them? We can only pray as Jesus prayed…“Forgive them for they know not what they aredoing.” God bless
 
I voted that Protestants are led by Satan. Allow me an explanation for my vote.

Before I say anything, I want to say that the Catholic Church does NOT teach that Protestants follow Satan.

Now for my defense. When Martin Luther and others broke off from the Catholic Church, I am sure there was a great party among Satan and his followers. They probably celebrated because the Church has finally became disunified theologically. The Great Schism of 1054 was more of a geopolitical situation than theological but the Protestant Reformation was a theological situation.

The people who broke off from the Catholic Church were heretics (denied the church teachings) and schismatics (denied the pope and people who are in union with the pope). They denied the truths of the church, and started attacking the church.

In our modern age today, we call the followers of these Protestant traditions “separated brethren.” They are not heretical nor schismatic because it is not their fault that they were raised in that faith.

However, the Protestant system is still wrong. It teaches people truths that make them feel good. It teaches that you are always saved and that you cannot lose your salvation. It teaches you that you have the right to interpret the Bible as you want. (The problem with this is that you can determine what a sin is and what it is not). It teaches that people who go to Heaven don’t matter anymore. It teaches that the Lord Supper’s is just symbolic, even though our Lord said that “This is my body” at the Last Supper even though our Lord said that it was a requirement that we eat of his body and drink of His blood to be raised on the Last Day (John 6)

Once someone encounters the Catholic Church and the true teachings of the church, both formally and with time to contemplate those teachings, then they are bound to embrace Catholicism. If they reject Catholicism, then they have rejected the truth.

It is true that we do not know what happens to our Protestant brothers and sisters in the afterlife, or to our brothers and sisters in other faiths.

Protestantism ultimately teaches a spirit of rebellion…and who is the main force behind rebellion? I am sure Satan is quite pleased with the Protestant system. What I am saying ultimately is that Protestants do not know better, they think they are worshiping God and his teachings, but I am sure Satan had his hand in the creation of the Protestant system, and that system goes against the Catholic Church.
 
I categorically refuse to vote :mad:

I am astonished the Mods allowed this Thread to be posted :confused:

I wish to apologise to my Seperated Brethren and disassociate myself from it :o
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top