protestants reading the bible are taking the catholic church's word for it.

[JonNC]

You’re right, the Holy Spirit always gets “top-billing.” It’s not our fault that the Holy Spirit chose to take up residence with the Holy Catholic Church.

Do you mean that as at the exclusion of all others?
Jon

 

[Roblox84]

I’ll share my way of looking at this. The holy spirit was alway’s with the one church established by Christ, it wasn’t in basements or crevices where people were worshiping in hiding. So just because someone starts a new Church worshiping God, but teaching a whole different path different from the early Church, why should the holy spirit go to that Church? I don’t think the holy spirit would say “hey they don’t teach the same thing, but they still worship God so I will be in that Church as well”. The holy spirit didn’t pick where to go into what Church, it was people that deterred from the holy spirit.

 

[Roblox84]

I’ll share my way of looking at this. The holy spirit was alway’s with the one church established by Christ, it wasn’t in basements or crevices where people were worshiping in hiding. So just because someone starts a new Church worshiping God, but teaching a whole different path different from the early Church, why should the holy spirit go to that Church? I don’t think the holy spirit would say “hey they don’t teach the same thing, but they still worship God so I will be in that Church as well”. The holy spirit didn’t pick where to go into what Church, it was people that deterred from the holy spirit.

Don’t people agree that people follow the holy spirit, the holy spirit doesn’t follow people around?

 

[Karmartia]

Do you mean that as at the exclusion of all others?
Jon

Not at all, but it seems as though many Protestant denominations want to deny that the Holy Spirit could guide the RCC. If this were true, then the teachings of Jesus would have died centuries ago, because for a very long time, there was only the RCC. If the Holy Spirit guided the Church through the centuries, why do you suppose He would abandon it in the 16th century? I know, the Church became apostate, and blah, blah, blah.

 

[JonNC]

Not at all, but it seems as though many Protestant denominations want to deny that the Holy Spirit could guide the RCC.

A few years ago, when my daughter was college searching, we had the opportunity to visit Belmont Abbey College in NC. Spend some time on that campus and one can never deny the guidance and presence of the Holy Spirit in the Catholic Church.

If this were true, then the teachings of Jesus would have died centuries ago, because for a very long time, there was only the RCC.

Well, certainly there was the undivided Catholic Church prior to the schism, and the Catholic and Orthodox Churches following, and I believe western non-catholic Christians owe what we know about the Gospel to them.

If the Holy Spirit guided the Church through the centuries, why do you suppose He would abandon it in the 16th century?

I don’t suppose any such thing. I was merely wondering if you believe that the Holy Spirit resides only and exclusively with those in communion with the Bishop of Rome. I suspect by your response that you recognize, as the Catholic Church does, the presence of the Holy Spirit in, for example, Lutheran Churches.

I know, the Church became apostate, and blah, blah, blah

Did I say something that made you believe that I feel that way about the Catholic Church?

Jon