What are some of the main reasons that people are attracted to the Protestant faith?

[Sy_Noe]

Any church bilking folks out of money for sacraments is not the church that Christ established. And my views will never, ever concede that this practice is of God of holy. No matter what the denomination says. Most folks I talked to saw no problem with it and gladly forked over 150 dollars for a sacrament for their kids. I even talked to four different priests and a bishop who saw no problem with selling the sacrament of baptism.

Also, how much wickedness must I accept to tow the line? On paper it looks great, reality is much different. That’s why I am constantly being asked to go with what’s on paper, not what the denomination actually does.

Also, it’s not the reason I left, only one aspect of a much bigger picture.

I get tbis. I wanted to kick myself in the butt after I forked over an extra $5 for a Mass intention because $10 wasn’t enough.

 

[PRmerger]

I get tbis. I wanted to kick myself in the butt after I forked over an extra $5 for a Mass intention because $10 wasn’t enough.

If that’s the reason you left the Church…

Incidentally, I will also ask you the same question I asked HH, (although you didn’t use the rather inflammatory phrasing of “selling the sacraments” like HH did): what church will you go to that isn’t “selling the sacrament” of marriage?

Are there any that don’t charge you to use their church?

I dunno.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Just curious, HH. When you daughter wants to get married will you leave your church for selling the sacrament of marriage?

*Please note: this is a hypothetical. So I hope to pre-empt any irrelevant comments like, “I only have sons” or “My daughter doesn’t plan to get married.”

Maybe I missed it but do you have inside knowledge on how much HH’s church charges for marriage?

 

[Sy_Noe]

If that’s the reason you left the Church…

Is left the same as ex?

 

[PRmerger]

Maybe I missed it but do you have inside knowledge on how much HH’s church charges for marriage?

Does it matter what the charge is?

It appears that your objection is that there is a charge at all.

So even if it’s $5, wouldn’t that be “selling the sacrament”?

So I ask again: are you going to search for a denomination that doesn’t charge you to have your daughter’s marriage sacrament performed there?

If so, which one is this?

I am very interested in your answer, Sy!

 

[PRmerger]

Is left the same as ex?

Yep. Pretty much.

Like an ex-spouse is one who left. Even if there was no formal divorce (to bring this back to the topic at hand, in a nuanced manner).

 

[Sy_Noe]

If that’s the reason you left the Church…

Incidentally, I will also ask you the same question I asked HH, (although you didn’t use the rather inflammatory phrasing of “selling the sacraments” like HH did): what church will you go to that isn’t “selling the sacrament” of marriage?

Are there any that don’t charge you to use their church?

I dunno.

For me personally I know of an Episcopal priest who will perform marriages for non members and even on the beach if that’s where the couple wishes to be married. I’ve found a UCC pastor who will do the same. So I’m fine if I were to ever need such services. Btw I don’t consider a donation of my choice the same as a set fee.

 

[PRmerger]

For me personally I know of an Episcopal priest who will perform marriages for non members and even on the beach if that’s where the couple wishes to be married. I’ve found a UCC pastor who will do the same. So I’m fine if I were to ever need such services. Btw I don’t consider a donation of my choice the same as a set fee.

When I got married I made a donation as well. There was no “set fee”.

So it’s the fact that you are obligated to pay something in a “set fee”, rather than having it be a free will offering that you find so objectionable?

Do you find it so objectionable in other areas as well? Do you refuse to go to a restaurant that charges you $7 for a glass of wine? Do you only go to ones that let you make a donation and have no “set fee”?

What about tuition for college? Will you only send your children to colleges that let you pay what you wish with no “set fee”?

Just curious as to why parish management should be any different than other areas.

 

[Sy_Noe]

When I got married I made a donation as well. There was no “set fee”.

So it’s the fact that you are obligated to pay something in a “set fee”, rather than having it be a free will offering that you find so objectionable?

Do you find it so objectionable in other areas as well? Do you refuse to go to a restaurant that charges you $7 for a glass of wine? Do you only go to ones that let you make a donation and have no “set fee”?

What about tuition for college? Will you only send your children to colleges that let you pay what you wish with no “set fee”?

Just curious as to why parish management should be any different than other areas.

I don’t drink wine or other alcohol. I don’t like the taste. It should be different because I don’t consider restaurants etc to be on par with Christ’s church.

 

[PRmerger]

For me personally I know of an Episcopal priest who will perform marriages for non members and even on the beach if that’s where the couple wishes to be married.

For no fee at all.

Really.

He will drive to the beach and give an hour of his time, and will charge you nothing?

I’ve found a UCC pastor who will do the same.

For no charge.

