Protestant teachings can be hard to follow

[Paladin D]

For those who don't know, I grew up in an AoG/Pentecostal atmosphere. Baptized Catholic, but raised differently. One particular thing that discouraged me to excell in my walk to be Christ-like, was the confusion of the various Protestant teachings. I'm not refering to those that contradict other denominations or sects, I'm talking about specifically when a preacher describes how certain things happen.

For example, preachers would describe about making covenants, spiritual wells (as in a water well), how your lineage effects you spiritually, and etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc! I can't name them all or even define them... but have any of you watched a preacher describe a process or just [b]something[/b] in a way as if it was set doctrine? I always wondered how they came to these conclusions or where they came from. I'm having such a difficult time describing my thoughts right now, so bare with me.

But what makes it easier to be a Catholic, is the fact that I know where these teachings come from, and I can get detailed answers to different issues and things. While when I was living as a Protestant, there was no definite source or "glossary" so to speak as to all the teachings and termology that these preachers were using. I'm not sure if you understand my post, because I smell of elderberries.

[Gal. 5:22,23]

You're right. There's not a lot of agreement, even on major issues. I believe that is one reason why the mainline Protestant denominations are falling out of favor. The megachurches, for the most part, are non-denominational. I belonged to a church for ten years that now has 25,000 members. I will say, however, that my former church and the large church that I have been attending since our move are both very conservative. They have no problem talking about abortion, homosexuality, divorce, etc. People seem to find that refreshing after all the gobly gook they have gotten from liberal churches.

[littleflower+JMJ]

[quote name='Gal. 5:22,23' date='Dec 1 2004, 06:55 PM'] You're right. There's not a lot of agreement, even on major issues. I believe that is one reason why the mainline Protestant denominations are falling out of favor. The megachurches, for the most part, are non-denominational. I belonged to a church for ten years that now has 25,000 members. I will say, however, that my former church and the large church that I have been attending since our move are both very conservative. They have no problem talking about abortion, homosexuality, divorce, etc. People seem to find that refreshing after all the gobly gook they have gotten from liberal churches. [/quote]
justwanted to say welcome! to Gal

[Dreamweaver]

[quote name='Gal. 5:22,23' date='Dec 1 2004, 06:55 PM'] I belonged to a church for ten years that now has 25,000 members. [/quote]
Oh wow, that is larger than many of the towns in my state!

Many protestant churches adopt a "prayfully ask God to guide you in your decision" attitude. Quite sad when it is used for bigger matters, especially with morals. People need set rules sometimes, a yes "this is right, this is wrong" kind of thing. The Ten Commandments come to mind. Another funny thing to do. Find a copy of Luther's catechism (I've only seen his Small Catechism, and I have no idea if there's a more consicse "unabridged" catechism), and place it next to a Catholic catechism. And what I rememer of Luther's catechism is he basically summarized what God meant in the Ten Commandments and in the Creeds.

[Brother Adam]

Yes, it is the "Large Catechism" on the Lord's Supper, Baptism, and so on.

[burnsspivey]

I grew up in the independant baptist church. They are rightest of the right (heh, that has double meaning for them). Prostestants generally believe that their rules come straight from the bible. If a preacher says that something is sinful he will generally back it up with scripture.

[mulls]

[quote name='Paladin D' date='Dec 1 2004, 07:30 PM'] For those who don't know, I grew up in an AoG/Pentecostal atmosphere. Baptized Catholic, but raised differently. One particular thing that discouraged me to excell in my walk to be Christ-like, was the confusion of the various Protestant teachings. I'm not refering to those that contradict other denominations or sects, I'm talking about specifically when a preacher describes how certain things happen.

For example, preachers would describe about making covenants, spiritual wells (as in a water well), how your lineage effects you spiritually, and etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc! I can't name them all or even define them... but have any of you watched a preacher describe a process or just [b]something[/b] in a way as if it was set doctrine? I always wondered how they came to these conclusions or where they came from. I'm having such a difficult time describing my thoughts right now, so bare with me.

But what makes it easier to be a Catholic, is the fact that I know where these teachings come from, and I can get detailed answers to different issues and things. While when I was living as a Protestant, there was no definite source or "glossary" so to speak as to all the teachings and termology that these preachers were using. I'm not sure if you understand my post, because I smell of elderberries. [/quote]


a good preacher should tell you not to ever take anything he says as truth just because he said it....be a Berean and search the scriptures for yourself to make sure they are true.

i know what you're saying though, there's some shady cats out there, as in any situation. but sometimes you just gotta dig a little harder on your own to make sense of it.

[MagiDragon]

[quote name='mulls' date='Dec 2 2004, 09:43 PM'] a good preacher should tell you not to ever take anything he says as truth just because he said it.... [/quote]
yeah, otherwise they run into the 2 Peter 1:20 conundrum: No prophecy of scripture is open to personal interpretation. I love this passage! It singlehandedly implies Apostolic Succession!

Peace,
Joe

[noncatholicname]

[quote name='MagiDragon' date='Dec 2 2004, 10:10 PM'] yeah, otherwise they run into the 2 Peter 1:20 conundrum: No prophecy of scripture is open to personal interpretation. I love this passage! It singlehandedly implies Apostolic Succession!

Peace,
Joe [/quote]
No it doesn't...

The bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit will witness for us to the truth. Therefore, for those who walk in faith, there is not personal interpretation.

The bible also says to walk with the wise, but a lot of people don't, do they?

[jasJis]

In the Bible, we are told that God will provide Teachers within the Church. Does a Teacher really just share opinion, or teach Truth? If a Church says it doesn't have Teachers but we are all teachers ourselves, isn't that going against the Bible?

[AngelofJesus]

[quote name='noncatholicname' date='Dec 2 2004, 08:53 PM'] No it doesn't...

The bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit will witness for us to the truth. Therefore, for those who walk in faith, there is not personal interpretation.

The bible also says to walk with the wise, but a lot of people don't, do they? [/quote]
There is fallibility in interpretation even if you walk in the faith. Otherwise, all protestant churches would agree with each other.

[mark3200]

As usual, I find myself agreeing pretty much 100% with PaladinD. I can go into detail, if asked, but I eventually came to Catholicism because the doctrines make sense scripturally and logically. The logical part was big for me. I felt as if, while I was searching, there wasn't a whole lot of reasoning behind some of the answers I received at the time.

It came down to the Eucharist, Apostolic Succession, Authority of the Church and the Blessed Mother. Once the Holy Spirit convcted me on those items, I was hooked.

I thought that when Jesus looked at Peter and renamed him The Rock and said, "upon this Rock I will build my church" and "I give you the keys to heaven - whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven" (loose quote of Matt 16:18-19; interestingly enough, it's that same passage that I refer to when I inform people that the crisis in the Church will eventually go away: "upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not stand against it" that's pretty unequivocable). Anyhow, that's where (I thought) Apostolic Succession comes from. Check it out - articles 869 and 870 of the Catechism are the summaries of that particular issue.