Why would someone choose a Protestant Religion over Catholicism?

[jnpl1185]

Calif: Um, did you not read what your own Pope said about Protestants from JonNC’s earlier post? We’re the heretics and you’re the one disagreeing with the Pope. Interesting.

 

[RyanBlack]

I think we all know that Catholics think and ask questions, the notion that they don’t is kind of silly.
And in my experience, non Catholic Churches have not regarded the Bible as the primary authority. They’ve regarded it as the ONLY authority which would seem to allow less thought than Catholic Churches because in the Catholic Church you have two sources to consider…which obviously takes a bit more thought than just one, or even mostly one and a little of the other.

From the Catholic perspective, there is one authority: God. Now, if we are to look to the matter of teaching authority, or the authority by which we clarify teaching, from within the Catholic perpsective, the authority is still one: Tradition. The Bible is a particular part of the Church’s Tradition. In other words, it is not the Bible vs. Tradition or the Bible vs. the Magisterium. There is one authority.

 

[JonNC]

Blessings Jon! Jon it really pains me when Catholics view Protestants as heretics. The Church does not consider our separated brethren as heretics. I am sorry and I hope you do not feel all Catholics feel the same way?

God Bless you again my friend.

And His blessings also with you.

One of the great blessings I’ve received in my now lengthy stay here at CAF is learning that the real Catholic Church of today has great love, compassion, and charity for those of us who are non-Catholic. I am always impressed by Catholics such as youself who firmly and stridently defend the Catholic faith, yet do it with charity.

In the reverse, I am often distressed by non-Catholics who fail to see the Holy Spirit in our Catholic siblings.

Jon

 

[Dave2300]

There is one very good reason why it seems disorganized and unclear.
And that reason is because it IS.
And the reason it is is because the Bible is up for interpretation by anyone who feels like interpreting it his or her own way.

If reading and studying the Bible carefully is ultimately going to always lead man to read and interpret the Bible correctly, then why are there hundreds of denominations?

Why aren’t these people all interpreting the Bible in the very same way?

Arguing with Protestants accomplishes nothing. Much easier to point them to the truth of the Catholic faith.

As Fulton Sheen once said, to paraphrase him, there are not over a hundred people who hate the Catholic Church, but there are thousands who hate what they THINK the Catholic Church believes.

That is a crucial point.

 

[mathematoons]

I was definitely not raised Protestant. I was raised in a family where half the members are Orthodox (and a majority of them are very heavily involved in the church) and the other half are a part of the Catholic Church (including my uncle who is a priest). I chose to follow what I follow because I gave it a lot of thought. I got a lot of family members disagreeing with me and trying to persuade me to stay in the Orthodox Church or to join the Catholic Church. So I did give it a second thought. I actually gave it more than a second thought.

Wow, what made you decide to be Protestant? I can understand a non-Christian becoming Protestant, but a Catholic/Orthodox?

 

[stevestone1988]

Califman831: there are ways of having intellectually and spiritually stimulating conversations which enlighten other readers. Shouting “heretic” to everyone who is not a Roman Catholic is not one of them. Grow up.

Sorry on thier behalf… We should always use charity, especially when trying to discuse something that could quicky become a harsh non-progessive conversation.

 

[Nicea325]

And His blessings also with you.

One of the great blessings I’ve received in my now lengthy stay here at CAF is learning that the real Catholic Church of today has great love, compassion, and charity for those of us who are non-Catholic. I am always impressed by Catholics such as youself who firmly and stridently defend the Catholic faith, yet do it with charity.

In the reverse, I am often distressed by non-Catholics who fail to see the Holy Spirit in our Catholic siblings.

Jon

Jon,

It is always wonderful to converse with you and also respecting our beliefs and differences. For the life of me,I do not know why many Catholics,Orthodoxs,Evangelicals,Lutherans,Baptist,etc,etc do not focus and discuss the things we are share in faith? It is always the differences and at times they can get ugly. Yes,I know we must hear our differences to understand each other better and improve unification. But to be honest, I’ve grown tired of the who is right or better and so on. None of that will help unify Christ Body as one.

