Why does this bother me?

[105lynne]

Not sure if this is the correct forum or not, but…why does it bother me so badly when Protestants quote the bible??? Do any of you fellow Catholics out there feel this way? It’s terribly uncharitable and I cannot seem to get past it! I don’t know why! It’s still the Word of God either way, right?! Is it because they quote it as if they have the fullness of truth and I know they don’t? Anyone, anyone…

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Not sure if this is the correct forum or not, but…why does it bother me so badly when Protestants quote the bible??? Do any of you fellow Catholics out there feel this way? It’s terribly uncharitable and I cannot seem to get past it! I don’t know why! It’s still the Word of God either way, right?! Is it because they quote it as if they have the fullness of truth and I know they don’t? Anyone, anyone…

Probably because so many of us were taught that the Protestants are radioactive and we need to steer clear of them. Back in mother’s day, she was taught in no uncertain terms that all Protestants WOULD go to hell. Not true Church teachings, perhaps, but it scared the daylights out of her for her Protestant friends, and I’m afraid this mentality hasn’t worked its way out of the Catholic population.

I would never have come back to the Church after my hiatus a few decades ago if it weren’t for certain non-Catholic preachers. I actually learned my way around the Bible from non-Catholic preachers. Never even wanted a Bible until a TV preacher showed me how incredible its contents were. In 8 years of Catholic grade school they substituted social issues and political propaganda for religion, so we didn’t learn anything. My Lutheran friend could run rings around me in terms of what’s in the Bible.

If it’s truth, it’s truth. Like Rich Mullins said, he’s traveled around the world and met with many different Christian religions, and the biggest difference between them is which parts of the Bible they have underlined.

Alan

 

[Dorothy]

Not sure if this is the correct forum or not, but…why does it bother me so badly when Protestants quote the bible??? Do any of you fellow Catholics out there feel this way? It’s terribly uncharitable and I cannot seem to get past it! I don’t know why! It’s still the Word of God either way, right?! Is it because they quote it as if they have the fullness of truth and I know they don’t? Anyone, anyone…

The reason for that may be that when the quote certain verses they are being quoted out of context, and not seeing the whole picture through the entire b ible.

For instance, when they debate about Mary being asked for our intercession they may say “There is but one mediator…” That is only one example, and it is a response that comes from their way of being taught.

Try not to let it bother you…just thank the Lord that you have the fullness of faith. There are many apologetic sites you can go on if you wish to explain the Catholic position and need some help.

 

[Della]

I believe, as well, that the sorts of Protestants who quote Bible verse after Bible verse, as if doing so was arugment enough, are the kind that worship that book as if it were the end all and be all of everything. They have no context into which to put Holy Writ–as if it dropped out of the skies whole and complete, in the KJV version, of course. They treat it like a person, as if it were the Son of God himself. It’s why they get so upset when a Catholic tells them the Bible alone is not sufficient. To them it’s like saying Christ is not sufficient. It’s a very hard mentality to break through because it makes them certain of everything and unable to see beyond what they think they know. It’s quite frustrating and all the more so because they think Catholics don’t know anything about the Bible, and so know nothing about the “real” Jesus they love and worship. There’s not much you can do about it but pray and be patient and love them anyway.

 

[erine]

I was just today reading a book by a Protestant, which had a lot of truth and good things in it, and found myself irritated every time the author’s proposed solution was to “stand on this scripture” and to obsess over the Bible. The irony is that I love reading the Bible and even quoting it. But seeing how often the author interpreted it wrong (and history too; apparently every person and institution after Jesus was really faulty, except Martin Luther who was a super nice guy just helping the people) then sola scriptura can’t be the answer. I think what got to me also was the idea of evangelizing by quoting the Bible to staunch non-believers. How is that going to help if they don’t believe its authority?
I am not quite sure why it all got to me. Probably the reason of treating the Bible like a person is a big one. Plus the way it comes off to non-Christians. But mostly because it’s not the fullness of the truth. It’s just a wee bit arrogant to take what you like from the Catholic Church (like the Bible) and condemn the rest I think.

