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Why would someone choose a Protestant Religion over Catholicism?
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tabbey48
Guest
The original question was “Why would someone choose a Protestant Religion over Catholicism?” We were not asked to defend the Catholic faith…we were not asked to prove that the Catholic Church is the true Church.
Believing it to be an honest question, several of us have attempted to answer it. On that subject, I have said all I have to say at this time.
Califman831,
I agree that there will be surprises when our Lord returns, that it will be discovered that some have been making false claims. Our Lord will sort all that out when he comes. My only disagreement with you is on who is going to be surprised. Come, Lord Jesus!
Believing it to be an honest question, several of us have attempted to answer it. On that subject, I have said all I have to say at this time.
Califman831,
I agree that there will be surprises when our Lord returns, that it will be discovered that some have been making false claims. Our Lord will sort all that out when he comes. My only disagreement with you is on who is going to be surprised. Come, Lord Jesus!
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tabbey48
Guest
Jon reminded us:
When I spoke in my last post of “surprises”, this is what I meant. I think there will be a lot more people in Heaven than most of us have imagined. For me, it is not “Catholic” or “Protestant;” it is both/and! I am glad our Lord is the Judge!
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CMatt25
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tabbey48
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JonNC;8035199:
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arabic_catholic
Guest
its very simple church , its goes with what the culture want’s , or what the people want
usually people go to church to feel good about their spiritual life
sadly , because its a man made church , many times the wrong gospel is being preached
which leads everyone to create their own Jesus .
usually people go to church to feel good about their spiritual life
sadly , because its a man made church , many times the wrong gospel is being preached
which leads everyone to create their own Jesus .
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principio
Guest
This is my perception (which may in fact be inaccurate), but,
Many protestant denominations promise salvation. Never, in all my years of being Catholic has salvation been a guarantee. Presuming Gods mercy is a sin.
Many protestant denominations promise salvation. Never, in all my years of being Catholic has salvation been a guarantee. Presuming Gods mercy is a sin.
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SecretGarden
Guest
I think first of all it is wrong to call Protestantism a religion. It is not a religion. It is called a denomination. Christianity has many branches and Protestantism as well as the Catholic and Orthodox are also part of the branches to this big tree called the “Christian faith.”
As Catholics we need to be careful with how we judge our Protestant brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who leave our church.
There are alot of things that we can learn from the the Protestants well as they us. The Protestant churches have some of the best worship music. Their bands are amazing. Most of the modern charismatic music that we sing inside our churches comes from the Protestant side. People chose the Protestant denomination because it is something they have always known. It is deeply ingrained in one’s spirit. The same also happens with the Catholic side as well. By both sides being critical of each other, it is creating a further divide. As Catholics we find christ inside the Eucharist, while Protestants find Christ inside the worship and the sermons. I believe there is a place for all three. God lives inside all of our churches and we need to be willing to reach out to our fellow neighbour in love. Christ died for all of us and not for one single denomination.
Christians on both sides are brought up inside the church. When they are old enough, they are given a choice do I continue with the church I grew up with or not. If not, decisions have to be made which take years of exploring and praying. God calls everyone to some sort of purpose and in the end we are placed where God needs us.
If a Catholic leaves our church, we need to ask why. Is it because the mass or something doesn’t satisfy them. Could it be the people? Often the Catholic theology makes sense but if the person doesn’t get along with the people or the minister, then there is a problem. Just because a parish is Catholic doesn’t mean it is following the Catholic teaching 100%. We need to find out why they left so that we can look inside our church and try to correct the problem if one exists. If one doesn’t, instead of pointing a finger, we should love them and pray for them.
Sometimes God sends them out because there is something they need to learn before they can return. Or some may not find Christ inside the Eucharist for whatever reason so they attend a Protestant church and find Christ there. I realize that this makes no sense to some people from the Catholic denomination but that’s what happens. There is an old saying: “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” We should always be willing to keep an open door to all who decide to return home.Depending on where one lives, there might only be one Catholic church inside their community plus several protestant churches as well. For example in my town, we have three Catholic churches, two are french, one english. This is the only English parish for miles around. The next closest English church is 20km away which isn’t a possibility for most because of major construction problems. (The people who manage the roads in Quebec are complete idiots) Plus there are 4 other english protestant churches to select from. If the person doesn’t like their parish or isn’t anything out of their Catholic church for whatever reason, what do they do? Stay and become spiritually harden, stop attending church all together, go to a french service when they don’t speak the language and get even more spiritually lost or go to a local Protestant church where they are fed, their spirit is renewed and develop a new yearning for God?
