WHY I COULD NEVER CHOOSE TO BE A PROTESTANT. (one stupid thread title is as good as another)

[amadeus]

It's not an article but a network of converts to Catholicism helping clergy and laity of other Christian traditions discover the truth and beauty of the Catholic Church. It is not a threat to anyone's faith.
The Coming Home Network - Discover Catholicism, Come Home

Still nothing new. You are not the first Catholic to present such things on Internet forums where I have been and in the past I have followed similar links to see why people "returned". I am not following yours.

What is happening in this world is an ongoing and perhaps worsening tragedy and I am not speaking of Catholicism alone. I am speaking of what men are doing and failing to do in spite of what God has provided for them through His Son. Getting into or out of Catholicism is not the solution nor the problem... Same thing applies within or for any other organized church where Jesus is not always put first by the individual. The problems were not solved by the Catholic Church during that first 1500 years they were seemingly the only organized church any more than they were solved by the Protestant churches during the following 500 years. The solution was always there for those that walked the right Way.

Men had the same problems long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem and long before there was a pope in Rome and they continued from the time of Martin Luther up to the present day. Men have always wanted to work it out for themselves and ignore God. They often named God as their goal but only really wanted a god who fit into their little box, their own definition of what God should be.

Jesus changed the possibilities, but he did not change any man who did not choose to be changed. Men remain in the same place even though God has provided a solution which only few really interesting in taking hold of... in spite of their protests. Notice that in this the protests don't come from on the Protestants. People who call themselves Christians still want to walk along man's superficially easy way: Join this church and it will all be OK as if that were the final and complete answer.

The easy Way really is here:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30

If a person does not go to Jesus, it really doesn't matter at all whether or not he faithfully attends any of those churches: Catholic, Protestant or other...

 

[Triumph1300]

I could just as easy find a couple of websites about people who returned to jehovah's witnesses, mormons, or whatever else is out there.

 

[amadeus]

I could just as easy find a couple of websites about people who returned to jehovah's witnesses, mormons, or whatever else is out there.

Even so! If a person does not return to Jesus, does it matter what other connection he has with any particular group even if that had the very best possible set of doctrines?

 

[Triumph1300]

True, that would make no difference.

 

[pia]

Patient Mary

Mary....I am really not interested in doing this never ending dance with you around the same old mountain...If you cannot perceive how you come across to us here on the forum, you should ask the Lord to show you....Then perhaps get back to all of us...

 

[epostle1]

000000

Still nothing new. You are not the first Catholic to present such things on Internet forums where I have been and in the past I have followed similar links to see why people "returned". I am not following yours.

What is happening in this world is an ongoing and perhaps worsening tragedy and I am not speaking of Catholicism alone. I am speaking of what men are doing and failing to do in spite of what God has provided for them through His Son. Getting into or out of Catholicism is not the solution nor the problem... Same thing applies within or for any other organized church where Jesus is not always put first by the individual. The problems were not solved by the Catholic Church during that first 1500 years they were seemingly the only organized church any more than they were solved by the Protestant churches during the following 500 years. The solution was always there for those that walked the right Way.

The Church does not create problems, problems are created by those who fail to live by the Church's teachings. That includes, at times, church leaders.

Men had the same problems long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem and long before there was a pope in Rome and they continued from the time of Martin Luther up to the present day. Men have always wanted to work it out for themselves and ignore God. They often named God as their goal but only really wanted a god who fit into their little box, their own definition of what God should be.

Regardless, truth is absolute, it is not based on relativity.

Jesus changed the possibilities, but he did not change any man who did not choose to be changed. Men remain in the same place even though God has provided a solution which only few really interesting in taking hold of... in spite of their protests. Notice that in this the protests don't come from on the Protestants. People who call themselves Christians still want to walk along man's superficially easy way: Join this church and it will all be OK as if that were the final and complete answer.

You have to be called to "join His Church".

The easy Way really is here:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30

If a person does not go to Jesus, it really doesn't matter at all whether or not he faithfully attends any of those churches: Catholic, Protestant or other...

God founded a Church with clear instructions: To teach about Jesus and save souls. You don't seem to have any need to follow His design, so what you have is your own.

