THE PROTESTANT’S DILEMMA BY DEVIN ROSE: A REVIEW

Just a writer, who refuses to typecast his blog by giving it a title ^ | March 18, 2014 | Scott Eric Alt

[rwa265]

If a Protes­tant look­ing into the claims of Catholi­cism were to ask me, “What one book should I read, where I can find a quick answer to any ques­tion I have?” I would tell him to read Devin Rose’s new book The Protestant’s Dilemma. I would also rec­om­mend this book to Protes­tant apol­o­gists, even those of many years, well-skilled in polemics. It will remind them of the heavy bur­den of proof they face, and the weak­ness of their posi­tion on point after point. The truth may set them free and bring them home too. (It has happened.)

All this may seem like over­state­ment — the oblig­a­tory praise from one Catholic blog­ger to another. But it is not.

Con­sider first the range of issues this book takes up. There are thirty-six chap­ters, each one on a dif­fer­ent topic, from the papacy to sola scrip­tura, from the canon of the Bible to Pur­ga­tory, from con­fes­sion to Eucharist to infant bap­tism. If some­thing about the Catholic Church trou­bles you, this book has the answer. If you think you have found the point on which Catholi­cism fails, this book will show you why it is one more point upon which Protes­tantism fails.

Con­sider also the brevity. The book is just over 200 pages long, which means that Mr. Rose’s answers get to the root of the ques­tion with­out a knot of aca­d­e­mic detail. It is harder to do than it might seem. This is the book of a man who has spent a long time study­ing the ques­tions that divide Protes­tants and Catholics, and who knows how to present his case in a way that is easy for any­one to under­stand. At the same time, the book is use­ful for the pro­fes­sional apol­o­gist, for it recalls his mind to the basics.

[Elsie]

Yes. I’d like to know if you believe if you don’t confess your sins to a priest does that disqualify you from Heaven?

I can answer this. It has three parts that can be easily distinquished.

Let's take the last part first...

1. Disqualified from Heaven: I've already posted what will keep you OUT of Heaven - not having your name found in the Book of LIFE.

2. Confess your sins to a priest: I've not found any where in Scripture that ONLY a 'priest' (as defined by Rome) can hear a confession - this thread has shown MANY examples of this.

3. Do I believe: Yes; I believe the things that I've posted.

---

If I've brought up anything in this reply you'd like my further expansion on; just let me know.

I'll be at LEAST more transparent that the Obama administration! (I hope!!)

[Elsie]

I agree will all that you’ve said here.

Most times when we get the ‘Thou shalt not judge’ thing tossed in our face; it’s an attempt to stifle ANY judgement of whatever the thing(s) is(are) that a person or group wants to KEEP on doing!

[Elsie]

Close Encounters of the First Kind?

[Elsie]

At an air traffic control center in Indianapolis, a controller listens as two airline flights almost have a mid-air collision with an apparent unidentified flying object (UFO).

In Muncie, Indiana, 3-year-old Barry Guiler is awakened in the night when his toys start operating on their own.

Fascinated, he gets out of bed and discovers something or someone (off-screen) in the kitchen.

He runs outside, forcing his mother, Jillian, to chase after him.

 

 

The rest is history...

 

 

 

He also becomes increasingly obsessed .....

[Elsie]

Does it nullify believing Christ died on the cross for your sins?

This one is a little trickier, for it contains two parts, that are unrelated to one another:

1. Nullification
2. Christ died for my sins. (I'll leave the qualifier - on the cross - out of the equation).

So, to condense this down to a strawman, if you will: Can ANYTHING 'nullify' BELIEF?

---

I admit there may be things in life that just wears a person down and they just give up. * ¹

Some will then make the CHOICE to say, "this believing in Jesus is bunk.", while others will cling the more tightly to His garment. * ²

* ¹Matthew 13:7
* ²Luke 8:43-48

---

So my answer is that 'IT' will not automatically nullify anything.

If a person makes a wrong CHOICE; then they have BELIEVED in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:2
By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Do you SEE what saves you? what PUTS your name in the BOOK?

THIS GOSPEL!

No priests
No beads
No sacraments
No crossing yourself
No believing in the Assumption...

THIS gospel!

If you like your Salvation, you can keep your Salvation: PERIOD!

[verga]

Something for you to ponder: If the Catholic Church is as horrible and evil as you say why is it still here after 2000 years? Seriously God had no trouble wiping out the evil in the world with the Flood in Genesis. He had no problem wiping out Sodom and Gomorrah or Pharaoh's army when they went after the Israelites in the Red Sea.

