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Question: Those who are Protestants, answer this!!?
Since the rise of the Protestant Reformation only came about long after the Roman Catholic Church had been established!. What makes Protestants think that theirs is the 'true' version of Christianity, more so than the version of the Catholics!? Since the Protestant Reformation only started in the year 1517, and not right after Jesus came and died on earth, this denomination of the religion then is rather young for it to have much truth!.
Understand that the point I'm trying to make here is that the Roman Catholic Church had been around for a much longer time than the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, which roots lie in the 14th century, so isn't Protestanism false, or at least more false than the other more 'old' denominations!?
Since it is only started way after the arrival and death of Jesus Christ, and that it seemed to be started due to humans rather than God (this is just my own opinion), then Protestanism might not be as true as what we thought it might be!
Please, if you find this question insulting then don't humiliate yourself by making insulting remarks just because you don't like the context of this question, I'm asking a perfectly fine question and I don't think God Himself would be offended since He loves us all!.
Those with knowledge in this area help me please!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
What the reformation was about is a difficult question since it is not bound simply to one individual or one place!. There was Luther, and also Calvin, and Zwingli in their respective areas!.
Luther actually wanted to change the church initially, not start his own branch necessarily (hence 'reform' in reformation)!. Now, Luther, at least, rejected papal and priestly authority in favor of scripture alone, which he thought that any believer could interpret without an intermediary!. God would work with the believer to guide their understanding of the Bible!.
To address the topic of Truth or (truth as you like it) independently of the Reformation for a minute:
Modern science is very young in many ways!. It spins off of old theories, to be sure!. However most scientists would shudder at going back to believing that the earth is the center of the universe, or that the stars are painted on the sky!.
So, I think that age is no indicator of the truth value of a claim about God or anything else!. At best, it is an indicator of what the majority of people have preferred to think across the ages!.
Of course we cannot test truths about God in a laboratory, put I maintain that the principle remains the same!. Old ideas are not necessarily any more true than new ideas!.
The claim that the catholic church originated or was instituted by Jesus is disputable!. And that is what the protestant church has done!. They say that Jesus did not appoint Peter a pope!. That the apostles went around and founded individual churches and ministered to them, empowering these local churches to have their own leadership and mutually support one another!. After the death of the apostles, the church used the scriptures as oversight for belief and faith among the churches!.
That is a typical protestant account in my experience!. Of course, there are lots of protestant branches, so they would doubtless not all assent to that take!.
In short, Protestantism traces its roots far back to the early church, claiming it is a legitimate outgrowth of their activities and offices!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
The Protestant Reformation occurred BECAUSE there was a feeling that Catholicism had stopped being true to the faith Jesus preached and had made lots of dogmatic mistakes!. It was originally intended to correct those mistakes, and correct the Church, not beget a whole 'nother religion!.
It is unfortunate -- maybe even tragic -- that certain Protestant sects (or cults with more members) think theirs is the only valid way to heaven!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
> this denomination of the religion then is rather young for it to have much truth!.
You also have to consider that there are religions that are much older than the Roman Catholic Church!. Does that make them more true!? People in the past believed that the earth was flat!. Was that the real truth because it occured in the past!? Ancient people had no science and based their beliefs on myth and superstition!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
It is by no means false!. It originated as a reformation movement in the Catholic church, but split off during persecution!.
And why would we assume Catholicism to be absolutely correct!? Perhaps the Orthodox church was correct and the schism between them marked that!.
Or perhaps acceptingt Jesus as savior is the important part!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
You make a good point, but you probably should have made it in the Religion and Spirituality section!.
I'm an atheist, so I know all religions are false!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
All the sectors of Christianity wether Protestants or Catholics is politics!.!.!.!.( sorry I am non christian!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com
It would appear that Ecumenism doesn't sit too lightly on your shoulders!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I studied the Reformation, particularly in England!. Most of those starting new branches took great pains to show that they, not Rome, were the true Apostolic succession!. The reason people were diverging from Rome was that the Church was corrupt, political, and venal!. Often the apologists would point to strands of church though tgoing back to the Fathers of the Church, working through the 300's, showing that what they wanted had been current, and mainstream, throughout time!.
Indeed, how likely is it that a good Jewish boy from Bethlehem would recognize a fellow in a tall hat living in an Italian palace and getting kissed on his ring as a successor to his follower Peter!?Www@QuestionHome@Com