 

[Marymog]

We all certainly should be careful about saying someone twists scripture. To me it has the sound of someone who is purposely changing things to agree with what he already believes or what he wants to believe, etc.
I may miss the mark sometimes, but it is simply my missing... never my twisting. I read and I study and I pray. I always talk to God when I am doing those things [reading, studying, praying] and listen for what God has to say to my heart. You may not believe it is God talking to me, but I can say with certainty that I definitely am not purposely twisting anything to suit myself or to fit my own established doctrines or those of any church group.
As I say, some of my beliefs may be in error and for some questions I may have either no answers or I am very unsure of the answer I do have. What I believe in this regard is that if I am following the lead of the Holy Spirit, I will have the answer I need when God determines that I need it.
Again, I know you disagree, but your disagreement likely comes from ideas you have received from some man or men or a church or churches. I listen to a lot of them too, but the Holy Spirit in me will sift through it all for what is truth and what is not... Again as I said before sometimes I have quenched the Holy Spirit and so my result is in error, but who have you know other than Jesus who has not at times quenched the Holy Spirit?
One day perhaps when you are really in prayer God will help you gain better control of your tongue and your keyboard when they are directed at others with whom you disagree. It really is an essential as I see it and I believe as God sees it...
"For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." James 3:7-10

Oh goodness Amadeus,

Let me see if I got this right??? If I disagree with you my ideas for that disagreement "likely comes from ideas I have received from some man or men or a church or churches". HOWEVER with you the Holy Spirit in you will sift through it all for what is truth and what is not? Hmmmm.....Are you saying the Holy Spirit doesn't help Marymog sift through it all for the Truth?

You rely on the Holy Spirit to give YOU the truth. I rely on the Holy Spirit to give The Church the truth. Why does your truth invalidate my Truth???

You have admitted that you "may miss the mark sometimes". Soooooo....how do you know when you have "missed the mark"? Do you tell yourself when you have missed the mark or does someone else let you know?

You think I should 'gain better control of my tongue and my keyboard when they are directed at others with whom I disagree'? Wow.....Somebody doesn't like being challenged....Do they? Or maybe you can give me an example of when I lost control of my keyboard and tongue?

I know, I know... some on this site will come to your defense because the questions I ask are allegedly "attacks". They love you like I do I suspect. Do you feel like I am attacking you Amadeus???

Curios Mary

 

[Marymog]

Mary....I am really not interested in doing this never ending dance with you around the same old mountain...If you cannot perceive how you come across to us here on the forum, you should ask the Lord to show you....Then perhaps get back to all of us...

Thank you Pia.

I guess I could start name calling like BOL and some of the others on this forum that have called me names and derided me. I never saw you come to MY defense when they did that but you defend Amadeus for an alleged attack by me that you have provided no evidence of???

I can't perceive how I come across on this forum because when I ask you for evidence you failed to give me any. Until you provide that evidence you have made a false accusation against me.

Mary

 

[Triumph1300]

I guess I am wasting my time here...

Lol, I can't resist:

Finally something I can agree with, Marymog.
Well said.

 

[Marymog]

Lol, I can't resist:

Finally something I can agree with, Marymog.
Well said.

Hi Triumph,

Wow....thank you for partially quoting me (which you have a habit of doing) and showing your dishonesty. Here is what I said IN CONTEXT: Of course if you ALSO believe that twisted version then I guess I am wasting my time here...

I find it funny that you twisted what I said by quoting only 8 words from a 18 word sentence. You cut out over 50% of what I wrote just so you could ridicule me? Make fun of me? Poke me in my eye? Gain a like from others on this forum?

Why did you do that Triumph???

I would like to get back to the subject at hand. Truce?

Curious Mary

 

[Triumph1300]

Lol, the other 50% was not worth posting.
Just like you do a lot with scriptures. ;-)

Make fun of me? Poke me in my eye?

No, I would never make fun of you or poke you in the eye.
That would be a horrible thing to do, Mary.

 

[Triumph1300]

Anyhow.......next time I reply to MaryMog, somebody out there.....PLEASE hit me with a 2x4!!!

 

[amadeus]

000000
The Church does not create problems, problems are created by those who fail to live by the Church's teachings. That includes, at times, church leaders.

Until a person, [including a person who is a church leader], is an overcomer he does create problems, be he Catholic or Protestant or other. Anyone who does not overcome cannot eat of the Tree of Life and what kind of a future does such a dead man have?

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Regardless, truth is absolute, it is not based on relativity.

Yes, truth is absolute which is why no man without God's help is able to see the truth. Most believers are with the apostle Paul in still seeing as though a glass darkly... but the vision of someone being led by God is improving as he walks the highway of holiness.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish:.." Prov 29:18

God founded a Church with clear instructions: To teach about Jesus and save souls. You don't seem to have any need to follow His design, so what you have is your own.

The clear instructions are heard by those who are His sheep:

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:4-5

Who are His sheep?

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" John 10:27

 

[amadeus]

Oh goodness Amadeus,

Let me see if I got this right??? If I disagree with you my ideas for that disagreement "likely comes from ideas I have received from some man or men or a church or churches". HOWEVER with you the Holy Spirit in you will sift through it all for what is truth and what is not? Hmmmm.....Are you saying the Holy Spirit doesn't help Marymog sift through it all for the Truth?

The Holy Spirit will help anyone sift through it all, but if a person really has the Holy Spirit in him, he cannot lead the Spirit or block the Spirit and expect to arrive where God wants him to arrive.

