THE PROTESTANT’S DILEMMA BY DEVIN ROSE: A REVIEW

Just a writer, who refuses to typecast his blog by giving it a title ^ | March 18, 2014 | Scott Eric Alt

[rwa265]

If a Protes­tant look­ing into the claims of Catholi­cism were to ask me, “What one book should I read, where I can find a quick answer to any ques­tion I have?” I would tell him to read Devin Rose’s new book The Protestant’s Dilemma. I would also rec­om­mend this book to Protes­tant apol­o­gists, even those of many years, well-skilled in polemics. It will remind them of the heavy bur­den of proof they face, and the weak­ness of their posi­tion on point after point. The truth may set them free and bring them home too. (It has happened.)

All this may seem like over­state­ment — the oblig­a­tory praise from one Catholic blog­ger to another. But it is not.

Con­sider first the range of issues this book takes up. There are thirty-six chap­ters, each one on a dif­fer­ent topic, from the papacy to sola scrip­tura, from the canon of the Bible to Pur­ga­tory, from con­fes­sion to Eucharist to infant bap­tism. If some­thing about the Catholic Church trou­bles you, this book has the answer. If you think you have found the point on which Catholi­cism fails, this book will show you why it is one more point upon which Protes­tantism fails.

Con­sider also the brevity. The book is just over 200 pages long, which means that Mr. Rose’s answers get to the root of the ques­tion with­out a knot of aca­d­e­mic detail. It is harder to do than it might seem. This is the book of a man who has spent a long time study­ing the ques­tions that divide Protes­tants and Catholics, and who knows how to present his case in a way that is easy for any­one to under­stand. At the same time, the book is use­ful for the pro­fes­sional apol­o­gist, for it recalls his mind to the basics.

[daniel1212]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_views_on_slavery#Christian_abolitionism

[RegulatorCountry]

Rhode Island and Pennsylvania codified freedom of worship in the colonial era, NC and GA had it as a practical effect of spotty governance over religious matters verging upon neglect. The remainder were not kind to dissenters, even Maryland which had the Tolerance Act early on but lapsed into factionalism. Ben Franklin would appear to have been engaging in Chamber Of Commerce style promotion and heavily idealizing the actual truth of the situation. Was it better than the interminable wars of the Continent and the wild whipsawing back and forth of England, from Catholic to Anglican to Catholic to Anglican to crypto-Catholic to Parliamentarian, round and round? Yes, it was a haven by comparison. But, let’s not get carried away.

[daniel1212]

If you post something in Latin, then the tradition MUST be sent from GOD.

!

Similar to the special anointing upon Italians (217 popes from Italy, versus 16 from France, 15 Greeks...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Popes_by_nationality). .

[daniel1212]

11:9 Any prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit does not eat it; if he does, he is indeed a false prophet.

What the heck kind of nonsense is THAT? Why would someone waste food to order a meal and then not eat it? And eating it makes him a false prophet? What garbage.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:19-21)

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:2-4)

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. (Titus 1:14)

[daniel1212]

When I searched for why a prophet cannot eat a meal he ordered all I could find was this: http://www.ghazali.org/ihya/english/ihya-vol3-C3.htm

Al-Ghazali as a Muslim theologian, jurist, philosopher, and mystic of Persian descent. Al-Ghazali has sometimes been referred to by historians as the single most influential Muslim after the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Within Islam he is considered to be a Mujaddid or renewer of the faith, who, according to tradition, appears once every century to restore the faith of the community. His works were so highly acclaimed by his contemporaries that al-Ghazali was awarded the honorific title "Proof of Islam" (Hujjat al-Islam). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ghazali

There are four stages regarding the time of meal. The people of the highest stage take meal once in every three days or more.

The lowest duty after meal is to pray four rak'ats or to recite one hundred Tasbih or a portion of the Quran. [Tasbih involves the repetitive utterances of short sentences glorifying the false god Allah. "To keep track of counting either the phalanges of the right hand or a misbaha is used. The misbaha is similar to the prayer rope of the Eastern Church and the rosary in the Roman Catholic Church." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasbih

Give full food to the belly of a Negro slave and exact from him hard work.