Finally, IMHO the obsession with stating ad infinitum that the Bible is where Christianity comes from, and NOT Catholic tradition, smacks a bit of protesting too much…

 

[AlanFromWichita]

It doesn’t hurt me when others quote the Bible out of context or interpret it in the “wrong” fashion. If it interests me, I look it up myself and see the context. Either way, it has triggered me into getting into the Word. I’ve heard priests say opposite things about the same readings.

I wouldn’t be a practicing Catholic today if it hadn’t been for Protestants coming to pick me up after a fall.

Alan

 

[DevotedChild]

I kinda feel the same way. Its like they know the bible than we do but we know the true meaning of what they are saying even though they don’t. It makes me a little sad.

 

[midori]

I think it bothers everyone when someone talks in snappy sound bites or catchy slogans when dealing with politics or religion.

 

[fhansen]

Not sure if this is the correct forum or not, but…why does it bother me so badly when Protestants quote the bible??? Do any of you fellow Catholics out there feel this way? It’s terribly uncharitable and I cannot seem to get past it! I don’t know why! It’s still the Word of God either way, right?! Is it because they quote it as if they have the fullness of truth and I know they don’t? Anyone, anyone…

I know exactly what you mean. I was a cradle-Catholic turned bible thumper who finally quit thumping because other thumpers were disagreeing with me-often skillfully-as we were each debating our point of scripture. All kinds of plausible points can be made from a given scripture verse. Anyway, i had to look for another source for my authority and, while I didn’t necessarily like the options at first, there weren’t many serious contenders historically who could rightfully lay claim to the title. Now when I hear someone arguing “authoritatively” from scripture alone I sort of cringe. The authority simply isn’t there, no matter how well studied they may be.

 

[DevotedChild]

I know exactly what you mean. I was a cradle-Catholic turned bible thumper who finally quit thumping because other thumpers were disagreeing with me-often skillfully-as we were each debating our point of scripture. All kinds of plausible points can be made from a given scripture verse. Anyway, i had to look for another source for my authority and, while I didn’t necessarily like the options at first, there weren’t many serious contenders historically who could rightfully lay claim to the title. Now when I hear someone arguing “authoritatively” from scripture alone I sort of cringe. The authority simply isn’t there, no matter how well studied they may be.

I know exactly what you mean. The bible is only the Words that were given to us by God. It has knowledge but it has no authority because it is not an actual person. Only God and the people have any sense of authority. The bible has the rules and advice on how to live proper and history but it is a bible, a collection of books, not a person, not God Himself.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I’m sorry. I’m not a scholar, but this just sounds wrong.

I didn’t know we were talking about Protestant interpretation of the Bible. As far as I can tell, the OP was talking about quoting the Bible.

How is it that a Protestant can recite the Word of God and somehow it’s not valid, but when a Catholic recites the exact same words, it is?

What about at Mass? Do we know the background and the faith level of the lectors? What if they are using birth control? (I know for a fact there are lectors who do.) Does that mean we must cover our ears during the first two readings? If we’re going to be absolutist about things, let’s be absolute.

Alan

 

[fhansen]

I’m sorry. I’m not a scholar, but this just sounds wrong.

I didn’t know we were talking about Protestant interpretation of the Bible. As far as I can tell, the OP was talking about quoting the Bible.

How is it that a Protestant can recite the Word of God and somehow it’s not valid, but when a Catholic recites the exact same words, it is?

What about at Mass? Do we know the background and the faith level of the lectors? What if they are using birth control? (I know for a fact there are lectors who do.) Does that mean we must cover our ears during the first two readings? If we’re going to be absolutist about things, let’s be absolute.

Alan

You’re right, simply quoting scripture, by itself, does not imply interpretation. A lector doesn’t interpret-he just reads. So I assumed, and possibly correctly, that the OP was referring to someone quoting the bible to make a theological point. But your point is well taken.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

You’re right, simply quoting scripture, by itself, does not imply interpretation. A lector doesn’t interpret-he just reads. So I assumed, and possibly correctly, that the OP was referring to someone quoting the bible to make a theological point. But your point is well taken.

