Do you mind being labelled Protestant?

[AlexDTX]

Yes I do. because I'm Catholic.
But my question goes to "Protestants". You'd prefer to be known as a Christian, I imagine. That your relationship with Jesus is the most important thing. You are a follower of Christ, so naturally "Christian" is the best label?
I guess the word "Protestant" has negative connotations, does it? You would also prefer your denom. specific label as well?
I personally prefer to be called Christian than Catholic. However I don't accept all Protestant theology, so I guess I have to be happy with "Catholic Christian."

Protestants are Catholics. Martin Luther was called a Reformer. He had no interest in destroying the Catholic Church, only to reform it, hence he protested the sales of indulgences. The Protestant church system is still fundamentally the Catholic system. The Catholic system is the Mosaic system with window dressing.

Christianity is neither a system nor a set of doctrines. It is biology. Either you are joined to the Spirit through the new birth or you are not. The Church is an organism not an organization. The head of the organism is Jesus. The head of the organization is the Pope or one of the multitude of little popes called pastors.

 

[dcalling]

I know. That is a very dark period in the Church, which I guess I am ashamed of too. Selling of indulgences, as if you can buy your way to Heaven? Outrageous. Thank you Martin Luther for pointing this out. Not sure I can say thank you Martin Luther for everything he did though. Sorry my history of the Church is sketchy to say the least.

I should add on that this is not just a Catholic problem, as all humans will fail to corruption given enough power. An example of this is that in some communist countries during persecution, the percentage of protestants who abandon Christ is higher than Catholic priests (I don't have a source but that is what I heard). That is including the ones who abandoned and later repented (and go to jail again).

 

[Halbhh]

Yes I do. because I'm Catholic.
But my question goes to "Protestants". You'd prefer to be known as a Christian, I imagine. That your relationship with Jesus is the most important thing. You are a follower of Christ, so naturally "Christian" is the best label?
I guess the word "Protestant" has negative connotations, does it? You would also prefer your denom. specific label as well?
I personally prefer to be called Christian than Catholic. However I don't accept all Protestant theology, so I guess I have to be happy with "Catholic Christian."

Yes, very much so. I don't even want to be anything label of any kind but only "Christian".

Not "conservative", nor "liberal", nor x,y,z christian, but only Christian.

I was just pointing out in the non denominational thread that we all need more to absorb the Love above knowledge theme of 1 Corinthians chapter 8. We need to be together with people that think differently than we do, and love them. If a certain robe or decoration or food or idea offends some of those with "weak faith", then we should do as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 8.

 

[4x4toy]

I don't take offence at all toy because your style of communication betrays your heart of gold!

Thanx Paul, I am truly humbled and temporarily at a loss of words at your kindness ..

 

[AlexLL]

I personally don't know of anyone who would be offended at being called a Protestant, and I certainly don't either.

 

[Vicomte13]

I believe the issue is that we believe communion is something different than what Catholics believe.

That's exactly it. We believe that the bread and wine turn into God, so that we are handling and eating God, and must therefore be in a state of moral purity to do so. That requires confession and absolution of all mortal sins before taking communion. One is not supposed to each anything an hour before communion either - so as to not mix the mundane and the divine in the stomach.

St. Paul said that people who take communion in an unworthy state do themselves more harm than good, and the Catholics believe that is so - by taking communion, one is literally in the physical presence of God. If one is in an unworthy state when one does that, one is like the wedding guest who wore no garment inclined to be harmed.

Now, except for the Orthodox (who are permitted by the Catholics to take communion in a Catholic church, but told by their own denomination not to), there are no other Christian churches that believe the same thing about what the communion bread and wine IS. And to avoid people hurting themselves inadvertently by eating God in an unworthy state, Catholics ask non-Catholics not to present themselves for communion.

That's why. It is out of fear for the safety of the non-Catholics.

At least this is the formal belief of the Church. Regular Catholics don't dwell on these things, and few go to confession.

 

[Xeena]

That's exactly it. We believe that the bread and wine turn into God, so that we are handling and eating God, and must therefore be in a state of moral purity to do so. That requires confession and absolution of all mortal sins before taking communion. <snip>

St. Paul said that people who take communion in an unworthy state do themselves more harm than good, and the Catholics believe that is so - by taking communion, one is literally in the physical presence of God. <snip>

That's why. It is out of fear for the safety of the non-Catholics.

