LOL! I'm going to admit that sometimes I have a rather unique style of trying to explain things. How's that? I'm not sure that other Catholics would choose to explain it that way, but from an "insider's perspective", if you sort through the "rules" and "regulations" that's basicly what it boils down to.
when you admit we protestants are like 'prodigal children' there has to be a reason.
Well, "Mother Church" is catholic (universal), and all Christians are her children. It's just that some "children" have erred along the way, some worse than others. I don't know that there is an exact "pecking" order as far as who has erred worse than others. Let's just say that it is generally recognized (even by Protestants) that Lutherans, Anglicans and Episcopalians are among the Protestant denominations closest to Catholicism. I'll take a wild guess that some of the tiny, independent fundamentalist denominations (such as those who polka with rattlesnakes) are considered quite a bit more errant in their beliefs.
I know it may sound arrogant and condescending to many,
but it's more an attitude of absolute confidence in authority.
From a purely historical perspective, the Catholic Church was the original, everybody else branched out in one direction or another at some point in time. Despite that, the Church still considers itself the one and only. Mend your ways, and welcome back into the fold!
I'm not sure many Christians would choose to explain or think of the Trinity as I do... by looking at Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation. ;-)
It's just that some "children" have erred along the way, some worse than others....Let's just say that it is generally recognized (even by Protestants) that Lutherans, Anglicans and Episcopalians are among the Protestant denominations closest to Catholicism.
OK but to come up with this statement someone has to do some comparative study, don't they? It just seems impossible to me to avoid looking at the flaws in another religion or faction/denomination when determining what you yourself believe.