Why Is Catholicism So Unattractive to Evangelicals?

[dmftx]

Living in North Texas, being a Catholic is being in the minority. I expected that the Baptist faith would be predominant but what I found, and have found to be growing exponentially over the last 20 years, was that non-denominational churches seem to be the most popular. That isn’t such a shock since most of those churches are well-intended and use the Bible as the basis for their faith but, unfortunately, the interpretation seems rather weak and easy to accept - the “message” is often watered down to an acceptable teaching that will not offend anyone and will make all those attending to feel accepted, normal, whatever you wish. It’s easy to be attractive when you are offsetting everything with the OSAS philosophy.

Catholicism has a great deal of structure that is often interpreted as inflexible. Maybe that is because the Church is trying to give the message of God in the way it was intended vs. a way that makes it easier to digest. The one criticism that I hear repeatedly is our perspective on sin, repentance, and the consequence of sin which includes the requirement for penance, atonement, and reparation. Well, I agree, believing that puts a bit of a kink into that OSAS and you have a “Go straight to Heaven card” message. My life would be a lot less stressed if I didn’t have to think about consequences. It’s easier to hear that you are SAVED, no matter what, and that everything is “forgotten”. Yes, it is difficult to have to (in a real way) accept the consequences of our behavior and actions and I believe that is one of the major reasons we are “unattractive”.

I am sure that we are at a precipice that will bring people back to our Church - it is just frightening what we (society) will have to experience to cause that to happen.

:grouphug:

 

[PRmerger]

Did it ever occur to you that this experience might just be with this particular parish? I have never heard of any Catholic parish doing what is described above.

Indeed.

Many Protestant pastors could be accused of the very same thing, no?

 

[Seekerjn316]

From my experiences, most Evangelicals reject Catholicism as it puts another human between God and man. By this I mean it requires a priest to offer the sacraments which seem to be necessary for salvation according to Catholic teaching, please correct this assumption if incorrect. No “ritual work” is required to receive forgiveness of sins and be a member of Christ’s Body.

It has little to do with Catholicism being difficult to follow. It has little or nothing to do with “pride” and “lack of humility”. The first and most important reason Evangelicals find Catholicism unattractive is a human is put in line between Christ and them…Christmas and Christmas alone is High Priest, and each of us share in His Priesthood, no other human priest is required to enter into the Holy of Holies, the Presence of God is available to all without no other than Jesus can offer salvation, redemption and sanctification by grace thru faith.

Just My two cents worth.

 

[PRmerger]

No “ritual work” is required to receive forgiveness of sins and be a member of Christ’s Body.

This is incorrect.

The Scriptures are quite explicit about the fact that Jesus established a way (that is, “ritual work”) for our sins to be forgiven–through confession to a priest.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”–John 20: 21-23

And to whom you have pardoned anything, I also. For, what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned anything, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ --2 Cor 2:10

Is any one among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. Elijah was a man of like nature with ourselves and he prayed fervently that it might not rain… and… it did not rain…–James 5: 14-17

 

[PRmerger]

The first and most important reason Evangelicals find Catholicism unattractive is a human is put in line between Christ and them…Christmas and Christmas alone is High Priest, and each of us share in His Priesthood, no other human priest is required to enter into the Holy of Holies, the Presence of God is available to all without no other than Jesus can offer salvation, redemption and sanctification by grace thru faith.

Just My two cents worth.

No human is put in between Christ and Catholics.

But yet, without the Church, you would not know a single thing about Christ, save, perhaps, what some ancient historians wrote about a man named Jesus who walked the earth 2000 years ago.

 

[Seekerjn316]

I realize that is what you believe, but the topic is not addressing what your beliefs are, buy WHY/Evangelicals do not find Catholicism attractive…it goes against their beliefs of priesthood of all believers and “ritual requirements”

 

[Michael68]

From my experiences, most Evangelicals reject Catholicism as it puts another human between God and man. By this I mean it requires a priest to offer the sacraments which seem to be necessary for salvation according to Catholic teaching, please correct this assumption if incorrect. No “ritual work” is required to receive forgiveness of sins and be a member of Christ’s Body.

It has little to do with Catholicism being difficult to follow. It has little or nothing to do with “pride” and “lack of humility”. The first and most important reason Evangelicals find Catholicism unattractive is a human is put in line between Christ and them…Christmas and Christmas alone is High Priest, and each of us share in His Priesthood, no other human priest is required to enter into the Holy of Holies, the Presence of God is available to all without no other than Jesus can offer salvation, redemption and sanctification by grace thru faith.

