What is it with Protestants?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Annunciata
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
40.png
Annunciata:
Why do you think that Protestants reject the Catholic Church?
  • Out of ignorance?
  • Stubbornness?
  • Lack of good example by Catholics?
I think it’s out of ingnorance of the Faith…if they really new what the Church teaches then they would be breaking down the doors!
Click to expand...
The fact was not the protestants “rejected” The Church, but The Church CONDEMNED them all in Trent Council.

Without Trent Council, our separated bretheren would have remained in The Church (even though they “protested”, they couldn’t have left The Church without it condemning them).

Thanks to Trent Council now we have lots of denominations.

But thanks to Reformations, now The Church know “the reason why” to keep condemnations down. The Church is learning HARD that there should be "no more condemnations for those who are in Christ Jesus ".

Pope John XXIII in his opening speech Vatican Council II says that the Church now prefers “mercy than severity”

"And often errors vanish as quickly as they arise, like fog before the sun. The Church has always opposed these errors. Frequently she has condemned them with the greatest severity. Nowadays however, the Spouse of Christ [The Church - francisca] prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity .She consider that she meets the needs of the present day by demonstrating the validity of her teaching rather than by condemnations ". (Pope John’s Opening Speech to the Council, October 11, 1962 about HOW TO REPRESS ERRORS)

As for “validity of the teaching”, there are researches and studies happening. Most of these studies and researches is about THE WORD (the Bible teaching).

God bless.
 
jeffready789

My last post may have sounded a little harsh and if it did I am sorry for that. Sometimes when trying to make a point I am coming from the position of having argued the same point with a non-Catholic who makes his/her point just as harshly. Then, as I probably did here, that harshness is echoed.

I, too, have many protestant friends and their reasons for being protestant vary greatly. Some of them give me a hard time, some don’t. Two have converted and credit my dad (you’d have to meet him - he’s a saint!) and my Southern Baptist husband converted 5 years ago and today says a 20 decade rosary daily. He, too, says that my dad had a lot to do with his decision. My dad is, in my opinoin, the epitome of WWJD. Also, he loves everyone for who they are and he teaches (unknowingly) by example.

Anyway, sorry to ramble on - and I’ll try to be more charitable.
 
To my friends here:

There are a lot of misunderstandings about Lutherism and Luther:

#1 - Protestant Lutherans confess the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Symbolism is not an option with us. We are so “catholic” that we give other Protestants the willies.

#2 - Luther never left on his own and started a church. Luther asked for reforms - radical things like Mass in the language of the people and allowing consecrated wine to be served at communion to the laity (it was reserved exclusively for priests). Luther wanted the Church to reform, the pope wallowing in secular corruption, threw Luther out and so this small group of reformers continued on their way, believing Rome had left them, not the other way around.
The one enlightenment which I have been privledged to experience is the beauty of a Christian community in service. I have discovered that the Spirit is active everywhere we gather in Jesus’ name. The Catholic church does not have an “exclusive”. We are all part and parcel of the same big community, like it or not.

We can all pick on each other about different theological views, we can find good and bad in all groups. The real grace in action is to transcend the bitterness and in-fighting. The real mission is to have faith in our Savior and help the weak, the needy, the helpless. It doesn’t matter what it says on the sign outside your church; if you haven’t figured out that we are called to be His servants here and now, then you haven’t listened.

We give witness every day, to everyone, with everything we do. Some of it (hopefully) is good witness - that is up to each and every one of you.

Peace,
John
 
Gottle of Geer said:
## Try turning it round - since Protestantism is obviously the true religion, why do Catholics insist on rejecting Protestantism ? 🙂

That’s a bit sharper in tone than your question, but it makes the point.

There are probably as many reasons as there are people. 🙂 ##
Click to expand...

But these are the questions I asked… and, Protestants were the protesters and left…
I still maintain that if they really could believe that Jesus is truly present then they would knock the doors down maybe quicker than some Catholics,since I do believe that most “believing” Protestants are in some cases much more devout. Annunciata:)
 
40.png
francisca:
The fact was not the protestants “rejected” The Church, but The Church CONDEMNED them all in Trent Council.

