Why Is Catholicism So Unattractive to Evangelicals?

[Graceful_Lamb]

For sufficiently small values of nine, maybe.

So what was this thread about again?

Really? Don’t you think your comment is uncharitable?

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

“What do you get if you multiply six by nine?”

Don’t you think your post is uncharitable? Do you think that your post adds to the original topic?

 

[EIF5A]

There are other religions out there where people can have “a very personal and rich relationship with” God. Also, I think it is individual as well. Just because someone is {insert religion here} doesn’t mean that they have a great relationship with God.

Imagine someone you know, before traveling far away, gave you a laptop and camera so you can Skype.

Then imagine using a telegraph.

In both situations, you establish a line of communication. Which is closer and more intimate?

 

[Church_Militant]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Really? Your comment is uncharitable at best.

Really? Don’t you think your comment is uncharitable?

Don’t you think your post is uncharitable? Do you think that your post adds to the original topic?

GL, maybe you should take some time and read Douglas Adams series of novels called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

It’s just as sort of off topic quip based on the book…

Humor…that’s all…

On topic though…Man…I suspect that we could find about as many answers to this topic as we can evangelicals to ask about it.

Some will be rational and make sense while others will be borrowed from whatever a-C source they have been exposed to.

I think that ultimately we can borrow from Archbishop Fulton Sheen on this when he says…

There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church - which is, of course, quite a different thing. These millions can hardly be blamed for hating Catholics because Catholics “adore statues”; because they “put the Blessed Mother on the same level with God”; because they say “indulgence is a permission to commit sin”; because the Pope “is a Fascist”; because the “Church is the defender of Capitalism.” If the Church taught or believed any one of these things it should be hated, but the fact is that the Church does not believe nor teach any one of them. It follows then that the hatred of the millions is directed against error and not against truth. As a matter of fact, if we Catholics believed all of the untruths and lies which were said against the Church, we probably would hate the Church a thousand times more than they do.

http://www.amazon.com/Hitchhikers-G...=1-1&keywords=hitchhikers+guide+to+the+galaxy

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

https://www.transitionnetwork.org/sites/www.transitionnetwork.org/files/resize/uploaded/u6278/Don’t%20panic-300x252.jpg

GL, maybe you should take some time and read Douglas Adams series of novels called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

It’s just as sort of off topic quip based on the book…

Humor…that’s all…

On topic though…Man…I suspect that we could find about as many answers to this topic as we can evangelicals to ask about it.

Some will be rational and make sense while others will be borrowed from whatever a-C source they have been exposed to.

I think that ultimately we can borrow from Archbishop Fulton Sheen on this when he says…http://www.amazon.com/Hitchhikers-G...=1-1&keywords=hitchhikers+guide+to+the+galaxy

I’m not panicking. I looked up the book and I do not care for Sci-Fi or Monty Python humor, so I highly doubt I will ever read the book, but thanks for the suggestion.

I don’t see how a Sci-Fi book could have anything to do with the original topic of this bread.

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

Imagine someone you know, before traveling far away, gave you a laptop and camera so you can Skype.

Then imagine using a telegraph.

In both situations, you establish a line of communication. Which is closer and more intimate?

So, you are saying that Catholics are closer to God than other religions?

 

[eazyduzit]

I do not know of any other relationship that can be as deep as the one who goes to the Mass and the Divine Liturgy to receive literally the Lord Jesus Christ. If there be problems within Catholicism and Orthodoxy it can be traced to a lack of this relationship within the Eucharist. How do wake up the people into a relationship with Jesus Christ based on the Eucharist? It is my understanding that Evangelicals do not have the Eucharist so that their relationship with the Lord Jesus must be based on a different model. If I can add some thoughts here that might help us Catholics, Orthodox and Eatern Christians to get into a more lively relationship with the Lord Jesus (which I mean to help wake the rest of us up) we need more simpler methods in teaching about the effectiveness and power that comes from the Eucharist. Why don’t we build our foundation when we go to Church around this great Sacrament? We go to this Sacrament but we need teachings to help us to tap into it’s power. I find the teaching and preaching Sunday to Sunday and even the catechism programs as well as Sunday School do not personally involve us into a relationship with Jesus based on what the Mass and the Divine Liturgy can give us. We need better equipped teachings to help us understand what is exactly going on at every Eucharist. I bet you if the people understood the Mass and the Divine Liturgy the way the Lord would want us than even the Evangelicals will probably look us up. The problem as I see it is this lack of understanding of so many people that leaves them dry and if we will only work around this great Sacrament like the Evangelicals who speak fluently about their relationship with the Lord I am sure the majority of the people will want to get into a relationship with the Lord Jesus. It is to my understanding we need to reinforce Eucharistic teachings to a level of understanding where both child, youth and adult will know what is going on and not only know what is going on but to participate personally into the very person of Jesus Christ.

