How does the label "Protestant" sit with you?

[morefaithrequired]

I dont mind being called a Catholic but really I'm not a very good one. In fact I prefer to be called a Cathprot. As I like the idea of individual discernment rather than Church compliance.

 

[Lanolin]

Its something only catholics would call anyone whos not catholic. I havent ever been involved with catholicsm myself so I wouldnt know if people would regard me as protestant but I do know some catholics call anyone who isnt catholic foreigners. I had a catholic workmate and catholicsm actually took up a lot of her time. She was always going on novenas or pilgrimages to see the pope and other stuff like that. She also said she wanted to be a nun, and I was like why? But thats her religion.

I think I do protest a bit on here, but I dont mean anything ill toward catholicism. Rather its more professed christians in general who arent acting on their faith that I would protest and say hey if you love God why dont you actually practise what you preach and show this to others? Jesus hated hypocrisy.

But I see it as a challenge rather than a protest, and a way to invite those who need to step up to rise to the challenge by drawing attention to any injustices they may be playing a part perpetuating

 

[Judges1318]

How does the label "Protestant" sit with you?

I only find the label useful to distinguish myself from Catholics.

Within Protestantism itself, meaning the opposite side of Catholicism, I found out recently that Protestantism does not include everyone who is not Catholic. So I'm not really Protestant, even though I'm not Catholic.

 

[Lanolin]

Maybe you actually have to have been a catholic to be protesting against it. But I thought they had another name for it like 'lapsed catholic' . I was never catholic so, theres nothing for me to protest againt. I just follow God and read the Bible. I dont agree with many catholic practises, but its their issues not mine.

The label that I use to describe people are born again christian. If people want to be known as exclusive like baptist, quaker, methodist, pentecostal etc then they will say so. But a lot of born again christians dont actually belong to any one denomination and it can change over their lifetime.

 

[Lynx]

I dunno about being a Protestant... as Lanolin said, I ain't protesting nothing. In the southeast of the USA we don't usually hear a lot about people saying they are Protestant. Mostly they call themselves Baptist or Methodist or whatever denomination, or "Non-Denominational" which usually just means unofficial Baptist with a cool website.

I hear it's a lot different in other places. In Ireland it can be a matter of life or death. Sectarian strife is a really big thing there. There are even Catholic and Protestant gangs. Like, literal gangs, organized crime, shootings, the works.

 

[morefaithrequired]

seems it doesnt sit well
oh well

 

[oldethennew]

no one could be a 'good catholic or a good any man-made-description of what the World says a Christian is:

give your heart to being what Jesus Christ has taught and sacrificed Himself as an 'example' for you to be:
a bona-fide-Christian,
1JOHN 1:7.
But if we walk in The Light, as He is in The Light, we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

 

[morefaithrequired]

I don't care if you call me a heretic. Just don't call me catholic!!

 

[ArtsieSteph]

I know I’m a Protestant if it was catholic or Protestant only on like say a paper or form. But the term “Protestant” makes me think of like the Protestant reformation and Martin Luther. Just like an old old fashioned term.

 

[morefaithrequired]

If you liked Martin Luther you wouldnt mind being called a Protestant ....I imagine.

 

[kaylagrl]

I dunno about being a Protestant... as Lanolin said, I ain't protesting nothing. In the southeast of the USA we don't usually hear a lot about people saying they are Protestant. Mostly they call themselves Baptist or Methodist or whatever denomination, or "Non-Denominational" which usually just means unofficial Baptist with a cool website.

I hear it's a lot different in other places. In Ireland it can be a matter of life or death. Sectarian strife is a really big thing there. There are even Catholic and Protestant gangs. Like, literal gangs, organized crime, shootings, the works.

Only you could come up with that one. rofl Too funny!!

 

[StrugglingTilMyReward]

I prefer the term Christian myself, or follower of Christ. Catholic at its root simply mean universal....my baptismal certificate, from a protestant church, it says that I was baptized into the "Holy Catholic Church". When referencing Catholicism denoting followers of Rome's dictates I use the term Roman Catholic. I don't mean to offend, but I consider it limiting to add an adjective to a word that means universal....

