Anti-Protestant bigotry has become too much here.

[why_me]

Most of the bashing comes from inner stress and anxiety that such bashers may be experiencing in their personal lives. I think that many such people sound off as stress relief. I also find it hard to believe that the bashers are bashing away in their personal lives with other members of different faiths. I would think that they are mostly respectful and human. But on the Internet, a different breed can take shape or the inner Hulk begins to form a life of its own.

 

[lukewarm]

Why does everyone insist on everyone liking them today? What happened with the good old days where religions and churches believed they were right and damned the naysayers? Now Catholics even Mormons are basically adopting a “I’m O.K. you’re O.K. we’re all O.K. in God’s eye” philosophy.

What happened to some good old tyme Irishman spitting on the ground an English Protestant walks on? What happened to a good old farshioned sermon from some random apostle of the LDS church about how catholics are the whore of babylon and christians are as dumb as a brute beast?

Everything is so homogenous now there’s really no point in even having an affiliation with a religion anymore, since due to ecumenism pretty much anyone can be saved no matter what religion they are anyway.

I don’t like everyone, neither do you, I kinda wish we can all stop pretending we do all the time, it’s exhausting.

 

[Publisher]

Why does everyone insist on everyone liking them today? What happened with the good old days where religions and churches believed they were right and damned the naysayers? Now Catholics even Mormons are basically adopting a “I’m O.K. you’re O.K. we’re all O.K. in God’s eye” philosophy.

What happened to some good old tyme Irishman spitting on the ground an English Protestant walks on? What happened to a good old farshioned sermon from some random apostle of the LDS church about how catholics are the whore of babylon and christians are as dumb as a brute beast?

Everything is so homogenous now there’s really no point in even having an affiliation with a religion anymore, since due to ecumenism pretty much anyone can be saved no matter what religion they are anyway.

I don’t like everyone, neither do you, I kinda wish we can all stop pretending we do all the time, it’s exhausting.

Maybe we are called to something better…“Love one another as I have loved you.”…“Love your enemies, do good to those who despitefully use you…pray for those who persecute you…”

Somehow, spitting on the ground someone from an antagonistic religious tradition follows, just doesn’t seem to me to be following the One who calls us to “be at peace with all men, as far as it depends on you.”.

“The good old days” of religious infighting…don’t seem the “good old days” where the Kingdom of God is concerned. If we behave toward one another like “unbelievers”, what good is our faith if it makes no difference in our world…except as a vehicle of antagonism and one-up-manship?

A Friends perspective.

 

[lukewarm]

Maybe we are called to something better…“Love one another as I have loved you.”…“Love your enemies, do good to those who despitefully use you…pray for those who persecute you…”

Somehow, spitting on the ground someone from an antagonistic religious tradition follows, just doesn’t seem to me to be following the One who calls us to “be at peace with all men, as far as it depends on you.”.

“The good old days” of religious infighting…don’t seem the “good old days” where the Kingdom of God is concerned. If we behave toward one another like “unbelievers”, what good is our faith if it makes no difference in our world…except as a vehicle of antagonism and one-up-manship?

A Friends perspective.

You can love someone and not like them, family members do it all the time. You can also love someone and think he’s a moron and his ideas are worthless…

I guess I don’t understand why everyone needs to be validated to everyone else, why Mormons insist on being labeled and accepted as Christians when they’re religion is obviously a complete 180 from Christianity, their propehts even bragged of this in the beginnings of Mormonism, they wore it like a badge. Why do protestants need to be “liked” by Catholics and vice versa?

It screams of desperation to me…

 

[justinthemartyr]

When I first cam to this forum, Non-Catholic religions was an interesting and fun place to be. I wasn’t here to convert anyone but to clear up misconceptions about protestants and I have always been willing to have my own misconceptions about Catholics cleared up. This used to result in lively interesting conversations that not only helped me learn to defend my faith but spurred on my own study of Scripture. To all of you who were in those conversations (Like Lak and MariaG and the protestants like AllForHim (sorry I didn’t name everyone)), I will miss you guys and for you I won’t delete. I’ll poke in now and then to check PMs.