Keep in mind as those who select the Protestant over the Catholic, we are also benefiting from those from the Protestant denominations who choose to become Catholic. Scott Hahn a well known writter was originally Protestantant before he became Catholic. His books have helped countless Catholics and as well as many others learn about the Catholic denomination and grow more in their faith.
Google Catholic converts and see how the church has benefitted from all those people.
because the Catholic theology makes sense to them. This isn’t to say that Christ doesn’t live inside the Protestant Churches because I can say he does but differently. It is these differences that can bring us together.
As Catholics we need to be careful with how we judge our Protestant brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who leave our church.
There are alot of things that we can learn from the the Protestants well as they us. The Protestant churches have some of the best worship music. Their bands are amazing. Most of the modern charismatic music that we sing inside our churches comes from the Protestant side. People chose the Protestant denomination because it is something they have always known. It is deeply ingrained in one’s spirit. The same also happens with the Catholic side as well. By both sides being critical of each other, it is creating a further divide. As Catholics we find christ inside the Eucharist, while Protestants find Christ inside the worship and the sermons. I believe there is a place for all three. God lives inside all of our churches and we need to be willing to reach out to our fellow neighbour in love. Christ died for all of us and not for one single denomination.
Christians on both sides are brought up inside the church. When they are old enough, they are given a choice do I continue with the church I grew up with or not. If not, decisions have to be made which take years of exploring and praying. God calls everyone to some sort of purpose and in the end we are placed where God needs us.
If a Catholic leaves our church, we need to ask why. Is it because the mass or something doesn’t satisfy them. Could it be the people? Often the Catholic theology makes sense but if the person doesn’t get along with the people or the minister, then there is a problem. Just because a parish is Catholic doesn’t mean it is following the Catholic teaching 100%. We need to find out why they left so that we can look inside our church and try to correct the problem if one exists. If one doesn’t, instead of pointing a finger, we should love them and pray for them.
Sometimes God sends them out because there is something they need to learn before they can return. Or some may not find Christ inside the Eucharist for whatever reason so they attend a Protestant church and find Christ there. I realize that this makes no sense to some people from the Catholic denomination but that’s what happens. There is an old saying: “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” We should always be willing to keep an open door to all who decide to return home.Depending on where one lives, there might only be one Catholic church inside their community plus several protestant churches as well. For example in my town, we have three Catholic churches, two are french, one english. This is the only English parish for miles around. The next closest English church is 20km away which isn’t a possibility for most because of major construction problems. (The people who manage the roads in Quebec are complete idiots) Plus there are 4 other english protestant churches to select from. If the person doesn’t like their parish or isn’t anything out of their Catholic church for whatever reason, what do they do? Stay and become spiritually harden, stop attending church all together, go to a french service when they don’t speak the language and get even more spiritually lost or go to a local Protestant church where they are fed, their spirit is renewed and develop a new yearning for God?
Keep in mind as those who select the Protestant over the Catholic, we are also benefiting from those from the Protestant denominations who choose to become Catholic. Scott Hahn a well known writter was originally Protestantant before he became Catholic. His books have helped countless Catholics and as well as many others learn about the Catholic denomination and grow more in their faith.
Google Catholic converts and see how the church has benefitted from all those people.
because the Catholic theology makes sense to them. This isn’t to say that Christ doesn’t live inside the Protestant Churches because I can say he does but differently. It is these differences that can bring us together.
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rinnie
Guest
Oh I agree with what you are saying tabbey. But remember what Christ said also. That the CC will be tested until the end because the devil is here to destroy it. If he can bring it down he won.
But he forgot the words of God. I am with you until the end of age, the gates of hell will not PREVAIL.
Now granted the devil did some great damage. And Christ told us that the world persecuted him they will persecute us. But not to worrry.
CHrist told us the devil is the master of disquise and will wear his clothes. And like Judas God will reveal him and bring him down.
I will not deny the evil that has been done in the name of my dear Lord by Priests that gave into sin. I have no answer for this and I am like the Pope, may God have mercy on them because I can’t.
And I am persecuted daily for their sins also, you can imagine what inocent Priests go through. But God told us the CHurch will be persecuted by this world. Just how Christ was persecuted for being inocent so will his CHurch, But the Church did not do these evil humans did.
BUt my point is take any faith, take any protestant religion, Say a Methodist, you will also find preachers who did the same thing, Lets move on Mormons etc. Do you see my point.
So to use the words of Peter as Christ said Peter are you going to walk away also. I am like Peter WHERE WOULD I GO?
Because you show me a Church that has the Sacraments and no sin in it, where the leader is perfect like the RCC because the leader is the Holy Spirit he came at Pentecost and I will follow. But until Christ leaves us orphans which he promised he would not what is a person to do.
