tigersnare said:
This question is strickly for Protestants(ovbiously), but mainly for those who have researched and studied other belief systems, including those inside and outside Christianity.
So why are you Protestant?
Tigersnare,
I have been mulling over your question for a couple of days now. I want to be able to answer this in an acceptable manner for all those interested, especially you. From the way you have worded the question, I gather you want to know why we are Protestant as opposed to ________ (fill in the blank w/Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim, etc . . . ). Am I correct?
I noticed on the OBOB forum, where they bemoan and bewail our lowly Protestant antics, they don’t like the way some people have answered your question. The reason is because
some people simply are not telling you
why they are Protestant, but why they are
not Catholic. Well, I think the way you have presented the question, it’s more of a “Now that you’ve read and seen the overwhelming evidence in favor of all the claims put forth by the Catholic Church, why haven’t you converted?” question. Forgive me if I’m wrong.
I feel this is the intent of your thread because if someone hasn’t researched or studied other belief systems, they’re reasoning for belonging to their particular faith would be rather simple. Reasons could be like, “It’s the church I was raised in,” “It’s the church my wife/husband attends,” “It’s the first church I attended as a guest and just stayed,” and on and on that way. I think we would agree that very few people choose their faith/denomination based up research or historical evidence. Usually, when someone finds a place where he fits and feels loved as if he were home, he usually stays put.
Now, to answer your question, “Why am I Protestant as opposed to _______?” I’ll do the best that I can. Until approximately three years ago, I was rather ignorant regarding Christianity in terms of separate denominations. My view of Christianity was very simplistic, and I would be quite content to keep it that way, but---to late. I didn’t know squat about Catholicism, except that the Baptists (those I was acquainted with) appeared to hold the Catholic faith in contempt (and vice versa). Well, my daughter was dating a Catholic, and it became clear that they would eventually marry. So, I didn’t know what all the “to do” regarding Catholicism was about. But, I didn’t want to run the risk of saying something stupid and hurtful to my daughter’s boyfriend/eventual husband out of ignorance and began participating on Message Boards to educate myself. Now having the benefit of hindsight, Message Boards probably weren’t the best choice for learning about a particular faith, but through other Christians I discovered where to find sources on all subjects.
I was rather stunned to see the claims that Catholics made and couldn’t figure out how they dared to make such claims. Now, I don’t necessarily agree with these claims, but I understand where they come from and see how Catholics legitimize these things. I didn’t just outright reject all that they claimed. I did check references and sources and am glad that I did. I mean everytime someone quoted a Church Father, my instinct was to say, “So, he was Catholic . . . of course he agreed with you . . . .” But,
then I began reading the Fathers myself. I set out beginning to read the earliest fathers and am still working my way forward. Catholics accuse us of quoting fathers out of context, thus misrepresenting what they really believed. Well, then they are guilty of the same. The main reason I still reject much of what Catholicism teaches is not only do I find it either contrary to Scripture or unsupported by Scripture, I find it contrary to and unsupported by many of the earliest fathers. Now, you must understand, I’m not saying that any father was Baptist, Penecostal, Methodist, Lutheran, etc . . . just that they were not Catholic as Catholics now claim.
The Catholic Church teaches:
Papal Infallibility
Infallibility of the Magisterium
Laypersons can not trust themselves to correctly understand Scripture
Perpetual Virginity of Mary
Immaculate Conception
Mary was sinless
Must attend Confession
Real Presence (Transubstantiation)
That it (CC) is
the same Church established by Christ in 33 A.D.
There are other issues, but I think my post is probably too long already. If you wish to discuss the particulars about the issues I posted above, please PM me and we can talk.
God Bless!!
Lisa
. . . She does have a way with words.
