Catholic or Protestant?

[gurlygurl2004]

Which branch or branches of the Christian faith do you incorporate in your faith?

[Mab]

Protestant. Was raised Baptist, but went to Catholic school. Actually have begun a major interest in gnostic/mystic Christianity, and have begun some research into those areas.

[LadyCelt]

Mostly protestant. But, I do have a rosary and a Virgin Mary nightlight. I also feel a strong connection to Saint Therese. I also feel communion is literally the flesh and blood of Jesus too.

[Fr. INRI]

As a Thelemite, I consider myself (and all of my Fraters and Sorors in all the Thelemic Orders or solitary practices across the world) heir to the gnostic traditions.

[gurlygurl2004]

I just recently in the past year thought to go back to Christianity but still holding on paganism thus Christian Witch. At first I was interested in Catholicism, but lately I've considered Protestantism. But since there's so many branches of it, it's hard to decide where to go with it. Even though I'm claiming Christianity, I haven't really started worshipping Jesus again, but I believe that god, and Jesus are two seperate people or entities. But I do honor Christ. How many of you actually worship Christ and see him as god or God? I thought about this last night and may consider praying and worshipping Jesus again. But as a witch I don't know if that's crossing the line.

[starfire]

Catholic.....but not practicing faithfully

[wolf]

I'm a recovering Cathoholic ;)

I am long since past any resentment I had of Roman Catholocism, and have been investigating Christianity more fully, mainly by reading the Bible (KJV) and making my own investigations of the path. I am not pursuing a Christo-Witch path, but have learned a lot more than the Catholic Church lets you know ... one of my main issues with the church was the need to have an Intercessor between believer and diety.

[Ninjakitten]

How many of you actually worship Christ and see him as god or God? I thought about this last night and may consider praying and worshipping Jesus again. But as a witch I don't know if that's crossing the line.


I don't see a problem with worshipping Jesus as Godde. I don't, but recognize that he has Divine Authority, and in that way that made him Godde on Earth, and that he's in Heaven as the right hand of Godde. I guess I'm kind of wierd in that I feel he was a human (I don't claim to know about the Virgin birth as a fact, though) that was given Divine Authority to perform the works and mission that he did while he was here, and that made him a representative of Godde, but didn't make him Godde, yet the Authority itself that Jesus had was Godde's... if that makes sense. So I include Jesus as a part of my acknowledgements of the God and Goddess aspects of Godde, but not in and of himself as Godde.

Oh, and I worship as a Protestant... witch.

[wolf]

Did I miss a memo or something ... why are you spelling it G-o-d-d-e?

[Ninjakitten]

Did I miss a memo or something ... why are you spelling it G-o-d-d-e?


Oh, that's just my way of including the God and the Goddess as seperate but unified Divine entities. I stole the idea from someone on one of my Christian witchy Yahoo groups.

[MariThorn]

I tried to incorporate Protestant beliefs, specifically Baptist, into my witch path . . . While it worked to an extent, I grew to not enjoy the hate and bickering that goes on in their denominations. (It is pretty sad when you have to place a ward up to sit through service.) I am converting to Catholicism, mainly because I've always felt a pull towards it, and I find peace in their rites. I've read their Catechism, and find that it does leave room for other paths that lead to Truth.

As for Jesus . . . I have went from saying he was a man . . . when I totally rejected Christianity as a new witch. (My brain was full of Wicca, and I didn't see a place for him in that religion.) To thinking he was a great witch who had Godde in him as I do. I have come full circle . . . I see know problem with Jesus being Godde . . . tripart deities abound in all cultures. As for dying to save me from hell. I believe he died to show us the road to union with Godde in perfect Truth and Love.

My priest said that purgatory is where we go after death in this plane to make ourselves "perfect" before we are allowed to move on to join Godde. Now, I've long felt this . . . but I saw it as reincarnation . . . now I can see it as a viable part of my religious walk.

