Protestants Focus on This Life, Catholics on the Next

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nap66
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
N

Nap66

Guest
I go to regular Sunday mass as a practicing Catholic, but I also listen to Protestant radio programs daily. I find that Protestants focus on living this life, and having a good life here on earth, while Catholics focus on the next life, and not expecting to live a good life here on earth.

Catholicism, to me, is much more depressing than Protestantism, at least in regards to our lives here on earth. I assume that is because Protestants know you are saved by Jesus only and thus you can focus on living a good life on earth knowing you are going to heaven. Catholics on the other hand are not guaranteed to go to heaven and thus must focus on getting there during this life, hence living the good life on earth is not the goal. In fact, if you focus on living the good life on earth as a Catholic you will probably not get to heaven because you did not “suffer” enough and all eyes should be on the next life, not this life on earth.

I don’t like to suffer in this life, and I would like to live a good life on this earth (good as in relatively healthy, financially stable and a joyful personal life - just what any normal person wants). So when I listen to the Protestant radio programs I often feel happy in what they are preaching since they say you can have a good life on earth and not feel guilty about it. Then I go to mass, and am told the complete opposite. I am told, everyone suffers and don’t expect much in this life and there are worse off people than you, and have faith that maybe the next life will be better.

I want it better in this life! Why would God throw us in this world if he didn’t want us to enjoy it? Surely it makes no sense to make humans suffer on earth just so they can gain faith of a possible better next life in heaven. I read somewhere about people who believe God hates them and once person wrote:

“I fail to understand God and I fail to understand satan too. I don’t understand what either are doing and the point to it all.” That’s exactly how I feel. Does God want us to have a good life on earth and to focus on that or not? Or does God want us to focus on the next life only and hence allows satan to mess with us here on earth?

I know what Catholics would say. What would my Protestant bretheren say? Give me some hope.
 
Love is the motivating force that allows Catholics to overcome such sufferings and trials.
 
Jesus is our “role model” back to God’s “beatific vision”. He also believed, in God the Father, but His mission showed us how to believe in all kinds of situations, and that includes suffering. I agree with you “Sammy rose”.
 
Which would you rather have?
A few trials here and now, suffer them patiently and merit eternal life?

Or lead a life focused on the here and now and take your chances?

People wrongly think that rules are constricting. No, they are liberating.
I find Catholicism to be very joyful.
Beautiful liturgy, lovely prayer practices, Sacraments, lots of good charitable opportunities, and EUCHARIST!
And Confession.
What’s not to love?

You must be a glass half empty person.
Try viewing it as full to brimming with love.
 
Can we please be specific about which “Protestants” you’re speaking of?
 
Last edited:
And many whom we perceive to be protestant say they are not protesting about anything!
God love our Christian brothers.
 
Well, He did say He came that we may have life, and that more abundantly.

Not sure about focus on this life versus next.

I think however that if the heaven bound issue is settled, a focus change occurs.

Kind of like a single person trying to get a mate, or an engaged person finally getting married.

An awful lot of energy is spent in the hunt or pursuit, with a focus to the goal. But once you achieve it, win them over, get married it seems more peaceful and energy is now directed with a different attitude focus, even goal…more relaxed and hopefully can enjoy your mate with less apprehension, anxiety, and some would say be more yourself.
 
Last edited:
I would like to think the positive attraction to P radio is due to truth being told to set one free in Christ.

Yet hope it is just not thinking the grass being greener on other side…I mean while truth can set you free, it is not about"church" but about a relationship with the Father,Son, and Holy Spirit, being born again, walking in newness of life, …then comes the abounding life , and joy of the Holy Ghost.

One can be just as miserable or coflicted, or lackluster in a Baptist or Pentecostal church without the afore mentioned.
 
Last edited:
Two close friends are Protestant. The always have their eyes focused on the final goal. I see it shape the day to day trials and interactions.
 
Brittany said:
40.png
Nap66:
I don’t like to suffer in this life,
Click to expand...
News flash: nobody does. 🙂 By the very definition of suffering, nobody likes it. You’re not alone.