Lately, it has been none of that. The forum has become, instead, a place for Catholics to put down people who are not Catholic and be rude. Therefore I have no reason to believe there is any point to continuing here while this is the way things are going to be. It is with a sad heart I leave.

wow, if the catholics in the 16th century took this position(abandoning ship in the midst of conflict), the catholic church would cease to exist.

Thank God for those who can endure, in spite of the failings of a few.

 

[Syele]

wow, if the catholics in the 16th century took this position(abandoning ship in the midst of conflict), the catholic church would cease to exist.

Thank God for those who can endure, in spite of the failings of a few.

I seriouly doubt my forum activities on CAF even remotely compare to catholics of the 16th century. I didn’t abandon my faith or any principle by leaving CAF for a month.

Really, I don’t see why it should reflect badly on me that I would not want to hang out with people who were spouting hatred for me or the other people around them. If they want to hate me, so be it. If their sort of attitude is welcomed here then there is little reason for me to stay. I do not hang out at CARM either, for the same reason. As it was, their attitude was NOT welcomed here, one of the people who caused my upset was banned and a couple others left of their own accord. So it seems that I wasnt alone in finding them excessively rude.

CAF is not a religion. If I “jump ship” from it, it really has little effect on me other than missing a bit of interesting debate. You are gonna have to explain alot better if you expect to say people hanging out on a internet forum is equal to the struggles of Catholics in the 16th century.

 

[LilyM]

I seriouly doubt my forum activities on CAF even remotely compare to catholics of the 16th century. I didn’t abandon my faith or any principle by leaving CAF for a month.

Really, I don’t see why it should reflect badly on me that I would not want to hang out with people who were spouting hatred for me or the other people around them. If they want to hate me, so be it. If their sort of attitude is welcomed here then there is little reason for me to stay. I do not hang out at CARM either, for the same reason. As it was, their attitude was NOT welcomed here, one of the people who caused my upset was banned and a couple others left of their own accord. So it seems that I wasnt alone in finding them excessively rude.

CAF is not a religion. If I “jump ship” from it, it really has little effect on me other than missing a bit of interesting debate. You are gonna have to explain alot better if you expect to say people hanging out on a internet forum is equal to the struggles of Catholics in the 16th century.

Right, because we all know Jesus never hung around with anyone who wasn’t nice as pie, and welcoming to Him, and stayed well away from those who disagreed with Him … certainly He never persisted even with those who were incredibly stubborn and didn’t understand Him - like the Apostles themselves…

 

[Publisher]

You can love someone and not like them, family members do it all the time. You can also love someone and think he’s a moron and his ideas are worthless…

I guess I don’t understand why everyone needs to be validated to everyone else, why Mormons insist on being labeled and accepted as Christians when they’re religion is obviously a complete 180 from Christianity, their propehts even bragged of this in the beginnings of Mormonism, they wore it like a badge. Why do protestants need to be “liked” by Catholics and vice versa?

It screams of desperation to me…

Or maybe it screams for “understanding”.

I can disagree with you “agreeably”…I don’t have to embrace your religious views as my own, but unless I follow the Way myself…the Way of peace…the way of patience…the Way of compassion…the Way of Mercy. The Love we are called to as Christians which tells me that…

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not **arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not ****irritable or resentful; ** it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Cor 13.

I don’t have to prove anyone else is not a Christian…I just have to live like I am one for the Truth to be lived.

Love is a choice…whether I feel “warm and fuzzy” inside or not…I can still choose to be loving…

 

[1234]

(excerpt)

Why do protestants need to be “liked” by Catholics and vice versa?

It screams of desperation to me…

I was not aware that Protestants had to justify themselves to anybody, let alone Catholics. Occasionally Protestants argue among themselves, but more and more denominations are actually cooperating and in some cases merging. They don’t actually merge in many cases because of the logistics involves, ie. property and money. Episcopalians share a lot with Methodist, Lutherans and Presbyterians, for example.

 

[Syele]

Right, because we all know Jesus never hung around with anyone who wasn’t nice as pie, and welcoming to Him, and stayed well away from those who disagreed with Him … certainly He never persisted even with those who were incredibly stubborn and didn’t understand Him - like the Apostles themselves…

Don’t be ridiculous, the Apostles didn’t hate Jesus. They may not have understood Him always, they may have been stubborn, but there is a difference between ignorace and hatred.