My two cents :)

[wolf]

Oh, that's just my way of including the God and the Goddess as seperate but unified Divine entities. I stole the idea from someone on one of my Christian witchy Yahoo groups.

:shrugs:

IMHO, the original spelling does that just fine ...

[Gypsy flower]

none I guess!:hmmmmm:

[Cyzarine]

Hum...I pull from the Catholic aspect into my witchcraft...but I leave all the dogma where it belongs...to those who feel the need to oppress others.

[CleftOfLight]

I would say a lot of different factors play a role in my spiritualty from Roman Catholicism,Universalism,Islam,taoism,Buddhism,Gnosticism,Spiritualists.I mean I learned and was taught all of these things so they are bound to have influence to a degree.
Forgot Kabbalah too.

[Ninjakitten]

:toofless: Yummy! Christian Gumbo... er, in the religious sense, not in the... you know what I mean!

[CleftOfLight]

I know what you mean ninja

[Silver Ivy]

Hum...I pull from the Catholic aspect into my witchcraft...but I leave all the dogma where it belongs...to those who feel the need to oppress others.

I agree with this Cyzarine ... I also pull from the Catholic fatih and am in the process of trying to merge my wiccan beliefs with my christian ones. But, I also leave the dogma behind :)

[LostSheep]

I've always kind of felt an affinity with Catholicism... I think there are distinct Pagan traits to it, the veneration of the saints and the Virgin Mary? ... and maybe it's just because I'm reluctant to let go of it, but i do still respect Catholic traditions, even if I don't actually believe everything the Bible tells us any more...

[gurlygurl2004]

I would say a lot of different factors play a role in my spiritualty from Roman Catholicism,Universalism,Islam,taoism,Buddhism,Gnosticism,Spiritualists.I mean I learned and was taught all of these things so they are bound to have influence to a degree.
Forgot Kabbalah too.


Oh neat combo. Wow, Kabbalah, do you ever get annoyed by Madonna and those celebrities who get wrapped in a religion that they don't really know?LOL

[Ninjakitten]

Oh neat combo. Wow, Kabbalah, do you ever get annoyed by Madonna and those celebrities who get wrapped in a religion that they don't really know?LOL


Don't you hate it when someone tries to turn something spiritual into a fad? Wait, isn't that what the Romans eventually did to Christianity? _whistle_

[gurlygurl2004]

Maybe but it stood the test of time.

[Ninjakitten]

Geez! I need to come up with a money making fad like that! :devil:

[CleftOfLight]

Oh neat combo. Wow, Kabbalah, do you ever get annoyed by Madonna and those celebrities who get wrapped in a religion that they don't really know?LOL
Ty gurly Gurl,and no I dont get annoyed with Madonna its her life and if it makes her happy thats fine with me.Kabbalah to me is more of a key to understanding things rather than a relgion per sae,but to each there own.

[CleftOfLight]

Don't you hate it when someone tries to turn something spiritual into a fad? Wait, isn't that what the Romans eventually did to Christianity? _whistle_
Ha ha ninja in a strange way isnt that how all major religions became major? If you read about any of the Major religions there was always someone or a group that came to power that promoted that particular beliefe.

[gurlygurl2004]

If you want to talk about a religion or cult, think of Scientology. I've heard about this group and I saw a quote from the founder that makes me feel like it didn't start off on good intentions.Paraphasing, L Ron Hubber(t), if you wanna make money start a religion.

[Cyzarine]

Yeah, speaking of Scientology...here's the link:
Scientology (http://www.scientology.org/en_US/religion/index.html)
Yeah, gurlygurl2004, I heard the same thing. Don't really know where...it might have actually been on the website in the link.