We were never promised a good life here on Earth. Protestants often get it wrong by assuming the deadly heresy called “assurance of salvation,” which teaches that we can know beforehand that we will absolutely go to heaven when we die. This might be why they often focus on this life. They don’t feel they have to worry about it, because Jesus paid it all. But just because they feel this way doesn’t make it true. In fact, they are not assured their salvation.

Jesus did pay it all, but that’s not where it stops. It now has to be applied to each of our lives, and this is a continual process. It’s not a once-and-done deal like most Protestants believe it is; it’s a life-long struggle in which we always, up until the point of our death, have the choice to walk away from God. “Assurance of salvation” couldn’t be further from the truth.

It is natural to be attracted to an easy life. But just because we are attracted to it doesn’t make it good. None of us want to suffer, we all want a well-to-do life. But that is simply not what we were promised here on Earth. If we make it to Heaven, we’ll have an eternity of well-to-do life. But while we’re here on Earth, we will struggle. And although we don’t like it, it can actually be good for us. Struggling often brings us closer to God by reminding us that we are dependent on him.

We may want to live a life where we are comforted and without struggle, but such a life is contrary to the Gospel. It is better to live in struggles and harmony with the Gospel than to live in comfort and contrary to the Gospel.

NOTE: Not all Protestants are more focused on this life than the next.
Click to expand...
Brittany, are you sure you are not confusing “assurance of salvation” with “once saved always saved?”

If Catholics do not have assurance of their salvation I have learned something new. I thought Catholics are supposed to believe that they have been saved, are being saved and will be saved. How can that take place without having assurance of salvation?
 
Indeed. I know how you feel. The reason why God gave us commandments is not just to give us a way to Heaven-- they were given to us to repair the world. They are a gift to us. Look at some of the people in the book of Genesis; they lived for hundreds of years. If this life didn’t matter, He would have given them a short life.

I guess my only disagreement with your post is when you said that catholics are too much focused on the next life. They are ardent defenders of the pro-life movement. Catholics are our allies when it comes to saving unborn children.
 
Last edited:
I think it depends on the denomination and ethnicity.
There is prosperity Gospel out there (like Joel Osteen) who focus a lot on the here and now, but when I’ve taken care of elderly Menonnites or elderly Black Protestant (AME, Baptist), they are very comfortable taking about death and Heaven, and some of them had some really hardscrabble lives…
 
Brittany said:
We do not believe that we can know with absolute certainty that we will go to heaven when we die
Click to expand...
They are being their own judge and therefore overriding God’s judgement which is extremely serious. Note that this is mainly an American cultural phenomena of recent times. Although widespread here, the VAST majority of Christianity worldwide make no such claims.

“The American SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT often extends even to God: HE OWES US.” -Prof. Harold Bloom

““Much of what PASSES for U.S. Christianity is indeed a ‘SUB-CHRISTIAN GNOSTICISM’…” -Richard Neuhaus of First Things Magazine

Here is the severity of their statements:

CCC:679 By REJECTING GRACE in this life, one already JUDGES ONESELF…and can even CONDEMN ONESELF for ALL ETERNITY by REJECTING the Spirit of love (Jn 3:18; 12:48; Mt 12:32; 1 Cor 3:12-15; Heb 6:4-6; 10:26-31)

CCC:682 When he comes at the END OF TIME to JUDGE the living and the dead…Christ will reveal…to each man his ACCEPTANCE OR REFUSAL of GRACE. (Mk 12:38-40; Lk 12:1-3; Jn 3:20-21; Rom 2:16; 1 Cor 4:5)

The core of their error:

“PELAGIANISM’S underlying fault is its RELIANCE on HUMAN FREEDOM and WILLPOWER, instead of the GRACE of God” (Chruch, baptism, etc)

PELAGIANISM (411-415) - 1. ADAM’S sin harmed only HIMSELF, and NOT the human race. 2. CHILDREN are in the SAME state as ADAM before his fall (hence REMISSIONS OF SINS [baptisim] is not needed for salvation – read: The human soul is not in sin and in need of salvation)

“GNOSTICISM is a religion of SALVATION based on the ACQUISITION of a SPECIAL KIND OF KNOWLEDGE” [hence a “Saving Knowledge”] -Birger A. Pearson

“The GNOSTIC view of SALVATION is…through the DIVINE KNOWLEDGE or ‘GNOSIS’.” -gnostic-jesus .com

“[THE GNOSTICS] thought they could be FREED only by SAVING KNOWLEDGE that was revealed to a SPIRITUAL ELITE” -occultopedia .com

“On the matter of SALVATION, GNOSTICISM teaches that SALVATION is gained through the acquisition of DIVINE KNOWLEDGE” -gotquestions .org

–

Basically by their actions they reject Christ for salvation and rely on their own imagination to save them.

