Protestants; why won't you be CATHOLIC!?

[estesbob]

I know that most Catholics do believe in Jesus, but I wish more Catholics would read scripture because I believe God intended it for us to read and learn from and use as a tool for teaching, as it says in Timothy. So many Catholics spend so much time reciting rosaries and saying repetitive prayers and not reading the bible and praying as Jesus taught us…that makes me sad and worries me because I do care for my Catholic brothers and sisters.

The bolded part is one of the more condescending things I have seen posted in a long time.

If Catholics read Scripture the way you do will we end up with thousands more different versions of the Truth? Is the Holy Spirit the author of confusion?

 

[estesbob]

One thing I’d like to respond to is your basically saying that the Catholic Church can’t be wrong because it has been around for so many years…remember that the Jews were around even longer and they still don’t believe in Jesus as the Messiah (and they met Him in person!) Other religions have been around longer than the Catholics, yet they are wrong…so don’t think that longevity is the proof of the truth. The word of God is the only truth.

As has been apparent with most of your posts you undertstand very little about the Catholic Church and what it teaches. No one claims the Church is right becuase it has been around a long time. What is pointed out that we have a Church that can trace its begiining back to Jesus , a Church that has been consisten in its teashing for 2,000 years-teachings grounded on Scripture and 2,000 years of tradition. Those who adhrere ot Sola scriptura offer as an alternative a theology based on their personal interpreation of a few verses of Scripture, almost entirely from two of the letters of Paul.

 

[DLClark]

Scripture tells us many of the Sacraments were instituted by Christ Himself:

Baptism
Reconciliation
The Eucharist
Confirmation

You are incorrect that baptism is needed for salvation In John 3:5 baptism here refers to our natural birth. The in 3 :15-18 Jesus tells us how to be saved and baptism is never mentioned. Jesus did say that faith saves us and not believing condemns us. Jesus never said water baptism saves us. If He did were did He?

Can you show me one verse that says if we are not baptized we are lost?

 

[SavedbyHim88]

The reason why I am not Catholic right now is because there are things I just dont agree with. I however need to learn more about the Catholic faith I will not deny that.

It honestly seemed to me when my husband took me to a Mass that it was more about traditions and seemed to be all over the place and not about an actual message. Which the message was only about 15 mins if that. To me it seemed as if though in monotone. That everything was rehearsed. I find that kind of dull and boring. TO ME. However I am sure there are many here that would disagree with what I am saying but that is how it seemed to me. And that is fine. I personally do not understand with the rosary that pray is mostly to Mary (not saying you are praying to her but that you meditate to her more than you pray the Lords prayer). I personally do not agree that she was still a virgin at death. It seems pretty black and white in scripture that Joseph did not have relations with her till after He was born. I don’t really see how that could be misunderstood. I am however here to learn and to do my own research and find a place which is best for my husband and I (we both are on here) and for our future children. My husband was raised Catholic and I was raised in an Assemblies of God church. There are plenty more but this is just for starters to why right now I am not Catholic

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

The reason why I am not Catholic right now is because there are things I just dont agree with. I however need to learn more about the Catholic faith I will not deny that.

It honestly seemed to me when my husband took me to a Mass that it was more about traditions and seemed to be all over the place and not about an actual message. Which the message was only about 15 mins if that. To me it seemed as if though in monotone. That everything was rehearsed. I find that kind of dull and boring. TO ME. However I am sure there are many here that would disagree with what I am saying but that is how it seemed to me. And that is fine. I personally do not understand with the rosary that pray is mostly to Mary (not saying you are praying to her but that you meditate to her more than you pray the Lords prayer). I personally do not agree that she was still a virgin at death. It seems pretty black and white in scripture that Joseph did not have relations with her till after He was born. I don’t really see how that could be misunderstood. I am however here to learn and to do my own research and find a place which is best for my husband and I (we both are on here) and for our future children. My husband was raised Catholic and I was raised in an Assemblies of God church. There are plenty more but this is just for starters to why right now I am not Catholic

Welcome to the forums savedbyhim. You have come to the right place if you seek answers about the Catholic faith. God bless you for being open to hearing what our “side” has to say about certain issues. You are already more charitable than most who will just take what some one else has to say about it as the truth.

God bless you and your family.

