Catholic or Protestant?

Question

I know it's more important than chocolate vs. vanilla. But I'm curious which one you think is closer to the Truth. Why? Which has better theology, better worship, and better morals? Explain.

Please state your denomination.

Answer 1

Catholic, because they have never changed the Word of God, many other religions have corrupted the bible so much to fit their agendas it is truely sad. Iam a new Catholic, but have always used and learned from Catholic teachings and bibles

Answer 2

I am a Roman Catholic and there was a time I thought all the denominations were the same and that salvation was assured no matter what you believed in. Not anymore.

The Catholic church is the only church descended from Apostolic times without a change in beliefs. It is the church instituted by Our Lord Jesus Christ in the year 33 and will stand firm on the Rock of Peter till the end of time. The other denominations are man-made, differ in their beliefs and waver and are built on sand.

St. Augustine (354-430), Bishop and Doctor of the Church: "No man can find salvation except in the Catholic Church. Outside the Catholic Church one can have everything except salvation. One can have honor, one can have sacraments, one can sing alleluia, one can answer amen, one can have faith in the Name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and preach it too, but never can one find salvation except in the Catholic Church.

St. Thomas Aquinas (1226-1274), the Angelic Doctor: "There is no entering into salvation outside the Catholic Church, just as in the time of the Flood there was not salvation outside the Ark, which denotes the Church."

St. Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716): "There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Anyone who resists this truth perishes."

'One faith,' St. Paul writes (Eph. 4:5). Hold most firmly that our faith is identical with that of the ancients. Deny this, and you dissolve the unity of the Church ... We must hold this for certain, namely: that the faith of the people at the present day is one with the faith of the people in past centuries. Were this not true, then we would be in a different church than they were in and, literally, the Church would not be One." – St. Thomas Aquinas

The following sermon by Fr.Arnold Damen will explain to you why the Catholic church is the only means of salvation:
http://www.olrl.org/apologetics/churchbible.shtml

Also here is the Confession of Paul Whitcomb. an ex-Protestant minister:
http://www.olrl.org/apologetics/confessrc.shtml

Answer 3

If I were to say which is CLOSER to the Truth I would say Protestant. Why is simple. The older ANY denomination gets the more it gets mired in their customs based on the Bible. So, as newer Churches (non-denoms) pop up protesting these customs. The Catholic church is almost nothing but ritual and custom. Veneration of saints especially Mary. Praying to others instead of to God IN Jesus name. Pomp and Circumstance of Churches that is they are way too extravagant and the money could be better used. Hierarchy of Priests and the separative practices. Arrogance of the "First Church" claim. (though they are the oldest established Christian Church.) The Pope.

Do not forget that the Jews split and got off on to tangents and Jesus called them a brood of vipers. It is a lesson all faiths need to hold to their hearts or else suffer from similar views.

In my old Church (which I would still attend with no problem) Believe a little too much in the Manual and not enough in the Bible. It even looks like a Bible. They used to say if you dance, drink, smoke, or go to the movies you cannot be a Nazarene. Well, that may be true, but that is not as important as being a Christian.

I would go on, but I should say this instead. Every Church has its problems. Are they enough to keep someone out of Heaven? I do not believe so, but there will be some that it does or else the scripture about the sheep and goats would not be in the Bible.

For the Catholics I will say that they kept the light of Christ shinning in the darkest time of man's history and to that we owe them our thanks. Those that did this work will receive just rewards in Heaven. Now, there are more sharing the gospel and their burden is lighter, but instead of rejoicing they hold to their supremacy. I think they need to re read the Bible and realize that denomination is not as important. Only as Holy Holly said Christ alone.

But, since you asked I am now attending a Christian Church. (that is the name I am no being cute).

Answer 4

I think Christians, both Catholics and Protestants are close to the truth. Both have good theology, worship, morals etc. We have to work out our differences but it is better to work for unity.

Answer 5

Pastor Billy says: why Catholic of course. If Catholicism is wrong or less true than Protestantism is even more so.
Basically without Catholicism Protestant doesn't exist afterall to be a Protestant is to protest what came before it.

GK Chesterton said it the best, "if not for all the isms of the world (except Catholicism of course) Protestantism would be empty"

lets see isms, nationalism, materialism, facism, communism.....

Answer 6

Catholic church preaches the gospel of the Lord and actually holds to the fact that the church is the pillar of truth:

1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

If you look at the writings of the early christians you cannot seperate their beliefs from current catholic beliefs unlike the protestants who just don't share on view of beliefs.

Not saying that protestants won't be saved, but the true church of christ is a visable one and it is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Answer 7

It, of course, depends on who you ask.

"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII)

Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians.

Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):

By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.

There are many minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much.

A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor.

With love in Christ.

Answer 8

the roman catholic church

jesus gave us the catholic/universal church,promised it would be led,guided and protected by the holy spirit,if you need any other reason than that then you may want to rethink what you are doing in another church. sadly our seperated brothers and sisters in christ don't see this,they read their bible very well but they don't know their bibles very well. for instance
bible alone is not in the bible,the bible itself and history shows that the bible alone theory is illogical,bible christians need to realize they wouldn't have a bible without the catholic church and that the first christians(catholics) did not have a defined canon of scripture untill the catholic church determined it some 2-3 centuries after the crucifixion.

Answer 9

I am Catholic, my wife is Anglican. We worship at both churches with our children. There is no conflict in theology, only in ritual. I have heard the same sermons preached almost the same in both. You would be surprised how little difference there really is.

Answer 10

Female, 19 years old, southern baptist of 19 years.

There are a lot of messed up things about both.

I've never understood purgatory, priesthood, or the hang-up with Mary. Okay, maybe I can KIND OF see the thing with Mary. Also, sainthood? Don't understand that one.

The worship services are absolutely gorgeous, though. So reverent, even if I don't agree with the theology. Most are given out of the Latin Bible, right? Septuagint?

As for morals...who knows. I've talked to some Catholics who will hold a straight face as they tell you that they can sin, as long as they tell their priest in confessional. However, I've talked to some of the people in my church who say they aren't interested in personal holiness because of the "security of the believer" clause in SBC doctrine. I think both theories are sketchy.

Vanilla!