Are Protestants the new Catholics?

Question

So, a long time ago, in Christian lands, the Catholic church was all-powerful. Then people started to print the Bible and read it for themselves, instead of depending on interpretations from their priests and churches.

So, there was the Reformation, and Protestantism was born.

Now, it seems that many Protestant churches have become institutionalized and have created their own rigid belief systems. I'm thinking in particular of the fundamentalist American Baptists.

It seems that with this relatively new fanaticism, that people are again leaving their traditional churches and being ostracized for doing so.

Answer 1

They share many of the same false beliefs.
This is not meant to be insulting mind you. I just do not go for a religion that teaches things like Trinity, Purgatory, Rapture, or any other doctrine where the words describing the doctrine do not exist within the Bible.

Answer 2

Protestantism is a revolt - protest - against the authority of the Catholic Church.

"Authority?" you say?

Yes. The Reformation was sparked off by Martin Luther during a time when there were plenty of abuses taking place in the Catholic Church, but he never intended for anyone to permanently leave. I think one of the biggest catalysts for the survival of protestantism was England's King Henry VIII. When the Catholic Church refused to recognize his adulterous marriage, he rebelled and left the Church, forming the Church of England and declaring himself it's head. From there, other's began to split from the Church of England, and so on and so forth.

The point is that Protestantism is not a movement of freedom from structured religious oppression. Though in the beginning there were definite reforms needed, those people should have simply begun work within the Church to make those corrections, not make things worse by leaving and attempting to redefine the Faith according to their own interpretations.

Christ handed down one Faith, one Church. The Faith was not intended to be left to the personal whims of people who believed how THEY thought it should be. The Faith was taught and preserved by the Church, and the people relied on the authority of Her to interpret and guide the faithful in the Faith. What we see with Protestantism is splintering: disagreements ranging from doctrine to personal grudges arising and each forming their own church, then claiming that they have the correct teachings and everyone does not. This is why we have over 54,000 different denominations.

If Protestantism was the true reforming movement of Christianity, then why wasn't there just one Holy Protestant Christian Church, like the Roman Catholic Church? Instead, everything is based on personal interpretation and everybody doing their own thing. How is anyone supposed to find the truth?

God bless.

Answer 3

The fundamental and conservative Christians have, in fact, become much like the Catholicism prior to the Reformation. They are absurdly controlling and want only their beliefs taught in schools, public schools - not just their private religious schools.

Answer 4

No, they voted long ago to put the pope in retirement and think for themselves. If anything the chuch has lost their rigidness.

Answer 5

well different religons mean different opinions....there is no new .....just a different thought on an over edited book

if you could find a really really old bible you would see that the editors and publishers took a lot out

Answer 6

Protestants aren't cult members.

Answer 7

i dont really get it your additional info, but to answer your question, no, protestants arent the new catholics

Answer 8

As a Catholic, I don't appreciate your derrogotory question. Not very Christian of you.