Catholics printed Bibles and made translations as well. I agree that the Reformation had more to do with the new bourgeois society with all its elements, than with the Christian patrimony. I would go further and say that Protestantism is better suited for the modern world, with its secularism, individualism, and democracy. But that should condemn Protestantism as inauthentic by the same token.
The decentralization of Christian instruction, most evident in the printing press and translated Bibles, is not an inadulterated good. This also lead to the loss of common precise theological language, and gross inaccuracies in translations that persist to this day.
If you would care to deny that the gifts of the Spirit are present in all of Protestantism, or even in the main of her factions- If you feel you can question the fruits of her labors, her witness for Christ, and her faithful spreading of the Gospel, then you might have standing to question her legitimacy.
Of course I deny it. The gifts of the Spirit, to the extent that they are present in individual Protestants, -- of whom I know and admire many,-- are in them to the extent that they remain in part orthodox Catholic. The Reform movement as a whole has done nothing but damage to Christianity, it subverted the message of the Gospel, mangled the Holy Scripture, and continues to drift away from authenticity. The abominations such as celebrations of gay "marriage", prosperity "gospel", indifference to contraception and often even cohabitation and abortion, servility to the democratic process no matter where it leads, -- are all evil fruit of Luther and his followers.
"Should" is a bit absolute. I would accept might, could, or can, but 'should" condemns all Protestants or at least their Orders (denominations), which is an absurdity.
The decentralization of Christian instruction, most evident in the printing press and translated Bibles, is not an inadulterated good.
Granted, but it is arguably and overwhelmingly good. One could argue that the RCC had injected too may 'rites of men' into the purity of the Word by way of their traditions.
To borrow an adage or two from the computing community (as the adage fits so perfectly), Perhaps our Lord saw the inherent problems that come with cathedrals and controlled compilations, and chose the bazaar- God went open-source- For good or bad (I would say good), it has forever changed the layout of the field.
This also lead to the loss of common precise theological language, and gross inaccuracies in translations that persist to this day.
That would be true, but it has also preserved the Truth in a way that can never be extinguished.
Of course I deny it.
Then it is obvious to me that you have little experience to bolster your opinion, or bias has blinded you to the truth. The Ghost is most certainly present, and His blessings are bestowed upon the Protestant churches. One could suggest that the Spirit is more evident therein, particularly within fundamental and charismatic evangelical churches. At least, that has been my experience.
The Reform movement as a whole has done nothing but damage to Christianity, it subverted the message of the Gospel,[...]
Nonsense.
[...] mangled the Holy Scripture,[...]
More nonsense.
[...] and continues to drift away from authenticity.
A ridiculous assertion.
The abominations such as celebrations of gay "marriage", prosperity "gospel", indifference to contraception and often even cohabitation and abortion, servility to the democratic process no matter where it leads, -- are all evil fruit of Luther and his followers.
Bah! Best look to the board in your own eye... One can just as easily accuse liberal leaning RCC, who say one thing an do quite the other. One may also build quite the historical case for abominations performed in the name of God and the seat of Rome. MANY heresies (rightly named by the RCC, to be fair) have come from within the RCC sphere.
Need I remind you that in all of Christendom, it was the Roman Catholic nations of Europe that fell first to apostasy, socialism and liberalism, not the Protestant nations.
The only difference between this era and the past is the Open Source Bible and the bare fact that Rome no longer can exert her powers and preference by way of empire.
Such a false sense of piety is tiresome to me.
Your most sturdy allies in the fight against Satan are the Evangelical Protestants and the Orthodox (and Messianic) Jews. Those same, as I am certain you will admit, are also the most knowledgeable in Scripture and history, and their arguments against the RCC are often valid, even by your (collectively) own admission. Their reverence toward translation of the Scriptures is equal to your own.
To ascribe all the ills of this world to Luther and the Reformation is an insult to good sense, is inflammatory, and simply is not true.