I judge people’s religious advocacy the same way I would any other public behavior: Is it obnoxious or not?
If you are a Protestant determined to save all the Catholics you meet from “damnation,” you are obnoxious. And vice versa.
You want to stick literature under my windshield wiper? Fine. You want to mail me stuff? Fine. Please do make sure your literature doesn’t accuse Catholics of worshiping statues or a Babylonian sun god.
A rule of thumb I would suggest is: Are you (Catholic or Protestant) primarily interested in winning arguments with Protestants or Catholics? If so, stay home.
You may feel free not to read, or participate, in this thread at any time, Arthur.
We are not holding a gun to anyone’s head to believe as we do. We are here to offer the simple offer of salvation thru Jesus Christ to any and all who truly desire it.
If your desire is for religion, then you won’t find much here to interest you, be you Protestant or Catholic.
God bless,
jodyel
“{If you are a Protestant determined to save all the Catholics you meet from “damnation,” you are obnoxious.”
I think most American Catholics have had the experience of being condemned to hell by some Protestant or another. I have had many prideful evengelicals lecture me on what I believe with 1000% certainty, that I worship Mary, that I pray to statues, that I’m not a REAL Christian, and on and on.
My trouble is not with such things, which are easily corrected. It is how some people will refuse or dismiss being corrected. I’m sure Catholics do the same all the time too, but in my experience, Protestants (boy, that’s a broad brush) seem particularly driven to dismiss/condemn Catholicism out of hand.
Just look at what the poster of this article is doing as an example. The person posted the article, Catholics respond, and the poster then dismisses them, by saying “Go your own way”.
So what, then, is the purpose of posting this article in the first place? It’s not to bring Protestants and Catholics closer together. It’s not for God’s glory. It’s not to have a discussion. No misunderstandings are being cleared up. So what then?
Forgive me for saying, but EGO seems to be a/the driving force behind such behavior. I think many well-meaning Protestants do this to reinforce things their preachers tell them about Catholice in Church, bible-school, or wherever. I have seen preachers, who should know better, doing this from the pulpit, no less. Conversely, in 50-years, I have never heard a Catholic priest do the same (Not surprised if it happens, but I have never seen it). Catholics generally don’t seem to get as exercised about Protestants ans Protestants get about Catholics.
Again, the sin here is not any well-meaning concern for or Catholic souls. I believe there is mostly LOVE behind the pride. The sin happens when we’re corrected and continue to bear false witness.