Peace my friend.

 

[Califman831]

LORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy — Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

Benedict approved a document from his old offices at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that restates church teaching on relations with other Christians. It was the second time in a week the pope has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that modernized the church.

msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094/ns/world_news-europe/t/pope-other-denominations-not-true-churches/

DOMINUS IESUS
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html

The Church’s constant missionary proclamation is endangered today by relativistic theories which seek to justify religious pluralism, not only de facto but also de iure (or in principle). As a consequence, it is held that certain truths have been superseded; for example, the definitive and complete character of the revelation of Jesus Christ, the nature of Christian faith as compared with that of belief in other religions, the inspired nature of the books of Sacred Scripture, the personal unity between the Eternal Word and Jesus of Nazareth, the unity of the economy of the Incarnate Word and the Holy Spirit, the unicity and salvific universality of the mystery of Jesus Christ, the universal salvific mediation of the Church, the inseparability — while recognizing the distinction — of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ, and the Church, and the subsistence of the one Church of Christ in the Catholic Church.

 

[tabbey48]

Califman831: there are ways of having intellectually and spiritually stimulating conversations which enlighten other readers. Shouting “heretic” to everyone who is not a Roman Catholic is not one of them. Grow up.

Amen!

 

[JonNC]

LORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy — Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

Benedict approved a document from his old offices at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that restates church teaching on relations with other Christians. It was the second time in a week the pope has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that modernized the church.

msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094/ns/world_news-europe/t/pope-other-denominations-not-true-churches/

DOMINUS IESUS
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html

The Church’s constant missionary proclamation is endangered today by relativistic theories which seek to justify religious pluralism, not only de facto but also de iure (or in principle). As a consequence, it is held that certain truths have been superseded; for example, the definitive and complete character of the revelation of Jesus Christ, the nature of Christian faith as compared with that of belief in other religions, the inspired nature of the books of Sacred Scripture, the personal unity between the Eternal Word and Jesus of Nazareth, the unity of the economy of the Incarnate Word and the Holy Spirit, the unicity and salvific universality of the mystery of Jesus Christ, the universal salvific mediation of the Church, the inseparability — while recognizing the distinction — of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ, and the Church, and the subsistence of the one Church of Christ in the Catholic Church.

Off the subject. No one here responded to your charges of heresy by claiming that the Catholic Church doesn’t see itself as having universal primacy. However, according to the Cardinal, neither does the Catholic Church view non-Catholics who were raised in these ecclesial communities as heretics.

Jon

 

[Nicea325]

LORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy — Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

Benedict approved a document from his old offices at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that restates church teaching on relations with other Christians. It was the second time in a week the pope has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that modernized the church.

msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094/ns/world_news-europe/t/pope-other-denominations-not-true-churches/

DOMINUS IESUS
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html

My friend, I understand what you are saying and understand your sentiments. However,the only we are going to be ONE church again is if we dialogue with love,compassion and mutual charity with those who are not Catholics.

 

[CMatt25]

I like the fact that one is allowed to think and question in protestant churches with the Bible being the primary authority.

There are many reasons people have for choosing a Protestant religion as Protestants have attested to here on the thread thus far and do everyday here on the forum.

But what you mention is one of them. I think some believers perhaps need everything spelled out for them and every “i” dotted and “t” crossed. And other believers have a greater need to question and use their God given minds to think and reason with on matters of faith. Instead of being judged they are wrong and being told only Catholics fully have or “know” the revealed “truth”. When it is faith we are speaking about. Bringing up Catholic interpretation or ECFs doesn’t “prove” unless one places faith in God, the NT, in Catholic interpretation and in the ECFs for instance. Faith is not something that can be proven with 100% absolute certainty. That is why it is called faith.

God bless all who walk along their journeys of faith and peace.

 

[PattiDay]

What!??