If people are going to be excessively rude and call my Church an “anti-Catholic social Club” or my family “Christian warlocks” or call myself creepier than a body snatcher, then why should I want to spend time with them? Why should I spend time with people who don’t want me around? This doesn’t make me thin skinned, it makes me a reasonable person. Do you seek out people who hate you to be friends with or have debates with?

If you are going to bring Christianity into it, then what I was doing was telling my Christian Brothers and sisters that they were being rude and not showing love to others. First I told them I had a problem with it individually, then I posted it for the group when it did not appear to get better.
Mathew 15:

15 If your brother sins against you,a] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’(“http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18:15-17#fen-NIV-23742b”)] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.s.’(“http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18:15-17#fen-NIV-23742b”)]

Forums have a unique feel to them. The offenses people make are public to all, there are many “witnesses” from the very start. Occasionally Moderators have to be called in. If they don’t listen to me, to the other Catholics on the board and the moderators don’t care (which wasnt the case here) then I would have no reason to want to stay here. I consider Catholics here to be fellow Christians… but if they insist on being downright hateful and refuse to be charitable, then I have no need to treat them as fellow Christians. If I wanted to debate pagans online, I would not come to CAF to do so.

 

[Mannyfit75]

When I first cam to this forum, Non-Catholic religions was an interesting and fun place to be. I wasn’t here to convert anyone but to clear up misconceptions about protestants and I have always been willing to have my own misconceptions about Catholics cleared up. This used to result in lively interesting conversations that not only helped me learn to defend my faith but spurred on my own study of Scripture. To all of you who were in those conversations (Like Lak and MariaG and the protestants like AllForHim (sorry I didn’t name everyone)), I will miss you guys and for you I won’t delete. I’ll poke in now and then to check PMs.

Lately, it has been none of that. The forum has become, instead, a place for Catholics to put down people who are not Catholic and be rude. Therefore I have no reason to believe there is any point to continuing here while this is the way things are going to be. It is with a sad heart I leave.

You need a break. I have taken a break from here for over a week now. While I strongly disagree with Protestant theology, I do not dislike Protestants themselves as persons. I just think they have misconception about the Catholic faith and need to know the truth of Catholicism.

 

[Syele]

You need a break. I have taken a break from here for over a week now. While I strongly disagree with Protestant theology, I do not dislike Protestants themselves as persons. I just think they have misconception about the Catholic faith and need to know the truth of Catholicism.

Hey Manny,

I did take a month break. If you look at the date on the post you quoted, I posted that almost a year ago. I took a nice break and when I came back one of the people who had upset me was banned, another had quit the forums and the third was being nicer. They really were over the top.

Someone was reading old posts and decided to top the thread and then others started saying I shouldn’t have gotten upset in the first place. That is why the thread is still going.

 

[Mannyfit75]

Hey Manny,

I did take a month break. If you look at the date on the post you quoted, I posted that almost a year ago. I took a nice break and when I came back one of the people who had upset me was banned, another had quit the forums and the third was being nicer. They really were over the top.

Someone was reading old posts and decided to top the thread and then others started saying I shouldn’t have gotten upset in the first place. That is why the thread is still going.

I just realized that. I have written a book it has Biblical basis but it is fictional… It’s a novel… I’m on Chapter 3 but I have not finished it yet…

 

[Syele]

I just realized that. I have written a book it has Biblical basis but it is fictional… It’s a novel… I’m on Chapter 3 but I have not finished it yet…

Sounds interesting, You’ll have to let us know when it’s Done so all us CAF people can read it.

 

[LilyM]

Don’t be ridiculous, the Apostles didn’t hate Jesus. They may not have understood Him always, they may have been stubborn, but there is a difference between ignorace and hatred.

If people are going to be excessively rude and call my Church an “anti-Catholic social Club” or my family “Christian warlocks” or call myself creepier than a body snatcher, then why should I want to spend time with them? Why should I spend time with people who don’t want me around? This doesn’t make me thin skinned, it makes me a reasonable person. Do you seek out people who hate you to be friends with or have debates with?