[SunFlowerJade]

Catholicism...but I leave the church's dogma behind. And I don't interpret the bible as the literal words of God. Man created the bible just like he created religion. As a result, there are lots of mistakes in the bible that get overlooked all the time by radical Christians. Instead I view the bible as either mythology/folklore, or as a series of metaphors at the very least. _tsk_

The way mainstream religion is today would proably offend Jesus if he saw that his message of love is not getting through. No wonder why so many of us are leaving the church... or have left. I was raised Catholic growing up, so its proably no suprise that I would incorpate it into my path. But I do this with a liberal mindset. :huddle: Thats just how I am. Very diverse and openminded, what can I say? :achug:

Blessings,
SunFlowerJade

[gurlygurl2004]

Catholicism...but I leave the church's dogma behind. And I don't interpret the bible as the literal words of God. Man created the bible just like he created religion. As a result, there are lots of mistakes in the bible that get overlooked all the time by radical Christians. Instead I view the bible as either mythology/folklore, or as a series of metaphors at the very least. _tsk_

The way mainstream religion is today would proably offend Jesus if he saw that his message of love is not getting through. No wonder why so many of us are leaving the church... or have left. I was raised Catholic growing up, so its proably no suprise that I would incorpate it into my path. But I do this with a liberal mindset. :huddle: Thats just how I am. Very diverse and openminded, what can I say? :achug:

Blessings,
SunFlowerJade


I've heard that before, but the weird thing is, with very little resources and references of Jesus, and when I say very little I mean "outside of the Christian Church and KJV of the bible) it seems like we don't really know who Jesus was, I mean he may have been the uptight bastard(excuse my language) that radicals make you think he was, or he could've been more laid back like the pagans, witches, and hippies are today. But at the same time I think pagans interpret Christ like that and wow,,, it's just so confusing. I'd like to think he's more laid back then my past preacher, or my mom(some of the really radical people I had to deal with) but if I'm just saying that to make me feel better.

[Anita]

I'm essentially protestant in my outlook but I was brought up that way. I'm not currently attending any given church.

[equinox2]

gurlygurl wrote:

I've heard that before, but the weird thing is, with very little resources and references of Jesus, ... we don't really know who Jesus was, I mean he may have been the uptight bastard(excuse my language) that radicals make you think he was, or he could've been more laid back like the pagans, witches, and hippies are today. But at the same time I think pagans interpret Christ like that and wow,,, it's just so confusing. I'd like to think he's more laid back then my past preacher, or my mom(some of the really radical people I had to deal with) but if I'm just saying that to make me feel better.

Well said. The little we can piece together about Jesus has good points (like his acceptance of the poor and weak), and bad points (like his constantly putting religion ahead of family, "I came to bring not peace, but a sword" , and such).


Here is something I just posted about his on the "Jesus was a goddess worshipper" thread:


Quote:

a book titled "Jesus and the Lost Goddess"..

OK, there may be a book on it. However, we have very little primary data on Jesus, so little in fact that I've read it all. Literally thousands of books have been written saying jesus was anything you can think of, such as a communist, a capitalist, a fundmentalist, an armed revolutionary, a pacifist, a Catholic, a Protestant, a radical feminist, a magician, a doomsayer, a mormon, an aryan, a Jew, a Nazi, a hobo, a hippie, and just about anything else you can think of. All of them start by deciding what they want to make jesus into, then taking a few lines that are favorable to them, then ignoring everything else, and proceeding to spinning a grand story, filled with their own speculation.

You might want to compare several sources on the historical Jesus, and see which are supported by evidence, and decide based on an unbiased look at the evidence (here is a good overview: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html ).

Here is a good taped college class that examines all the evidence:
http://www.teach12.com/ttc/assets/coursedescriptions/643.asp?pc=Search

Or, you could do what most people do (both Christians and non-Christians).

First, just decide what you'd like Jesus to have been, and just stick with that. Evidence is irrelevant. You may choose a book which supports your view, and ignore all other books.

Seriously though, I don't mean to sound aggressive - this is just the approach I see much more often than not - everyone seems to think that having Jesus agree with them will make them popular, so they make Jesus say whatever they want him to.

Hey, that gives me an idea - I should sell Jesus ventriloquist dummies and candy-coated Jesus candies (everyone also likes to sugar-coat Jesus)!



