If Fundamentalist/Evangelical Protestants know what they believe?

Question

If Fundamentalist/Evangelical Protestants know what they believe why do they have to wait for their pastor or preacher during a service to pose the question "can I get an. Amen?" before affirming their belief?

I've seen this over and over and yet the same people who are being led by the preacher will claim "Catholics are brainwashed". Isn't it interesting that Catholics respond at Mass knowing when to do so and how to do so everytime and therefore are participants in Christian worship whereas non-catholics (Anglicans and Lutherans excluded)
tend not to be unless the pastor orchestrates it! Who are the real zombies with pen in hand for that all important note talking during worship?

jeanmarie who are caught in the timewarp of fundy propaganda. Did you know Protestants use to call pastors father? the practise of doing so was spread by missionaries from England and Ireland and adopted by Catholics. Oh by the way you do know that Jesus referred to Abraham as "Father Abraham" it's.............in the bible. the bible verser used to deny calling pastors, father is always taken out of context, for example did you know it also says call no man teacher/rabbi. In the Greek language this was written in it would have said doctor. You know how many Protestant preachers enjoy being called doctor? tons of them, Dr. Billy Graham.

I actually feel sad when I read the comments of Jeanmarie as shes been led to believe she couldn't read the bible as a Catholic or have it read to her. Why do people fall for such crap? Are they actually looking for something other than what they claim?

Bill generalizing? Most of these commumities I comment on have such an open plan to worship they've forgotten to worship. Seriously what I mention here is extremely relevent and not generalizing. From my view what is more generalizing is to say all Evangelicals tell Catholics they worship Mary. I know this isn't the case but the ignorance of those who do keep saying it after being corrected and that as well is not a generalisation.

Brain can you expand on "extensive use of tradition" as it pertains to the question. I would like to see if you've read your bible and can actually distinguish between traditions in worship written and unwritten.

Sometimes preachers use "Amen?" leaving off the "Can I get an". In the end the approach is the same thing, to get a response from the congregation who seat silent for 1- 2hrs.

Colorado you need to grow a thicker skin. As a Catholic I'm regularly attacked by ignorant people who don't know the teaching of my faith but make all kinds of false claims about it ie. godly worship of Mary. This question does not seek to divide it is a question of self-examination. Please handle the postive criticism. Catholics are being called to the new evangelization and we aren't going to sit back while some of us like jeanmarie fall away from the faith after being lied to and slandered about. I've discovered that my separate Protestant brethren can be very contradictory when comparing practise and belief especially when they attempt to pose questions to Catholics I'm merely directing them to do a self-inventory and think alittle deeper about their own traditions. Although Brian didn't elaborate you're left think he doesn't feel his brand of Christianity doesn't rely on tradition when in fact all Protestant communities have a tradition they cling to.

Why is brian going off topic with idolatry? If he only took the time to look Catholicism teaches idolatry to be heretical and did so before the existence of Protestantism. Really these types of accusations are like killing a dead horse you need to update your material. Artwork is not worshipped as Gods in Catholicism if you really want to believe this than there is nothing I can say except you enjoy staying in sin and slandering your Christian brother.

Brian if you want to overload this question with irrelevant remarks so as to prove something please send me an email and we'll respond one on one or post them to my blog. I've found this many times before when someone doesn't like my criticism they play a game of Protestant hopscotch jumping all over the place painting a caricature of Catholicism

The Eucharist, very simply either you acknowledge the words of Christ and believe in them or you don't. If Eucharist is Christ you have nothing to go on Brian. Let me ask you a new question why did all early Christians who followed Christ believe in the sacramental nature of communion?

Answer 1

Let me be a brainwashed Catholic please, anyday... can I get an Amen? Lol

Answer 2

I would think this has more to do with the congregational style and if the denom. is more ritualized, than anything.
Conducting a worship service is a challenge, and I can usually tell if the Pastor knows what he's doing. But, knowing what the desired end result should be, I think the only way to guage the effectiveness of the work would be to look for the fruit in the lives of the hearers, not if someone is saying Amen.

