Questions to ask Protestants

[Hardrock]

I happened to use this line of thought with my boss(Lutheran). I had asked him a series of questions like so… Would you agree that Jesus Christ is without sin…absolute perfection…without error? Of course the answer is yes. Here is were I hit them with the logic portion of the discussion…They of course would agree that everything Jesus did AND said was without error…simply put Jesus doesn’t make mistakes. That being said the opposite also holds true…what HE did NOT do or say holds equal merit. That being said I was able to simply state the following…Jesus DID honor his mother Mary(4th Commandment) Jesus DID establish the sacraments(i.e. confession). He also DID pass this authority to the apostles. Jesus DID NOT, however, correct or retract HIS statements that “My flesh is true food and blood true drink.” This is my body" etc. You would be surprised how this:r: stops A LOT of Protestants in their tracks. Hope this helps. Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi

 

[Cursilista]

From a logical viewpoint, ask your friend this question. Describe what form of human organization would he suggest has existed for 2000 years to keep Christ’s church in order.

To the best of my knowledge, every form of human organization has had one person either in charge of others or at least in charge of the meetings of others.

Democracy, Communism, Communes, Socialist, Gov’t Boards or committees all have someone who sits in a position of authority that either conducts the meetings in an organized manner or rules over the meetings as a dictator with the other members fullfilling the leaders wishes. Either way, your friends faith im sure has some sort of heirarchy of leadership as well. If there are elders who meet to decide who the pastor will be,im sure someone conducts the meetings of elders and calls the meeting to order.

Jesus instituted a human organizational body when he chose 12 apostles. He gave them authority. He then gave the leadership of this body to Peter. Someone had to call the meetings to order, keep order, listen to all opinions, offer his ,and lastly, have the group come to an agreement. In order for Jesus church to last forever this authoritative body had to hand down their respective positions to others at their death.

Most Protestants have this big issue with the authority of the Pope or the Cardinals or Bishops but in reality they themselves have some form of heirarchial authority within their own churches.

 

[kgomez317]

Well, when the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Mormons come by, I say, I know you’re here to convert/evangelize me…let’s talk about what you believe is wrong about my faith. They go on about “Catholics”; they know. Of course they don’t know the different rites and usually the “Catholic’s” they know are “American” which is NOT in line with Rome, but Catholics who do what THEY want. I let them proceed and then correcting their known “facts” about Catholicism…I continue to answer and correct the fairy tales of our faith that they believe to be true. they will generally say to turn to a certain scripture passage which of course I already have memorized since youth, and don’t need to turn to their chosen passage…in the end, the Mormons say “well you’re older so you know the bible more than us” (AHHH…but you knocked on my door) The Jehovah witnesses leave because "someone is waiting for them (right, if they think they’ve got you, they’ll stay till sunset.) I don’t stump them, I invite them to tell me what is wrong with the Church and then give them the correct information…they can’t contain saying “REALLY??” and( “I didn’t know that!”) And in the end, all I did was answer my door. I don’t go out looking for people to stump, but if a couple of men are going to stop by and TRY to instigate that my beliefs aren’t the true Church, I gladly oblige with a full CCD style lesson. One group of Mormons even said “we can’t come back due to a conflict of interests” Do they mean they don’t even know what they believe? who knows, but it’s always a good time!

 

[kgomez317]