Jesus christ once kept fast consequitively for two months and began to converse secretly with his Lord. When he remembered to take his meal, the secret conversation stopped and he found his meal placed before him. He began to weep when his secret conversation was suddenly closed. It is said that Moses gained the power of secretly talking with God when he was in fast of consequitive forty days.

One of these sages, while passing by a Christian monk, invited him to accept Islam and to give up self conceit. There were much arguments between them over this matter. The monk said to him at last: Jesus Christ fasted forty consequitive days. This is a m trade indeed. Had he not been a Prophet, he could not have done so. The sage said to him: If I can fast for consequitive fifty days, will you accept Islam? The monk said: I shall accept Islam in that case. Thereafter the sage fasted for consequitive fifty days at a stretch. The sage said: I can fast ten days more. He then continued his fast for ten days more.

Thus that would until he met a Prahlad Jani, who claims that he did not speak for a period of 45 years, nor has eaten or drank for 70 years, but has gained his sustenance from the [invisible] nectar that filters down through a hole in his palate.

[daniel1212]

You mean Founders never were moved by considerations of perception in saying things like, “ like “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen Muslims..” - Treaty of Tripoli

[verga]

Matthew 7:6

[RegulatorCountry]

Establishment of a national Church was expressly forbidden. That was left to the Several States. Take care when attempting to understand statements pertaining to the character of the national government at that time, it was severely limited, intentionally. It made no law regarding an establishment of religion. The States comprising the polity were in some senses more powerful, particularly in regard to religious matters which fell under division of powers reserved unto The People or the States. Speaking of The People was one thing as far as Christianity, speaking of a State or States was another, but the actual legal structure and foundation of the national government was not a religious one. The error of the modern era is in assuming that this meant hostility toward religion. It was not hostile.

[verga]

What protestant defined the Trinity, What protestant defined the incarnation?

Which protestants were present for the formulating of the apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, or the Athanasian Creed?

Which protestants were present at the Councils of Rome, Hippo, or Carthage ordering the canon of the New Testament?

That is right they were still 100 years or so in the future.

[LurkingSince'98]

I have NO financial interest I am just providing a link (actually a link that does not work) to where you could purchase it if me were so inclined.

[verga]

The link worked for me.

[Iscool]

Is anything I say going to change your mind or heart? That is a serious legitimate question. Dozens perhaps hundreds of refutations of your palaver have been posted over the years yet you keep posting the same lies over and over. So Seriously will anything I or any other Catholic post going to make you change your mind or heart?

This has nothing to do with me changing my mind...It has to do with you making a claim that requires proof for your claim to be legitimate...You fail to provide the proof of your claim...Presumably because you can't...

[Iscool]

No other way to look at it...

[Iscool]

Matthew 7:6

LoLoL...You're a little short on pearls...All you have is cultured pearls...

[Iscool]

What protestant defined the Trinity, What protestant defined the incarnation?

His name was Paul...

[Elsie]

What an excellent presentation of the history of the Bible.

Only the ENGLISH language portion of it's history.

---

What gets me is the KJV only crowd.

How do they respond to someone from Spain?

Or Germany?

Or France or China or Russia?

[Elsie]

so basically you are saying that you, Elsie, cannot help anyone to achieve salvation.

I AM?

Who knew!!!

[Elsie]

Pope Stephen VI selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

Pope John XII  selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

Pope Benedict IX selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

Pope Boniface VIII selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

Pope Urban VI selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

Pope Alexander VI selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

Pope Leo X  selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

Pope Clement VII  selected by an elite group of Catholics For the Greater Glory of God.

 

[Elsie]

Everything that is good and true about God has come from the Catholic Church.

EVERYTHING?

Arrogance seems to have NO boundary.

[Elsie]

I doubt that knees have ANYTHING to do with it.