If you are going to bring Christianity into it, then what I was doing was telling my Christian Brothers and sisters that they were being rude and not showing love to others. First I told them I had a problem with it individually, then I posted it for the group when it did not appear to get better.

Forums have a unique feel to them. The offenses people make are public to all, there are many “witnesses” from the very start. Occasionally Moderators have to be called in. If they don’t listen to me, to the other Catholics on the board and the moderators don’t care (which wasnt the case here) then I would have no reason to want to stay here. I consider Catholics here to be fellow Christians… but if they insist on being downright hateful and refuse to be charitable, then I have no need to treat them as fellow Christians. If I wanted to debate pagans online, I would not come to CAF to do so.

I wasn’t just referring to the Apostles. The scribes and Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin, not to mention many of those who heard Jesus talk about the Eucharist in John Chapter 6, called Jesus much worse. Not to mention DOING worse, like calling for His death.

They DID hate Him. He didn’t walk away or stop trying to teach them, though plenty of them walked away from Him.

And why not debate pagans? St Paul certainly did, and wasn’t always particularly polite about it either. Aren’t we all called to spread the Gospel to all peoples, not just other Christians?

Please please don’t take the above as being particularly directed at you, Syele, it isn’t :hug3:

It’s something I and all of us need to think about at times, whether we’re being just a little complacent and taking something of an easier way out by sticking to polite discussion of relatively minor differences with people who are relatively similar to us in their beliefs. Rather than casting out to the deep as Jesus told St Peter to do.

 

[Syele]

I wasn’t just referring to the Apostles. The scribes and Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin, not to mention many of those who heard Jesus talk about the Eucharist in John Chapter 6, called Jesus much worse. Not to mention DOING worse, like calling for His death.

They DID hate Him. He didn’t walk away or stop trying to teach them, though plenty of them walked away from Him.

My complaint wasnt about people in general, I was asking my Christian Brothers and sisters to act charitably and with love for one another. Yes, many people hated Jesus and many people hate Christians, but Christians are NOT called to hate one another. We are also not expected to simply ignore it when fellow Christians show hate towards us.

And why not debate pagans? St Paul certainly did, and wasn’t always particularly polite about it either. Aren’t we all called to spread the Gospel to all peoples, not just other Christians?

Nothing at all wrong with debating pagans. I was jsut saying that I don’t look for pagans to debate with on a Catholic forum. for that wouldn’t one want to go to a pagan forum?

Please please don’t take the above as being particularly directed at you, Syele, it isn’t :hug3:

It’s something I and all of us need to think about at times, whether we’re being just a little complacent and taking something of an easier way out by sticking to polite discussion of relatively minor differences with people who are relatively similar to us in their beliefs. Rather than casting out to the deep as Jesus told St Peter to do.

The OP was about asking Christians to behave like Christians. If the Christians who weren’t behaving like they should refused to be nice, then there was nothing holding me here. For me to stay and pretend their behaviour was OK would be giving a bad name to all Christians. Non-Christians should not look at these forums and think “If THAT is showing Christian love, I hope no one ever shows ME any!”

 

[Mannyfit75]

Sounds interesting, You’ll have to let us know when it’s Done so all us CAF people can read it.

Here is a summary. It’s about a six cherubims who volunteered before God to hunt down a demon who have came to earth take control of dead bodies of humans and corrupt mankind. These demons have dark powers and manipulate men by giving them false promises of power, lust, etc.

God granted the six cherubims wishes and came to earth. They were given a human bodies and maintain their angelic powers. They hunt demons.

I like to warn that the book does contain historical Biblical elements, and it may offend some devout Christians. However, I like to note that this book is fictional. It should not be taken seriously. For the most part, I have no intension of distorting God himself. He is very well respresented.

I have a file on word document… If you want. You can email me, and I’ll send you copy. There are typos on it since I have not edited it yet. My email is on my profile.

Oh, I apologized for derailing the topic. Feel free to email me.

 

[rpp]

Christian unity is such a wonderful thing.

15 … Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, 16 but do it with **gentleness **and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

I Peter 3:15b-17 NAB

I am seeing a mix of the highlighted terms. It would be nice to see more of them. And that means me, and you, and you, and you, and…