I choose not to go out and try to stump protestants, I try to live the best catholic life I can…However, when the Jehovah witnesses and the Mormons come by I bring them in, give them a drink and say, “well you’re here to evangelize me to go to your church…let’s start with what is wrong with my faith” depending on which group it is, depends on what you say…ie) the Mormons don’t just use the bible and the book of Mormon will always trump the bible. the Jehovah’s go sola Scripture, so it’s a little easier. they generally talk about a “Catholic” whom they know. I tell them the difference between people who are Catholic in name only and just because their new convert went to catholic school, making them Catholic experts, doesn’t mean a thing. I go into what formation is. They usually know someone who is "American catholic’ who are NOT in line with Rome, and they base their Catholic knowledge on that. I let the missionary lead me to scriptures, then I have to force them to read what was before and after their tiny quote…generally taken out of context. I turn to 2 Thessalonians 2:15…I make them read it! They started their evangelizing about Just using and believing what the bible says…When they read this they see, that the bible itself says to not just listen to the bible. they try to get into conversation about the reformation…how it was all latin…even though homily’s and interpretation were in the area’s vernacular… and people were encouraged not to read it. Well, since the definition of literacy up until the turn of the last century was “the ability to sign one’s name”, the Church was NOT encouraging people not to read, it was that priests were the only ones educated and able to read. The fact that churches had their Bible’s chained to the pulpit (as a phone book is for everyone, therefore chained the same way) shows that the church was more than happy for people to read their hand written Bible (no printing press guys!) I just sit back answering their fairy tales about our faith. In the end, the responses I have received was NOT a return visit card…but "you’re older than us and therefore know the Bible better! (hmmm…I thought you knocked on MY door!) I have also been told that there was “a conflict of interest in arranging a return visit” the best was, “we have someone waiting for us”! I’m thinking, “are you doing evangelizing on your lunch break?” I think if they thought they got a convert they would have stayed till midnight. I LOVE hearing REALLY? and “I didn’t know that!” They asked "how do you know when a church is in line with Rome…I said, You ask! Total shock…after all, we’re all sneaky, and hiding true information right? I had gone into Coptic and Chaldean etc… In the end, I don’t go about stumping protestants (as I was one and know their thinking), but I just answer the door, set up a couple bottles of water, bring out my Bible and just correct the lies they tell about my faith…it is always a good time!

 

[sixofseven]

Well, when the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Mormons come by, I say, I know you’re here to convert/evangelize me…let’s talk about what you believe is wrong about my faith. They go on about “Catholics”; they know. Of course they don’t know the different rites and usually the “Catholic’s” they know are “American” which is NOT in line with Rome, but Catholics who do what THEY want. I let them proceed and then correcting their known “facts” about Catholicism…I continue to answer and correct the fairy tales of our faith that they believe to be true. they will generally say to turn to a certain scripture passage which of course I already have memorized since youth, and don’t need to turn to their chosen passage…in the end, the Mormons say “well you’re older so you know the bible more than us” (AHHH…but you knocked on my door) The Jehovah witnesses leave because "someone is waiting for them (right, if they think they’ve got you, they’ll stay till sunset.) I don’t stump them, I invite them to tell me what is wrong with the Church and then give them the correct information…they can’t contain saying “REALLY??” and( “I didn’t know that!”) And in the end, all I did was answer my door. I don’t go out looking for people to stump, but if a couple of men are going to stop by and TRY to instigate that my beliefs aren’t the true Church, I gladly oblige with a full CCD style lesson. One group of Mormons even said “we can’t come back due to a conflict of interests” Do they mean they don’t even know what they believe? who knows, but it’s always a good time!

Herein lies my problem - I’m accused of answering questions and correcting all the time, and not asking questions in return.

Part of my problem is that I really think I don’t want to ask any questions, because I already know what their answer will be and I already know how to refute it.

So how do I engage with non-Catholics so as to encourage an open dialogue that fosters both of us learning something from each other?

I don’t want to be a know-it-all but I think that’s how I come across and it has already pushed my husband away from wanting to know anything about Catholicism (from me anyway).

I don’t want to go out looking for people to stump - I just want to be armed with some thought-provoking questions.

 

[kgomez317]

I thought the question was how to stump a protestant, so I went with that angle. I lived with an evangelical who was “saved”. I just kept being open to her views, being the best Catholic I could be, despite her claims that I worshiped Mary and several nasty comments. She is now deeply involved in the Messianic Jewish faith and they are deep in tradition. She actually said she knows how I feel with anti-Catholic sentiments and we understand each other much better.The problem with having one question ready in you holster of sorts is it depends on which group you’re talking to, The Mormons will always defer to the book of Mormon, so any Biblical question can be pushed aside in their mind. What type of question are you thinking you’d like to be armed with? Biblical, historical, political, all of the above? I am a convert and have experienced many religions in my quest for the truth so I’d honestly like to help you in starting a conversation with a protestant. Just remember, that many of them go sola scriptura so I think if we meet people where they are, at their level of understanding, we can have fruitful conversations and actually be ecumenical instead of “I’m right, you’re wrong” and the other way around. Maybe just being prepared by knowing what you believe and what you’d like to know more about will lead to a flood gate of any question you could of imagined? Praying for you!!!

