For people who are strong in their non-Catholic Chrisitan faiths, they have probably been strongly indocrinated into the "Catholics are evil" way of thinking (and I don't mean "evil" literally). In order for that to change, openess to Catholicism, followed by the reading of many books, talking to people, and a great deal of time thinking, is needed.
Pointing out how Catholicism, particularly the Mass, is entirely rooted in the Bible (which is not what non-Catholics are told); pointing out the passages which stress Sacred Tradition, in contradiction to Sola Scriptura; attempting to explain the role of the Blessed Virgin in our lives; etc. will probably not change anyone's minds. There is such a huge putdown of Catholics by Protestant ministers (which I've witnessed first hand on several occasions) that's it tough to overcome that.
Then again, it may well be the start down that path; one never knows. I'm not saying don't try to explain/defend - just don't expect any immediate miracles.
Actually, I think this is false.
I was raised in a Reformed church, and we honestly never discussed Roman Catholicism in church school.
If I wasn't married to a Catholic, I wouldn't give it a second thought.
I was very surprised to learn, through my wife, that many Catholics are laboring under the misapprehension that Protestants are constantly, obsessively thinking and talking about the Roman Church.
With the exception of supposed "former Catholics" (who are obsessed with Roman Catholicism), nothing could be further from the truth.
If anything, we don't think about it enough. The Protestant walk with Jesus is fairly self-contained.
I thought that too, till I started receiving Freepmail that proved otherwise. Two facts emerged from my private correspondences here (mainly as a result of one thread I posted) as well as many posts on Freeper War threads.
1) Freeper apologetics WORK. 2)Vicious Anti-Catholic remarks are driving folks to home to Rome, not away from it. Decent folks recognize the uncharitable spirit of these comments, and the ultimate source of such uncharity, despite the fact that scriptural proof texts are used. To use scripture to spread deceit is the ultimate act of uncharity.
Does anyone have conversion statistics?
How many convert to catholicism, and from what religion?
How many repent of catholicism, and to which faith do they go?
Your apologetics are not intended to convert those whose hearts and minds are closed (although, by the Grace of God it does indeed happen).
Also gotta ask yourselves; How many people do you drive AWAY from the catholic church with your apologetics? How many solidify their views (against catholicism) based on what they read in the FReeper war posts?
I've read through 500+ posts if the topic is of interest, and I'm learning.
It took me a long time to find a church "home" because of sutff like that. Whenever I heard the minister start into a diatribe about nearly anything - dancing, drinking, any other church - I quit going, because I cannot conceive of a God that isn't satisfied with a person who lives his life true to his faith.
I remember walking out of one Baptist service because the fundamental minister was in the middle of a three-hour roll about a petition that was drawn up to allow liquor by-the-drink to be served in the little town I then lived in.
I eventually became an Anglican Catholic (Episcopal, the "daughter" of the Church of England), and have yet to regret the decision.
In fact, may I point out that Scott Hahn did nothing to keep me in the Catholic Church in the long run? Sure, it was great to see/hear him speak, along with Steve Wood, and others. I appreciate their pro-life work, along with HLI. We still have a lot of stuff by Hahn and Wood. Finally.......someone who could preach something other than the love-everybody pap we were getting in our local Catholic Church. :(
In the end, however, regardless of how charming the speakers were, regardless of how they seemed to know the subject matter, I still grew to disbelieve. I just cannot believe dogmas created from obscure passages of scripure.
We practically had a Catholic library, attended Mass daily ("Is he following the rubrics? Is this mass valid?" sigh), said the rosary, loved my Mary statues ("Isn't "she" beautiful?"), homeschooled with Seton one year.........
I just don't believe that the Catholic Church is the one true church. If the Catholic Church is the one true church that never changes, Vatican II certainly changed it. According to VII, people of goodwill who do not know the Lord "may" be saved, but anyone who knows the truth, but rejects it (me?), may not be saved. This is certainly a change from previous councils. At one time, no one outside the church could be saved. Then, we had the "lifeboat" theory. I know. I know....."understanding" grew. Well, the councils were not silent while "understanding" grew. They made some pretty clear declarations on "who" was anathema and who wasn't. Frankly, there have been other "changes" in the unchanging church as well.....but hints of universalism was a biggie, in my book. And if the church post Vatican II isn't the one true church, where is it?
And no, that's not the reason we left. The universalism thing is only a minor blip on the screen. I simply couldn't figure out why any Jew would have wanted to change one system for another. Where was the "gospel", the "good news?" Frankly, I would have found it easier simply to remain a Jew, than to commit to what the "true church" had become. If one really believes in pergatory, and really believes in indulgences, one can certainly become entrapped in a system of getting time off for kissing one's bible, saying the rosary, etc., etc. And if that stuff really "works", one would be a fool not to avail oneself of every indulgence available. Of course, I never believed to that point. I know many who did, however.
I write with no anomosity. I hope you are not reading sarcasm into my message. There is none.
I'm sorry to have to disagree with you. But Oh Really?? He was virulently anti-Catholic? Do you know what he did that was so virulently anti-catholic? Did he write books denouncing the Catholic Church? Preach sermons against Catholic beliefs, target Catholics for evangelism? Or was he simply a protestant who thought Catholics were wrong (and threw away his grandma's rosery after she died). I've heard of Scott Hahn and frankly I think he is full of hot air. I think that he describes himself as having been anti-catholic in order to sale tapes.
There is a RC apologist that I do respect and that is Father Mitch Pacwa (spelling?). If someone wanted to study the RC position, I would recommend him.
For people who are strong in their non-Catholic Chrisitan faiths, they have probably been strongly indocrinated into the "Catholics are evil" way of thinking (and I don't mean "evil" literally).
I think that the average protestant does not think about catholics at all, or thinks of them as just another denomination.
This "NON-catholic" has been told nothing.. what I know is from both from experience and reading. And BTW..sin is 'rooted' in the Bible as well.
Apparently you missed the part of Vatican II that said that Protestants cannot be saved (though pagans can; they're invincibly ignorant) unless they acknowledge the Pope's authority. And WE'RE putting YOU down?
The discussions become factual in that they relate to what is, and is not, in the Bible. The resulting discoveries can hurt.
Show me these things in the Bible, none of your little friends seem to be able to.