I think this is what sounds strange to Evangelicals. Catholics claim their sacrament is physical flesh and blood, yet according to the bible we must meet God in spirit. We know Him no longer after the flesh.

We meet God on the inside, that is, in our spirit. A far better explanation of this can be found in a book called “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. It was actually written by a catholic priest who interviewed him over several occasions.

 

[EIF5A]

So, you are saying that Catholics are closer to God than other religions?

No, Catholics and Orthodox, through the Sacrament of Eucharist, receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ.

Objectively, that is closer than symbolic reception of Communion.

Also objectively speaking, Christians have a greater understanding of God than say, Buddhists or Hindus.

 

[EIF5A]

I think this is what sounds strange to Evangelicals. Catholics claim their sacrament is physical flesh and blood, yet according to the bible we must meet God in spirit. We know Him no longer after the flesh.

We meet God on the inside, that is, in our spirit. A far better explanation of this can be found in a book called “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. It was actually written by a catholic priest who interviewed him over several occasions.

Why not both? Nothing makes them mutually exclusive.

 

[z_0101]

I’m not panicking. I looked up the book and I do not care for Sci-Fi or Monty Python humor, so I highly doubt I will ever read the book, but thanks for the suggestion.

I don’t see how a Sci-Fi book could have anything to do with the original topic of this bread.

It’s call a comedic-break. In this case, I think you miss the point of the answer, which I will attribute to your dislike of the Sci-Fi and Monty Python genera - let me try to explain:
Q: I think the question is, what does it mean to you. (Not that I’m trying to be weird or anything.
A: 42
Referring to the answer to life the universe and everything as in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
With a bit of a stretch (and I may be putting words in mouth of AbideWithMe , my apologies if so), this was a comedic attempt to say, that what this means to AbideWithMe on a personal level is “life, the universe, and everything.”

My reply was simply a play on AbideWithMe and could very well have been a or a “^^^That^^^” etc… to show agreement.

Graceful_Lamb; With a little over 300 posts to your credit (as of today’s posting), I humbly suggest, that you refrain from calling someone uncharitable. That act in itself can be uncharitable and is potentially inflammatory to those with less humor or patience than people such as myself.
I personally “lurked” on this forum for a considerable length of time before my first few posts so that I could get a handle on the culture of this site. What I noted is that there is a lot of tongue-in-cheek comments, even on serious topics… not as a sign of disrespect, but in an attempt to keep serious topics from getting very out of hand.

My grandpa had one rule on the job site, “you can talk about anything you want, unless it’s politics or religion…” he had that rule because people can take things too far, make comments not intended, that lead to hard feelings.
A little humor goes a long ways to avoiding that.

 

[WT1]

So, you are saying that Catholics are closer to God than other religions?

You’re not understanding and it is tough for Protestants to do so. The actually body and blood are in the Eucharist, not symbolic but the actual real presence of Christ. There is no way to adequately describe this incredible blessing and there is no way for you to understand without study and experiencing it yourself.

Trust I didn’t believe at first either but when you are in the presence and acknowledge Christ it is a powerful experience. This is whet the other poster is trying to communicate to you but it is exceptionally difficult to do so.

 

[EIF5A]

You’re not understanding and it is tough for Protestants to do so. The actually body and blood are in the Eucharist, not symbolic but the actual real presence of Christ. There is no way to adequately describe this incredible blessing and there is no way for you to understand without study and experiencing it yourself.

Trust I didn’t believe at first either but when you are in the presence and acknowledge Christ it is a powerful experience. This is whet the other poster is trying to communicate to you but it is exceptionally difficult to do so.

Just for the record, I don’t think anyone really, truly, fully understands the enormity of the Sacrament of Eucharist. We can believe to the extent of our abilities, but what mind can comprehend such a divine mystery?

But thankfully, we don’t need to fully understand how everything operates for God to work within and for us.

 

[WT1]

Just for the record, I don’t think anyone really, truly, fully understands the enormity of the Sacrament of Eucharist. We can believe to the extent of our abilities, but what mind can comprehend such a divine mystery?

But thankfully, we don’t need to fully understand how everything operates for God to work within and for us.

Well said.

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

My wife carries coffee into her mega church service every week. Some Churches have a coffee bar.

What denomination does your wife belong to? I have never seen coffee in a Protestant church before, and I have been Protestant my entire life.