 

[Strategery]

Here’s the most fruitful discussion I have. It’s oriented toward the faith vs works discussion.

If you belive in someone, what does that mean? A football player doesn’t just belive his coach exists, or believe his coach is actually … his coach. He believes what the coach says. He trusts the coach. He does what the coach asks of him. He FOLLOWS the coach.

Considering that … what does it mean to believe in Christ? Does that mean you believe He is the Son of God? That He died for your sins? How about his commands? Can you “believe in” Christ, and not believe that you should do what He says?

 

[Deus_lo_vult]

To add to the points about the Catholic assemblage of the Bible canon, it’s a common talking point of Protestants that the Catholic Church added books to the Bible, though I like to remind them that Martin Luther actually removed, on his own authority, roughly 7 books from the Christian Bible.

These are (In no particular order) the Book of Wisdom, Book of Tobit, the Book of Judith, the Book of Baruch, Sirach, Maccabees I &II, as well as parts of Esther and Daniel.The Bible was the same for all of Christendom until the Reformation.

He also TRIED to remove Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation.

One poignant verse from a book that Protestants consider apocryphal (Book of Wisdom):

2:12. Let us therefore lie in wait for the just, because he is not for our turn, and he is contrary to our doings, and upbraideth us with transgressions of the law, and divulgeth against us the sins of our way of life.

2:13. He boasteth that he hath the knowledge of God, and calleth himself the son of God.

2:14. He is become a censurer of our thoughts.

2:15. He is grievous unto us, even to behold: for his life is not like other men’s, and his ways are very different.

2:16. We are esteemed by him as triflers, and he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness, and he preferreth the latter end of the just, and glorieth that he hath God for his father.

2:17. Let us see then if his words be true, and let us prove what shall happen to him, and we shall know what his end shall be.

2:18. For if he be the true son of God, he will defend him, and will deliver him from the hands of his enemies.

2:19. Let us examine him by outrages and tortures, that we may know his meekness, and try his patience.

2:20. Let us condemn him to a most shameful death: for there shall be respect had unto him by his words.

2:21. These things they thought and were deceived: for their own malice blinded them.

2:22. And they knew not the secrets of God, nor hoped for the wages of justice, nor esteemed the honour of holy souls.

If that’s not a foretelling of the Passion of Christ, I don’t know what is…

The primary influence of the Lutheran canon seems to be the Pharisaic Council of Jamnia, which was convened in order to formally renounce any ties between Judaism and the ‘Nazarenes’, as the Pharisees often referred to Christians. So, after the Council of Jamnia, Palestinian Jews no longer referred to the Septuagint canon of Scripture.

This is also corroborated by the Ethiopian canon, which does not reflect the changes of the Council of Jamnia, owing to the geographical separation.

Bottom line is, the Protestants rejected the apocryphal texts based on their rejection by the PHARISEES, the persecutors of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[sixofseven]

I thought the question was how to stump a protestant, so I went with that angle. I lived with an evangelical who was “saved”. I just kept being open to her views, being the best Catholic I could be, despite her claims that I worshiped Mary and several nasty comments. She is now deeply involved in the Messianic Jewish faith and they are deep in tradition. She actually said she knows how I feel with anti-Catholic sentiments and we understand each other much better.The problem with having one question ready in you holster of sorts is it depends on which group you’re talking to, The Mormons will always defer to the book of Mormon, so any Biblical question can be pushed aside in their mind. What type of question are you thinking you’d like to be armed with? Biblical, historical, political, all of the above? I am a convert and have experienced many religions in my quest for the truth so I’d honestly like to help you in starting a conversation with a protestant. Just remember, that many of them go sola scriptura so I think if we meet people where they are, at their level of understanding, we can have fruitful conversations and actually be ecumenical instead of “I’m right, you’re wrong” and the other way around. Maybe just being prepared by knowing what you believe and what you’d like to know more about will lead to a flood gate of any question you could of imagined? Praying for you!!!