In spite of being filled with sinners and having bad leaders the Catholic Church still stands.

Maybe it is because every single priest in the world can trace his lineage directly back to one of the Eleven.

Yet every single one of the original protestant denomination is splintered most to the point that they bear little resemblance to the intent of the original leader.

Ask yourselves seriously if the Catholic is truly evil why does God allow it to build so many hospitals, engage in so much charitable work, create and safe guard some many amazing works of art? Why have so many of it's Priests been directly involved in so many advances in science across so many different fields? The list goes on and on of the good done by the Catholic Church.

Why does God allow such and "evil" institution to even exist at all?

[x_plus_one]

From the popcorn gallery:

An Orthodox man gets on the train and takes his seat.

After a while, he notices an Orthodox Cross on the man next to him.

After a while longer he asks, "Sir, I couldn't help noticing you're wearing an Orthodox Cross. Are you an Orthodox Christian?"

The passenger answers, "Yes, I am."

The man says, "Oh! I am too! Are you Greek or Russian Orthodox?"

"I'm Russian Orthodox." The man says,

"Ohhh, so am I! Are you Old Calendar Russian Orthodox or New Calendar Russian Orthodox?" "

I'm Old Calendar Russian Orthodox." The man says,

"Alleluia! I am too! Are you Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist Russian Orthodox or Old Calendar Pro-Ecumenist Russian Orthodox?"

"I'm Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist Russian Orthodox." The man says,

"Ooooh! Well, I am too! Are you Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist New Ritualist Russian Orthodox, or Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist Old Ritualist Russian Orthodox?"

"I'm Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist New Ritualist Russian Orthodox." The man says,

"Well, glory to God! I am too! Are you Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist New Ritualist Old-Man Trinity Icon-using Russian Orthodox, or Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist New Ritualist non-Old-Man Trinity icon-using Russian Orthodox?"

"I'm Old Calendar Anti-Ecumenist New Ritualist Old-Man Trinity icon-using Russian Orthodox."

So the man says, "Aaaaaaa, you damned heretic! May you burn in hell forever!"

[ctdonath2]

Your basic evil/not-evil premise is faulty.
We are all sinners worthy of death.
Yet here we are.

And Islam is doing pretty well for itself too.

[Elsie]

If the Catholic Church is as horrible and evil as you say why is it still here after 2000 years?

A bible literate person would KNOW this answer.

Read the whole thing and get back to us.

[Elsie]

Emo will GET you!!!

---

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, "Stop! Don't do it!"

"Why shouldn't I?" he said.

 

I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"

He said, "Like what?"

 

I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?"

He said, "Religious."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?"

He said, "Christian."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"

He said, "Protestant."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"

He said, "Baptist!"

 

I said,"Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of GOD or Baptist Church of the Lord?"

He said, "Baptist Church of GOD!"

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of GOD, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of GOD?"

He said,"Reformed Baptist Church of GOD!"

 

I said, "Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of GOD, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of GOD, reformation of 1915?"

He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of GOD, reformation of 1915!"

 

I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.

-- Emo Phillips

[CynicalBear]

>> If the Catholic Church is as horrible and evil as you say why is it still here after 2000 years?<<

Satan is still around and it’s been much longer than 2000 years. Just sayin.

[Lee N. Field]

Something for you to ponder: If the Catholic Church is as horrible and evil as you say why is it still here after 2000 years? Seriously God had no trouble wiping out the evil in the world with the Flood in Genesis. He had no problem wiping out Sodom and Gomorrah or Pharaoh's army when they went after the Israelites in the Red Sea.

Bad argument.

Islam has been around since the 6th century. Hinduism and Buddhism for longer. God is not, as you rightly note, powerless to take them out.

They are there in the providence of God, for his ends. Ditto Rome.

[Theo]

“... every single one of the original protestant denomination is splintered most to the point that they bear little resemblance to the intent of the original leader.”

The “original leader” is Jesus. If that’s not the case, then that particular “denomination” is a heretical cult.

Members of the Roman Catholic Church have done a great deal of good. Much of the denomination’s doctrine, however, has become corrupted over time.

Let’s trust in Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Let’s make much of Him, and little of our particular denominational preferences.

[ealgeone]

I'll be at LEAST more transparent that the Obama administration! (I hope!!)

LOL....that wouldn't take too much effort.

[.45 Long Colt]

I urge you to search the Scriptures for your answers. What seems right, good, wise, and logical to our fallen human minds cannot be trusted. The Bible warns against “vain philosophy.”

