What Do You Like About Protestantism?

[Dempsey1919]

I like the fact that Protestants love the word of God. I like the fact that they memorise verses of the Bible and have a strong desire to know and serve the Lord Jesus.

However, I pity the protestants. They are like the blind leading the blind. They contain elements of the truth and they have elements of salvation but Catholicism has the fullness of the faith. They need to convert to Catholicism.

I don’t hate the Protestants because they are our fellow Christians and even though they are misguided they have a sincere desire to live good moral lives.

The Protestant communities may contain some truth that they gained from Catholicism, but they are still wrong. They are like a second-hand car with flat tires and no gas. The Catholic Church is a Ferrari with an extremely powerful engine. Protestantism may get you so far but only the Catholic Church can get you to the final destination - Heaven.

 

[Harpazo]

I like the fact that Protestants love the word of God. I like the fact that they memorise verses of the Bible and have a strong desire to know and serve the Lord Jesus.

However, I pity the protestants. They are like the blind leading the blind. They contain elements of the truth and they have elements of salvation but Catholicism has the fullness of the faith. They need to convert to Catholicism.

I don’t hate the Protestants because they are our fellow Christians and even though they are misguided they have a sincere desire to live good moral lives.

The Protestant communities may contain some truth that they gained from Catholicism, but they are still wrong. They are like a second-hand car with flat tires and no gas. The Catholic Church is a Ferrari with an extremely powerful engine. Protestantism may get you so far but only the Catholic Church can get you to the final destination - Heaven.

Beautifully said with the car imagery.

I too think there is nothing beneficial in Protestantism that we already do not have as Catholics. They are much more adamant about gaining converts, which is something Catholics need to step up, considering we ONLY have the fullness of the Truth.

I’m a former Protestant, but in no way, shape or form do I hate Protestants at all. I do believe that they are extremely misguided, though. We must pray for God’s mercy to bring them into the Church, and continue to be the best witnesses of the Faith we can be!

Pace e Bene
Andrew

 

[palmas85]

I like nothing at all about protestantism. They reject the Catholic faith, they reject the authority of the Church, they reject the authority of the Pope and believe that every person is entitled to worship however he or she sees fit and that if someone doesn’t agree with a particular churches teachings, no problem, form a new one:thumbsup:

Those very ideas have infected Catholicism to a great degree and have led to widespread damage to the Holy Mother Church.

No there is nothing I like about their faith or better said faiths, as there are literally thousands of them.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

Originally Posted by Steve40
Protestantism does not have an authority which tells them how to be heretic so by definition all Protestants are Cafeteria Protestants. This may make it possible to slip in some Catholic diet into their consumption. They also have no concept of Church history so it may be possible for them to understand Scripture through the Catholic view.

There’s a very strong temptation on most Protestant leaders to fudge their own history. Few of the Baptist family of Protestants, which include Jehovah’s Witnesses, like to admit that their “believer’s baptism” comes from the seventeenth century Englishman John Smyth, for instance. However it does.

Once you’ve admitted that history can just be brushed away, that has the positive effect that you are also not bound by past errors. So when marketing methods change, posters can go up in the churches, and the fierce prohibition on “images” is quietly dropped.

 

[PoliSciProf]

I certainly think that Catholicism contains the fullness of Christianity and certainly think that we should not hate Protestants. I know many active and pious Protestants, both main-stream and not. I think we can learn from some Protestant theologians (e.g. Reinhold Neibuhr to name but one). Many have a very rich array of non-liturgical extra-curriculars which could many Catholic parishes to shame. I know Protestant chaplains (not ministers but lay people) who comfort the sick and dying in hospitals. The Protestants I know are usually not shy about witnessing their faith. The Protestant notion of a deeply personal relationship with God is impressive. The ones I have trouble with are the self-ordained street preachers but this is another story. While dogma is certainly imporant, so is the living of a Christian life.

 

[bear06]

What do I like? They’re not Muslim? But seriously, when it comes to pro-life issues, I find that, by and large, Protestants go all out. I wish I’d see more entire Catholic Churches at pro-life events. And when Operation Rescue was in full swing, far more of them were willing to put it all on the line.

 

[tradcathconvert]

What do I like? They’re not Muslim? But seriously, when it comes to pro-life issues, I find that, by and large, Protestants go all out. I wish I’d see more entire Catholic Churches at pro-life events. And when Operation Rescue was in full swing, far more of them were willing to put it all on the line.

Good point. When it comes to the moral and social issues on which we happen to agree with them, I have found them, more then the Catholics, including the bishops, doing what needs to be done.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

It’s impossible to speak of Protestantism as one entity. There are myriads of sects/denominations/ecclesia communities, etc. I don’t have any use for any of the liberal ones (I spent five years in the Episcopal Church, for example, but it bears no resemblance to the Episcopal Church that is disintergrating before our eyes today). I was raised Southern Baptist, however, and there are some things that I miss and I like.

I miss the sermons. In the nearly twenty years I’ve been a Roman Catholic, I’ve only heard one priest (Msgr. Leo Gomez, God bless him), apart from Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, Father Corapi, and that young EWTN priest, Father Mary Anthony, whose homiletics came close to most of the preachers I heard growing up. Most seem unable to develop a logical train of thought for their listeners to follow. I’m not talking about pounding the pulpit (though I don’t think that would hurt occasionally), I’m talking about not sounding as though one were “winging it.” The homilies don’t seem to have a lot of meat in them. They seem sort of an afterthought, sometimes.

