Why is there not a single Protestant Understanding of the Bible?

[Thomas31]

Well, Luv, without the Church to direct and guide us you now have people reading the Scriptures and concluding that there is no such thing as the Trinity.

And there are some people who read the Scriptures and conclude that Jesus didn’t really rise from the dead.

And there are some people who read the Scriptures and conclude that all you need to do is accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you’re in.

And, there are some people who read the very same Scriptures and conclude that you can lose your salvation.

So your paradigm has given birth to the obscenity of tens of thousands of different denominations, each proclaiming that their particular interpretation is the truth. That’s exactly what the Devil ordered, IMHO. Confusion and chaos, all thanks to the belief that you don’t need the Church to provide guidance. :bigyikes:

I was a protestant for 30 years and as I got older, i found myself “church hopping” alot because I was seeking truth. Each protestant church teaches and believes something different, sometimes in small way but most of the time its a big difference in doctrine. As I was seeking truth within the protestant churches, i couldnt get over how liberal Most, not all, protestant churches are. I went to a Presbyterian USA church where the woman minister there sayed, that all people will be in heaven, with or without Christ. then you look at how many of these protestant churches allow homosexual ministers, homosexual marriages. And then some of them have no issue with Abortion either. Anotherwords, if one is searching for truth, which Protestant church is Right? Which one holds the truth? The presbyterian church down the road or the Baptist one on the corner? Or is it the Methodist in the next town? See, they all believe differently…so to which is right? I pray that my brothers and sisters still in the protestant churches would come home to the CC where they have the truth, they always have for over 2000 years.

 

[PRmerger]

Can’t agree more, Heres the truth, embrace it, some people can’t, their minds won’t let them. Its not a protest, its just a different way of seeing things,

Hiya, Luv!

So let me ask you this: would you say that atheism is “just a different way of seeing things”? And this viewpoint is just as correct as a Christian’s?

What about a polygamist? Is his viewpoint “just a different way of seeing things”? And his view is just as valid as the Christian view on marriage?

Or do you understand that there are some truths that, even if someone views them differently, are wrong?

 

[PRmerger]

I was a protestant for 30 years and as I got older, i found myself “church hopping” alot because I was seeking truth. Each protestant church teaches and believes something different, sometimes in small way but most of the time its a big difference in doctrine. As I was seeking truth within the protestant churches, i couldnt get over how liberal Most, not all, protestant churches are. I went to a Presbyterian USA church where the woman minister there sayed, that all people will be in heaven, with or without Christ. then you look at how many of these protestant churches allow homosexual ministers, homosexual marriages. And then some of them have no issue with Abortion either. Anotherwords, if one is searching for truth, which Protestant church is Right? Which one holds the truth? The presbyterian church down the road or the Baptist one on the corner? Or is it the Methodist in the next town? See, they all believe differently…so to which is right? I pray that my brothers and sisters still in the protestant churches would come home to the CC where they have the truth, they always have for over 2000 years.

Indeed.

And in this “church hopping” paradigm what one ends up doing is creating a god in one’s own image. That is, one hops around until she says, “Yup, this pastor agrees with everything I agree with!”.

Of course, a Christian understands that God, as the Creator, is really, truly going to say things that are not palatable and likeable to our own ideas.

If we’re in a belief system that happens to conform to all the things we like then we have created a false belief system.

 

[Luvtosew]

Hiya, Luv!

So let me ask you this: would you say that atheism is “just a different way of seeing things”? And this viewpoint is just as correct as a Christian’s?

What about a polygamist? Is his viewpoint “just a different way of seeing things”? And his view is just as valid as the Christian view on marriage?

Or do you understand that there are some truths that, even if someone views them differently, are wrong?

Hi,
I’m a Christian so I have no idea about the thoughts of a atheist or a polygamist, and I don’t pretend to understand their views.
This was about the difference between Protestants and Catholics which are both Christian faiths. Acutally this thread is why do Protestants have different understandings of Scripture, and my only reponse is even Catholics have different opinions , so its such a mute point. So in saying that no Christian Church should say believe our teachings or be accursed!!

