Question about the protestant movement.?

Question

The more i read or research the more confused i get about evangelicals or fundies. i was an evangelical for almost 20 years but now looking at history I find that much of what i believe was wrong.

I used to believe that the bible was the sole and absolute authority.

But the current NKJV or NIV etc is not the original bible, Luther and others took books out and changed things so that it could fit their new ideology. the king of england changed it so he could get divorced.

And yet they did still believe in the true presence in Communion and that Mary was an ever virgin. They did believe in Pergatory and confession. Luther himself wrote that it was dangerous to personaly interpret scripture because it could lead to a multitude of denominations.

This all happened a few hundred years ago, 1600 years after jesus founded his church. i cant believe i was so deluded.

how was i so blind or brainwashed. the bible itself calls the Church the pillar of truth, not the bible,

It does say that the bible is useful, but paul was referencing the Old testement.

Think about it, there was no bible until around 400ad. How did they have church, they had the old testement and traditions that they developed.

paul says to hold on to the traditions and not abandon them to timothy.

So the church existed throughout history and fought against heresys that came about.

its so weird that people dont see this.

realchurc

What nonsense you right, the catholic church was started with christ.

it is mentioned in historical documents that date around 100ad.

constantine formalised this a few hundred years later because so many heresies were around and people needed some formal clarification on the true faith.

there were no other church groups in history apart from the heresies that sprung up and brave men fought to keep the faith pure.

luther just wanted to end indulgences, you are right, it was a practice that was abused, however he didnt want to leave the church.

he knew it was the pillar of fire and truth

look at www.catholic.com for some real insight

Answer 1

*hugs* welcome home

Answer 2

You are now as clean as when you were born. I came clean 25 years ago.

Answer 3

You really need to read an unabridged version of Church History.

Here is some info on Luther:

Reform/Luther


Prior to Martin Luther and the 16th century there were many who came from the Catholic Church because of its corruptness, and tried to create a better Catholic Church.

Peter Waldo was condemned in 1179 for leaving the Catholic Church. For fear of his life he left the bastion of Cathari influence which had inspired him by preaching and example. He fled to the safety of the Alps where he lived out his days. There he joined the Valdois in Northern Italy.

In the 14th Century John Wycliffe went against the wishes of the Catholic Church and imitated the Lollards from Germany. They had inspired him with their preaching and compact translations of the Bible in everyday language which they carried with them. In time he produced his own copy of the Bible in English and sent out preachers in every direction.

John Hus emboldened by Wycliffe's example and also a witness to the Bohemian Cathari (Direct descendants of the Churches Paul started) who had enjoyed freedom in his land for over a millenium, also began to preach the Bible instead of Catholic Liturgy.

So what relationship did the Cathari/Good Men of the 1st Century origin have to the Reformation and Martin Luther?

Synopsis

1. Churches according to the New Testament model are started by the Apostles and their team members. These churches as a whole strictly followed the traditions of the Apostles in doctrine and practice. This happened in the 1st Century.

2. In the 3rd Century those who lapsed in their faith and worshiped the Emperor to escape persecution, then wanted back into their local churches respectively, once persecution had ended. Those churches who accepted them became the Lapsi Churches. Emperor Constantine organized them under his leadership in 325 A.D. to create the Catholic Church. At this point there are two groups of churches. The 1st Century Cathari, and the 3rd Century Lapsi.

3. From 1179 A.D. and onward the Lapsi/Catholic Reformers left the Catholic Church and joined with the ancient Cathari/Good Men churches. Many churches joined forces with Peter Waldo, yet at the same time many ancient Cathari/Good Men rejected such a move. The most famous Catholic Reformer in time became Martin Luther.



At the point where he makes his mark in Church History there are three pre-existing groups of churches:

= the 1st century Cathari/Pure

= the 3rd century Lapsi/Catholic (of which Martin Luther was a part in 1517)

= the 12th century mixture of the two Reformers/Protestants (Which joined Him for protection from persecution in 1525). Martin Luther joined the 3rd group to himself, gave them political power, and made them famous.



In 1517 - he was already frustrated with the Catholic Church. It was in this year that he mailed a letter of the 95 thesis to the man in charge of collecting Papal Indulgences. He became a seeker, and was influenced and had personal contact with the Cathari churches in his area.



In 1525, he made a pact with Peter Waldo's 350 year old half Lapsi/half Cathari churches. In promise for protection from persecution, they completely refomed and joined him accepting his watered down version of Catholicism in place of Peter Waldo's which offered no protection. This is the primary source of his immediate and large grass-roots power base in Germany.



Almost immediately he began persecution the ancient Cathari who refused to submit to him. John Calvin in Switzerland would follow his example. So what relation did our spiritual ancestors have with the reformers? They kept their distance from them. They refused to compromise with them. They were persecuted for their stand for doctrinal purity and practice by the Reformers. So it is an absurd claim that we came from them or were part of them. The immediate persecution against us once Peter Waldo's brand of Waldensians joined Martin Luther is another among many proofs that we were a separate group of churches.


Finally in 1546 towards the end of his life when he was very secure in his beliefs, he nailed the 95 Thesis against indulgences on a Catholic Church and started what the Catholics officially call, "The Protestant Reformation".

The Catholic Version of History is the most accepted because they are the government churches, they fight the wars, and the victor writes history.


To this day the Catholic Church plays on all the confusion and calls our Good Men of Old nothing but Protestants. However, our men never protested or joined anything. Our churches continue according to the New Testament model, strictly following the traditions of the Apostles in doctrine and practice which were started in the 1st Century. By the mercy of God, He has preserved His Bride in a pure form since she began her preparations nearly 2,000 years ago.

Hope you at least read all sides of the story before formulating any more opinions.

Answer 4

Welcome home, brother.