 

[LutheranDK]

Protestants, what ever your denomination is, please tell me why you will not be Catholic!?

xxx jennifer xxx

Because I don’t believe that the RC church is what it claims to be, and because I believe it errs on several important doctrines. :yup:

According to your profile, you yourself is not RC. Why is that?

 

[LutheranDK]

Protestant, from the Latin protestans, protestantis. Literally, “Standing for a witness.”.

I can has your signature?

 

[GodIsGracious]

Because I don’t believe that the RC church is what it claims to be, and because I believe it errs on several important doctrines. :yup:

According to your profile, you yourself is not RC. Why is that?

She is actually going through RCIA now as stated in a prior post of hers.

 

[LutheranDK]

She is actually going through RCIA now as stated in a prior post of hers.

Ok, then it makes sense.
Didn’t see that post.

 

[LutheranDK]

Deny youself and follow Jesus, not man, not the Pope. Peter was not that rock when Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build my church” Jesus is plainly the Rock.

God’s true church is not the Catholic Church exclusively…His church consists of all those who are called by His name and their names are written the Lambs book of life and follow Him. The will come from all faiths and walks of life.

When our Lord Jesus comes back to this earth (very soon) He will not ask us were you a Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, or any denomination. It will depend on your heart’s condition and have you been born again.

Some of the Catholic writings say you can’t be saved or have eternal life apart from the Catholic Church…not so.

You’re not answering the man’s question, though, just changing the subject…

 

[estesbob]

The reason why I am not Catholic right now is because there are things I just dont agree with. I however need to learn more about the Catholic faith I will not deny that.

It honestly seemed to me when my husband took me to a Mass that it was more about traditions and seemed to be all over the place and not about an actual message. Which the message was only about 15 mins if that. To me it seemed as if though in monotone. That everything was rehearsed. I find that kind of dull and boring. TO ME. However I am sure there are many here that would disagree with what I am saying but that is how it seemed to me. And that is fine. I personally do not understand with the rosary that pray is mostly to Mary (not saying you are praying to her but that you meditate to her more than you pray the Lords prayer). I personally do not agree that she was still a virgin at death. It seems pretty black and white in scripture that Joseph did not have relations with her till after He was born. I don’t really see how that could be misunderstood. I am however here to learn and to do my own research and find a place which is best for my husband and I (we both are on here) and for our future children. My husband was raised Catholic and I was raised in an Assemblies of God church. There are plenty more but this is just for starters to why right now I am not Catholic

Welcome. The Mass is not about a “message” It is about worhshipping the Lord and following his admonition to eat his body and drink his blood.

Marian Doctrines seem to be one of the biggest stumbling blocks for protestants looking into the catholic Faith. Once you get past the misconception that Catholics worship Mary but instead but revere her as the Mother of Jesus it gets a lot easier to grasp.

The Doctine of her perpetual Virginity has been a belief of the Church since the 1st century. It is based on the need for the “tabernacle”(her womb) to remain ritually clean, as the original tabenacle that held the ark of the covenat was. It would follow that if God rewuired such purity for a tabenacle yhat held the ark would he not want at least as much fo the Tabernacle that held his son?

St Aquinas said for Mary to have had relations after the Birth of Jeus would have been an afron to the Holy Spirit.

 

[imjustme]

The bolded part is one of the more condescending things I have seen posted in a long time.

If Catholics read Scripture the way you do will we end up with thousands more different versions of the Truth? Is the Holy Spirit the author of confusion?

I’m sorry - I was not being condescending - I was acknowledging what Carlan had said in his earlier post. “Many of us have never read it from cover to cover but **that does not mean we don’t believe and love our Lord Jesus **with our whole heart and soul,”

Regarding the Holy Spirit,I have trusted in Him since I was a Catholic and now even more as a non-Catholic and have never felt that He was the author of confusion.

 

[imjustme]

Because I don’t believe that the RC church is what it claims to be, and because I believe it errs on several important doctrines. :yup:

Gosh, I wish I could learn to be so succinct. That’s it in a nutshell!

 

[estesbob]

I’m sorry - I was not being condescending - I was acknowledging what Carlan had said in his earlier post. “Many of us have never read it from cover to cover but **that does not mean we don’t believe and love our Lord Jesus **with our whole heart and soul,”

Regarding the Holy Spirit,I have trusted in Him since I was a Catholic and now even more as a non-Catholic and have never felt that He was the author of confusion.