ITs like to ME, Personally, should I leave Christ because Judas betrayed him? Does that not sound crazy? Then why would I leave Christ because a Priest betrayed him?
It would be like me right now to blame every person who is a baptist for the sin that their Preacher did down in Florida I believe. He burned their bible. What happened not long ago? They got even did they not. They killed inocent men and said we told you we would get even. I do not put the blood on these men on all the Baptist preachers and people. But do you get my point? Inocent KIDS in my eyes were killed for the sin of one man. Violence is never right and only ends the same way.
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rinnie
Guest
But tabbey then they must show us PROOF that the Popes are not telling the truth. The Popes can prove Apostolic Succession. God gave us 2 things History and Reason.
We have both it can be shown, Now How I personally can prove the RCC is the true Church is because of ST Peter. No one will deny that he was indeed in the seat of the RCC. Thats history, The pope today sits in the Chair of Peter thats Reason.
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tabbey48
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You are preaching to the choir, Rinne.
I believe what you are saying. Roman Catholics believe what you are saying. Most Protestants do not. That is why they are Protestants and we are Catholics.I’m not sure any of us can show proof that will convince the other side of anything except through our lives. It is not our doctrines that will win converts for the most part; it is the way we live out our faith in our everyday lives that will win souls.
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rinnie
Guest
You are preaching to the choir, Rinne.
I’m not sure any of us can show proof that will convince the other side of anything except through our lives. It is not our doctrines that will win converts for the most part; it is the way we live out our faith in our everyday lives that will win souls.
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CopticChristian
Guest
Hillaire Belloc calls Protestanism of the 16th century a heresy. Today those people that formulated those thoughts are gone. To call these people of today heretics would generate hostility and not the love of Christ. There are Catholics with shipwreck of the Faith and there are those as Paul says outside the Covenant and uncircumcised/baptized not of the covenant and yet they are circumcised of the heart and God being impartial we should love them and call them brother and sister.
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hn160
Guest
We are for the most part what we are born into and if those pastors/priests have done their job as well as parents and Sunday School teachers, we tend to stay. I was born and baptized Lutheran ( high church ), catechized and the pastors did their job. I believe in the Lutheran Confessions to be the correct exposition of Scripture. Only if the LC-MS would go apostasy that is ordain homosexuals and women and change Scripture to meet the world view would I swim the Tiber.
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shaky
Guest
I would advise all people to steer of protestant churches. Its like a minefield. If you don’t go along with what they believe they become nasty and verbally attack you. The first church i was part of wanted me to leave my family home and move into a house where about 15 christians were living because to them it was biblical. when they said to me what is the matter is everything getting to much for you. I said yes. They said to me that is satan and made me not feel welcome anymore unless i go along with what they teach. This really disturbed me for years.They was even getting people who owned houses to give it to the church because it was biblical. Then i went to another denomination a pentecostal happy clappy church. Things seemed fine untill i went down with cancer in 1996. I suffered severe depression. There leaders said to me christians don’t get depressed. Because i disagreed they threatend to call a elder and excommunicate me. All this cause me more Anxiety and depression so i left. This put me right off churches and mixing with other christians. I decided to go on my own with my faith in christ and reading the bible for about 12 years. Sometimes when i tried to go to other different denominal protestant churches i became uneasy and unsettled as i realised there theology was different to how i understood what was written in the bible. Since i got a computer and studied the history of Christianity and looked into the catholic faith. Peace came over me like a flood.
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BrotherLawrence
Guest
As an orthodox Anglican, we consider ourselves “catholic” in the universal sense, and practice our faith in much the same way you do. I can go to an NO mass and know exactly what was going on, even if it’s in a different language, and I know what it means.
When I was a hard core Baptist, I never understood Christianity because the way they explain it doesn’t make any sense. For example, I wish I had a nickel for every time I met a Baptist who expressed their distaste for anything Catholic, but never gave any thought to where their Bible came from. A lot of their doctrine was like that. You had to take everything on faith, and their faith raised more questions than it answered.
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BrotherLawrence
Guest
Yes, and everybody thinks they have the Divine right and authority to interpret scripture. You end up with organized chaos.
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TrueLight
Guest
There are some denominations that are more cult-like, like yours. But they are not all like that.
The Baptist church I grew up with was awesome and caring. When people got sick, they came to your home and prayed with you.
My brother was killed years ago and I was a part of the Youth ministry. The youth group told us not to worry about the “reception” after the funeral. We just went to the cemetery, came back and there was plenty of food for everyone in the church to eat. We never asked them to do this, but they did it out of love.
Even though a lot of us left the church and went to different churches over the years, we still come together for weddings and funerals. Our bond is lifelong.
I am actually sorry, my kids did not grow up in the environment of the small, family church.
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