>>The real problem is that Protestantism starts from a number of counter-scriptural assumptions<<
As in???
>As in???<
I don't know what protestants believe....but I can tell you Christians believe the Word unlike our catholic friends.
Christians can easily point out the non-scriptural problems with catholicism.
Catholicism believes mary was immaculately conceived...yet their own apologists admit this cannot be substantiated in Scripture....yet they go right ahead and promote this and being "dogma."
Why?
They also admit the ECFs should not be relied upon for this dogma also. Yet they go on and promote this as dogma.
Why?
To date, and I've asked several times, no catholic has been willing or able to answer this.
They believe mary was assumed into Heaven.....why? Because no one knows where her body is. So they assume she was taken up. As Elsie has put it....the most important woman in Catholicism and no one kept track of where or when she died??
Paul wrote the following in 1 Cor 4:6
6Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.
Sola Scriptura and Sole Fide are both contrary to scripture.