Without Trent Council, our separated bretheren would have remained in The Church (even though they “protested”, they couldn’t have left The Church without it condemning them).

Thanks to Trent Council now we have lots of denominations.

.
Click to expand...
This is one I have not heard before, can you give me documentation of this? Annunciata:)
 
40.png
Annunciata:
…Protestants were the protesters and left…
. Annunciata:)
Click to expand...
Not all.

Sad to say, many good people moved by the Spirit with good intentions were thrown out and declared heretics by men on thrones in the Vatican who had balck hearts and blacker souls.
 
40.png
PXseeker:
To my friends here:

There are a lot of misunderstandings about Lutherism and Luther:

#1 - Protestant Lutherans confess the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Symbolism is not an option with us. We are so “catholic” that we give other Protestants the willies.

#2 - Luther never left on his own and started a church. Luther asked for reforms - radical things like Mass in the language of the people and allowing consecrated wine to be served at communion to the laity (it was reserved exclusively for priests). Luther wanted the Church to reform, the pope wallowing in secular corruption, threw Luther out and so this small group of reformers continued on their way, believing Rome had left them, not the other way around.
The one enlightenment which I have been privledged to experience is the beauty of a Christian community in service. I have discovered that the Spirit is active everywhere we gather in Jesus’ name. The Catholic church does not have an “exclusive”. We are all part and parcel of the same big community, like it or not.

We can all pick on each other about different theological views, we can find good and bad in all groups. The real grace in action is to transcend the bitterness and in-fighting. The real mission is to have faith in our Savior and help the weak, the needy, the helpless. It doesn’t matter what it says on the sign outside your church; if you haven’t figured out that we are called to be His servants here and now, then you haven’t listened.

We give witness every day, to everyone, with everything we do. Some of it (hopefully) is good witness - that is up to each and every one of you.

Peace,
John
Click to expand...
John, very nice,but,
“That they all may be one” as our Blessed Lord spoke. He didn’t want a divided Church…many things have happened in 2000 years, but the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church still survives…doesn’t that count for something? In Christ, Annunciata:)
 
In many places, such as where I live, the majority are brought up Protestant and practically the only exposure to the Catholic Church around here is on the movies.

I believe it seems very mysterious to some, even foreign. So I’d like to add one reason to the list.

Lack of exposure.
 
40.png
Annunciata:
Why do you think that Protestants reject the Catholic Church?
  • Out of ignorance?
  • Stubbornness?
  • Lack of good example by Catholics?
Click to expand...
A good friend, an Anglican minister once a missionary in India, once said, “I am an Anglican by accident of birth, but no one is a Christian by accident of birth.”

Rev. E. was an evangelical Anglican, and hence his emphasis on the personal decision aspect of the faith. But surely such a personal decision, if not everything, is a needed aspect for growth in the faith? The question arises: do people like Rev. E. see a place where such a personal decision is valued and supported when they look at our Church? If not, why not?

I’m quite sure I would not cherish the Church as much as I do (but probably not nearly as much as I should) had I not grown in the faith over the years. So do non-Catholics see the church where their Christian faith (and many I know have VERY strong, credal faith) can grow, and if not, why not?

Questions of why protestants are protestants are not rude or impertinent questions. It is to be hoped, though, that we use the answers we find to enable them to come to the fulness of the church. We are (in the words of another protestant) beggers, telling other beggers where to find the finest bread.

People are against, even hate, the church for a number of reasons. Let us pray for the grace and strength that we are not among the reasons.

Blessings,

Gerry
 
40.png
PXseeker:
I don’t reject the Catholic Faith, which I believe is bigger than the institutional church. I chose to reject the institution becuse I feel that the bishops and cardinals are not good stewards. Their primary motivations. IMO, are power and personal success; the good of needy and spiritual matters are secondary concerns, if even that high on their agendas.

Having rejected an institution run by a bunch of Enron-executive lookalikes, I then sat around for 6 months without any connections. I found a wonderful family of faith and now I’m “protestant”.

