So how does one determine Protestantism over Catholicism or vice-versa?

Well, I am thinking that even though your parents were not practicing, they were in fact Satanists and their high priest was Anton LaVey.

 

Originally Posted by MrConservative

"This is based off the assumption that all Catholics "believe in it and support it." Not everyone believes everything their religion professes."

All....most....some.....tell me then? And then we go back to do those Catholics support Catholicism's position that Protestantism is a "heresy"?

 

True....I seriously doubt if Incorp was the product of an "atheist home"...even if he wants to present it that way. Throw in his admission about school friends...and likely other relatives who were Christian....and it's a good bet that the Church he ended up in was not chosen by "accident" or "locality" or "easiness"....but based on some ideas and beliefs even of his father.

Tangentially (not so much about Incorp).....The old story of the "Life-long atheist who came to Christ" is usually a false anecdote propagated by evangelizing Christians.

If you research the person's history, you discover they WERE raised in a religious home....if a strict or even negative one....thus resulting in supposed atheism.....and their "re-discovery of Christ 30 years later" is nothing more than a reversion back to their childhood beliefs as old age or some personal crises hits them.

 

I presented it in no such way as to represent the idea of being raised by Atheist parents. That is your interpretation of the few facts that I presented. But you are entitled to your OPINION, which matters not because your opinion is sheer speculation and guess work, which seems to be the operational standard of wanna-be members of the scientific and secular communities. Presumption ,,,, always presumption.

Then of course comes the rationalization on your part (above and below).

 

1. You have now admitted you WERE influenced by your parents on your choice of religion- "I presented it in no such way as to represent the idea of being raised by Atheist parents."


2. That second part, I clearly said was tangential and not so much about you. But it's true.

I'm sure you've heard or seen those "testimonials" of "I was a life-long atheist. Then suddenly one day I came to Christ".

Thing is, you actually look into the history of those people? They were NOT "life-long" atheists. In fact, they were often raised in quite religious households in their youth and "rebelled" against it and became ersatz atheists.....

and all it took was some personal crises (or approaching seniority)....to push them "back to type", i.e. their childhood belief-system they were indoctrinated with, if a bit "nicer".

or they never were the "life-long atheist"...but in a desire to overcome their negative childhood, they became fundamentalist Christian, zealous even. Finding refuge in dogmatism from the chaos and lack of emotional support they got growing up.

But that too is...tangential.

 

Incorp, can you PROVE any of what you said above to me?

 

Attention ~

Focus on the thread topic. No one is compelled to prove anything regarding their private personal lives.

A word of caution, do not post your personal business.

Thanks

 

Well, you quoted me correctly. Not everyone believes. As far as how many believe exactly as the Church teaches, well I can't say. Maybe you could find out yourself if you look at various opinion polls I suppose, but even those can be inaccurate. Some Catholics believe in the Church's teaching on marriage and gay marriage, and some do not.

I was never even mentioned which Catholics support the teaching on heresy. I was merely attempting to illustrate to you what the Church teaches on the subject.

 

Oh for sure. The realisation of one's mortality can be very difficult for some. A comforting slide back to the teddy bear of one's youth must be too easy in such cases. You can imagine the appeal of thinking you can just hand it all over to the big cheese, and forget all about it.

 

You didn't understand the subtle argument. Protestantism isn't heresy--for people who grew up Protestant or not Catholic. Becoming Protestant if you're Catholic is heresy.

 

Actually some parts of it are heresies.

And:

So some parts of protestantism are heresies to the Catholic Church.

 

And your point is what? It was that Catholic Church which allowed pagan practices to be introduced into the church and made part of the ceremonies of the church. Luther and Calvin, IMHO, were acting properly.

 

Which practices of the Catholic Church are pagan?

I'd bet that if you do the research from a Catholic point of view, you'd see a refutation of those claims.

 

Well, for starters, let's mention idol worship... thou shalt make no graven images...(there were no exceptions made in that commandment).
Then there is the matter of attributing to the Pope and priests the authority of acting as a mediator when confessions are given....
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

It would be only NATURAL for a Catholic to defend his/her belief... it is known as human nature... defend that which is important to you.

 

There are thousands of denominations and variations among Protestant churches. How does a Protestant choose the "right" one?

 

That would be one of my concerns, were I to go postal and take up the lord.

 

I'm always perplexed when people ask how one determines the right religious path... 99% of one's religious persuasion is determined by the time they live in and geographical locale.... not a studious look at all the options and a conclusion from the result of what makes most sense and seems profoundly substantiated by the facts. Chances are most will adopt the faith of their parents and community.

 

Probably why they never answer the question "how did you first learn that god is good?"
Doesn't sound crash hot to respond with "because my parents told me so". Even when they claim to have checked for themselves later in life, all they're really doing is finding 'evidence' which appears to back up that early message. If mom and dad tell you repeatedly that the sky is green, you might spend the rest of your life trying to confirm it. And the green sky is enabled beautifully when others (subject to the same conditioning) back it up.

 

The early Church fathers did not believe that Jesus was God. The Church has changed the Bible over the years in order to reflect man made doctrine.

We need to revisit the message of Jesus in a big way as most Christians do not follow the message of Jesus as intended (IMO)

 

Yet Christ set up men as mediators, and gave them the power to forgive sins. Do Protestants read the whole of the Gospels, or do you have special Bibles that ignore passages that are pro-Catholic church.

Matthew 18:18
Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

John 20:19-23
19:On the evening of that first day of the week,j when the doors were locked, where the disciples* were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.* The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21* [Jesus] said to them again,l “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
22* And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,m “Receive the holy Spirit.
23* Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

 

Yeppir that is what the scripture says. Now what is it that the Scripture says about worshipping idols. Oh Goodness. Is Jesus still on the cross? Are any of the Saints which have been named by the Catholic church worthier than God in that they should have coins and medalions made with an image representing their likeness, and then prayed to. Then you expect me and others to accept those passages of scripture as representing the Pope and his minions having such authority? Give me a break. Confession is made to Christ Jesus not some man in a black robe or wearing a mitre cap. Where did Jesus or Christ authorize a man to wear a head covering? Especially when that head covering is representing a Crown of glory.

 

Well, you can take the following for w hatever u choose to take it for but i think my testimony says a lot

I was raised Catholic but not really... wasn't taught thefaith, etc...

i really was not very Catholic @ all. We just went to Mass on Sunday and that was the extent of my family's "spirituality"

But the yrs went by and many weird and then catestrophic things happened to me... some of which i barely "survived"... very long, strange, not always very pretty story, to be sure.

One day i prayed the rosary, which i had never paid much attn to b4... Well, Long story Short, it changed my entire life... by changing ME.. Actually, certain aspects of my life got... not so lovely @ first... the devil attacked, as he always does when one is focused on God and things God wants one to be focused on... But... "My ways are not your ways, My thoughts ar not your thoughts" says the Lord... He cares about things we humans do not always care about... or do not always care about FIRST and foremost...

so anyway... my life, my soul began to get better the closer i got to the Church... which is the church Christ founded... like it or not..




and i like it...


_

 

Great testimony... regardless of what Christian church you attend. It shows the active work of God in your life. Thanks for sharing.

 

Great for you. Just remember it is for you. Not all of the world.