Thank you. Now I think we have a common ground.

Like I said before, when I strayed from the Catholic Church, ultimately it was a TV preacher who inspired me to purchase a Bible for the first time … I was probably 25 or so. It was wonderful to be exposed to all the things he referenced, but even then it was clear that some of his interpretations were questionable, if not biased. Whatever he said, though, it led me back to the Church. That is a story in and of itself.

Seems everyone has an agenda. When someone tells me X because the Bible says Y, I go read it myself, and/or ask others for help as to what it means if it isn’t blatantly obvious. As I’ve posted in other threads, I’ve had to sign my name on equipment designs that, if they failed because I missed a detail, it would literally reduce the safety of the president of the United States. (Equipment on Air Force 1, which was designed to fool enemy radar.) If I have a pride problem, it’s in what I think is my ability to parse words and know exactly what somebody did or didn’t say.

Much of the time when I hear a Catholic sermon, they don’t get as intense about it as Protestants in general – at least it seems to me. When I listen to one of them, I take everything in between the actual quotes with a pillar of salt. Sometimes you can detect patterns of how they interpret it, and guess their agenda.

I went to a pro-life demonstration at Wichita State University once, by some group called Justice For All. They had people standing around at some distance from their tables in different directions, Bible in hand. My son and I stopped to talk to him, and OMG. He could find anything in the Bible that I even hinted at, but when he found out we were Catholic, it was like he wished he had some garlic or something. His hatred for Catholics was so profound, it was all he could do not to put us down personally. Obviously he had not love, so we were totally unimpressed with anything other than his ability to find scripture references.

Alan

 

[formerlysure]

I would not waste my time worrying about people who are studying the Bible, and who believe in Jesus. God is reaching them. It’s far more productive to respect them and engage them in conversation with selfless intent - try to understand what they believe, and if they are interested share your own insights.

Meet and respect people where they are and see if you can continue the journey together, and if they will accept the invitation show them your home - your faith - invite them. We have more in common than not with Protestants and they are not our enemies.

 

[CEM5]

Not sure if this is the correct forum or not, but…why does it bother me so badly when Protestants quote the bible??? Do any of you fellow Catholics out there feel this way? It’s terribly uncharitable and I cannot seem to get past it! I don’t know why! It’s still the Word of God either way, right?! Is it because they quote it as if they have the fullness of truth and I know they don’t? Anyone, anyone…

Well, my experiences with Protestants quoting the Bible as they do is that, (and I apologize ahead of time, but it is my point of view), they quote it and throw the verses around without really understanding most of those verses they quote. They have them memorized, but lack comprehension, and worst of all: they take a verse out of context and put their own spin on what they think that verse means.

I told one once that you can teach a child to memorize and either say or sing the ABC’s but that doesn’t equate with them understanding what they are saying, or that they will then be able to create sentences in writing! So too with Bible quotes…:bible1:…you can teach them to memorize a verse but they don’t understand the fullness of what they are quoting.

 

[followingtheway]

Because “the power of CHRIST COMPELLS YOU!”, I’m kidding of course!

I have the same problem, for me it’s because they have a misunderstanding of scripture, they twist verses, and they act like we never read the Bible (even though, we canonized it ).

God bless :byzsoc:

David

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I totally understand how it can be annoying to hear someone who quotes scripture and it doesn’t seem to have ever sunk in. The stronger I got in my faith, the more I got over it. I know that every one of us, Catholic and Protestant, is a mixture of good and evil. When we do good works, we cannot isolate which of several motives is really driving us to do it; that’s why God is the only judge. Also, each of us has knowledge to some degree, and ignorance to some degree. And of our ignorance, not everyone knows what they don’t know. Ya know?

But I’m a little concerned about saying “they” interpret it wrong and “we” do not. I’ve heard homilies by different priests who come to very different conclusions about the same Gospel. Some of them are even mutually exclusive. So this is not solely a Protestant problem. It takes a very long time before I’ll take the word of anyone, including a priest, about what something means – unless it is so clear that I can agree with it, in which case I’ll go around saying it’s true without disclaimer or naming the source. That’s why I’ll say, “Father so and so said this in his sermon,” but not, “this is true because Father so and so said it.” I’ve been fooled by wolves in sheep clothing too many times. Even in these forums, we discuss particular clergy members and say that some of them are heretical, so to claim this is a Protestant problem IMO tells only part of the story.