 

[PRmerger]

Hi,
I’m a Christian so I have no idea about the thoughts of a atheist or a polygamist, and I don’t pretend to understand their views.
This was about the difference between Protestants and Catholics which are both Christian faiths. Acutally this thread is why do Protestants have different understandings of Scripture, and my only reponse is even Catholics have different opinions , so its such a mute point. So in saying that no Christian Church should say believe our teachings or be accursed!!

You’re saying that different opinions are as valid as any other, Luv.

So how do you know that Christianity is true and that Islam is not?

You need not know anything about Islam or atheism or polygamy. The question is simply how do you say that your opinion regarding Christian beliefs is better than a Muslim’s?

 

[Newsy]

Hi,
I’m a Christian so I have no idea about the thoughts of a atheist or a polygamist, and I don’t pretend to understand their views.
This was about the difference between Protestants and Catholics which are both Christian faiths. Acutally this thread is why do Protestants have different understandings of Scripture, and my only reponse is even Catholics have different opinions , so its such a mute point. So in saying that no Christian Church should say believe our teachings or be accursed!!

Let me ask, “Is there an Absolute Truth”?

 

[Luvtosew]

I’ll let both of you answer your own questions, becasuse they are foolish questions. I’m not here to judge other people and their beliefs.

 

[Newsy]

The thinking that you describe is very much alive within the CC as well as without.
Nancy Pelosi… Example is not a lone wolf … Ted Kennedy was far from being alone in his cafeteria style Catholicism. … And let me also say that I think it is totally wrong behavior.
I was a Catholic for almost 25 years. Catholic grammar school, altar boy, Ad Altare Dei Boy Scout… My Dad was President of the Catholic Parent/ Teachers Assn … and head of the Bingo Committee … …and Catholic for 45 yrs. We still have close ties with lots of Catholics… From close up experience over all those years … There is a very significant number of people that call themselves Catholic and do the religious things that Catholics do …and that simply pick and choose what they believe… … and how they behave… and have absolutely no intentions of changing. You, and those that read this may not like or accept what I am saying but it is reality… you dont have to call yourself a Protestant in order to fundamentally ignore what the Catholic Church teaches.

Your point is a different issue. There are people who disagree with doctrine in every church, that much we agree on. My point is that in the protestant world, every church teaches something different. The only relationship to Catholicism would be if every Catholic Church taught something different, which they don’t. There is room, inside the Church teaching, for some variation, but there is no room for disagreement with Doctrine. Did I explain this now, or do I need to clarify?

 

[Newsy]

I’ll let both of you answer your own questions, becasuse they are foolish questions. I’m not here to judge other people and their beliefs.

Absolute Truth is foolish?

I would point out that if the idea of Absolute Truth is foolish, then there is no truth at all. If there is no truth, then we may all do whatever we please, i.e. murder is no longer wrong, there is no such thing as sin, etc.

 

[PRmerger]

I’ll let both of you answer your own questions, becasuse they are foolish questions. I’m not here to judge other people and their beliefs.

And yet here you are judging.

 

[Newsy]

And yet here you are judging.

That must be different.

 

[Luvtosew]

And yet here you are judging.

oh you mean by saying they are foolish questions. sorry guess I was judging your quests.
but I’ll let you answer them.

 

[Luvtosew]

Or PR,
How do you know so much about Protestant teachings unless you listened to them enough to judge them.

And Newsy,
I see your a convert, so not sure what that means or what you were before Catholic, but apparently not in a Church that you thought was in line with your gut feelings or should I in you heart.

 

[Newsy]

Or PR,
How do you know so much about Protestant teachings unless you listened to them enough to judge them.

And Newsy,
I see your a convert, so not sure what that means or what you were before Catholic, but apparently not in a Church that you thought was in line with your gut feelings or should I in you heart.

You have brought this up on several threads, why does my being a convert bother you? Does it irritate you?

BTW, protestant teachings are not exactly secrets.

 

[Luvtosew]

Absolute Truth is foolish?

