I thought since no one really talked about Protestantism, I would make a go at it. I do think you asked about both, right Void? If they thought they were the one true church, and differences, yadda yadda?

I would say this is the entire crux of the difference right here...

Quote:
SOLA SCRIPTURA!!!


If I recall my classes correctly that is Latin for scripture alone. That was what Martin Luther called out after spending much time in fasting a prayer. ANd this is not something historical only, it really can be seen in everyday church going. I've been to masses,and I have been to church. ANd when you go to mass, the priest leads everything and people just lsiten, or follow along in the prayer books? THat's if they do that. When you go to a protestant church, the pastor is leading, but many people have their own bibles, in their own versions, reading along verse for verse. THe pastor actually encourages the people to do it by citing where he is reading from, and allowing time for people to find it.

Just as the Catholic church sees Protestants as wayward lost sheep who have strayed, protestants tend to looik at catholics the same way. They feel that the C church has become too mired in tradition, in religiosity, in man-made artifices, and that they have cut out, in essence, god from the very people. What made Christanity so radical was that you no longer needed an intercessor, you no longer needed priests, you no longer needed sacrifices, you no longer needed intermediaries to God. By dying on the cross, Jesus not only made he final and ultimate sacrifice, but through him, he opened up a way for you to speak directly to God yourself. It is this intimate realtionship with God that stands at the center of Protestantism. Pastors are there to lead and direct, and protect you, and chastize you if needed (as PF said about Catholicism). But they are never there to be the final word. THe final word is the bible, the word of GOd, and your direct relationship to him.

Whereas in Catholicism, they feel you need the guidance of the priests to show you what you need, in protestantis, they feel god will lead you spiritually through what you need to know.

So it kind of sounds the same but the differences lie in the ways in which it is carried out. For instance, there are no saints...we are all saints according to the doctrine. People of the clergy can marry and have as many kids as they would like, or feel called to. bstinence doesn't make you closer to God. It just makes you close to God (or not) and abstinent.

The role that Mary plays (as an intercessor for example) goes directly to Jesus. And while many protestants love Mary, and respect her for her role in Jesus, and christians' lives, they feel she is no more or no less than her sister (I believe) who conceived John the Baptsist, or Peter, or the guy walking next to you down the street. They also believe she had Jesus immaculately, but the rest ofthe kids the good old fashioned way. :p

Protestantism (and I am being very general here...hey I only have so much room! :p ) believes that God created the laws of Moses and such to show humans how bereft they were, and how much they needed God in their lives. Once that sacrifice of Jesus was made, then some of those things were no longer necessary. You would never make yourself holy or righteous by following the law...you would only feel frustrated in your failure to do it, thereby bringing you closer to God, who can do it. But they woudl feel that Catholicism brings the unnecessary ritualism of Judaiism back into worship at a detriment. For instance a protestant church would be all for service in Latin...as long as people were actually speaking and knew Latin! :p

I forget if it is in this thread, but church is not a building..church is the body, the actual memebers of the Christian faith. And you are commanded to go to church, it is somewhere in the New Testament, and I beleieve Jesus says it. Anyoen interested I'll do the footwork to look it up (I'm going by memeory now.) But church is not this terrible chore to do. Church really is a place for two things in particular: you go to study, and learn more about God from the pastor, and you go to commune, fellowship, be with and enjoy other believers. Really church is just like being on the board here. Hey, work with me! :p But seriously, why do we come here? We come here to discuss Jean, and learn more about her. We also come here as a solcae, a sanctuary away from other more universal boards, because we all love and share a common interest: Jean Grey. And we just like hanging out with certain people too! And that is what church does.

And might as well stick it here, but I actually don't think the Bible condones multiple partners. Sometimes the Bible may describe certain events, it is a part historical text in that sense. But Ithink it does speak to the pairing of a man and a woman. Here is a quick passage from Mark, chapter 10, verses 2-9
Quote:
Some pharisees cmae and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" "What did Moses command you?" he replied. They said "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." "It is because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. "But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not seperate."


And I checked some other passages, and it usually refers to a man and wife, or husband and wife. ANd really you just can't become one flesh with like 7 other people! :p The only person I canthink of is Solomon, and he deeply regretted his behavior as he became older. But hey the bible is a big ol book! If anyone knows of direct counter-evidence, let me know.

thanks again,
dini
:storm2 :sage :salvador

"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you, and everything you do. Yeah, they were all yellow. I came along, I wrote a song for you, and all the things you do, and it was called Yellow." - Coldplay