Alan

edit: Oh yeah, the previous poster reminded me of something I forgot in my last post … when I was talking to the JFA “Christian,” I wished I would have thought to ask him, “where do you think that Bible came from? Who protected it for centuries until you could come along and tell me that Catholics don’t know what it says?”

So yeah, I do respect Protestants, but I expect some respect back.

 

[fhansen]

Thank you. Now I think we have a common ground.

Like I said before, when I strayed from the Catholic Church, ultimately it was a TV preacher who inspired me to purchase a Bible for the first time … I was probably 25 or so. It was wonderful to be exposed to all the things he referenced, but even then it was clear that some of his interpretations were questionable, if not biased. Whatever he said, though, it led me back to the Church. That is a story in and of itself.

Seems everyone has an agenda. When someone tells me X because the Bible says Y, I go read it myself, and/or ask others for help as to what it means if it isn’t blatantly obvious. As I’ve posted in other threads, I’ve had to sign my name on equipment designs that, if they failed because I missed a detail, it would literally reduce the safety of the president of the United States. (Equipment on Air Force 1, which was designed to fool enemy radar.) If I have a pride problem, it’s in what I think is my ability to parse words and know exactly what somebody did or didn’t say.

Much of the time when I hear a Catholic sermon, they don’t get as intense about it as Protestants in general – at least it seems to me. When I listen to one of them, I take everything in between the actual quotes with a pillar of salt. Sometimes you can detect patterns of how they interpret it, and guess their agenda.

I went to a pro-life demonstration at Wichita State University once, by some group called Justice For All. They had people standing around at some distance from their tables in different directions, Bible in hand. My son and I stopped to talk to him, and OMG. He could find anything in the Bible that I even hinted at, but when he found out we were Catholic, it was like he wished he had some garlic or something. His hatred for Catholics was so profound, it was all he could do not to put us down personally. Obviously he had not love, so we were totally unimpressed with anything other than his ability to find scripture references.

Alan

My ear bends to the Catholic interpretations-as found in the Catechism, especially, which also quotes scripture of course. But I can generally tell the difference after a few minutes listening to exegetes, as well, as to whether or not they’re towing the Catholic line-the sensus fide and all.

 

[Cryptic1]

What may be disturbing you is that our Protestant brothers and sisters can quote from the bible because they have read it enough times to do that. The Catholic church has never disputed the fact that the bible is the Word of God but the church has yet to figure out how to get Catholics to read it without being led astray.

Whether we agree or disagree with our Protestant friends, their knowledge of scripture oftentimes puts Catholics to shame. Catholics should be able to counteract with scripture of their own or teachings from the Catholic church but due to lack of instruction, this isn’t the case. Outside of Sunday Mass, the church does not offer much support in the form of bible classes or fellowship or support groups so Catholics can defend their faith against Protestants or peoples of other faiths.

I encourage Catholics to pick up their bibles and start reading it. There you will discover a God who truly loves you and wants to have a one on one relationship with you. So take a leap of faith and start reading. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with the scriptures so you will be sure to have God’s hand upon you.

In the end, I don’t think it’s about who knows the bible more or who quotes scripture more but who hears the voice of God and obeys it.

God Rocks

 

[StarFireKK]

It bothers me because it normally happens to me when they are trying to tell me what the Catholic Church teaches is wrong. I try to explain that Catholics don’t agree with Sola Scripture and that’s where the conversation falls apart.

So they walk away all smug because they quoted the Bible at me and I am so busy thinking “The Pope told us to play nicely in the sandbox. The Pope told us to play nicely in the sandbox. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. You CANNOT call them a heretic. Offer it up, say a pray for them. Be NICE.”

It always makes me chuckle when my protestant friends complain about the authority of the Pope. They just don’t understand how much he helps them out.