Protestants: What would Christianity look like if the Catholic Church were to disappear tomorrow?

[PRmerger]

Yes you are probably right, someone else has thought of it too yet it has never become popular. Not a bad theory though, at least you could believe in a God that you can understand (a superhuman being, not an invisible spirit) and also you** do not have to believe he created a world filled with suffering**.

I don’t know if you’re a parent or not, but if you are, you know that* there is no way to love without sacrifice, without suffering.*

A world in which there is no suffering would be a world in which there is no sacrificial love.

 

[Vimy_Ridge]

I don’t know if you’re a parent or not, but if you are, you know that* there is no way to love without sacrifice, without suffering.*

A world in which there is no suffering would be a world in which there is no sacrificial love.

Well with my theory we could love God more because He has suffered greatly too and yet He is not the cause of suffering.

 

[PRmerger]

Well with my theory we could love God more because He has suffered greatly too and yet He is not the cause of suffering.

Excellent! Then that would be very Catholic of you to say so! (and, unfortunately–or fortunately–it would not be you who would get the credit for that doctrine )

 

[Vimy_Ridge]

Excellent! Then that would be very Catholic of you to say so! (and, unfortunately–or fortunately–it would not be you who would get the credit for that doctrine )

Though I am not in full agreement with the Church anymore, I fully admit that God sharing in our pain is a beautiful doctrine along with many others in Catholicism. I guess I’m a Cafeteria Catholic at heart.

 

[PRmerger]

Though I am not in full agreement with the Church anymore, I fully admit that God sharing in our pain is a beautiful doctrine along with many others in Catholicism. I guess I’m a Cafeteria Catholic at heart.

I don’t know how orthodox this question is, but I’m going to ask you: in this place where you’re comfortably at, as a Cafeteria Catholic, is there any part of this theology that you’re a bit uncomfortable with?

The reason I ask that, Vimy is, (and this, I think is my own thinking, not anything proclaimed by the CC, as far as I know) if you’re not at least uncomfortable with a little bit of what you believe God has revealed as True, then it would appear that you’re really just creating a false god, a god that you’ve molded into a neat little folder of acceptable theology.

Not sure if I’m articulating myself very well here…but what I’m trying to say is that I believe that all Believers ought to feel a little uncomfortable with what’s been Revealed–kind of in line with that “if you understand Him, He is not God” ideology of Augustine.

 

[Vimy_Ridge]

I don’t know how orthodox this question is, but I’m going to ask you: in this place where you’re comfortably at, as a Cafeteria Catholic, is there any part of this theology that you’re a bit uncomfortable with?

The reason I ask that, Vimy is, (and this, I think is my own thinking, not anything proclaimed by the CC, as far as I know) if you’re not at least uncomfortable with a little bit of what you believe God has revealed as True, then it would appear that you’re really just creating a false god, a god that you’ve molded into a neat little folder of acceptable theology.

Not sure if I’m articulating myself very well here…but what I’m trying to say is that I believe that all Believers ought to feel a little uncomfortable with what’s been Revealed–kind of in line with that “if you understand Him, He is not God” ideology of Augustine.

I am not claiming that the ideas I put forth are true, it is just an attempt to try and understand who Jesus was. If you cannot fathom God then how can you believe in Him whom you don’t understand. It is like saying you literally don’t know what you believe in.

The Atheist does not say “There is no God,” but he says, “I know not what you mean by God; I am without idea of God; the word ‘God’ is to me a sound conveying no clear or distinct affirmation.” - Charles Bradlaugh

Now a superhuman being as god is something I can fathom, but not the God of Augustine or traditional Christianity.

 

[PRmerger]

I am not claiming that the ideas I put forth are true,

Ok. But what about the ideas that you *do put forth *that you believe are true? You say you’re a Cafeteria Catholic so I assume there are some things about God (like the example you gave earlier) that you believe to be true.

Let’s talk about those. Are there any ideas about God and His Word which you’ve accepted yet which make you uncomfortable? If not, I’m proffering that you are then creating a false god, a god in which you’ve neatly wrapped into a box. If so, what beliefs do you accept yet make you uncomfortable?

If you cannot fathom God then how can you believe in Him whom you don’t understand.

Indeed.

But I’m certainly not saying we cannot fathom God.

The Atheist does not say “There is no God,” but he says, “I know not what you mean by God; I am without idea of God; the word ‘God’ is to me a sound conveying no clear or distinct affirmation.” - Charles Bradlaugh

Perhaps. But usually The Atheist just says, “There is no God.” Period.

Now a superhuman being as god is something I can fathom, but not the God of Augustine or traditional Christianity.