Forgive my skepticism, but…

 

[Sy_Noe]

Incidentally, if you knew your faith better, you could have told your priest, “I am a Catholic. I plan to raise my children Catholic. You cannot deny me my child’s baptism. I refuse to pay you the fee.”

Your child would have still been baptized.

It’s the teaching of the Church.

Which you should have known.

Especially since you said you were a “Catholic apologist”.

I’d think the priest near me who requires a minimum “donation” of $50 to baptize a child after the parents have used envelopes for their offertory for 6 mos would know Catholic teaching.

 

[PRmerger]

I don’t drink wine or other alcohol. I don’t like the taste.

http://gifsforum.com/images/gif/facepalm/grand/disappointed_gif_44556.gif

Surely the note about irrelevant comments like, “I only have sons” would have prompted you to stop making such ridiculous demurrals such as "I don’t drink wine’.

It should be different because I don’t consider restaurants etc to be on par with Christ’s church.

No one has presented any argument at all about restaurants being “on par with” Christ’s church.

And if you think that charging for baptism is a doctrinal issue, can you show the Bible verse that says that a church can’t charge for baptisms?

The Catholic Church believes that workers should be paid for their wages. In fact, the Scriptures say so.

usccb.org/bible/matthew/20

So it would appear that your belief is rather un-Biblical.

 

[PRmerger]

I’d think the priest near me who requires a minimum “donation” of $50 to baptize a child after the parents have used envelopes for their offertory for 6 mos would know Catholic teaching.

No one has proposed that he didn’t. He was asking for his due wages. Very Biblical.

Let’s get back to the point, Sy.

Are you really, really, really going to state here on a rather public forum, for all posters, lurkers and guests to see, that it’s a legitimate reason to leave the CC because you don’t want to pay to have your child baptized?

 

[PRmerger]

Btw I don’t consider a donation of my choice the same as a set fee.

Incidentally, why do you feel like you need to make a donation?

Is it because you feel like it is right and proper to pay for a service?

 

[Sy_Noe]

When I got married I made a donation as well. There was no “set fee”.

When my parents went to get married (granted this was a long time ago) the priest required more than they could afford so they found a Protestant minister. I’d call it serving. But I just think different people have different experiences when it comes to religions.

 

[Sy_Noe]

http://gifsforum.com/images/gif/facepalm/grand/disappointed_gif_44556.gif

Surely the note about irrelevant comments like, “I only have sons” would have prompted you to stop making such ridiculous demurrals such as "I don’t drink wine’.

No one has presented any argument at all about restaurants being “on par with” Christ’s church.

And if you think that charging for baptism is a doctrinal issue, can you show the Bible verse that says that a church can’t charge for baptisms?

The Catholic Church believes that workers should be paid for their wages. In fact, the Scriptures say so.

usccb.org/bible/matthew/20

So it would appear that your belief is rather un-Biblical.

Let me look to see if there was a $150 or $50 charge for Baptism.

 

[McCartney]

Easy. 1, they can take comfort in hearing the lie that you can say “Jesus come into my heart” and then live however you want and go to Heaven.
2, there’s no accountability. You’re free to sin and you don’t have to tell anyone or do anything about it.
3, because the world (of which you know who runs) hates Catholics as the world hated Jesus.
4, laziness.
5, freedom to justify your own interpretations and opinions by thwarting scripture.
6, lack of devotion. Too many rules, too much authority, too demanding is the Catholic faith to many.
7, Bad publicity.

Well said!!

 

[PRmerger]

Let me look to see if there was a $150 or $50 charge for Baptism.

Fair enough.

The Bible is silent, of course, on whether we can charge for baptism (although there are quite a few verse that profess that we must pay others a just wage for their services).

And since the Bible is silent on whether it’s $150 or $50, what is your position on what to do when the Bible is silent? Is it that when the Bible is silent it forbids something? Or when the Bible is silent we are permitted to do this?

And since the Bible is silent, how is it that you hold the view that a Church charging for something puts it in a different category than a restaurant?

It would seem that, since the Bible is silent, on this particular issue we don’t need to hold the Church to a higher standard than any restaurant.

 

[SyroMalankara]

A Catholic parish asking for a donation of $50, $150, or $500 for supporting the Church which is doing this service for you is too much - even if they are willing to waive it for those who can’t afford to give anything… on the other hand, the protestant group which requires 10% of the gross income from everyone… no prob. The day to day stuff is free… except for Bible Study books, coffee station, kids camp, conferences/retreats and you know, all the extras… so in reality, you’ve just handed over 15-30%

 

[Sy_Noe]

It would seem that, since the Bible is silent, on this particular issue we don’t need to hold the Church to a higher standard than any restaurant.