No no no, the bible may be difficult to understand but is still inspired by God The Holy Spirit who cannot be the author of confusion. which is why we have the magiserium to teach us what it means, the same way the government interprets what the constitution means

If the bible was “full of conttradictions” how could we trust anything??

How could we know anything in the bible was true??

Sorry I don’t mean to derail the thread I just couldn’t let that go without correction!

Yes, We have the Magisterium. We do not need to try to interpret the Bible on our own.

 

[Califman831]

Amen!

are you saying that such behavior is unbiblical or unchristian?

Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed! 7

Mat 23:3 "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

Mat 23:33
But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter.

 

[Califman831]

My friend, I understand what you are saying and understand your sentiments. However,the only we are going to be ONE church again is if we dialogue with love,compassion and mutual charity with those who are not Catholics.

Actually we do not disagree on the goal, its our approach that differs. My view is to use what works even if it means using a sledgehammer. How can we be one church if we take the modernist approach that all churches/faiths are equal roads to God?

 

[tabbey48]

are you saying that such behavior is unbiblical or unchristian?

Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed! 7

Mat 23:3 "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

Mat 23:33
But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter.

I’m saying that shouting “heretic” to everyone who is not a Roman Catholic is both unwise and unkind. It is not the attitude of our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI as others have tried to show you.

 

[Selah123]

I’ve never been Protestant, and I’m only college age, so maybe someone here can help me understand something.

When I hear my Protestant friends talk about what their Church/Religion believes and how it works, it seems to be very disorganized and unclear.

There usually isn’t a central book, like the catechism, where people can go to learn about their Church’s theology.

There isn’t a central figure, like the Pope, that is actively speaking on behalf of the Church to many leaders of countries and organizations.

There usually isn’t a uniform doctrine and liturgy that connects the different churches together.

Overall, I just get a feeling that there isn’t much advice/guidelines that the Church gives for everyday life.

It seems that there is the Pastor’s sermon, and that’s about it.

I’m sorry if I wrote this in an insensitive way. I’m having trouble articulating my thoughts and it results in them sounding rather rude.

When you say “Protestants” you should be specific. A protestant is one who protests, in short. Many of “these” people that you speak of do not protest anything, nor do a lot of them attempt to live according to how Jesus showed us. Actually, a lot of Protestant denominations only have doctrines based on 1 or 2 verses. There are millions of protestants, so again please be specific and for the sake of others, don’t categorize. Yes people in all denominations disagree but we must remember that God has sheep in other folds. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John 10:16

**In my denomination we have a central book. It is the bible, the word of God. **

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 and see Luke 4:4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20:31

In my denomination the central figure is Christ Himself. As far a speaking to other organizations and countries, there are conferences.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

In my denomination, we are not trying to connect churches together (but we do have scriptural beliefs), but our goal is to preach God’s word and let the Holy Spirit convict those who receives God’s truth.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26

For us, it’s not just a sermon. The pastor is our ordained teacher. He teaches us and we go to study own our on which is encouraged. We don’t just take what a man says as truth and not study to show ourselves approved. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Written with a lot of love

 

[Califman831]

2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. “Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.”

 

[tabbey48]

I fully expect to sit down and visit for a thousand years with Jon–two baptized Christians-- when we both get to Heaven…

 

[havana1]

Overall, I just get a feeling that there isn’t much advice/guidelines that the Church gives for everyday life.

Particularly not if you’re single (which is, oh, that’s right, a VOCATION.) Easy answer here: Nearly all Protestant churches are much more welcoming of singles, compared to the second-class citizen status that characterizes most parishes. Is that a good enough reason to put your salvation in eternal jeopardy? Um…yeah, considering the loneliness and isolation that partner-less Catholic singles can feel and mars any inclination to spend an hour with the Lord, it definitely is a good reason. Whereas families and seniors get the VIP treatment, you essentially need iron-clad self-esteem to go to Catholic church if you’re a single. And where, ideally, should that self-esteem be fostered? In church, where singles are invisible. Not rocket science.