You rely on the Holy Spirit to give YOU the truth. I rely on the Holy Spirit to give The Church the truth. Why does your truth invalidate my Truth???

God's truth will not invalidate God's truth. It is apparent to me that you do not understand much of what I have posted.

You are blocked by your unwillingness to seek God's truth from Him directly. As each one of us approaches Him we will also approach one another. This comes to us by continuing to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Unfortunately if we are eating and drinking also of a lot of junk food we delayed or even stop the progress of the Holy Spirit in us.

You have admitted that you "may miss the mark sometimes". Soooooo....how do you know when you have "missed the mark"? Do you tell yourself when you have missed the mark or does someone else let you know?

Each day and each time I commune with God I return to the lowest room and let God lift me up and fill me according to Him and in His according to what He decides is needful at the moment, I will be corrected. People who don't do that as they should may often find themselves displaced or replaced:

"When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 14:8-11

You think I should '

gain better control of my tongue and my keyboard when they are directed at others with whom I disagree'? Wow.....Somebody doesn't like being challenged....Do they? Or maybe you can give me an example of when I lost control of my keyboard and tongue?

I know, I know... some on this site will come to your defense because the questions I ask are allegedly "attacks". They love you like I do I suspect. Do you feel like I am attacking you Amadeus???

I quoted before I believe some verses from the book of James about the tongue being the most unruly of our members and so it is.

Disagreeing with others is not the problem. Sometimes other people, including myself, need someone to set them straight as God understands straight. But... if God does call on you to do that, you still need to do it His Way rather than your own. Consider what Moses did wrong here:

"Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also." Numb 20:8-11

Moses was given clear instructions by God to "speak" to the rock, but in his anger against the people apparently in support of God instead of doing that he "smote" the rock twice. This one act of rebellion or disobedience kept Moses out of the Promised Land. So was it important? To God it was. Even so how we control our tongues is important according to what James wrote.

Moses lashed out against the people, but because he did it own way instead of God's Way, he suffered. You say I am wrong and should be corrected, so go ahead and do so, but find God's Way to do it rather than your own... not for my sake, but for yours.

 

[Marymog]

The Holy Spirit will help anyone sift through it all, but if a person really has the Holy Spirit in him, he cannot lead the Spirit or block the Spirit and expect to arrive where God wants him to arrive.

Thank you,

I believe the Holy Spirit did help ME sift through it all. I believe this is one of those times that YOU "missed the mark" and I HIT the mark. With that said, how do you know when you have arrived to where God wants you to arrive and when you have missed the mark???? By your own admittance you never really KNOW when you have hit the mark so how do you KNOW I am wrong and you are right???? Isn't it just a GUESS on your part since you really don't KNOW??

I would really love it if you would clarify your previous statement since you failed to do so in your dodge ball response: You STRONGLY suggested that my ideas THAT DON"T AGREE WITH YOUR IDEAS come from men or a Church and that your ideas come from the Holy Spirit helping you sift thru it all. Are you suggesting that the Holy Spirit didn't help me sift thru MY ideas that are different than YOUR ideas???? Since I disagree with you is that evidence that the Holy Spirit isn't helping me sift???? If I agree with you I have the Holy Spirit??

Are you suggesting that you REALLY have the Holy Spirit helping you and I don't?? That what is seems to me you are saying.

Curious Mary

 

[amadeus]

Thank you,

I believe the Holy Spirit did help ME sift through it all. I believe this is one of those times that YOU "missed the mark" and I HIT the mark. With htat said, how do you know when you have arrived to where God wants you to arrive and when you have missed the mark???? By your own admittance you never really KNOW when you have hit the mark so how do you KNOW I am wrong???? Isn't it just a GUESS on your part since you don't really KNOW??

You ignore the "lowest room" parable of Jesus?

 

[Marymog]

You ignore the "lowest room" parable of Jesus?

I think I was editing while you were responding so you don't have my entire post....sorry about that.

Mary

 

[Marymog]

You ignore the "lowest room" parable of Jesus?

Is it possible for you just to answer questions without asking questions.....PLEASE???

Patient Mary

 

[twinc]

Anyhow.......next time I reply to MaryMog, somebody out there.....PLEASE hit me with a 2x4!!!View attachment 2368

here is the problem - calling or interpreting a 4x2 as a 2x4 imho - twinc

 

[Marymog]

You are blocked by your unwillingness to seek God's truth from Him directly. As each one of us approaches Him we will also approach one another. This comes to us by continuing to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Unfortunately if we are eating and drinking also of a lot of junk food we delayed or even stop the progress of the Holy Spirit in us.

No sir. I am not blocked by anything. That statement is just a guess on your part because you know nothing about me and my soul. Please stop playing word games with me and judging me. Just answer the very SIMPLE question I asked you: You rely on the Holy Spirit to give YOU the truth. I rely on the Holy Spirit to give The Church the truth. Why does your truth invalidate my Truth???

Patient Mary