I've seen zombies in every denom. I've visited.
And I started off in a Catholic church.
The first one to actually explain Christ's work to me happened to be a Catholic priest...that's something the Southern Baptists hated to hear me say. Just thought I'd add that.

Answer 3

Do ALL Christian churches practice the "Do I get an Amen" question when the pastor is preaching the sermons? Are pastors asking this question even hinting that the hearers have no idea what they are believing, or that the hearers have no idea what they are believing? The answer is a resounding NO!

You are confused between the AFFIRMATION of a belief and the DETERMINATION of a belief.

BTW, does responding to a question means that one is brainwashed? It can be easily argued that those who respond on que (without being asked to do so) are also brainwashed.

Answer 4

1st - I have never attended a Protestant church where the minister said "can I get an Amen". In Presbyterian churches the minister does not look for a response from the congregation. Besides that point, I don't think asking the people if they agree or not points to brainwashing.

2nd - I have never called Catholics brainwashed. I was born and raised a Roman Catholic, served as an altar boy and considered being a priest. Believe me there is no brainwashing. However I understand, because of the rigid congregational routines (stand, sit, kneel, say this...), why some Protestants may believe this to be the case.

3rd - I do not believe Jesus taught that titles themselves were wrong (titles like father and brethren, are used in the New Testament). The problem can be the implicit faith that people show to those with title, which can be a cause for concern.
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I do have numerous other concerns regarding the church of Rome. Instead of posting these concerns here, I will open new questions about this in the near future.

Answer 5

All I can say is well done my friend. AMEN.

As for the Eucharist (which I have always believed is the true presence of Christ even as a child as the way I was taught) To me anyone who denies that Jesus is not really present in the Eucharist, is denying Christ Himself.


A Catholic convert

Answer 6

i ought to evaluate this has extra to do with the congregational kind and if the denom. is extra ritualized, than some ingredient. carrying out a worship provider is a project, and that i will normally tell if the Pastor knows of what he's doing. yet, determining what the same old result will could desire to be, I evaluate the single option to decide the effectiveness of the paintings must be to look for the fruit in the lives of the hearers, now no longer if somebody is saying Amen. i've got obtrusive zombies in each and each denom. i've got visited. and that i began out off in a Catholic church. the 1st one to definitely provide an evidence for Christ's paintings to me happened to be a Catholic priest...this is something the Southern Baptists hated to hearken to me say. in basic terms advice i could upload that.

Answer 7

Pastor Billy - I simply want to commend you for this statement:

"Catholics are being called to the new evangelization and we aren't going to sit back while some of us like jeanmarie fall away from the faith after being lied to and slandered about."


And say go brother!!! That's EXACTLY what is needed!!!!

Answer 8

First, you are assuming that all pastors use the phrase "can I get an Amen?" They don't. Second I'm trying to figure out how that makes you brainwashed. At many shows you hear the phrase, "Can I get a round of applause?" and guess what? The Audience does it. But no one questions if their brainwashed.

Last and most important I think that this question is meant to divide not unite. This is why there is a problem between Protestants and Catholics. We keep bringing it up so there becomes more and more of a problem.

Answer 9

You said, "Isn't it interesting that Catholics respond at Mass knowing when to do so and how to do so every time..?
Yes, they know what to do every time because the responses are drilled into their heads without any meaning! I used attend RCC and I remember watching the people say, "and also with you" a hundred times while they were looking around, seeing who's there, who's wearing what blah blah blah"
These people didn't believe in half of what they were doing, they were just going so as to not feel as guilty or to make their parents happy.
My non denom church does not have a preacher that says a lot of "Amen's" but it is just say, "do you agree with me" usually after reading from the bible.
In fact my church has many many former RC's who left that church because they read the NT on their own. They all say the same thing, 'I read the bible and realized the RCC was going against God's word."
IE: Mary worship, Idols, calling priest father etc etc etc
†

Answer 10

Ramen, Brother!

Answer 11

They don't, and you are generalizing.
There are some who operate like this, but not the majority.

RC are more likely to mindlessly go through mass without much interest, due to rote ceremony and prayers. The Protestants are more likely to actively participate and interact with the pastor during the service. Home churches and cell groups are even better.