Really, Vimy? There’s* nothing* about the God of Augustine or traditional Christianity that you can fathom? I’m quite skeptical about that claim!

 

[Vimy_Ridge]

Ok. But what about the ideas that you *do put forth *that you believe are true? You say you’re a Cafeteria Catholic so I assume there are some things about God (like the example you gave earlier) that you believe to be true.

Let’s talk about those. Are there any ideas about God and His Word which you’ve accepted yet which make you uncomfortable? If not, I’m proffering that you are then creating a false god, a god in which you’ve neatly wrapped into a box. If so, what beliefs do you accept yet make you uncomfortable?

Perhaps. But usually The Atheist just says, “There is no God.” Period.

Really, Vimy? There’s* nothing* about the God of Augustine or traditional Christianity that you can fathom? I’m quite skeptical about that claim!

Roman Catholicism is what it is and there are some things that are not debatable, such as God is the Creator. I am not a Catholic anymore, to be honest.

Whatever is the cause of this world is a mystery, this is what Augustine was saying and I agree. All I know is I don’t know. Atheists are simply non-theists, it is a lack of belief/understanding not a positive assertion.

Now Jesus is a person I am intersested in, I’m trying to figure out who he really was, and yes there are things that he supposedly said and did that make me uncomfortable

 

[PRmerger]

Roman Catholicism is what it is and there are some things that are not debatable, such as God is the Creator. I am not a Catholic anymore, to be honest.

Whatever is the cause of this world is a mystery, this is what Augustine was saying and I agree. All I know is I don’t know. Atheists are simply non-theists, it is a lack of belief/understanding not a positive assertion.

Now Jesus is a person I am intersested in, I’m trying to figure out who he really was, and yes there are things that he supposedly said and did that make me uncomfortable

for your honest response, Vimy.

I commend you for acknowledging “I don’t know”. I think the problem that many in your position make is to leave it there and not to search for the Answers. God love you for your search!

And, remember what St. Augustine said “Our souls are restless until they rest in You.”

 

[Jon_Hus]

Hard to know exactly what would happen if the Roman Catholic church went bye bye, but one effect would be that a lot of Democrat politicians would be scrambling in search of a new religion.

 

[Anna_Scott]

Well I think it would depend on what happened to all the Catholics. Would they go to the Eastern Orthodox church or perhaps more traditional Protestant churches?

Either way it would be a shame, because the Catholic church does great work in the world for charity and promoting Christian morals. They have the resources to get things done.

Well, on a lighter note, if the Catholic Church disappeared, there would probably be a whole lot of Protestants wondering, if they missed out on the “Rapture.”

Anna

 

[JonNC]

Well, on a lighter note, if the Catholic Church disappeared, there would probably be a whole lot of Protestants wondering, if they missed out on the “Rapture.”

Anna

 

[Mickey]

Would it be powerful or insignificant?

I thought that Catholics did not believe in the rapture.

 

[Anna_Scott]

Well, on a lighter note, if the Catholic Church disappeared, there would probably be a whole lot of Protestants wondering, if they missed out on the “Rapture.”

Anna

JonNC: I’m glad I made you laugh!

I thought that Catholics did not believe in the rapture.

I don’t know if they do or not. I just wanted to bring a little humor to the subject. I’ve been in some very serious debates lately—I need to lighten up a bit.

Anna

 

[kempo1]

Sometimes extreme hypotheticals serve no real or productive value. This is an extreme hypothetical. I will say, however, that, say what we will about Rome, there is a stability it provides to Christianity. While the Orthodox share the pre-schism undivided Church, Protestants are of the western Church, and our identities are link in many ways to Rome.

Jon

 

[Vimy_Ridge]

I wonder what Jack Chick would do if the Catholic Church ceased to be. On one hand it would make him happy but on the other hand it would spoil his conspiracy theory.

 

[JRKH]

I thought that Catholics did not believe in the rapture.

For the Record, The Catholic church does not subscribe to the “Rapture Theory”.

But some protestants do - and that I think was the point of Anna’s post.

Peace
James

 

[JRKH]

Well, on a lighter note, if the Catholic Church disappeared, there would probably be a whole lot of Protestants wondering, if they missed out on the “Rapture.”

Anna

:clapping:

You got me too Anna.

Peace
James

 

[Anna_Scott]

:clapping:

You got me too Anna.

Peace
James

Glad to see you laugh.

Anna

 

[JRKH]

I wonder what Jack Chick would do if the Catholic Church ceased to be. On one hand it would make him happy but on the other hand it would spoil his conspiracy theory.

He could always turn on the Orthodox.

Peace
James