bauer blog

I’d like to preface this note with a short disclaimer.
What is written here is entirely unoriginal. I lay no claim to coming to these thoughts, or transcribing on my own. I don’t believe that anything I write could be original as my philosophy/ideas are entirely based upon what others have written or said. What could I possibly contribute that could overcome the shadow of other great minds like those of the early church fathers, great philosophers, brilliant minds of friends, or literary giants. Much of this will be a culmination of what I have read and discussed in conversation; although, I may not be able to cite the sources of said discourses.

- Protestants have no problem with standing in church and pledging allegiance to the flag, yet make no practice of reciting prayers.

- Protestants accuse the Catholic church of including things in their prayers not found in scripture, but rather than reciting prayers which are based on scripture, they wing it behind the podium.

- Protestants and fundamentalists don’t believe in the true presence in the Eucharist, however still believe it is defiling the body and blood of Christ to take it when you are not of clean spirit. How can you defile Christ when you don’t believe it to truly be Christ?

- Protestants, specifically Fundamentalists, take communion 2-4 times a year, but… Never mind this just proves my point that they really don’t believe it is worth a damn.

- Fundamentalists believe that America is the promised land and have no problem saluting a flag but can’t kneel or bow to an icon of Christ.

- Fundamentalists and protestants believe that “true Christians” support the United States when the Bible says that “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rules of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” (Eph 6:12).

- Fundamentalists believe that scripture alone should be our source of doctrine however the Bible never says that scripture alone should be our source of doctrine, thereby using poor logic.

- The Bible says “All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice” (2 Tim 3:16), and fundamentalists try to use this to prove that the Bible is all we need, but in the very sentence it says to reprove, well what are we reproving if we don’t rely on tradition for anything?

- Fundamentalists attack Catholics because Catholics believe that we are saved through and by Christ by our faith and works, yet they must perform a prayer to receive the Holy Ghost. If you have to do something, that is a work. This is not faith alone.

- Fundamentalists and Protestants both attack Catholics on the grounds that we should be saved by faith alone, but the Bible says explicitly “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” in James 2:24.

- Fundamentalists and some protestants believe that to be saved you must accept Jesus as your savior before the Holy Ghost can come to dwell within you, however we see quite the opposite in Luke 1:41-44 “And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.”

- Fundamentalists do not call the Blessed Virgin Mary blessed at all. “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” (Luke 1:42). If Mother Mary were just a woman who carried Christ in her womb, why was she called blessed in the same way that our Lord is called blessed?

- Fundamentalists and Protestants neither confirm the fact that Mother Mary was without original sin, yet have no problem affirming that Adam and Eve were created without original sin. They seem to forget that original sin is passed down from generation to generation, and Mother Mary would need to be untainted by sin in order to give birth to our Lord.

- Protestants and Fundamentalists, with the exception of a few, do not call the Blessed Virgin Mary blessed at all. It is clearly expressed in scripture however that we should. “And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” (Luke 1:46-48).

- Every fundamentalist sect wants to lay claim to being the ‘original’ church or the church founded by Christ, yet where are their church councils? Furthermore, they have no miracles that would testify to their authenticity, while the catholic church has numerous.

- Protestants whether fundamentalists or calvinists or any flavor of the brand are entirely antinominian. There is no penance, there is no repercussions. If you are elect you are going to heaven. If you are saved you are going to heaven. These are the mentalities that they approach salvation with.

- Fundamentalists pay no reverence to God. The chapels have large screen tv’s, stand seating often times, they talk in the sanctuary, they pretend to believe in the true presence of God but pass notes during service, and you will find more ‘clubs’ than at your local high school. College group, middle school, varsity, old people, single people, newlyweds, apparently everyone needs a different version of the gospel.

This is by no means an exhaustive collection of my issues with protestantism and fundamentalism, but it’s a start. As I think of more I will create a part 2.