If he is not the Author of confusion why has he led to so many thousnads of different interpretations of Scripture? Your version of the Holy spirit seems more akin to the Pagan God Puck,spreading mischief among humans , than it doas a member of the trinity

In reading your posts it appears you believe in predesination flavored with some Gnosticism . You appear to believe that our personal knowledge(gnostocism) of Scripture leads us to the truth about salvation and that the Holy Spirit will reveal this truth to some(predestination).

If I am mistaken about that please tell me how we resolve the thousands of different and contradictory interpretations of what Scripture teaches? Can the Spirit reveal a different version of the to Truth to me than he does you?

 

[estesbob]

Gosh, I wish I could learn to be so succinct. That’s it in a nutshell!

And conveniently vague.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

Gosh, I wish I could learn to be so succinct. That’s it in a nutshell!

And why aren’t you Lutheran?

God bless

 

[LutheranDK]

And conveniently vague.

Might that be because EVERY SINGLE TIME one tries to elaborate, one gets a collection of loose quotations and passages that MIGHT, with a whole lot of effort, be interpreted in an RC direction, thrown in the face and served as if it was as obvious as Newton’s law of gravity. And that to dispute that interpretation is akin to saying the moon is made of green cheese?
And, adding to that, in so large quantities that it is nigh-on impossible to refute all of them, because of post limit?

Might that be the reason? I think it might

 

[estesbob]

Might that be because EVERY SINGLE TIME one tries to elaborate, one gets a collection of loose quotations and passages that MIGHT, with a whole lot of effort, be interpreted in an RC direction, thrown in the face and served as if it was as obvious as Newton’s law of gravity. And that to dispute that interpretation is akin to saying the moon is made of green cheese?
And, adding to that, in so large quantities that it is nigh-on impossible to refute all of them, because of post limit?

Might that be the reason? I think it might

/
This is a discussion forum. if you are not comfortable and/or unable to defend your beliefs perhaps this is not the place to be.

 

[Janet1983]

You are incorrect that baptism is needed for salvation In John 3:5 baptism here refers to our natural birth. The in 3 :15-18 Jesus tells us how to be saved and baptism is never mentioned. Jesus did say that faith saves us and not believing condemns us. Jesus never said water baptism saves us. If He did were did He?

Can you show me one verse that says if we are not baptized we are lost?

Not too long ago being born of water meant simply being born… any anyone who has ever witnessed the water breaking with a pregnant woman can attest to the fact that this is truly being born of water… On top of that Christian baptism isn’t even instituted until Acts, chapter 2 so it can’t be that…
The problem is that we can’t interpret an Americanism into something back then… They didn’t have that colloquial expression for that fluid [that] we have, calling it “water.” I think the solution is directly in the context. Jesus is talking a ruler of the Jews. And those who ruled over the Jews were in religious authority, not political or military authority. Nicodemus would not have understood it as Christian baptism or just being born, but he would have looked at it in the light of scripture as he was a religious authority of himself. Jesus knew who he was talking to and as much as he simplified His teachings for the woman at the well, He made sure that the ruler to the Jews understood His meaning.

GOD:

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:25-26

What Ezekiel is writing there is, that the day is going to come when the Lord will wash your heart, He will wash your life; He will wash your inner man. He will put a new heart within you and He will put his Spirit in you.
Nicodemus knows immediately that he is saying, “I am come to bring the fulfillment of the promised new covenant, promised to and through Ezekiel.” His is a Jewish Old Testament context, and so it would be actually what the apostle Paul calls, “The washing of regeneration.” The washing, the internal washing of regeneration, and the renewing that comes by the Holy Spirit, that’s Titus 3:5 where you have both the water and the Spirit.
That is our regeneration when God does give us a new heart and makes us capable to follow Him and to please Him. He will put a new heart within us and we will be clean.
That is being born again.

 

[LutheranDK]

/
This is a discussion forum. if you are not comfortable and/or unable to defend your beliefs perhaps this is not the place to be.

Ah…so spamming across two pages, with nothing else than references, to make effective rebuttal impossible for anyone who also has other things to do with his time is called discussion nowadays…
Gee, I wonder if that works both ways? Methinks it doesn’t.

Do yourself a favor and drop the arrogant attitude. It p…es people off needlessly.