For the Catholic/Protestant thing - don't forget that they have two different Bibles. The Protestants took out 7 books, plus some paragraphs they didn't like out of books like Daniel. So if you say "I use the Catholic path by reading the KJV bible", that doesn't make sense. A common catholic- approved bible is the New American Bible (NAV). The NIV, NASB, MSG, AMP, NLT, KJV, NLV, ESV, CEV, NKJV, NIV-UK , KJ2, ASV, WE, YLT, DARBY, WYV, NIRV, etc are all different protestant bibles.

Take care-

[Christo Pagan]

Neither actually. I have incorporated Christian Gnosticism into my practice for both it's mystical aspects, as well as it's acceptance of the feminine side of divinity.

[kal]

i was born of the protestant faith

[KiNoRonin]

I'm essentially protestant in my outlook but I was brought up that way. I'm not currently attending any given church.

For most Pagans, a Place of Worship is usually a Grove, which is a Peacefull Place in a Forest or a Park.

So for most Pagans or Druids, a "Church" is referred to as a "Grove".

So do you have some sort of "Grove" at which you can Commune with Nature and be at Peace with the World?

KNR

[ViolinGoddess]

Prodestant all the way baby! Presbyterian spesifically.

Violin Goddess

[ViolinGoddess]

For most Pagans, a Place of Worship is usually a Grove, which is a Peacefull Place in a Forest or a Park.

So for most Pagans or Druids, a "Church" is referred to as a "Grove".

So do you have some sort of "Grove" at which you can Commune with Nature and be at Peace with the World?

KNR

When I was in youth group in high school I learnd that church wasn't a place, it was a verb. It meant people getting together to worship together. I liked that when I heard it.

Violin Goddess

[Ryden]

I guess I can defined as Protestant, if Protestant = Christ-centered. I don't combine it with witchcraft or anything, though.

[Piney Boy]

I was raised in an interfaith household were members practiced Roman Catholicism, Judaism, and a smattering of Green Faith as I like to call it. Meaning some extended family members were involved in celebration of the earth even if they didn't outwordly say so.
I like to think I take the best all of these have to offer, as well as some Budhist and Hindu teachings, and incorporate them into my own concepts of the spirit world. Many of the concepts all use, (ie. some of the Ten Commandments, some of Jesus' and Sidhartha's teachings,etc.) are sound codes to live by, trouble for me comes in absolutes. While the Budhist dont practice absolutes, the concept of THE VOID is one I have trouble with. Today my blend of spirituality is my own, as is my relation with the Universe.

[wintermagick]

Well... a little of both...

[shuvanilu]

Occasional touches of Gnosticism and Mysticism.---shuvanilu

[zionwood]

i don't officially yet belong to an actual denomination, but i plan on becoming a member of the church i pretty much grew up in, which is a Protestant church. i guess that pretty much gives you your answer, although there are Catholic traditions i like.

[Lovehound]

I'm an Episcopalian. That means it's a blend of Catholic and Protestant both.

I did attend Mass at the Mary Queen of the Universe Shrine this evening and got a new Mary sculpture. It is the Our Lady of Grace where she's standing there with her hands open in a simple gesture of welcome. She occupies pride of place right on top of my computer desk now.

I have a serious thing for Mary. I also am getting into St. Francis of Assisi too. Did I spell that right?

[TheWanderer]

Catholic

[RayneFyre]

I was raised Pentecostal and still incorporate some of that into my present path.

[gurlygurl2004]

I'm an Episcopalian. That means it's a blend of Catholic and Protestant both.

I did attend Mass at the Mary Queen of the Universe Shrine this evening and got a new Mary sculpture. It is the Our Lady of Grace where she's standing there with her hands open in a simple gesture of welcome. She occupies pride of place right on top of my computer desk now.

I have a serious thing for Mary. I also am getting into St. Francis of Assisi too. Did I spell that right?

Yeah, I have an interest mainly in Catholicism and Anglicanism.