How did they get like this? Simple. Their ‘personal Jesus’ is merely a phantom that lives in their imagination. This idol needs to be fed in order to stay alive. But since it’s a phantom lives in their imagination, it can only be fed by their imagination. That’s why the Catechism says this:

CCC:675 The SUPREME RELIGIOUS DECEPTION is that of the ANTICHRIST, a PSEUDO-MESSIANISM by which man glorifies HIMSELF [‘ego/imagination’] IN PLACE of God AND of his Messiah come in the flesh. -(Brackets added by me)

Notice it mentions glory implying judgement. These people judge themselves into their glorious bodies at the end of the world. Notice it mentions the FLESH because it is a reality vs phantom issue as type-shadowed here:

Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make UNTO thee ANY IMAGE…to worship or serve

‘GRAVEN’ WORD INSERTION HOAX: LXX Reveals: G1497 εἴδωλον- an IMAGE, a PHANTOM, an idol, false god.
 
Brittany said:
Although I now adhere to Catholic beliefs, I used to adhere to Protestant beliefs pretty strongly. What exactly is it that you want to know?
Click to expand...
Why do Protestants focus on having a good life on earth and don’t expect life to be terrible here while waiting to be rewarded in the next life?
 
Nap66 said:
40.png
JonNC:
Can we please be specific about which “Protestants” you’re speaking of?
Click to expand...
Any and all.
Click to expand...
Then your OP claim regarding how Protestants view this life and the next is inaccurate.
Nap66 said:
I find that Protestants focus on living this life, and having a good life here on earth, while Catholics focus on the next life, and not expecting to live a good life here on earth.
Click to expand...
First, Luther is clear that living in this world we are bound to sin, freed from sin in the next. I look forward to being free from sin. It is why I participate in word and sacrament regularly.

Secondly, I find it odd that there is some sort of comparative here. I don’t see how it is an either/or.
 
mcq72 said:
I think however that if the heaven bound issue is settled, a focus change occurs.

Kind of like a single person trying to get a mate, or an engaged person finally getting married.

An awful lot of energy is spent in the hunt or pursuit, with a focus to the goal. But once you achieve it, win them over, get married it seems more peaceful and energy is now directed with a different attitude focus, even goal…more relaxed and hopefully can enjoy your mate with less apprehension, anxiety, and some would say be more yourself.
Click to expand...
That makes sense. I get that feeling as well from the Protestant viewpoint. It just seems like Catholics struggle so much in this life and embrace hardship as the only way to maybe, possibly, but probably not, get to Purgatory. We sin too much, we die with mortal or venial sin, we didn’t go to confession, we didn’t forgive, we didn’t give to the poor enough, and on and on.

Jesus did come that we may have life and more abundantly. I believe he wants us to have a good life here and not always be looking to the next life.
 
Brittany said:
We can have confidence in our current salvation, such as when one steps out of the confessional, receives the Eucharist, and is confident they’d go to Heaven if they died that very moment. But confidence is not absolute assurance.

We are to trust in God’s mercy and grace and strive for holiness always. We have been saved, are being saved, and we hope to be saved. Our salvation is not a once-and-done past event. It is an ongoing event that isn’t completed yet; for that reason, we cannot know with absolute certainty our final destination.
Click to expand...
That is the Catholic viewpoint and makes this life on earth not so much fun or joyful. Speaking only for me, living as a Catholic is like living under a dark cloud continuously. You deserve the struggles and punishments in life because you are a sinner and will always be, and should anything good happen to you, you better not embrace it in this life because there are people worse off than you and you are still a sinner. Get thee to a confessional ASAP!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top