What are the TRUE differences Catholicism / Protestantism

[Birdsfan]

I have nothing of substance to add to this topic; however, I am not going to let that fact stop me from posting here.

 

 

Perfect! My new BGP creedo. :thumb:

It seems to be a common condition around here.

[rockmom]

Mass.man made started in the 1200's. John said in 19:30

"Christ said it is finished". There is only one sacrifice. The jews sacrificed regularly for their Sins, Jesus died once on the cross for our sins. No longer is a "daily sacrifice " needed.

Assemble on the Lord’s day, and break bread and offer the Eucharist; but first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one. Anyone who has a difference with his fellow is not to take part with you until he has been reconciled, so as to avoid any profanation of your sacrifice [Matt. 5:23–24]. For this is the offering of which the Lord has said, ‘Everywhere and always bring me a sacrifice that is undefiled, for I am a great king, says the Lord, and my name is the wonder of nations’ [Mal. 1:11, 14]"

[rockmom]

Alabama Larry, while I believe your post was intended to point out the differences by stating a few items that are often misunderstood about the Catholic faith, and I addressed each with some information from Catholic.com, some of the points you list actually are only touchstones to deeper theological misunderstandings. Take infant baptism. The post above mentions some scriptural references, but the practice is founded in much deeper beliefs. One is the belief in Original Sin. The misunderstanding that infant baptism isn’t valid because the child doesn’t choose to be baptized, is based upon the fact that we look at baptism of infants is the only way to ensure their souls purity in the event they die before reaching the age of consent. Upon that age, the Sacrament of Confirmation allows the child preparation through a discovery phase toward choosing to accept the Catholic faith and continue it’s practice during the Sacrament of Confirmation.

In addition, the issue of confession is actually misunderstood for even more reasons. Many of other faiths do not believe that a man can offer absolution. Catholics do not believe that either. We believe the priest is the agent of God in the forgiveness, not the one bestowing forgiveness.

We begin penance at an age when children understand right from wrong.

So, in effect, the question about confession is about beliefs in priests and their sanctity, the works of God through man, tradition and rites.

[Alabama Larry]

Pepper, lets hear from you...Rockmom and Birdsfan are my buddies and are very highly thought of by me. Example...Momma (wife) and me have some very serious conversations on Bible Topics. I love that girl with all of my heart and if she needed my liver, she would get it in a heart beat.

 

Birdfans...what I was saying there...you have the freewill to say what you want, God gave us that as a gift. I also have the same gift. Lets not use words like garbage while talking about our beliefs, OK?:bunny:

[cshs81]

Why do I feel like its 1974 and I'm in CCD class(other than the part where I rifle through the Cathlolic school kid's desk)?

[rockmom]

Why do I feel like its 1974 and I'm in CCD class(other than the part where I rifle through the Cathlolic school kid's desk)?

 

Many times when faced with these questions, I feel Sister Dorothy Ann's presence next to me! :lol: Do you still have your catechism book?

[cshs81]

Do you still have your catechism book?

 

No but I bet if I search long enough, I'll find the IHM student's big fat pencil and eraser.

[Kingfish Stevens]

I have attended a goodly number of Protestant churches over a long period of time. I have also attended Catholic churches many times.

 

One matter really stands out to me. It appears that the central part of the Protestant service is the sermon. Most everything seems to be centered, one way or the other, around that. The central part of the Catholic service is communion. Everything is built around and leads up to that event.

 

I know that many Protestants claim to take the Scriptures literally- add nothing, subtract nothing. As I recall, Christ said "This is my body...". He did not say "This represents my body..." or "This is symbolic of my body...". Consequently, it seems to me that the literalists should accept the statement as given. Otherwise, they are picking and choosing what to take literally and what to call symbolic and that would seem to be disingenuous.

 

I am also swayed by the fact that the Catholic Church has been around for over 2,000 years while all the Protestant groups have not been around, by comparison, very long. Also, most all, if not all, Protestant groups are offshoots from the Catholic Church.

 

I will say, with all due respect, that Alabama Larry has the typical uninformed fundamentalist view of the Catholic Church. That is unfortunate for him and for the rest of those so narrowly influenced.

