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Why stay Protestant?
Medium Corporation ^ | 01/22/18 | Matthew Schultz

Posted on 06/21/2018 9:48:25 PM PDT by boatbums

Over the years, I’ve had several Catholic friends and converts ask why I ultimately didn’t convert to their denomination. During my first two years of college, I spent a significant amount of time with Catholics, including at the (then?) US Opus Dei headquarters in NYC. I attended these gatherings with a good friend, who eventually decided to convert from Evangelicalism. I came close to converting, but ultimately decided against it. This has surprised some Catholics. I suspect this is because the standard narrative is that Protestants, especially Evangelicals, are crossing the Tiber in great droves.

Statistically, the narrative isn’t quite so neat: in recent years, Catholicism has lost millions of adherents, most of these converting to a kind of nonreligious spiritualism/secularism or to Protestantism, while millions more Protestants remain Protestant. For every one person who converts to Catholicism, about six leave the church.

Still, the notion that Catholicism is attracting large numbers of Protestant converts, with no movement in the other direction, can create the impression that there is something irresistible about Catholicism to anyone who studies it. My reasons for remaining Protestant haven’t changed a great deal, although they have become more refined, especially since seminary. I would like to share some of them here.

(Excerpt) Read more at medium.com ...


TOPICS: Apologetics
KEYWORDS: catholicism; pathstogod; protestant; religion; tickytackytrolling
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To: Trailerpark Badass
The Bible I’m reading now is the Bible of CNC programming using Fanuc custom macro B.

Not my language for sure, and I am SURE that is not on the USCCB list of approved translations!,

I’ve always considered Protestants brothers in Christ. I still do.

The typical Catholics we debate here will hardly affirm their own pope as a brother in Christ (not that he is, but neither were the others. You can see some on the development here . ).

The main thing is that you comer to God with a contrite repentant heart, and cast all your faith/dependence upon the risen Divine Son of God, the Lord Jesus, to save you are a Hell-bound sinner by His sinless shed blood, and thus be baptized and follow Him. But as enlightened by Scripture, the latter will mean leaving Catholicism for conservative evangelical faith.

241 posted on 06/23/2018 6:27:38 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Trust the risen Lord Jesus to save you as a damned and destitute sinner + be baptized + follow Him)
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To: Trailerpark Badass
Do you think Catholics worship Jesus Christ, preach and believe His Gospel?

Sure they do!

But they ALSO have glommed on a heck of a lot more stuff that they 'believe'; wouldn't you say?


Will those extra things; that come along side to 'help' Jesus; deter from or add to what is going to go down at the GWT?

242 posted on 06/23/2018 6:38:43 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Trailerpark Badass
THIS Do you consider that Peter is the 'rock' that Christ's church is built upon? was the question you answered with a question.
243 posted on 06/23/2018 6:39:51 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Trailerpark Badass
I’ve always considered Protestants brothers in Christ. I still do.

Dang!

You've slept through your catechism classes!

244 posted on 06/23/2018 6:42:55 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Trailerpark Badass

Dang!

Fanuc custom macro B is at LEAST 8 years old.

It sounds like coding Assembly language by hand in the 80’s!

Surely there is some automatic software that creates Gcode tool paths directly from the computer designed part.


245 posted on 06/23/2018 6:47:30 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie

Lol, I’m running old (2002) Mori Seiki ZL25s. They’re better than the new touch-screen DMG-Mori stuff being sold now, low hours, plus they’re paid for, and do great for what we need. I know plenty of solid-modeling and CAM software, but yeah it’s like going back to the future to understand the macro programs I have to run now. What we do is pretty low tech, but we have pretty tight quality demands.


246 posted on 06/23/2018 7:29:30 PM PDT by Trailerpark Badass (There should be a whole lot more going on than throwing bleach, said one woman.)
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To: Elsie

Prolly, or was thinking about baseball.


247 posted on 06/23/2018 7:30:19 PM PDT by Trailerpark Badass (There should be a whole lot more going on than throwing bleach, said one woman.)
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To: daniel1212

No, you see, I’ve done that, so while I may be afoul of what you consider the Catholic Church’s version of what my salvation may require, I’ve done nothing less than you have. Nothing I’ve done as a Catholic negates my acceptance of Jesus as my savior, no matter how much you wish it does.


248 posted on 06/23/2018 7:36:42 PM PDT by Trailerpark Badass (There should be a whole lot more going on than throwing bleach, said one woman.)
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To: All

REASON #107 to Remain Protestant:

Pedophile priests

https://www.yahoo.com/news/vatican-jails-italian-priest-child-porn-162753369.html


249 posted on 06/23/2018 7:37:39 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: Elsie

“Stuff” like making the sign of the Cross? Apparently that’s a deal-breaker for some folks.


250 posted on 06/23/2018 7:39:12 PM PDT by Trailerpark Badass (There should be a whole lot more going on than throwing bleach, said one woman.)
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To: Trailerpark Badass
Nothing I’ve done as a Catholic negates my acceptance of Jesus as my savior, no matter how much you wish it does.

That mind-reading is uncalled for and incorrect. For if true, it means you are not a faithful RC as per her historical teaching, and how our adversarial RCs here define such.