In 2 Cor. 11:14 Paul said that Satan masquerades as an angel of light. Satan is a deceiver and that’s one of the ways he deceives us. What seems good and right and impresses men is very often anything but.

And then we know that God declared He raised up Pharoah to show His power so that His name would be declared throughout the earth. God hardened Pharoah’s heart and allowed him to work evil toward Israel so that ultimately he would be destroyed to the glory of God and God alone. The utter destruction of Pharoah and his army continues to glorify the most high sovereign God to this very day. Pharoah was an Old Testament “type” or picture of antichrist.

The Bible teaches that God, the sovereign Potter, is free to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor, one to whom He will show His mercy and grace, another to whom He will show His wrath and justice.

Romans 9:22 says this: “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:”

The Scripture plainly teaches there are those who are “...as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;” (2 Peter 2:12)

Get that? Some are MADE to be taken and destroyed and they perish in their own corruption.

In the end I know “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. (Proverbs 16:4)

[metmom]

Something for you to ponder: If the Catholic Church is as horrible and evil as you say why is it still here after 2000 years?

Hinduism, Buddhism, Janaism, Zorastrianism, Taoism, Confucianism, Hermeticism are all older than the Roman Catholic church.

Longevity doesn't make right.

Besides, if any religious system is from the enemy, why would the enemy want to destroy a perfectly good religious system that keeps people from God and yet makes them think they're right with Him.

The longevity of the Catholic church is absolutely no indicator of it's truthfulness.

The only indicator of that is its conformity to Scripture, in which it fails mightily.

Maybe it is because every single priest in the world can trace his lineage directly back to one of the Eleven.

Prove it.

Show us the records kept.

And what difference does that make if they can produce lineage? How is that important?

Why have so many of it's Priests been directly involved in so many advances in science across so many different fields? The list goes on and on of the good done by the Catholic Church.

Can you say *Inquisition*?

Top 10 Most Wicked Popes

http://listverse.com/2007/08/17/top-10-most-wicked-popes/
1. Liberius, reigned 352-66 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
2. Honorius I, reigned 625-638 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
3. Stephen VI, reigned 896-89 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
4. John XII, reigned 955-964 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
5. Benedict IX, reigned 1032-1048 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
6. Boniface VIII, reigned 1294-1303 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
7. Urban VI, reigned 1378-1389 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
8. Alexander VI, reigned 1492-1503 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
9. Leo X, reigned 1513-1521 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]
10. Clement VII, reigned 1523-1524 [Catholic Encyclopaedia]

Top 10 Worst Popes in History
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-worst-popes-in-history.php
1. Pope Alexander VI (1431 – 1503)
2. Pope John XII (c. 937 – 964)
3. Pope Benedict IX (c. 1012 – 1065/85)
4. Pope Sergius III (? – 911)
5. Pope Stephen VI (? – 897)
6. Pope Julius III (1487 – 1555)
7. Pope Urban II (ca. 1035 – 1099)
8. Pope Clement VI (1291 – 1352)
9. Pope Leo X (1475 – 1521)
10. Pope Boniface VIII (c. 1235 – 1303)

[metmom]

Why does God allow such and "evil" institution to even exist at all?

Why did God let obama get elected? Why did He allow WWI and WWII? Why does HE allow any evil?

There's a purpose and we don't know what it is, but its continued existence is not an indicator of God's favor or blessing on it.

[Gamecock]

Islam, since 610 AD.

[metmom]

Yeah. It’s not QUITE as old as the RCC, but almost.

Like I said, the enemy wouldn’t give up a good thing. He’d protect it so the argument of *It’s been around so long, how could it be bad?* is so flawed as to be laughable.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Something for you to ponder: If the Catholic Church is as horrible and evil as you say why is it still here after 2000 years?

I've never called the Catholic Church horrible or evil. I have taken issue with Pope Francis on several issues, but that doesn't mean I think he's evil. I think that means he and I have different beliefs.

In fact, I do try to look for common ground as Christians. For example, I admire the Catholic Church's stands on same sex "marriage" and have said so. But if I believed everything the Catholic Church believes, I'd be Catholic. That's a long way from calling it evil.

My posts in this thread have been to take gentle issue with a poster who claims the Bible was written by Catholics and with a poster who said confessing sins to God was somehow a Protestant misinterpretation despite extensive Scriptural proof to the contrary.

Broad-brush interpretations serve no one and do your argument no credit.