At least this is the formal belief of the Church. Regular Catholics don't dwell on these things, and few go to confession.

Raised in a Southern Baptist church in a primarily Catholic state: "this is MY body" "this is MY blood". Yes we were/are to confess our sins before. HE is the high priest to go directly to HIM. Romans 8:34 John 14:16, 26 John 16:28 Luke 23:44 Hebrews 9 Hebrews 4:14-16

We take/took communion in Baptist or Catholic church.

<snip>
I need to know who I'm communicating with. My target audience.
But I agree. I mean I don't identify as Catholic on here, but most people know I am. I prefer to identify as Christian, as I said before.

I didn't think you were identifying as Christian on here much less Catholic. This is good to know.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I have never thought of 'protestant' inferior or demeaning etc. Hasn't occurred to see it in a negative sense other that I think of the Church of Scotland church down the street where people tend to look pale for some odd reason. I don't associate it with other denominations.

I think that's the bias from the people you associate with rubbing off. Like if I think Catholic I have the initial terror of prejudice but then remember to see the person the religion.

I guess the term Protestant in a very general sense means non-Roman Catholic (there are some exceptions, of course). There is also the more secondary meaning - historically - of following the Bible rather than church tradition and of being willing to let the Bible interpret itself to the reader, rather than relying on ecclesiastical intermediaries.

 

[Mountainmike]

I dont like the word, no. I believe Catholics are among the earliest protestants. In my opinion they moved away from the original church. So to call others protestants but not yourself would not be fitting. No offense meant.

The problem with many Protestants is that in order to offer their version as the " original" church they have to declare an apostasy, yet none of the dates for it stack up.

The illinformed often choose Constantine, as the bad guy, yet such as the " life of Anthony" anasthasius whose ministry spanned Constantine shows nothing changed! A point amply made by the book " the apostasy that never was"

Others take it further back, some laughably declare paul as apostate, one problem such theories have is declaring apostasy pre nicenes by definition they repudiate both the creed and New Testament. Still others say it was later, ignoring the fact that doctrine has barely changed since, and those councils accepted the primacy of honour of the pope!

Indeed look at the first writings of other than apostles in the first century , you see a liturgical sacramental church with appointed succession bishops, empowered to perform Eucharist of the real presence.! Those who chose your New Testament were vociferous supporting intercession of saints and Mary,

In short the only church that lasted two millennia doctrine clarified but unchanged is RCC,

But I agree.. I am Christian. A universal Christian. So Catholic,

 

[Vicomte13]

Raised in a Southern Baptist church in a primarily Catholic state: "this is MY body" "this is MY blood". Yes we were/are to confess our sins before. HE is the high priest to go directly to HIM.

We take/took communion in Baptist or Catholic church

Didn't think there were many Southern Baptists in Rhode Island (the only majority Catholic state)!

 

[SnowyMacie]

Yes I do. because I'm Catholic.
But my question goes to "Protestants". You'd prefer to be known as a Christian, I imagine. That your relationship with Jesus is the most important thing. You are a follower of Christ, so naturally "Christian" is the best label?
I guess the word "Protestant" has negative connotations, does it? You would also prefer your denom. specific label as well?
I personally prefer to be called Christian than Catholic. However I don't accept all Protestant theology, so I guess I have to be happy with "Catholic Christian."

I prefer to call myself and be called Christians above all else. I am a member of the Episcopal Church, thus the Anglican Communion, which is a tradition that is both Roman Catholic and Protestant. However, unlike Raphael and Plover, I do not call myself to be Protestant, but Reformed Catholic. To me, that means that while I agree with many Catholic teachings and practices, there are others that I disagree with and think that the Protestant Reformation, specifically in England, did a good job at preserving as much as possible about the good in Roman Catholicism, while also reforming the more bad parts about it.

 

[Albion]

Not to disagree with anyone, but the issue seems to be two-fold. There is what people prefer to be called themselves, but there also is how society and history classify people according to major divisions of Christianity.

Anyone of us might prefer to be thought of as a Reformed Catholic or as a Born-again Evangelical, but it's not wrong for librarians, the government, news organizations, etc. to classify the same people as Catholic or Protestant (or as something else). Those are accurate terms and not insults.

 

[Beaker]

I'M proud to be a Protestant Christian; When you hear about the acts of some of the catholic priests on the alter boys, I would be EMBARRASSED to be associated with the catholic church. Plus, the fact that one pope decided to change the status that priests could not marry, just so that anything they had when they died would be directed to the church instead of their families, is an abomination.I was given this info by a good source, who had studied it.