I myself become manifestly born again with its basic profound changes in heart and life while still a weekly RC, and sought to search God as a CCD teacher and lector for some time afterward. Until I sincerely prayed to God that if it was His will to go to a different kind of church,. then He would show me, which He promptly did at that time, and confirmed.

However, I am only wish that nothing I’ve done as a believer was contrary to my acceptance of Jesus as my savior

251 posted on 06/23/2018 8:02:18 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Trust the risen Lord Jesus to save you as a damned and destitute sinner + be baptized + follow Him)
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To: daniel1212
Sorry, yes, that was not appropriate, though inadvertent. Still not accustomed to the specific restrictions of the Religion forum.

As to whether or not I’m not a faithful RC, lol, for what, believing Protestants are saved, I’ll let the RCs here come tell me that. Forgive me for not just taking your word for it.

God’s been in my heart and life for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been blessed beyond measure. Everyday, after 10-14 hours on my feet, starting a second career, at 50, from the bottom, having a beer and a pipe out on my deck, I pray to God and thank him for a beautiful family, a roof over my head, food to eat, no artillery shells raining down on us, things I’ve done nothing to deserve other than to believe it’s all thanks to him...if it took you going to a different church to feel that, I’m just glad you feel it, too.

252 posted on 06/23/2018 8:31:01 PM PDT by Trailerpark Badass (There should be a whole lot more going on than throwing bleach, said one woman.)
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To: boatbums

.
1- Broadly Protestant notions of justification are clearly taught by the Bible.

False! - Biblically, justification is solely through the willing keeping of the commandments, and repentance of our failures.

2- Pauline church government is authoritarian in some respects but is a distant cousin to the modern Magisterium.

Paul’s authoritarian tendencies are born of his deep studies in the scriptures, and are not arbitrary in any sense.

3 - NT (and OT) ethics support the implementation of the death penalty in ways that are alien to Francis’s ethical statements and implications.

NT ethics require forgiveness.

4 - Contra the post-Vatican II ethos, Christ and Paul are utterly unsympathetic to salvation for those who refuse to submit directly and openly to Christ and his Gospel.

Yeshua’s Gospel is Moses’ Torah. They are one and the same. Yehova’s grace permits forgiveness following confession and repentance, as described in John’s first epistle. This is not new to post crucifixion times. It is roughly what is called “baptism” in the English Bible. Salvation is only for those that endure in faith to the end.


253 posted on 06/23/2018 9:02:03 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: Luircin

.
Yehova’s appointed times are the traditioms of the Kehillah.

Man made ‘traditions’ such as Christmas, lent, and Easter are completely repugnant to Yehova.
.


254 posted on 06/23/2018 9:06:12 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: editor-surveyor
1- Broadly Protestant notions of justification are clearly taught by the Bible.

False! - Biblically, justification is solely through the willing keeping of the commandments, and repentance of our failures.

Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses. (Acts 13:38,39)

Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the Law. For the Law merely brings awareness of sin.

Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

Romans 8:3
For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin.

Romans 10:4
Christ is the end of the Law, in order to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law, because by works of the Law no one will be justified.

Galatians 5:3,4
Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole Law. You who are trying to be justified by the Law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Hebrews 7:19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

255 posted on 06/23/2018 10:21:50 PM PDT by boatbums (The Law is a storm which wrecks your hopes of self-salvation, but washes you upon the Rock of Ages.)
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To: editor-surveyor

Yehova’s appointed times are the traditioms of the Kehillah.

Man made ‘traditions’ such as Christmas, lent, and Easter are completely repugnant to Yehova.

***

Colossians 2: “16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”

Romans 14: “ 2One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own mastera that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.”

The Apostle Paul disagrees with you.

But I’m sure you know so much better than the man who was called and taught by Jesus Christ himself.

LOL.


256 posted on 06/23/2018 10:39:19 PM PDT by Luircin
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To: boatbums

Waiting for the guy to start claiming that you’re twisting Scripture in three... two... one...


257 posted on 06/23/2018 10:39:55 PM PDT by Luircin
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To: Trailerpark Badass

Stuff...


 

For a low; LOW! price of ONLY $11.95...
 
 
 
 
 
http://www.catholiccompany.com/brown-scapular-brown-cord-18-inch-i104714/?sku=2026726&utm_source=google&utm_medium=products&aid=4280&product_id=2026726&creative=11070181829&device=c&matchtype=e
 
 

258 posted on 06/24/2018 4:08:54 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Trailerpark Badass
Your replies here have a hint of Mormon flavor to them. When finally pressed against the wall about their theology, many say, "I'm ok because I am trusting in Jesus. Don't worry about these extra little things I am doing."


Many of us old timers on FR have tried to deal with many of them over the years who have come off sounding as you have: "I'm ok because I am trusting in Jesus. Don't worry about these extra little things I am doing."


Us old fogeys will accept that, but will remind you that we are re-hashing centuries old concepts here and not just teaching little kids about Noah, and Samson, David and Jonah.

259 posted on 06/24/2018 4:18:16 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: editor-surveyor
Man made ‘traditions’ such as Christmas, lent, and Easter are completely repugnant to Yehova.

Oh?

260 posted on 06/24/2018 4:19:07 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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