[Hasbeen]

I recall many times in my lifetime reading of the strife in Ireland between Catholics and Protestants and thinking "Catholics and Protestants? How in the world can there be such a disagreement among those two Christian groups as to boil over into bloodshed?" I think we are seeing a microcosm here of how things can get out of hand.

 

Here is my belief as related to what BF and AL are "discussing". Forgive me for paraphrasing, but I belief most will be familer with the verses I'm using. Basically, I am commanded to share the Gospel with as many as possible. If they choose to ignore or disagree, I am to shake off the dust of that town (metaphoricaly) and move on to the next. The fact that I disagree with your beliefs or you with mine is not to be taken personally. I have no power (nor do you) to condemn anyone to Hell. I may or may not believe you may be headed there (truthfully, I don't know), but I cannot send you there myself, nor would I want to. So don't sweat it so much if I believe differently.

 

Thanks to both sides, especially RM, for posting what they believe. While I may not buy into all of it, it is eyeopening and educational.

 

One last thing. I do not put my faith in man, whether it be the Pope or the local Baptist minister. I believe all humans are fallable and subject to weaknesses and lapses in judgement. We hope that they are God-inspired, but really that's a leap of faith I struggle with.

[Birdsfan]

Many times when faced with these questions, I feel Sister Dorothy Ann's presence next to me! :lol: Do you still have your catechism book?

No (public school heathen ), but I had my first communion missal up until a year ago when my Godson had his first communion.

[Hasbeen]

I have nothing of substance to add to this topic; however, I am not going to let that fact stop me from posting here.

 

 

Perfect! My new BGP creedo. :thumb:

 

By the way, I wasn't trying to downplay the importance of this discussion or of anyone's beliefs. TTC's comment just struck me as clever and reminded me of so many posts I've made in the past.

[Birdsfan]

Birdfans...what I was saying there...you have the freewill to say what you want, God gave us that as a gift. I also have the same gift. Lets not use words like garbage while talking about our beliefs, OK?:bunny:

I apologize for that; but my reference to garbage was directed toward misconceptions that you repeated in your first post, not toward your own religious beliefs. These are the kinds of things that are often parroted by others, who have hate in their heart. They have historically used these ideas to discriminate and persecute Catholics. My defensive reaction was simply a pouring forth of frustration.

[titletownclown]

Perfect! My new BGP creedo. :thumb:

 

If you have read very many of my past posts on BGP, you'd know this has been my creedo for quite a long time.

[rockmom]

After the fall of the Roman Empire, literacy almost disappeared in Europe. Even most of nobility could not read. Literacy among the common folk was almost non existant.

 

However, virtually all clergy could read. They had to, the Catholic Church mandated that friars, brothers, priest, bishops, etc. must be able to read and interpret the bible to teach the common folk. Not only did these clergy read the Bible in the common language (after the fall of Rome was Latin) but they had to be able to read the New Testament in Keone Greek (whatever you call the Greek written at the time of Jesus and shortly after) and read the Old Testament in ancient Hebrew.

 

Because the common folk could not read (along with the majority of nobility), they could not reread the bible stories they heard at church and reflect on them. Because of this, the Church decided to use art to reflect biblical stories and teachings to the commonfolk. A portrait may show a picture of King David with a sling and a slain Goliath behind him. A portrait of Paul may show him falling off his beast due to the bright light. A statue of one of the Gospel writers would often show him with a feather pen and a book or manuscript. A statue of Peter would often show him with two keys, the keys represent Peter's ability to loosen and bound things both on earth and heaven.

 

Outside of listening to their pastor/associate pastor teach, that was the only way for the illiterate to recall the bible stories. Today the majority are literate and can simply pick up a bible so the need for this artwork is not as needed as it once was. Now it is tradition

[Hasbeen]

^I'm going to have to plead ignorance, rural SE Ky is not exactly a Catholic stronghold. I must admit much of what I know of Catholism comes from TV and a few newspaper articles. I have no problem with artwork (there are few Baptist churches that don't have a painting of Jesus standing at the door knocking), but the images we (non-Catholics) see are of people kneeling before statues to pray. Am I being misled?