What do Protestants do with Lourdes?

[episcogirl]

Hi all,

The problem I see in this thread is that some Catholics tend to lump all non-Catholic Christians together under the name “Protestant”. But the objections to Marian devotion cited are those made by small but very loud groups of non-Catholics known as Evangelicals or Fundamentalists.

Anglican, United Methodist and several other Protestant denoms share many beliefs and practices we think of as distinctly Catholic. The UMs have an excellent devotional publication called “The Upper Room” which I find indistinguishable from similar Catholic publications.

The anti-Catholic venom we generally get here is from the Fundamentalists or Evangelicals (hard to tell where one ends and the other begins) most of whose religions began in 19th century America, and not from the “real” Protestants.

God bless,
Paul

Yes, the word “Protestant” itself is perhaps being used to refer to a wider group than it should be. I myself am going to look into exactly what a “Protestant” would include.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Yes, the word “Protestant” itself is perhaps being used to refer to a wider group than it should be. I myself am going to look into exactly what a “Protestant” would include.

Complicated, isn’t it ​

One has to distinguish between the theological & historical uses of the word. Not doing so, causes confusion.

And, like any religion with a life of any great length & geographical extent, Protestantism has a complex history. Catholicism tends to look more unified than it is, simply because most people take the last 200 years or so - much of it confined to the US or Rome - & generalise from it, with this or that memorable bit (the Crusades; the Reformation) coming in for a bit of attention too.

 

[AngelRose81]

AngelRose:

Here is what you gave agreement to:

And you said:

You agreed with Charlie that “we had no choice in the matter.” And then, more offensively, you agreed with him that we idolized the Bible and limited God - a very untrue, ugly, prejudicial statement that makes you look superior. Does that not define bigotry?

I’m sure you didn’t like the accusation. But did it fit given what you agreed to in Charlie’s post?

O+

Again, I was agreeing with him because it does fit the Protestants I know. Apparantley you don’t get that. But it is still not very Christian to call someone a bigot. I’m washing my hands of this thread now.

 

[mozart-250]

Complicated, isn’t it ​

One has to distinguish between the theological & historical uses of the word. Not doing so, causes confusion.

And, like any religion with a life of any great length & geographical extent, Protestantism has a complex history. Catholicism tends to look more unified than it is, simply because most people take the last 200 years or so - much of it confined to the US or Rome - & generalise from it, with this or that memorable bit (the Crusades; the Reformation) coming in for a bit of attention too.

For starters, while “Protestant” is a valid term that refers to those Christian denominations that have a common source in the historical event commonly known as the reformation, the term “Protestantism” is meaningless.

That term seems to be the creation of a non-existent ecclesiastical entity. There is no denomination, creed, or entity called Protestantism.

The way that the term is is misused on these forums, is that a belief or creed that a subset of Protestants hold is then ascribed to this mythical entity called Protestantism.

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

Why does the phrase “Protestants can not acknowledge any Marian apparition. It contradicts their faith.” keep coming up?
(or sentiments like it)

Why can’t Protestants acknowledge a Marian apparition? I have already demonstrated that there a Protestant organization devoted to Mary!!! The Society of Mary! “The Society of Mary was formed in 1931 by the union of its parent societies, the Confraternity of Our Lady (founded in 1880) and the League of Our Lady (founded in 1902). It has members all over the world and is not confined to Anglicans alone. In 1962 a group of American priests, knowing of two Wards functioning in the Episcopal Church and affiliated with the parent body, received permission from the General Council in England to set up a regional organization in the United States.”…

emphasis mine]
Hi episcogirl,
Isn’t that a question you should pose to the Protestant community on the Internet. I mean, it’s not easy to find a responsible Protestant Web site supporting a Marian apparition… if fact, I’m finding it impossible. (I even set up a challenge for bluestarsneyes in post # 9.)

I also have demonstrated Episcopal Churches celebrating the use of the rosary. And the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which we know properly to be the conception of Mary and not of Jesus.

Ummmm…do you guys just keep ignoring me because I don’t fit in with your “everybody else hates Catholics” worldview? I’m getting very frustrated and upset!

Oh, and by the way, I accepted Marian visitations and apparitions when I was Catholic, and now that I’m Episcopal, it does not stop me. And as far as being Protestant, I think Episcopals can be classified as such, having been a kind of offshoot from the Church of England (I guess we “colonists” couldn’t continue calling ourselves the “Church of England” once we revolted, now could we?) which separated from the Roman Church, “protesting.”

So, does that make me a closet Catholic? I think not. I am a Protestant that not only accepts but believes in Marian apparitions. I pray the rosary daily, in fact, I pray a regular Catholic rosary more often than I pray the Anglican one because I find it easier (have you ever tried to look up Anglican rosary/prayer bead information online? Nobody can agree on how to use them, which is both a blessing and a curse!) and also I like to meditate on the Mysteries. Plus it is only appropriate as Mary is my church’s patron saint.

[again, **emphasis mine]
:yup:

(Only kidding… but I think we will make a Catholic out of you someday .)

And I notice you did not respond to the REST of my post in which this snippet occurred…

And, I tried to “respond” to your poll YET you did not even give an option for “believing in Lourdes” or some such other poll answer option that would even give a Protestant the opportunity to respond in that matter.

Who’s limiting God now? Huh? If God’s omnipotent can’t He make a Protestant believe in Lourdes and Marian apparitions? Huh?

Some VERY bigoted statements are going around in this thread…

emphasis mine]
That’s not fair. It was a Protestant who set up the original post.

 

[episcogirl]

Charlie Zeaiter:

I will admit that the non-Catholic “community” (using that term loosely) generally is either ignorant of or simply does not want to acknowledge Marian apparitions. But you can’t use the blanket term “all” because even if every single other non-Catholic stopped acknowledging them tomorrow, I still would.

I still have at least 7 years to go before I can even consider becoming a Catholic again. To give you a clue, my youngest child was born 3 years ago. If you figure out what I am talking about, DON’T post about it.

And, sorry, I got confused about who was saying what and posting what and I type like I talk and sometimes my mouth runs away with me. It’s something I’m working on.

It was just frustrating to see people posting, well why doesn’t a “Protestant” answer…and I couldn’t because the choices were skewed. It is funny it was a Protestant that posted this poll. The choices for answers are just a little bit ridiculous. Some simple choices would have been better. And less tacky. Sorry, JMHO. KISS! (I think you guys know what this stands for)

 

[Syele]

This is the type of thing I am talking about.

that;'s what I was talking about too.