The #1 Fallacy of Protestantism

Answering Protestants ^ | 13 March 2014 | Matthew Olson

[Diamond]

The biggest fallacy of Protestantism is that it trust the Church the write, compile, canonize, spread, + preserve the Bible but not to explain it."

This argument itself is fallacious on several counts. Not only does it conflate "the Church" with "Rome", but by the same logic, as pointed out by daniel1212 on another thread, 1st century souls should have submitted themselves to the Scribes and Pharisees who sat in the seat of Moses:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3127250/posts?page=458#458"

Cordially,

[driftdiver]

We are to confess our sins to God, not to other sinners.

[xzins]

The biggest fallacy of Protestantism is that it trusts the Catholic Church to write, compile, canonize, spread, and preserve the Bible, but not to explain it.

That the Catholic Church wrote the bible is not just wrong, but it is a fallacy.

First, there is no way it wrote the Old Testament.

And, Second, the New Testament was written by the Apostles or their close associates: Mark/Peter, Luke/Paul, and while I think Hebrews was written by Paul, many think Barnabas, another associate of the Apostles.

Now, the real reason the title of this article is wrong is that the biggest fallacy of Protestantism (and Catholicism, Orthodoxy, etc.) is violation of Jesus' prayer for unity.

Unity is specifically mentioned by Jesus and specifically rejected by all major divisions of the church. My opinion: their protecting their own turf.

[driftdiver]

“Actually, mykroar, since priests give absolution very freely to anyone with a contrite heart, the point remains unnegated. “

Priests give it?

At any point do the folks actually get to God to seek forgiveness?

[matthewrobertolson]

1st century souls should have submitted themselves to the Scribes and Pharisees who sat in the seat of Moses

Actually, before His Crucifixion and Resurrection, He told the Jews to obey the "Chair of Moses" (Matthew 23:1-3). Of course, since these events, that Chair has been supplanted by the "Chair of St. Peter" (http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2013-02-22).

[matthewrobertolson]

Priests give it?

You're complaining about semantics that are perfectly valid. God grants forgiveness through priests, so you could say (like I did) that "priests give [it]" because they disburse it.

[MrB]

How would the priests and the CC have any power if people could just willie nillie go to God themselves (through Christ our High Priest of course)?

[RFEngineer]

“True, but I’m here referring to doctrine, not discipline or the personal decisions of religious leaders.”

So you admit that the origin of Protestantism involved behavior, failure to follow doctrine, and poor personal decisions and poor personal leadership on the part of Catholics at the time?

You can’t honestly call Protestant failure to follow Catholic Doctrine a “fallacy” when Catholics didn’t follow it either, leading to the Protestant Reformation.

[matthewrobertolson]

First, there is no way it wrote the Old Testament.

Actually, those that wrote the OT were in God's covenant, and therefore, were in the developing Church.

And, Second, the New Testament was written by the Apostles

The Apostles were the leaders of the Church.

Unity is specifically mentioned by Jesus and specifically rejected by all major divisions of the church.

YES! And that is why everyone needs to be in full communion with the Church that Christ established.

“Since Christ suffered for the Church and since the Church is the body of Christ, without doubt the person who divides the Church is convicted of lacerating the body of Christ.” – Council of Florence, Session 9 (23 March 1440)

[RFEngineer]

I think really you are asserting, from your point of view, that the #1 fallacy of Protestants is that they are not Catholic.

[Diamond]

The Trinity is not Biblical.

How do you define the word, "Trinity"?

Cordially,

[.45 Long Colt]

We are not schismatics. Rome doesn’t have the gospel. If Rome had a saving gospel you might have a point. When the Reformers attempted to bring Rome back in line with the gospel, Rome dug in her heals and formally codified her apostasy at Trent.

[xzins]

Actually, those that wrote the OT were in God's covenant, and therefore, were in the developing Church.

Your own words have just said it is not the Catholic Church.

The Church needs to be in Unity with itself. As long as Christians fight over who gets to sit beside Jesus in the kingdom of God is as long as it will take to find unity.

You need to declare all other Christians phonies and heretics, OR you need to find unity.

The third option we've tried: continue to pound our fists on the table and insist that WE are the masters of the universe.

[matthewrobertolson]

Your own words have just said it is not the Catholic Church.

That's not what I said. Read again what I wrote. I just didn't want to write a treatise about covenant theology this early in the morning, haha.

Basically, God was guiding the people in His expanding covenant: from a marriage with Adam and Eve to a household with Noah to a tribe with Abraham to a nation with Moses to a kingdom with David to the Church with Christ. He guided us to become deeper in knowledge and love -- keeping the same general principles all along -- within the framework of "Israel" (the chosen; the Church).

You need to declare all other Christians phonies and heretics, OR you need to find unity.

Well, "heretic" comes from the Greek "hairetikos" (to pick and choose). If Protestants continue to protest and pick and choose what doctrines to follow, then they continue to be heretics. Unity is found within the Church that Jesus Christ established.

[shankbear]

Heaven will indeed be full of Protestants and Catholics if they accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Hell is a real place and it will be full of any who do not accept Christ as their savior. Plain and simple.

[redgolum]

For the most part, you are right.

With a different set of politics, Luther could have been a Saint (or St Francis would have been burned at the stake).

Once the elector’s got involved, it was going to end up in a split because of the politics between the Holy Roman Empire and the Papal states. To be honest, a split had already happened well before Luther was born.

[driftdiver]

First, I wasn’t complaining.

Second, God grants forgiveness through Jesus.

[.45 Long Colt]

The gospel drives that wedge. If Rome had a saving gospel you would have a point. Based on Scripture, Rome’s gospel damns the souls of men. Light can have nothing to do with darkness. Born again believers should witness to Catholics, but the Bible teaches that we cannot be united with them.

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
—Ephesians 5:11

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”
—2 Corinthians 6:14

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
—Galatians 1:8

[xzins]

By that logic Judaism is Catholicism. I don’t think so.

Honesty demands that you officially declare us not to be Christians if you choose the “heretics” route.

That’s fine. There’s at least a bit of integrity in that position.

As for those of us who believe in Christian Unity, we’ll just keep praying for the day when this truth prevails:

“John 17: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Just think, MattRob, others will believe then just because their minds are blown by a unity, our caring for each other.

What a day that will be! Lord Jesus, Come Quickly!

[cripplecreek]

Not interested.