Well I pretty confident I won’t be crossing paths with any mormons.

I mean I kind of do want to stump them - but it’s how I go about it, I want to be able to do it carefully, charitably and out of love - but I always seem to just attack instead.

I guess at the moment the questions I’m after are about the papacy and church authority - see my comment in initial post re conversation with a colleague.

However I recently had a conversation with my Christian neighbour who’s bible study I attend (after her consistent pestering) - the conversation was around that I’m thinking of leaving the group because I disagree with a lot of what is said, don’t want to hi-jack their study and no one wants to hear my side of the story anyway, so what’s the point in my being there…

I’m going to go to their first meeting for the new year to discuss with the whole group that I don’t think I should continue attending…I would love to leave them with a question that lingers…

 

[PJM]

=sixofseven;8865700]What sorts of questions are good ones to ask Protestants? Not as a way of stumping them in an agressive form but just to get them to think?

My husband accuses me of bombarding with information, quotes and articles instead of enagaging and asking questions.

I guess I don’t really know what I want to or should ask? I’m used to being asked the questions so I’m always just giving answers and not asking questions back.

For example I’m currently in discussions with a non-Catholic colleague about the purpose and function of the papacy. What sort of questions could I ask that might get this person to think/consider outside the protestant square?

ASK if they have read the OT?

God always CHOOSe a man to lead His Chosen People: Adam; Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jacob,The Judges, David, and Soloman, the Prophets, John the Baptist and Peter and through him the Apostles.

Another question is: 'Why did jesus Give the keys to the Kingdom of heaven to Peter?"

If you’d like more information, send me a private message.

God Bless,
Pat [PJM] on this Forum

 

[Erich]

Here is a list of 42 questions that ought to be thought-provoking. (Answers to 1-18 are here, answers to 19-26 are here, and answers to 27-42 are here.)

 

[fred_conty]

Like they say, win an argument and lose a friend.

You might try exchanging questions, or ask what they think about a topic. Just listen and don’t say anything unless they want you to. Look into their eyes as they are speaking. You might ask if they have any questions for you. Sometimes kindness is the best word you can say.

Here are some questions for Bible Christians.
catholic-convert.com/wp-content/uploads/QuestionsforBibleChristians.pdf

You might ask what is the purpose of the preacher if the Bible is the sole authority.

And do they have apostles in their church since this is one of the charisms that St. Paul speaks about abiding in the church. ( bishops)

Just a few ideas.

 

[sixofseven]

Of course…I have seen those questions before from Steve Ray and John Martignoni, thanks!!!

 

[Waiting]

Ask: Where the Apostles given a position of authority or without it?

When questioned by a Jehovah Witness on one of their visits, I said, “If you can get me past, ‘You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it,’ (Matthew 16:13-20) I will listen to any argument you may have against the Catholic Church. If Christ established that Church, and it was the only Christian church for centuries, and He promised that nothing would prevail against it, then how can anyone say that the Catholic Church is in error? That would make Jesus a liar, or at least fallible and less than God.” No one has returned to argue wiith me since that time. Ask your friends how they counter that quote from Jesus.

 

[Calgar]

Why do Protestants believe everything has to be in the Bible?

I was not aware of this. Do the protestants drive cars? Those aren’t in the Bible.

 

[KnightofJesus]

You might find the fruits of winning arguments to be sour.

When approaching other religions I like to first look for the fruits they bear. Most faiths are reaching for the same God we know and love. Despite their denial or ignorance of our ways, they are still being guided by the one true God.

Look at what is good and what is similar. Other religions still bear good fruits that we can learn from, but at the same time be cautious of falling into their beliefs.