+JMJ+

I am asking in the name of charity that this discussion be limited to comments from CONVERTS to the Faith from Protestantism. Those who comment here that are MARRIED to converts (who themselves do not post here) are welcome to share their perspectives as well.

The reason I am asking is because I am involved in a lengthy discussion with a person who was raised in the Novus Ordo and has only experienced two kinds of "Christianity" (you know what I mean); the liberal Novus Ordo, where this person was from birth till their early 20s, and "evangelical christiamity", of several denominational varieties.

This person has become increasingly frustrated with the Protestant/evangelical sects and their seemingly endless variations and opinions on theological topics.

So, the question under consideration is this:

PART THE FIRST: When you were a Protestant/evangelical, were you a part of a so-called "Protestant" denomination (Lutheran, Presb, Reformed)? If so, what were you taught about WHEN the Church had gone so far off track that the Protestant schism was inevitable?

PART THE SECOND (this is a more theoretical question): If Luther and his adherents were essentially CORRECT (for the sake of discussion ONLY), why are most, if not all, Protestants today not Lutherans?

In other words, why was the first schism (by Luther) followed by several more, then dozens more, and eventually THOUSANDS more?

Also, why didn't any of the sects which "broke from the breakers who broke from the breakers" (if you follow me) ever get MORE LIKE the Catholic Church, not LESS like Her, as they all did?

Finally, how do Protestants/evangelicals (in your personal or rhetorical opinion) justify the following:

Church buildings (the Apostles and the 'early church' never had any)

Sunday worship (not unambiguously taught in Scripture, not definitively taught until well after Apostolic times)

and

celebrations like Easter and Christmas (which are ALWAYS celebrated by Protestants/evangelicals on the SAME DAYS that Holy Church put them in the calendar)

I know these are a lot of things to consider, but the conversion of souls is very important to me, and this person in particular is interested, humble, asking good questions AND encouraging me by saying that "they are not as far from agreeing with me" as some discussions might make it seem.

Pray for us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, triumph soon!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

I have a long Protestant history.  

Although my parents were personally not religious, I grew up with a heavy Southern Baptist influence.  As a child, I attended services there.  As a teenager, my father (who was from a mixed marriage and had left his Catholic upbringing) attempted to involve us with the United Methodists since this is what religion his mother and siblings had been.  Later on, I became a participant in the Assembly of God and then later a Oneness Pentecostal.  Whew.

Firstly, most of the Protestants I knew and know, myself at the time, are very hard hearted.  They believe in their preacher/minister and would be hard pressed to change their mind other than just leaving all together.  If they come back to Christianity, they mostly return to what is familiar.  Most are not critical thinkers and don't pray really heavily on what their particular doctrine or dogma is other than what their preacher/minister tells them.  I was always a truth-seeker, a searcher, so I was never satisfied and always had tons of questions.  In fact, the catalyst for my leaving the Pentecostal denomination was quite simple.  I asked my minister where the Bible came from.  His reply was insufficient for me--"The Holy Ghost" and further inquiry had him declaring that John Wycliffe was the first person to "truthfully" put the Bible to print.  The point I am making here is that even the ministers are not really capable of logical reasoning.

Basically what Protestants believe is that the Holy Ghost puts in your heart what he wants you to know.  No Protestant denomination is really "wrong" per se, they just have different ways of seeing things.  I will say this is not true for Pentecostals generally.  What they believe is that the true teachings of Jesus Christ--the Church he established with the Apostles---was hidden.  And that no-one really knows for certain what Jesus taught or meant, so you just have to trust in Him that he will guide you.  Dogma doesn't really mean all that much in these denominations.  This obviously may not be true for Lutherans, Episcopals, and Presbyterians.  

Generally speaking, converting a Protestant is very, very difficult.  You must proceed with caution or your risk damaging whatever relationship you have.  All you can really do is answer their questions when they ask them and then leave it alone.