Just My two cents worth.

Didn’t Jesus breathe on the Apostles and tell them that whatever sins they bind are bound in heaven and whatever sins they loose will loosed in heaven? How could they do this without hearing confessions?

 

[PRmerger]

I realize that is what you believe, but the topic is not addressing what your beliefs are, buy WHY/Evangelicals do not find Catholicism attractive…it goes against their beliefs of priesthood of all believers and “ritual requirements”

And they (Evangelicals) are wrong.

A parallel would be: why do Muslims find Christianity so unattractive? Answer: it goes against their belief that Jesus is NOT divine.

But Muslims are wrong about this, eh?

 

[PRmerger]

Didn’t Jesus breathe on the Apostles and tell them that whatever sins they bind are bound in heaven and whatever sins they loose will loosed in heaven? How could they do this without hearing confessions?

Egg-zactly.

I wonder how many Evangelicals have heard a preacher give a sermon about this verse?

 

[Seekerjn316]

Didn’t Jesus breathe on the Apostles and tell them that whatever sins they bind are bound in heaven and whatever sins they loose will loosed in heaven? How could they do this without hearing confessions?

Another reason why Catholicism is not attractive. To Evangelicals… Only God can forgive sins, no human mediator other than the God-Man Jesus of Nazareth, is needed…He and He alone justifies, redeems, sanctifies and saves, without any other priestly mediator… He is High Priest, and each of us have complete and full access before the Throne of Grace.

 

[PRmerger]

Another reason why Catholicism is not attractive. To Evangelicals… Only God can forgive sins…

That’s exactly what the Pharisees said.

He and He alone justifies, redeems, sanctifies and saves, without any other priestly mediator… He is High Priest, and each of us have complete and full access before the Throne of Grace.

Very Catholic, this!

 

[Seekerjn316]

That’s exactly what the Pharisees said

Yes and Jesus p over if was also within His authority to forgive sins, a reference to his divinity.

Very Catholic, this!

Very Evangelical, this

 

[PRmerger]

Very Evangelical, this

We give praise and thanks for agreement on this!

There is One High Priest. There is One Father. There is One Mediator!

Amen!

 

[PRmerger]

Yes and Jesus p over if was also within His authority to forgive sins, a reference to his divinity.

How does your pastor understand/interpret John 20: 21-23?

How did the apostles forgive/retain sins if no one confessed their sins to them?

 

[Seekerjn316]

How does your pastor understand/interpret John 20: 21-23?

How did the apostles forgive/retain sins if no one confessed their sins to them?

My first veiled insult here at CAF!!!. I don’t know, I’ve never felt the need to grill him concerning a subject neither of us find a matter of concern.

 

[PRmerger]

My first veiled insult here at CAF!!!. I don’t know, I’ve never felt the need to grill him concerning a subject neither of us find a matter of concern.

If you view questions posed to you as “veiled insults”, you’re not going to last long here.

The entire point of this forum is to pose questions, refute, dialogue, discuss.

And it’s curious that you would think that asking your preacher what a particular verse in the Bible means is “grilling” him…

How odd.

 

[Seekerjn316]

If you view questions posed to you as “veiled insults”, you’re not going to last long here.

The entire point of this forum is to pose questions, refute, dialogue, discuss.

And it’s curious that you would think that asking your preacher what a particular verse in the Bible means is “grilling” him…

How odd.

I may not last long indeed. I’m sure asking what my pastor believed was asked in charity and inbthe beat possible light.

What my pastor has to do with the discussion at hand is beyond me.

 

[Michael68]

My first veiled insult here at CAF!!!. I don’t know, I’ve never felt the need to grill him concerning a subject neither of us find a matter of concern.

So basically you and your pastor pick and choose from the bible according to what you think is important?

 

[Seekerjn316]

So basically you and your pastor pick and choose from the bible according to what you think is important?

Another inquirer, I have never met people so interested n n what my pastor believes…amazing.

What do my pastors beliefs have to do with the topic at hand?

Also, what passage of my posts indicated I ascribed to your assessment?

 

[PRmerger]

I may not last long indeed.

That’s too bad.

I suggest you look at the posting style some of the prolific, long-standing Protestant posters here to model your posts after so you can stay here a while.

JonNC is a terrific example.
Anna Scott is another good one.
benjohnson, too

I’m sure asking what my pastor believed was asked in charity and inbthe beat possible light.

Excellent.

It would be good to hear his thoughts on these Bible verses.

You’ve never heard him address these verses?