With due respect, I think you’re being unnecessarily hard on Publisher. The OP asked for the perspective of Protestants, and Publisher offered his (her?) perspective. It’s not like he interjected himself into an otherwise Catholic conversation. His opinion was solicited and you’re taking it personally.
Generally speaking, I see things that are not part of my tradition. This doesn’t mean they are not beneficial to those who make use of them. If anything helps a person to see Christ it can’t be bad.
Well, let’s see … Marian or other kinds of Statues are not my thing, but their presence and their role in Roman Catholic practice doesn’t bother me. In my chapel at home I have a wall that has plenty of Icons on it, including Icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus, the Apostles’, and of Biblical events (the crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Mystical Supper, etc). I long ago learned how to pray with and through these Icons.
Good for you Publisher:thumbsup: This is a very kind response.
Wow! This is really great!
My understanding and I don’t know alot about this topic, is that these items and your use of them are a constant reminder to you of your faith, which then strengthen you in faith, making you more open to respnd to Gods graces and to do His will. So it does not matter if others can’t see it.I know you asked this of Protestants but I had no religion before Christ called me to His Church. I viewed sacramentals as superstition, like carrying a good luck charm.
Things like the Brown Scapular - if you die wearing it, you will not go to hell as if the scapular itself is responsible, that a couple ragged pieces of cloth will save you from hell. Then saying that the medal isn’t as good as the scapular and doesn’t carry the same assurances. Usually, the scapular is worn under clothing and is hidden, so how does this witness?
I still have a bit of trouble with this, even though I wear several sacramentals all the time. (A Pardon Crucifix, a Miraculous Medal, an Our Lady of Fatima Medal, a Scapular Medal and an Angus Dei)
Coming from a protestant church with a an anti-Catholic Youth Pastor, I thought the worst of the Church. Statues were idolatrous, the rosary was worship and put Mary above God, Mass was boring and had “funky clothing” which meant that they were the religious activities that Christ spoke against regarding the pharisees, infant baptism was ridiculous because you had to choose to be baptized, there was no need for priests because Christ is the ONLY priest, I did not need to confess to anyone except God, praying to the saints was (once again) idolatrous and placing one’s hopes in created beings rather than in God, the Pope just wanted power, and all priests were involved in the same sins as those few priests that hit the newspapers. Oh yeah…and SOLA SCRIPTURA all the way baby!! Whew…that was a lot to type.
You sound more like a Educated CatholicComing from a protestant church with a an anti-Catholic Youth Pastor, I thought the worst of the Church. Statues were idolatrous, the rosary was worship and put Mary above God, Mass was boring and had “funky clothing” which meant that they were the religious activities that Christ spoke against regarding the pharisees, infant baptism was ridiculous because you had to choose to be baptized, there was no need for priests because Christ is the ONLY priest, I did not need to confess to anyone except God, praying to the saints was (once again) idolatrous and placing one’s hopes in created beings rather than in God, the Pope just wanted power, and all priests were involved in the same sins as those few priests that hit the newspapers. Oh yeah…and SOLA SCRIPTURA all the way baby!! Whew…that was a lot to type.
Now, i don’t feel that way (though I’m still having a bit of trouble with the praying to Mary and the saints). The statues are a way of having photographs of the saints, as there weren’t exactly any 35 mm cameras in the day. It is no different than having a picture of a family member in your house. Plus, looking back, even the pentecostal church I attended had a picture of the pastor and his wife up. Did they worship the pastor? No. I see it as the same thing. I know I said a lot above, so I’ll just say that 90% of what I state above has been flipped 180. I’m this close to starting the process of becoming Catholic…the only thing I’m having trouble with is, once again, the Communion of the Saints. I would also like to say that Catholic Churches are the most BEAUTIFUL churches that I’ve ever seen. I’ve always been a fan of the stained glass.
The biggest problem with me and my brother had always been the idea of “organized religion”. But now that I see what the CC is and (a small idea of) how it works, I must say that my opinions aren’t what they were. First of all, I’ve come to realize that even my pentecostal church was organized…from LA to all over the world. So either way, when I thought I was “stickin it the man” and not being a “drone” by going to organized religion…I was already there. I was just to stubborn and thick headed to realize it.
But the beautiful thing that I’ve come to appreciate about the CC is that they ARE organized. VERY MUCH SO! I can’t tell you how many different opinions I heard from many different pastors, the different theologies that are always being presented and the search for the one church out of all the thousands that teaches what I agree with. After researching the CC, I’ve come to realize that 1.) you can’t have a solid, united front against the devil without being organized 2.) there are many things that I had been against in the CC without knowing the reasoning, and now I agree with the CC and 3.) its nice to know that if I were to join the CC, I’d be in the same boat with everyone. I’d be apart of the family rather than just a pew warmer. We’d have the same beliefs, the same source to get our answers, go to the same church…and honestly, I’m finding that protestant churches and their teachings just aren’t cutting it. There are verses that they like to nit pick and others that they just ignore. The CC, from the answers that I’ve received on my other threads, uses the WHOLE BIBLE (which they put together I might add), all the verses on a particular subject, and figures out how two seemingly conflicting verses go together to form one theology and therefore, one solid unified front for God and against Satan.
Nice Dje101.
I think you’re well on the way to becoming Catholic.
MJ
and just to think that 4 years ago that would’ve been a big NO NO at my old church. Here’s the kicker though…my girlfriend is Catholic and when we started dating, even though I absolutely loved her, I was determined to convert her. Her family was like “are you going to convert him” and she (bless her heart) said “no, if he wants to then it’ll be his decision”. I always was like “HA! Like that’ll happen.” 2 years later, guess where I’m headed?
Something else that you might add to your evaluation of Catholic practices and beliefs having to do with Sacramentals could be Acts Ch.19 vs.11& 12.
Honestly, I’ve only read Acts once and I don’t even remember that verse. Thank you for pointing that out to me. You have officially changed my mind on another aspect of Catholicism. I had always thought that those trinkets for luck or healing or whatever were superstitious and (once again) idolatrous. But it clearly says that God did miracles through them…which, come to think of it, is possibly another argument for the intercessory of the saints? Do you see what I mean? If one can receive a miracle through a handkerchief from an apostle, then why can’t we ask for blessings and prayers through a saint? Does that sound like an argument? (This coming from the guy that has trouble with Communion of the Saints, hahahahahaha)
I sure do see what you mean, thanks for helping expand my sense of that verse I’m sure there will be alot of posts forthcoming that will give you all of the scriptural grounds for intercessory prayer that you might need, I mean there’s alot of it that we see and understand directly in the gospels which of course makes it in all ways “part” of absoloute truth; that is, real truth that has been truly revealled. One that comes to mind immediately for us Catholics is revealled with a certain unique beauty at the Wedding Feast of Canna in St. Luke’s Gospel; the servants of the feast must have by some way and in some form prayed to Mary about the wine who made their prayer her prayer and gave it to the Lord in her way.
Well I’d love them…I’ve already started a post on whether or not the Church members are required to pray to the saints. There have been a lot of posts and a lot of proof for the intercessory of the saints. Like I said, I’m just having trouble with the idea because of my protestant history. Has anyone seen that snickers commercial where the swimmers jump into the pool of caramel? That’s kind of how I feel right now. Like I’m here, there’s a bigger truth than I know over there, and I have to swim through this sludge that has been poured in by all of the anti-catholic teachings and stories from the press. And no matter how hard I swim, though I know I’m making progress, it is slow and difficult.
