10 Big Lies Catholics Believe About Protestants

Protestantism has over 800 million followers around the world, but there’s still a lot of confusion about what Protestants believe and how they worship. We’ve done some digging and put together a list of the top 10 biggest misconceptions some Catholics have about Protestants. Did you believe any of these?

They Believe Baptists Never Drink

There’s a common belief that Baptists don’t drink alcohol at all.

However, this isn’t the same across all Protestant groups. While some Baptist churches say no to alcohol, other Protestants don’t mind it.

Even among Baptists, opinions can vary—some see drinking as fine in moderation.

As a Reformed Baptist, I enjoy an occasional glass of sweet red wine or margarita. Nowhere in the Bible will you find a commandment to not drink alcohol.

Jesus drank wine and He definitely was not a sinner. However, the Bible does condemn drunkenness.

They Group All Protestants Into One Denomination

Many Catholics think all Protestants are the same, but that’s not true.

There are thousands of Protestant denominations, each with unique beliefs and practices.

While they share some common beliefs, it’s hard to pin down something that fits all Protestant churches.

They Think All Protestant Pastors are Televangelists

It’s a common mistake to believe all Protestant pastors are like the televangelists seen on TV.

This usually comes from not knowing many Protestants personally.

Most Protestant pastors are quite different from these TV figures.

In fact, a lot of Protestants find televangelists just as frustrating or misleading as others do.

They Think People Become Protestant Only After They Reject Catholicism

It’s a misconception that people become Protestant mainly because they reject Catholic teachings.

Most Protestants are in their faith because they were born into it and chose to continue, or they believe Protestantism better aligns with Scripture.

Converting from Catholicism to Protestantism due to disliking Catholics is not as common as some might assume. 

They Think All Protestants Have the Same Belief of the Rapture

There’s a common misunderstanding that all Protestants believe in the rapture, especially as depicted in popular books like the “Left Behind” series.

However, Protestant beliefs about the end times vary significantly.

While some accept the concept of the rapture, many others view those scenarios as more fictional than factual.

Protestants hold a wide array of views about the end times, and there’s rarely a consensus among them on what exactly will happen.

They Believe All Protestants Go to Megachurches

It’s a myth that all Protestants attend megachurches.

Protestant churches come in all sizes, from huge assemblies to small, intimate gatherings.

While megachurches get a lot of attention for their size and often flashy services, many Protestants prefer smaller churches where they feel a stronger sense of community and accountability.

They Think All Protestants Hate All Catholics

Some people think that most Protestants dislike Catholics, but that’s not true.

While a few might have strong opinions, most Protestants don’t feel that way.

Protestants and Catholics do have different beliefs on some things, but many Protestants are okay with having different views as long as the differing views are on secondary issues. 

They Believe Protestants Don’t Take Communion

Some Catholics might think Protestants don’t take communion because their practices differ significantly from Catholic traditions.

In Protestant churches, communion might not be as central as it is in Catholic services, where it revolves around the Eucharist.

Protestant churches vary widely in how often they offer communion—some do it weekly, like my church, while others might only have it monthly.

The ways it’s conducted also differ, which can definitely be puzzling for Catholics who are used to a more uniform approach.

They Believe Protestants are Completely Uninformed

There’s a misconception among some Catholics that Protestants are uninformed about the Bible and church teachings because of their different beliefs.

There are definitely some uninformed Protestants, just as there are also uninformed Catholics.

While Protestants may not always focus as much on church history as Catholics, they often have a strong grasp of the Bible. 

They Think Protestants are Very Inconsistent In Their Beliefs

To those less familiar with Protestantism, the teachings across various denominations might seem inconsistent.

This is partly because, unlike the Catholic Church, which has a centralized leadership, Protestant churches operate independently without a singular leader overseeing all congregations.

This structure allows individual churches to interpret doctrines in their own way, leading to a whole host of different beliefs and practices.