The bishops are driving many away. Those of us who for years may not have agreed with all dogma and declarations, but felt that the church was focused on the poor and needy, are leaving. When we found out that the bishops and manipulative lawyers were buying silence by bullying abuse victims; when they moved abusers with full knowledge; when they chose to put their careers and aspirations first; that witness they gave by their actions caused many of us cradle Catholics to cry “ENOUGH !”

So add “Corrupt and morally bankrupt hierarchy” to your list and you’ll have a more objective listing of reasons.
Click to expand...
Are all the Apostles corrupt because Judas sold out our Lord for 30 pieces of silver?

4% of priests in 50 years are morally bankrupt. I thank God the earl christians didn’t focus on JUDAS

“You know why the church teaches the TRUTH.
Because it’s the TRUTH.” (Fr. Corapi)

One more thing, Peter is the ROCK!
 
hey , little mary. thanks for the note. i didn’t mean anyone specifically. i just mean that we christians are under orders by our Lord to love everyone, at all times, whether friend or foe. it makes it easy in deciding how to treat someone - in love! 🙂 if they’re an evil child abusing woman beater, we love them. if they’re a 100 decade rosary prayer, we love them! some are easier to love than others. but there’s never a question ‘do i love this person or hate them? do i show kindness or not?’ it’s always the same - love. 🙂
 
i’d like to submit that one of the reasons that the church is hated, even by prots, is that it is the guardian of the truth. the Truth. no one likes the truth when they want to make things up themselves. it shows that they’re wrong. Jesus was despised. should we be surprised to be despised?
 
40.png
PXseeker:
Not all.

Sad to say, many good people moved by the Spirit with good intentions were thrown out and declared heretics by men on thrones in the Vatican who had balck hearts and blacker souls.
Click to expand...
I recently completed a seminar on the history of the papacy: The good, the bad, and the ugly and I saw how very human they were and some who were down right evil; but, not one of them ever deviated from the Sacred Truths.
Do you believe that God send evil? Or, do you believe God permits it to draw a greater good? Then I believe that someday we will ALL be one…it’s good to talk over our differences…I find it surprising what good can come out of open and charitable discussion.
In Christ, Annunciata:)
 
40.png
PXseeker:
I don’t reject the Catholic Faith, which I believe is bigger than the institutional church. I chose to reject the institution becuse I feel that the bishops and cardinals are not good stewards.
Click to expand...
You have got your faith right but your reasons for leaving wrong.

The Church throughout its 2000 years of history has had many bad, even evil priests, bishops and Popes. But it has remained intact as an “institution” not because of fallible humans but because the Holy Spirit is behind it 100%.

Even in the worst of times, its teachings are sound, consistent and true to Christ.

I have a lot of gripes with my priests and bishop. I do not always agree with them and their methods. BUT am I leaving my Church? Heck! No!

Please DO NOT let the rotten apples distort your beliefs. Stay and help push for reforms. Enron gets reformed too.

You did not leave the US of A because of Enron, bad Presidents, bad cops, etc. Why leave the Church for the same reason?

You are jumping from the frying pan into the fire!
🙂
 
40.png
PXseeker:
…The one enlightenment which I have been privledged to experience is the beauty of a Christian community in service. I have discovered that the Spirit is active everywhere we gather in Jesus’ name. The Catholic church does not have an “exclusive”. We are all part and parcel of the same big community, like it or not…
Click to expand...
The service may be beautiful, the music glorious - that we can get anywhere at a musical, a concert, etc

What is missing is the Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. And that is only available in the Church - His Catholic Church - the Catholic Church’s “exclusive”