 

[Albion]

It's true that property and inheritance rights were involved in the decision to prohibit married priests after a thousand years of Christian history.

It may not have been as mercenary a decision as you are suggesting, but it wasn't done just to relieve the priests of the burden of family responsibilities so they could concentrate on the things of God (as is sometimes argued).

 

[Halbhh]

Not to disagree with anyone, but the issue seems to be two-fold. There is what people prefer to be called themselves, but there also is how society and history classify people according to major divisions of Christianity.

Anyone of us might prefer to be thought of as a Reformed Catholic or as a Born-again Evangelical, but it's not wrong for librarians, the government, news organizations, etc. to classify the same people as Catholic or Protestant (or as something else). Those are accurate terms and not insults.

But I'm not 'protestant'. I'm just Christian. My brothers and sisters are each and all and every that believe in Christ risen. The Nicene and Apostles Creeds are a clear and easy way to point out what we believe -- saying what is in the gospels. When we are in accord with the creeds sincerely, and believing in Him, and if the faith is not just outward but also inward, then it is real. It's not required we have some particular further knowledge, however useful, and which we may gradually learn, but rather that we remain in Him as He said in the Gospel of John. We are His, regardless of our our mere knowledge we think we have.

I'm saying that you and I are already together in His church if we both truly believe in Him. It's already as He prayed for in John 17. Yes, we can still work at the more superficial level of coming together as churches, but that's sorta....after the fact in a way. It could be very helpful for many though that have wrongly been taught to judge in ways they should not, though, to help correct errors of not welcoming their brothers and sisters in their hearts, totally, as He commanded us.

 

[Albion]

But I'm not 'protestant'. I'm just Christian. My brothers and sisters are each and all and every that believe in Christ risen. The Nicene and Apostles Creeds are a clear and easy way to point out what we believe -- saying what is in the gospels. When we are in accord with the creeds sincerely, and believing in Him, and if the faith is not just outward but also inward, then it is real.

If you have no connection to any church body and your views are not close to any known denomination, then I probably would conclude that you're right about that.

However, this is very seldom the case with people who insist that they're not Protestant. Often it's just because they disagree with some particular Protestant denomination they have had an association with in the past, or else because they think the word itself sounds negative.

 

[Halbhh]

If you have no connection to any church body and your views are not close to any known denomination, then I probably would conclude that you're right about that.

However, this is very seldom the case with people who insist that they're not Protestant. Often it's just because they disagree with some particular Protestant denomination they have had an association with in the past, or else because they think the word itself sounds negative.

I feel comfortably at home in a Lutheran or a Catholic service, likely in many others I think, since we attended many kinds of churches in various towns we moved to, and later as an adult also when visiting a variety of distant friends and family and in-laws, probably I've been in at least 10 types of churches for full services, and I started noticing though they seemed a bit different at first, that they started seeming very much alike in time. Even the usual types of churches like a 'Church of God', even that one, seemed a lot like the more mainstream than you'd imagine at first, with the bit of really different thrown in, but the sermon just like you could hear almost anywhere..... It's like we overemphasize differences, and I think that's a mistake we tend to make, and I'm lucky in that way to have experienced so many services in so many denominations (including catholic) so that I just can tell you they are much more alike than they are unalike, even though I'm sure either one of us could point out differences. I'm trying to testify to you that the differences are far less than we tend to think from discussions that are about differences.

 

[Albion]

The sermons and the format of the worship services may be--and this is what would be most apparent to the visitor--but there are substantial differences in belief.

But you still have a point about not being classified as a Protestant yourself.

I would just reiterate that there are relatively few people who fit the profile you describe for yourself, although there are lots who say that they don't want to be called a Protestant or don't think they are Protestants.

 

[SnowyMacie]

If you have no connection to any church body and your views are not close to any known denomination, then I probably would conclude that you're right about that.

However, this is very seldom the case with people who insist that they're not Protestant. Often it's just because they disagree with some particular Protestant denomination they have had an association with in the past, or else because they think the word itself sounds negative.

My title(?) is "Theological Mutt" because my views are from all different denominations of Christian, from my Church of Christ background to Roman Catholicism to Eastern Orthodoxy, and almost everything in-between. There's really not a denomination or sect of Christianity I easily fit into.

 

[noam burde]

I rather be viewed as non denominate