[xzins]

So if a Protestant gets on his knee to ask his girlfriend to marry him, he must actually be worshiping her because he’s kneeling in front of her, proclaiming his love, his fidelity and so on, right?

That...or get a very cold shoulder for a while. :>)

But you do see the issue of 'appearance' even in your jest. So, we non-Catholics (don't the Orthodox claim to be 'Catholic'?....in any case, we're not all out of protestant churches...some of us came about after the reformation. My own, some 200 years later, and then again 200 years after that.)

[xzins]

I should finish that sentence...”So, we non-Catholics...”

So, we non-Catholics are from a different ‘culture’, and should be granted the kindness of proper translation into our language.

[vladimir998]

“But you do see the issue of ‘appearance’ even in your jest.”

No, I don’t. That was the point. It is not about “appearance”. It is about Protestant ignorance. As I have said before, when a Protestant is open to learning the truth he or she usually gets over their ignorance even though the “appearance” doesn’t. Protestant ignorance can be fixed. A misunderstanding over appearance doesn’t mean the appearance needs to be fixed. It means the ignorance needs to be.

“So, we non-Catholics (don’t the Orthodox claim to be ‘Catholic’?”

Are they? First, you say it is about appearance. Now you say it is about what someone claims. Truth then - the actual truth - seems to have no role to play in your post. It’s all just “appearances” and “claims”.

“....in any case, we’re not all out of protestant churches...some of us came about after the reformation.”

If you believe in Protestant doctrines, you’re a Protestant. It doesn’t matter whether your sect was founded in 1520 or 1920 or last week. It’s Protestant if it is based on Protestant doctrines.

“My own, some 200 years later, and then again 200 years after that.)”

Johnny-come-lately Protestants are still Protestants. Truth is still truth.