Imagine an "all in one tool" that's only for an appliance like a refrigerator. So its not an all in one tool then, just call it a refrigerator tool. Same with Roman Catholicism...just call it the Roman Faith.

 

[Lynx]

Only you could come up with that one. rofl Too funny!!

I can't take credit. I heard it on a Tim Hawkins skit.

I wonder... if I object to being called a Protestant, and I object to it loudly, then I am protesting being called a Protestant... does that make me a Protestant by definition, or just a protester?

 

[Adstar]

I'm a Christian.. That's the label i like to be identified as..

 

[Lightskin]

I’m Christian. If people want to label me after that I couldn’t care less. That said, I love the word, Protestant - - protesting the misgivings of the Catholic Church.

 

[GaryA]

But the term “Protestant” makes me think of like the Protestant reformation and Martin Luther.

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding

Correct!

That is where the term came from - those who protested against the Catholic church. It refers to any or all of the denominations that "broke away from" or "came out of" Catholicism - historically speaking.

 

[GaryA]

I am not Protestant. Nor am I Catholic. It is not really an issue to me.

 

[JaumeJ]

I hope you are of the faith of Abraham......…..that is important.

 

[GaryA]

Most people seem to think of 'Protestant' as "[anything] not Catholic"; however, that is not the historical reality.

Protestant denominations are those that "came out of" Catholicism. They "protested" Catholicism - from within Catholicism - and, "broke away from" the Catholic Church - taking "bits and pieces" of Catholicism with them into their newly-formed denomination. (Or, they came out of one of the Protestant denominations that came directly out of Catholicism.)

Not all denominations came out of Catholicism.

There is one [modern denomination] that existed from the time of Christ - well before Catholicism was "a 'twinkle' in Constantine's eye" - albeit, not by the same name.

The Church that Christ built was scattered in the first century - but, maintained the Faith. They became known by different names at different times - and, were later persecuted in the most horrible ways by the Catholic Church. Yet, they maintained the Faith - some even to the death - while being tortured by the Catholic Church.

They eventually became known as 'Anabaptists' - which means "re-baptizers" - named by the Catholic Church - because they did not believe in baptizing infants.

Many of these faithful believers were tortured to death because they would not give into the demands of the Catholic Church that they baptize infants.

They kept the Faith unto death.

The 'Ana' was eventually dropped...

A true Baptist (historically, and even today) is not a Protestant - because, they practice a Faith that did not come out of Catholicism.

If you are interested in knowing more about the history of Baptists, read The Trail of Blood By James Milton Carroll.

 

[StrugglingTilMyReward]

Most people seem to think of 'Protestant' as "[anything] not Catholic"; however, that is not the historical reality.

Protestant denominations are those that "came out of" Catholicism. They "protested" Catholicism - from within Catholicism - and, "broke away from" the Catholic Church - taking "bits and pieces" of Catholicism with them into their newly-formed denomination. (Or, they came out of one of the Protestant denominations that came directly out of Catholicism.)

Not all denominations came out of Catholicism.

There is one [modern denomination] that existed from the time of Christ - well before Catholicism was "a 'twinkle' in Constantine's eye" - albeit, not by the same name.

The Church that Christ built was scattered in the first century - but, maintained the Faith. They became known by different names at different times - and, were later persecuted in the most horrible ways by the Catholic Church. Yet, they maintained the Faith - some even to the death - while being tortured by the Catholic Church.

They eventually became known as 'Anabaptists' - which means "re-baptizers" - named by the Catholic Church - because they did not believe in baptizing infants.

Many of these faithful believers were tortured to death because they would not give into the demands of the Catholic Church that they baptize infants.

They kept the Faith unto death.

The 'Ana' was eventually dropped...

A true Baptist (historically, and even today) is not a Protestant - because, they practice a Faith that did not come out of Catholicism.

If you are interested in knowing more about the history of Baptists, read The Trail of Blood By James Milton Carroll.

I'd not heard of Anabaptists before....what you're saying though, it doesn't line up with what is represented in wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabaptism

I know that wikipedia is far from being the ideal source....I'm fascinated with learning more about the first 300 or so years of the Church, before Constantine's supposed conversion and the adoption (and in my view corruption) of the faith by Rome.