why do some protestants pick and choose which decrees of the catholic church they follow?

Question

They criticise the Catholic chuch for veneration of icons and for confession, but if some hear you criticise the artificial creation of a 66biblecanon [by the catholic church] doctrine of the trinity [catholic church] eternal hellfire [catholic church] they go really mad! They can't have it both ways. Are they pro-or-anti-Catholic? how can they talk about 'fundamental doctrines' when they are just picking and choosing which Catholic elements they think are 'fundamental?'

btw i was also brought up 'protestant'

robert, catholics do not worship idols. You can throw all the random bible quotations at me that you like, but it does not prove your point. The bible doesn't teach the existence of eternal damnation for 'unsaved.'

Answer 1

The Protestants believe they follow the early church's understanding of scripture - not the later Catholic Church. If you read John Calvin you will see that he quotes the early church fathers extensively. It was Calvin's position to seek reformation, but when that failed (they most likely would have burnt him, like they did countless Protestants), they departed as a continuing church.

You should also know that the apocrypha was not put in the Bible until the 16th century. Note: It was not considered inspired by the Jews in Jesus' day, and it was never quoted by Jesus.

BTW I was brought up Catholic. I don't hate Catholic, many of my relatives are Catholics. I pray for them. However as painful as truth can be, the hierarchy picks and chooses what they believe in the Bible (viz. tradition can trump scripture). I would recommend all Catholics to pick up a Bible and start checking out what is taught in their churches.

Answer 2

i think it comes from how they pick and choose what verses of scripture will make up their church. all protestants have catholic roots whether they choose to admit it or not.

certainly the holy spirit is not the author of this confusion and division, i implore protestants to test the spirits. whilst they for the most part earnestly seek god one still has to question why there is so much division and just whom benefits from it, the spirit of truth or the prince of lies? god bless.

here are some sites that may be of interest for both catholics and protestants

www.scripturecatholic.com
www.catholiceducation.org
www.fisheaters.com
www.askmeaboutgod.org

for brian.......jesus quotes 300 times from the delted books in the protestant bible and secondly the jews at the time of jesus did not have an accepted canon of scripture, the jewish canon came around to combat the rise in christianity, the earliest chrsitians were catholic, we see this from the bible the teachings of jesus and the writings of the early church fathers.

Answer 3

wow, I see so many ignorant comments as I'm reading through the answers. I just wanted to respond to this "Brian" person. He says that the apocrypha was not added to the Bible until the 16th century, which is preposterous considering that this was when it was removed.

The oldest existing versions of the Jewish Old Testament included the seven books of the Apocrypha. It is from these versions that the early Christian Scriptures were made. The best, oldest and most complete version of the Jewish Old Testament we know today is called The Septuagint, and this includes the books (apocrypha) that Luther deleted. The Septuagint manuscripts were used by Jesus and His disciples...

Brian, if you are such a Bible believer, perhaps it would behoove you to look into its history and formation. Contrary to popular belief, ignorance is not bliss.

Answer 4

Brian is a good example of what has gone wrong in Catholicism. He was raised Catholic and has a very shallow, misguided knowledge of what his home Church teaches. No, tradition does not trump scripture, although it may trump traditional Protestant interpretation of scripture. I also have to wonder why it matters that post-Pentecost, non-christian Jews did not accept the "Apocrypha" into their canon? The Bible of Christ and his apostles was the Septuagint which, incidentally enough, contained the Catholic old testament.

Answer 5

All religions do this, people agree with certain things and forget about the others, but they have fellowship under a certain name, such as Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Mormon, or Muslim.
To God what you believe is not nearly as important as what you do with your life and how you treat your fellow man.
In fact I believe God does not see what we do as much as what we desire to do in our hearts as the Bible says; Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
Jeremiah 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
Matthew 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Listen to any person and if they speak evil of other, then they are evil, but if they speak good then they are good. But every man likes to believe he is correct and everybody else is wrong.

Answer 6

people that hate the Catholic Church have been spoon fed this hatred since they were little ones in their Church and the only way to get around it is if Jesus allows it to happen because you can show them in black and white something and they will still deny it till the day is long. For an example, I asked a question about how far away from their nativity sets do they have to be when they pray so they will not be accused of praying to idols and I actually had someone say that they tried not to look at it and if they did look at it while they were praying they looked away. Can you believe the nonsense?

Answer 7

Catholics follows the doctrines of the church with the pope as the head, placed there by biblical scripture. Protestants follow men. A house without a foundation cannot stand.

Answer 8

Just because you agree with GWB on some issues, certainly doesn't mean that you will agree with him on all issues. I do not believe that everything the Catholic church does is wrong, nor do I believe that everything the Calholic church does is right.

This is not one black and white issue... but many seperate issues.

Answer 9

Because that's the definition of a Protestant.
Like a Cafeteria Catholic, it's the same critter.

Answer 10

Pastor Billy says: Amen brother preach the Word... preach the historical truth.

re Brian's comments: Brian I pray for you man I understand you are fighting for your career as a preacher and not fighting for a spiritual truth.