Evangelical Question

I was raised Catholic but fell away from my faith because I felt that the
Catholics had some whacked ideas, like transubstantiation. Most Catholics don't ask any questions and are Catholic because they were born Catholic. I have always been the one that asks why and wants to know all the reasons for everything and collects as much info as possible. Having faith is difficult for someone that is always looking for tangible facts and incontrovertible evidence. At times I have felt that God definitely exists and at times I have felt there is a chance he doesn't and there is a physical explantation for everything.

Anyway, I have been attending Battlefield Assembly of God with my wife. Last week I felt that God talked to me and told me I would be confused until I was saved. He told me that He understands I will have questions but if I just place my faith in Him He will help me find the answers. I took a leap of faith and have placed all my trust in God and His grace and accepted Him as my Savior. I now feel that I have found a home with the biblical evangicals. This is the first time I have publicly professed this.

This blog seemed like as good a place as any to try to seek some of the answers that I am looking for. If anyone actually reads this and can help I would appreciate a response.

Here's my first question: A Catholic's faith is based on Scripture and tradition. I don't recall where, possibly in Romans, but I have seen the NT epistle passages stressing this. Protestants believe in sola scriptura or that Scripture is all that matters. They also passages to show this. So where did the bible come from? Catholic view can explain this because books were left out or included based on the tradition and guidance of the church itself. Protestants don't believe in this. I also believe that Scripture alone can give you all you need to find salvation but how do Protestants justify what books were included or left out?

You know what really gets me? When the pencil pushers from the office come out on the production floor at work and it's obvious they don't have a clue what is going on. Some of them seem to think that if everyone isn't running around busting their butt then they must be slacking. If an equipment operator is sitting on his butt with his feet up that is the sign of productivity. That is what you want to see. That means he is a good operator and his equipment is running and all is well. They ought to just go back to the office and leave the real work to the professionals.

"Damn the man! Save the Empire!"

A Poem with lots of Quotes

I dreamt I met this man
in a bar down the street.
He came in and said, "Hey! My name's Dan.
And let me tell you guys, I'm beat."

"So where are you from?"
I said to Dan. He said, "Huh?"
"From whence do you come?"
And he thought about that some.

"From south o' the equator,
from Kalamazoo,
or maybe Decatur.
What's it matter to you?"

"I suppose you're right,"
I told this odd man.
He said, "It just might,
you see, because I'm from Japan."

I said, "What's the difference?"
He said, "You tell me.
You don't make no sense,
so just let me be."

I have never written a poem before but we're learning about using quotations properly in Eng 101. I fell asleep thinking about quotes and dreamt about meeting this dude in a bar. (I told you my dreams are screwed up.) Next thing you know, I have a stupid poem in my head with a bunch of quotation marks, many of which include questions in the quotation.

Someone let me know if they notice any that are not used properly. Thanks.