[gurlygurl2004]

I was raised Pentecostal and still incorporate some of that into my present path.

The church I worked at this summer was apparently Penecostal.

[gurlygurl2004]

Neither actually. I have incorporated Christian Gnosticism into my practice for both it's mystical aspects, as well as it's acceptance of the feminine side of divinity.


But what denomination does the Christian part take from mostly? Or is Christian Gnosticism a branch into itself?

[Lovehound]

Which branch or branches of the Christian faith do you incorporate in your faith?

Both, since I'm an Episcopalian. I often call myself an "Episcopagan."

Hmm. I forgot I'd responded to this thread already. Silly me.

[LadyCelt]

Protestant, but I like the rosary. I've only prayed with it a couple times. But, I conntect to it and hold it somtimes. I also like Mary and certain saints. I like a lot about Catholicism, but I"m not Catholic.

[imapepper]

Catholicism, without the dogma, as others have mentioned. I also don't take the bible as the literal and unfallible word of God. I see Jesus as an enlightened human being, not as a savior but rather, as a guide on how to connect to our higher consciousness and be closer to God. I think Jesus was neither hardline conservative nor super hippie, I think he was like most people, sometimes uptight, and sometimes mellow. I think his life is a microcosm of each persons existence; sometimes we're teachers, sometimes we're victims, sometimes we're healers, etc.

[TheRiverDaughter]

Catholicism, definitely.

[EponaCapaill]

Was raised Catholic, now attend the Episcopal Church, which is a better fit for me, so I would say Anglican, with a strong connection to Mary.

[HerbGurl]

Which branch or branches of the Christian faith do you incorporate in your faith?

I was raised as a non practicing UCC, (Both sides of my family are very Protestant, although we should be either Catholic or Jewish on my mother's side- long story!), but have joined an Episcopal Church, and become very Anglo-Catholic. I even went on a week-long retreat to an Anglican nunnery last month, and did all sorts of things (saying the Hail Mary, making the sign of the Cross, genuflecting before the Crucifix before saying the Daily Offiice) that would have given my mother nervous twitches, and sent my grandparents running for their Bibles! 8O

[zombi]

Roman Catholic! :D

[novimarra]

I'm just starting to return to my roots in Catholicism. I've always been attached to the saints and Mary, also some practices in the church such as prayers (the Hail Mary, of course and others). And having studied Paganism the last few years I see no problem in combining the two religions..yet!

I do have a question for all: do you choose to read a certain version of the bible (whether Protestant or Catholic, etc.) and does that have anything to do with your being a "Christo-pagan"?

[zionwood]

I usually read the Protestant (66-book) Bible, but i do have a copy with the Catholic and Orthodox books in it. Having grown up Protestant, i find the question of how to consider these "extra" books; right now i respect them as part of Christian tradition, and i'm pretty sure at least some of them have been around since before Jesus came.

[darkNight]

I just read a few of the posts and there is one thing that I would like to state. Catholicism doesn't refer to Roman Catholicism alone. To a RC, it would refer to the RC church alone, but to a greek (or a celt), it wouldn't.

That being said, I was raised Protestant (Methodist - which really is Anglican-lite), but changed my orientation when attending an ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran) church. Since then I have become more Catholic, particulary so after hearing that the literal translation view (which is decidedly non-Cathollic, Roman, Greek, Celtic, Martian) only appeared in the 20th century. Suddenly doubts began to form... were the people in the other 19 centuries wrong?

I began to look at my own prayer style. In the Bible, people prayed with their whole body. In my Methodist experience, we had a short-lived, sacred dance troupe, but no other physical involvement.

It was a great relief when I understood making the sign of the cross was a prayer. Just fish-tailed on the highway, almost got in an accident - sign of the cross. Keeping of with the flow of traffic and see cop lights, but they are after the person behind you? Sign of the cross.