 

[AbideWithMe]

It’s call a comedic-break. In this case, I think you miss the point of the answer, which I will attribute to your dislike of the Sci-Fi and Monty Python genera - let me try to explain:
Q: I think the question is, what does it mean to you. (Not that I’m trying to be weird or anything.
A: 42
Referring to the answer to life the universe and everything as in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
With a bit of a stretch (and I may be putting words in mouth of AbideWithMe , my apologies if so), this was a comedic attempt to say, that what this means to AbideWithMe on a personal level is “life, the universe, and everything.”

My reply was simply a play on AbideWithMe and could very well have been a or a “^^^That^^^” etc… to show agreement.

Graceful_Lamb; With a little over 300 posts to your credit (as of today’s posting), I humbly suggest, that you refrain from calling someone uncharitable. That act in itself can be uncharitable and is potentially inflammatory to those with less humor or patience than people such as myself.
I personally “lurked” on this forum for a considerable length of time before my first few posts so that I could get a handle on the culture of this site. What I noted is that there is a lot of tongue-in-cheek comments, even on serious topics… not as a sign of disrespect, but in an attempt to keep serious topics from getting very out of hand.

My grandpa had one rule on the job site, “you can talk about anything you want, unless it’s politics or religion…” he had that rule because people can take things too far, make comments not intended, that lead to hard feelings.
A little humor goes a long ways to avoiding that.

Thanks, z_0101, and Church Militant. I was just being silly, Graceful Lamb—no derailment, just an aside. And now I’m off to find my horses in a dark pasture then go to bed, so, “So long, and thanks for all the fish” for tonight.

 

[St_Pancake]

What denomination does your wife belong to? I have never seen coffee in a Protestant church before, and I have been Protestant my entire life.

It’s theoretically non denominational but the Pastor is Andy Stanley, who is the son of Charles Stanley, a famous Baptist pastor. The church is called Northpoint Church. Google “coffee in church”.

 

[Michael68]

You’re not understanding and it is tough for Protestants to do so. The actually body and blood are in the Eucharist, not symbolic but the actual real presence of Christ. There is no way to adequately describe this incredible blessing and there is no way for you to understand without study and experiencing it yourself.

Trust I didn’t believe at first either but when you are in the presence and acknowledge Christ it is a powerful experience. This is whet the other poster is trying to communicate to you but it is exceptionally difficult to do so.

Sorry to interupt, but Protestants will nevet get it. They really think Jesus was talking about a symbol when that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

 

[Peter_J]

So, you are saying that Catholics are closer to God than other religions?

Why did you think they call us Catholics?

(Btw, it should be noted that I don’t always indicate my satirical posts as such.)

 

[Michael68]

Why did you think they call us Catholics?

(Btw, it should be noted that I don’t always indicate my satirical posts as such.)

I have to agree with this!!!

 

[Jeanne_S]

Looking back on my days as a evangelical (born and raised): Catholicism used to come across to me as, not necessarily offensive, but as weird, bizarre, arboreal, etc. I’d see a 1000-year-old picture of Jesus on a horse, or a picture of Mary with a heart placed outside of her chest that has a dagger going through it, or a picture of some 800-year-old saint dressed up in a weird outfit that has light shooting out of his fingertips, and I’d just look at them with a mix of confusion and befuddlement and be like “Uhhhh…”, and then move on. None of it spoke to me or seemed to resonate with the passion, humility, and love of the Gospel, and how Jesus really loved me, and suffered for me, and sacrificed himself for me. Catholicism appeared fancy, but arcane and distant.

Nowadays, I love all of it, especially of the sacred heart of Jesus & the immaculate heart of Mary, which speaks to me so deeply, but I don’t think the average bystander (or even necessarily the average poorly catechized Catholic) is able to wrap their hearts & minds around these images & devotions in an empathetic way without first having some solid background knowledge & context to be able to appreciate them. I suppose you could say that one of the obstacles of the Catholic Church is that it can be too rich in theology, history, and beauty for its own good. I think with evangelization, you need to appeal to the basics before moving into some of the deeper subjects. Milk comes before solid food, as St Paul would say.

I think, for example, the brown scapular - a devotion spanning back to the medieval ages from soldiers in the Crusades that suffered PTSD - is a rich, beautiful, and Gospel-driven devotion for a solidly-founded, well-read Catholic, but would make a very poor outreach tool to use for protestants. In all likelihood it would just go in one ear and out the other.

And then there is the ever-prevalent problem of parishes not being as “warm” as evangelical churches. There is one parish in particular, just an hour north of me, that I think has made a slam dunk in solving this stereotype (while remaining very much orthodox), and even exceeds the evangelical church of my youth in its warmth & community, but a lot of them do come across as stale.

Thank you for your thoughtful insights!