Happy to oblige.
They can come to conclusions so unrelated to the topic at hand that it really leaves one wondering what pathways of thought are being used.
Simple reasoning would indicate that the entire Bread of Life discourse was not metaphorical, and certainly not Christ's use of the word spirit which is a real phenomenon. Unfortunately for the protestant they have to treat it as metaphorical (a recent and novel invention) in order to deny the Eucharist, the sacredotal priesthood and the Catholic Church as the Church instituted by Christ.
Furthermore, the protestant understanding of flesh in John 6:64 doesn't apply to Christ as he was referring to human flesh, specifically human understanding of the miracle of the Eucharist, but since the protestant understanding of this scriptural passage borders on monophysitistic it's easy to understand how they arrive at their error which naturally would apply to the Crucifixion if they were to follow it to it's logical conclusion.
It's small wonder that Catholics believe that they cannot understand Scripture without someone telling them what it means.
Why wonder? It's scriptural: Acts 8:27
If what I see here on FR is an example of how Catholics interpret Scripture, they probably really are better off letting someone else do it for them.
So sorry that Catholic understanding of Sacred Scripture doesn't rise to the proper level of protestant "intellectual" discourse.
And lest I be accused of not answering the question, no, that is not my position. My position is that eating a piece of wheat bread that someone claims is Jesus' body does not impart spiritual life because spiritual life comes from the Spirit, as Jesus said.
Which was the claim of Jesus when he said This is My Body. But let me ask you a question, let us assume, for a moment that you agreed that it was Jesus. Would you agree that we have a duty, an obligation, a divine command to receive him?
There is not any Scripture that supports that nor is there any mention of the word *eucharist* in the Bible.
Neither is the word Trinity, so on some fundamental level you have to accept doctrinal development, which, inevitably leads to an authority on Earth to make such determinations.
If I thought that's how Jesus entered into me, yes, I would feel an obligation to eat him.
But Christ dwells in our hearts THROUGH FAITH.
Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Neither is the word Trinity, so on some fundamental level you have to accept doctrinal development, which, inevitably leads to an authority on Earth to make such determinations.
Two words....
sola Scriptura