And the Catholic view of the saints. My mom died, I still refer to her as "my Mom", same with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Just because he passed, it doesn't mean St. Dymphna and Francis aren't my siblings in Christ and I can communicate with them as I do with my deceased Mother (and not in a Norman Bates type of way).

And finally, my Church, Episcopalian by the way of Anglican, didn't separate during Luther's reformation. Do I consider Luther's reasons for splitting more noble than Hank VIII? Absolutely. It still isn't right for me to latch on to the reformation title when it is so obviously unfitting.

[LadyDryad]

I grew up in a very strict German Lutheran household (my grandmother raised me, and she was very religious), but I am also drawn to aspects of Catholicism, although I don't think I could ever be strictly Catholic.

[Maggie-in-the-Mead]

Which branch or branches of the Christian faith do you incorporate in your faith?
Mormonism. I suppose that would fall under Protestantism in that it's not Catholic but I know it's not that simple, either.

[Morgan Rain]

Which branch or branches of the Christian faith do you incorporate in your faith?

I don't really incorporate and "branches" of Christianity into my faith. The only thing that I brought over to my path from Christianity was my belief on Salvation through Jesus Christ and worshiping God/Jesus/Holy Spirit (the divine). Other than that, all of my traditions and beliefs are mostly Pagan. I don't know if that really made a whole lot of sense lol.

[Bix]

I've found a home in the Episcopal Church. :)

[Benedict4310]

I'm Catholic. I grew up Protestant, fell away, dabbled in many things (including a fling with some different deities), but then converted and was confirmed in the Catholic Church.

[Greenwolf]

I am just exploring the Christo-pagan blend but I would have to say so far I like the esoteric/ mystic side of it. Buddah meets Glenda and has Goddess worshipping babies who seek the inner wisdom of the Christ within. :toofless:

Greenwolf

Oh Violet Sunflower...? Mormonism is a separate branch from protestant and most protestants think it is a cult... or they did when I was in bible school...mind you there was a lot of dark suspicion about RC too!

[Maggie-in-the-Mead]

[SIZE=3]Oh Violet Sunflower...? Mormonism is a separate branch from protestant and most protestants think it is a cult... or they did when I was in bible school...mind you there was a lot of dark suspicion about RC too!

Very true. Well except that Protestants think it's a cult. A lot do but not all. I would say that belongs mainly to the Evangelical bit of the group as does the RC bashing. But Mormons aren't exactly Protestant, that's true enough.

[Selah]

I'm Catholic. I grew up Protestant, fell away, dabbled in many things (including a fling with some different deities), but then converted and was confirmed in the Catholic Church.


Pretty cool! I used to be Catholic myself. What rite are you, specifically? I love the Eastern Rites myself :)

[Benedict4310]

Pretty cool! I used to be Catholic myself. What rite are you, specifically? I love the Eastern Rites myself :)

I'm Latin rite. I like the East too! I would love to experience the Eastern liturgy sometime. :uhhuhuh:

[Kalioppee]

I don't really incorporate and "branches" of Christianity into my faith. The only thing that I brought over to my path from Christianity was my belief on Salvation through Jesus Christ and worshiping God/Jesus/Holy Spirit (the divine). Other than that, all of my traditions and beliefs are mostly Pagan. I don't know if that really made a whole lot of sense lol.

Morgan that makes perfect sense to me. I am at this time the same way. I have not brought over any real influences into my practice. To see me and my rituals you would believe that I am just a pagan.

Now I was raised Roman Catholic, when I lived down south we did attended the Methodist church (this was to stop the things that were happening to my children at school because I was a "witch") and when we moved up north my daughter and I went to ELCA Lutheran when she wanted to become a Christian, she wanted me to approve.

[aussiepunkchick]

I'm catholic, raised in a atheist household, dabbled in some other paths and protestant churches before coming to the catholic church which has always had a appeal for me. I was recieved into the church at the easter vigil this year. What i love about the catholic church is the focus on mary, the saints and ritual.

[Ula]

Neither I am a Gnostic.