Do you think the catholics have one-up on the protestants?

Question

because they are able to filter information through the vatican, making their beliefs adaptable to the times?

Answer 1

Hi. Believe me, I am neutral on this, but I did have one question. How does filtering information through a closed circle of geriatric celibate males give us a leg up on being on the cutting edge of our generation?

Answer 2

From an outsiders' standpoint, I think that Catholicism and Orthodoxy have it WAY over at least the most conservative forms of Protestantism. Protestants seem to have throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Protestants, I sometimes joke, are superstitiously afraid of ritual (a friend of mine says that Protestants are just Catholics who are scared by incense *lol*). And yet the celebration of the Divine ought not to be dependent on a congregation there to listen to the exhortations of a preacher - Priests say mass whether there is anyone there or not, and that's, IMO, as it should be.

A Liturgy plays an important role in worship, by pointing to the numinous.

And as far as I'm concerned, it's insane for people to say that any average Joe reading the bible can understand it as well as people who have spent many years not only studying scripture, but the historical context in which it was written. The anti-intellectualism in the fundamentalist Protestant denominations (and the non-denominational churches) has been the major cause of the mockery that these churches (and followers) are subject to.

I'm very good friends with some Eastern Orthodox priests, and they will tell anyone who tries to waste time and energy "proving' the historical accuracy of any of the more outrageous tales in scripture...'It's a STORY! You're not supposed to take it literally - you're supposed to understand the moral point of the story and learn from that. And you have to understand what was going on when these things were written, otherwise you get tangled up in the contradictory details, when the point is to understand the overall message, and that message is love".

Answer 3

Not at all, it's the other way around. If Biblical information is "filtered" to conform to the times, it's useless as a moral compass.
The Bible, from front to cover, points to Jesus Christ as the only arbiter between God and man. That's why there were the inquisitions by the Spanish and Roman Churches and the Anglican Church was so upset with Martin Luther. When people started reading the Bible for themselves the old ways were thrown off like an old coat. No Pope, no bishop, no priest need stand in the way, grease the path or oil the hinges. They can only muck up the system God made. The Catholic Church insists on having it their way not Gods way. (That's called rebellion. Which, Biblically, is equal to witchcraft.)

Answer 4

A True revelation from God does not change, even after thousands of years, God's word never changes, It is mankind that changes, As far as the catholic's, They don't have anything up on Protestants, & neither does Protestants have anything up on The True Revelation of God That man has gotten away from many years ago, But God will still have a people at the end time that will see eye to eye Isa. 52:8

Answer 5

Vatican or no Vatican, Catholics or no Catholics, Protestants or no Protestants, we should not care, what we should care for, is to be good and law abiding citizens throughout our lives, that is our basic goal the rest, God will ultimately take care of.

Answer 6

Worldly speaking sure.
I would think the Protestants would have to stick to the old fashion filter it through the Holy Spirit tactic, making it acceptable to GOD.

I have many Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ. I just couldn't resist your question.

Answer 7

What I find most unbelievable is that they often accuse each other of not being Christian. The Reformation is mainly why they disagree.

I would say that the Protestants do. They are more adaptable.

Answer 8

I think Catholics have one-up on Protestants because Jesus entrusted His flock to Peter (John 21:15-17) and "Where Peter is, there is the Church" (St. Ambrose of Milan).

Answer 9

One must not attempt to make ones beliefs adaptable to the times. Jesus Christ is the same, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. He doesn't change, or turn.

Answer 10

No.
A spiritual/religious person would not think/feel like this.
There are many purer people that are not in a "religion" per say.
Atheists go to heaven just as often as a religious person, GOD and his plan are not run by humans, just the opposite. That's why humanity has this lost feeling.