I also miss the hymns. Not the “praise and worship” stuff, I mean the songs that had the same theological meat as the sermons. “On Christ the Solid Rock,” “There is a Fountain Filled With Blood,” “Just As I Am,” “Nothing, But the Blood of Jesus,” and “Softy and Tenderly” is a lot more CATHOLIC (actually) than most of what’s in the “Music Issue” by Oregon Catholic Press.

On the issue of a personal relationship with Jesus, I don’t know a Catholic who wouldn’t say that was a necessity. We simply mean something different from them. I think it’s also important to remember that a “personal relationship with Jesus” is different from having your “own personal Jesus.” I think that leads, quite dangerously, to becoming your own “personal” magisterium.

 

[contramundum7]

The Protestant communities may contain some truth that they gained from Catholicism, but they are still wrong. They are like a second-hand car with flat tires and no gas. The Catholic Church is a Ferrari with an extremely powerful engine. Protestantism may get you so far but only the Catholic Church can get you to the final destination - Heaven.

i like the analogy. Can i borrow it?

 

[contramundum7]

I miss the sermons.

Hey - i miss the sermons too and i am a devout, practicing, cradle Catholic! I have been to Baptist churches and heard wonderful hellfire and brimstone sermons and frankly, i think the Catholic priests could learn a few things from those preachers… In fact, i think your Post has convinced me i should give in to this thought i’ve had lately, to attend a Baptist church once in awhile (not skipping Mass, of course… would never do that).

In the nearly twenty years I’ve been a Roman Catholic, I’ve only heard one priest (Msgr. Leo Gomez, God bless him), apart from Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, Father Corapi, and that young EWTN priest, Father Mary Anthony, whose homiletics came close to most of the preachers I heard growing up.

This is something i can’t relate to like the first thing you said… I love all the homilies i hear, USUALLY. There have been NOTABLE exceptions!! I hate homilies that are heretical-sounding… But still, i would like to have that Baptist enthusiasm… I miss that… haven’t been to a Baptist church in many years.

Most seem unable to develop a logical train of thought for their listeners to follow.

Again, i dont’ understand this as most priests I’ve heard deliver very good sermons. The thing i don’t like is how they always, without fail, seem to omit talk of eternal Hell. I feel too many priests just want to make everyone happy. As if that is possible. They should only be concerned about making God happy.

The homilies don’t seem to have a lot of meat in them.

Again, i don’t get this… I get an awful lot out of the entire Mass… homilies included.

I guess the reason it seems Protestants, generally speaking (w/o trying to lump them all together…) know more about Christ’s mercy (? ) than we do is because they know they can’t “pay for” their sins. But i don’t believe the Catholic Church would say that we believe we can pay for sins… per se… Catholics know that there are consequences to sin and that we have to be purified… before we get to Heaven. I heard that Protestants spend more time in Purgatory because they never believed they would have to atone for their sins…

Anyway, Jesus told St. Faustina we must pass through His mercy and cannot pass through His justice (attempting to is probably just… well, Hell). That’s why i mention the Protestant’s focus on Christ’s mercy.

God bless.

 

[contramundum7]

IThe Protestants I know are usually not shy about witnessing their faith.

i knew there was something else i liked about Protestants. I absolutely HATE the way so many Catholics seem actually ashamed of being Catholic! I mean, i know so many who don’t witness to anyone, to speak of. I know that the way a person live is a great witness but some Catholics i know don’t even let people know how they live… it’s a darn shame…

The Protestant notion of a deeply personal relationship with God is impressive.

It used to annoy me years ago when this friend, who was pretty anti-Catholic, i might add… would always use the term “personal relationship with Jesus”. To me, at that time in my life, it seemed to be just an excuse to bash Catholics, who this person seemd to think didn’t have such a relationship… (and last time i heard, that person’s life had unravelled - in my opinioin due to her obstinancy against hte Church…[Christ] but that’s another story)…
Anyway, nowadays, I can better appreciate that term (especially when it is not used to bash Catholics)… I think a lot of Catholics don’t just talk to Jesus like they talk to “people”… and that’s sad… They are missing out.

I have trouble with are the self-ordained street preachers

Hmmm… i haven’t heard any recently… but if they are telling the truth, i think its a great idea.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

I like their hymn, “Amazing Grace”

 

[dessert]

I also liked some of the music, and glad some is in my Catholic Church, we are having a group come and do a play for us next year in the spring. It shall be interesting.
D.

 

[wcknight]

Not much, but at least they follow Christ in a basic way, although some of their more radical anti-Catholic rhetoric is hardly Christ-like. But like most groups there is a wide range of Protestants, some are more Christian than others, just as some Catholics are more Christ-like than others.

Leave out the anti-Catholics and I think they are a pretty nice group.

 

[HenryV]

Nothing. Poison is still poison even if eaten with sugar.

 

[I_Believe]

Mary is the one I direct most of my prayers to. Usually asking for her intercession to ask God to grant things for myself and others.

If I’m asking forgiveness, I pray to God Himself. And I thank Him for prayers answered, for giving me one more day, and for sending His Son.

With Jesus, it is most always a prayer of thanksgiving in His Presence before the Eucharist or a Crucifix. I rarely ask Him for anything. I suppose I feel He has given enough and the rest is up to me. I almost always begin any prayer to Him with “Lord I am not worthy to dare kneel before You, but I ask Your mercy…”

I ask the Holy Ghost for stronger Faith.