I would point out that if the idea of Absolute Truth is foolish, then there is no truth at all. If there is no truth, then we may all do whatever we please, i.e. murder is no longer wrong, there is no such thing as sin, etc.

Actually I don’t care what you were before, it doesn’t matter. You seem to be carrying some sort of grudge. So lets leave it at that why don’t we, I don’t want to argue, debate. and go to such extremes, And just because someone may leave the CC doesn’t mean they are looking for a liscense to sin.

 

[1voice]

Actually I don’t care what you were before, it doesn’t matter. You seem to be carrying some sort of grudge. So lets leave it at that why don’t we, I don’t want to argue, debate. and go to such extremes, And just because someone may leave the CC doesn’t mean they are looking for a liscense to sin.

I had no protest in me when I left. Still dont 40 years later. If someone finds what they need in a Catholic Church … God bless em!
I left because I saw people being drawn to Christ and discovering, for the first time …a deep, abiding relationship with Christ … that the Pastor of our Parish openly disdained.
When I went through a time of deep despair and confusion, plagued with thoughts of suicide (It was bad) … the Catholic Clergy that I tried to confide in expressed anger and judgement. I lost trust when I realized that there was no peace or clarity in what they had to give in fact there was only more pain. I had enough perception to realize that they were just mouthing a wrote pattern that simply didnt work. When I discovered real peace… It was in spite of what I had experienced when I approached Catholic Clergy. It was, and is Christ that brought me through and it had nothing to do with Catholicism when I finally knew that I was free. Christ is the one I cling to. Christ is the one I love. If that is considered protest … So be it.

 

[PRmerger]

Or PR,
How do you know so much about Protestant teachings unless you listened to them enough to judge them.

Well, Luv, my paradigm, (which comes from Scripture, BTW) is that we must judge (see John 7:24)

You have made it clear that you believe judging to be wrong.

And yet you judge!

So, while I am following my paradigm, based on the injunction in Scripture, you are contradicting yourself: saying “it’s wrong to judge” but, well, doing a bit o’ judging yourself.

 

[Luvtosew]

who or what am I judging?

 

[PRmerger]

who or what am I judging?

You are judging others for judging.

Now, you still need to think about how it is that you can say that Christianity is correct and atheism, Islam, polygamy, etc etc etc are wrong…

but not be able to say that some Christian beliefs are wrong and some are right.

You can’t have it both ways, Luv. :nope:

 

[PRmerger]

I had no protest in me when I left. Still dont 40 years later. If someone finds what they need in a Catholic Church … God bless em!
I left because I saw people being drawn to Christ and discovering, for the first time …a deep, abiding relationship with Christ … that the Pastor of our Parish openly disdained.
When I went through a time of deep despair and confusion, plagued with thoughts of suicide (It was bad) … the Catholic Clergy that I tried to confide in expressed anger and judgement. I lost trust when I realized that there was no peace or clarity in what they had to give in fact there was only more pain. I had enough perception to realize that they were just mouthing a wrote pattern that simply didnt work. When I discovered real peace… It was in spite of what I had experienced when I approached Catholic Clergy. It was, and is Christ that brought me through and it had nothing to do with Catholicism when I finally knew that I was free. Christ is the one I cling to. Christ is the one I love. If that is considered protest … So be it.

I am sorry that you had bad experiences with Catholic people…and that it caused you to think that the teachings of Catholicism are wrong.

However, you are mistaken in believing that a church where people are kind is the same as the Church that Christ founded. Because what’s going to inevitably happen, 1voice, is that you’re going to find sinners in your current church, too. You’re going to go to them for succor and will find none–because that’s just the nature of humanity. :sad_yes:

That there are sinners in every church is a truth no one can deny.

Go to the Church that was founded by Christ and follow its teachings, despite the poor presence of Christians in that Church.

And it’s always been puzzling to me to find people who create a false dichotomy between Christ and the Church.

The ONLY way, 1voice, you know anything about Christ is because the Catholic Church discerned, preserved and guarded His Word for you.