God Bless
🙂
 
Greetings

Today is not a good day. I found out today that my daughter in law who I helped to bring into the Church and am God Mother to, is in danger of going back to the Protestant faith. Four children are involved here. I am 68 years old and Godmother to over 50 people. All but 8 have left the Church. Neither of my sons attend Mass. Well, they both do on Easter and Christmas.
I taught many of these folks the faith. I taught them well, and they all believe it. They will tell you what they believe and why and they are right where the Catechism is concerned. They know it and they agree. What is the problem? They are bored to death. They see a Religion that teaches the Power of God, that teaches Miracles and has the whole truth but lacks the … Good Lord, what is it?.. cannot put it in words or actions.
They believe firmly in the Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist but see priests who look bored and do not preach the fullness of truth that we have. They seem afraid to offend. They are luke warm, neither teaching sin and hell or the pure joy of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit and the mansions prepared for us in Heaven.
If, in my lifetime, these were the only ones, maybe, just maybe I wouldn’t feel so bad. But no, I helped with polls in our Catholic High School in Southern California where 75% of our Catholic students were attending non-denominational worship services. We wanted so badly to know why and what was missing in the Catholic Church. We got answers but no one cared. The kids were bored and were not hearing the Jesus message. Over and over I was told the same thing. They were going to be entertained and they would be back. THEY DIDN’T COME BACK.
I am a Catholic Charismatic. This Renewal movement has found favor, encouragement and blessings with the Holy Father. I have watched young people and older folks respond to this form of worship. I have seen 5 dozen young men answer Gods call to the Priesthood at one weekend Conference. These guys were followed up and the vast majority of them accepted the call. The “fruits” have been abundant.

There is no boredom here. Charismatic Priests have experienced “conversion” and renewal. They have experienced Pastoral gifts, including the gift of preaching and teaching. They preach with Power and Truth. God gives them all the tools to evangelize and bring folks in.

How do you treat them? How do you treat the folks they bring “home to Rome”?

I have watched a young girl her in these forums who was so happy and full of joy over Life Teen Mass, be told how wrong she is. A teenager, in love with the Church!

Sorry, I just cannot go on. I am very sorry.
 
40.png
PXseeker:
To my friends here:

There are a lot of misunderstandings about Lutherism and Luther:

#1 - Protestant Lutherans confess the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Symbolism is not an option with us. We are so “catholic” that we give other Protestants the willies.

#2 - Luther never left on his own and started a church. Luther asked for reforms - radical things like Mass in the language of the people and allowing consecrated wine to be served at communion to the laity (it was reserved exclusively for priests). Luther wanted the Church to reform, the pope wallowing in secular corruption, threw Luther out and so this small group of reformers continued on their way, believing Rome had left them, not the other way around.
The one enlightenment which I have been privledged to experience is the beauty of a Christian community in service. I have discovered that the Spirit is active everywhere we gather in Jesus’ name. The Catholic church does not have an “exclusive”. We are all part and parcel of the same big community, like it or not.

The real mission is to have faith in our Savior and help the weak, the needy, the helpless. It doesn’t matter what it says on the sign outside your church; if you haven’t figured out that we are called to be His servants here and now, then you haven’t listened.

Peace,
John
Click to expand...
On point #1, you say you confess the Real Presence. But since your ministers are not ordained with Apostolic Succession, what they do, or claim to do, is only symbolic on its face. Jesus the High Priest, established the Priesthood under His rules, His direction. We all all priests, but not all ministerial priests. They are from the Apostles only.
Catholics make a serious issue out of receiving communion - only those in full communion with the Church may receive, not Catholics who defy Catholic Truth, and not non-Catholics who are outside the Church Christ started.
If Jesus knocked on your door on Sunday morning and wanted to go to church with you, which church would you go to? Yours, or His?

On point #2 Only part of Luther’s problems… He had a fixation with sin and couldn’t deal with the concept of true forgivness (we are dung heaps…) And he wanted to marry, eventually married a nun and had 6 kids. Not unlike Satan, he had a serious problem with auhority, and his personal pride was his downfall. Pride and authority are two main ingredients in every non-Catholic community - no to the legitimate authority established by Jesus. “He who hears you, hears Me, and he who rejects you REJECTS me.”

Finally on your statement about gathering in Jesus’ name… this and variations of it are used to give credence to belonging to any Church as long as you are following Jesus. Look up the verse, and then go back 5 verses to verse 15 and read in context. You will see the lesson is that we take our troubles to THE CHURCH. It already is there is for us. We don’t expect Luther or anyone else to reinvent the wheel.

God Bless

MrS
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top