Catholic Evangelizers: What do you think are the main reasons people reject Catholicism?

[Ronald_E]

i tend to think it is mostly pride… (but maybe i think that because of the particular anti-Catholics i have run into?)

What do you think are the 3 main reasons?

1. Hardness of heart as expressed in fear and/or anger by Catholic parents, laity and religious.
2. Being born into a history of prejudice based on the foundation of the reformation.
3. Mirror neurons.

 

[reen12]

1. Hardness of heart as expressed in fear and/or anger by Catholic parents, laity and religious…

A deity - who makes reference to ‘flames that never quench,’
knows all about hardness of heart, I would think.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

And a deity - who creates billions of people, and then says
the following, is this not ‘hardness of heart’ as well?

How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few. [Matt. 7:14]

reen12

 

[khutcheson]

Actually, I misunderstood the question. I thought the question meant, “why don’t people convert when they’re convinced that Catholicism is right?”

So I thought cowardice could be one reason.

Sorry, I misunderstood the question. Didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Sorry again. Forgive me.

Forgive me…sometimes I’m a little bit thin skinned

 

[RobHom]

I’m a coward if I don’t see things your way?

That’s an obnoxious thought.

Perhaps…it was the “delivery of the thought” that tripped your switch?

I think 3 things that prevent people from considering “anything” other than what they “already believe”…regardless of the subject matter are:

1. Ignorance is bliss.
2. Brainwashed into belief.
3. Fear of the unknown.

Beyond that…

Peer pressure.

Family based pressures.

Doubt, of their own knowledge.

Pride.

Arrogance.

Know-it-all-ism.

Any number of things can be a reason…and all point to “foolishness and closed-minded-ness”.

 

[RobHom]

People do not go seeking for something - that is not felt as a lack.

It has been 20 centuries - since Christ is said to have founded a Church.
If the Holy Spirit guides this church, how is that - 2,000 years later -
soley 14% of human beings, profess Catholicism?

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a106/reen12/graph3.jpg

I find this puzzling.

reen12

The questions that come to mind are these:

1. What is the source of the numbers?
2. How old are the numbers?
3. Does the demographic take into consideration that some of the major population centers, eg, China and for many years, Russian and other former Soviet States, and even others such as Cuba and many arab states actually outlaw all forms of Christianity?

Bottom line: The numbers you presented are “skewed” and the demographics are slanted…without explanation.

If you deduct the numbers and adjust them properly the number of Catholics increases percentage wise…based upon the number of people who are free to make a choice as to what religion they wish to embrace, and do so openly.

But at the same time…considering that 1.1 Billion people on the face of this planet…are Catholics, versus 2 Billion Christians… of how many different “denominations”…says a lot, especially if the 2 Billion figure includes “Catholics”…

 

[c659smith]

Forgive me…sometimes I’m a little bit thin skinned

What I have seen is a mis-conception of what Catholism is.

The Mother of God for one (Mary)

Prayer to Mary,

Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with thee. *** you can find this in the bible

**Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus ** **** this too you can find in scripture.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death amen.
Saints ( those in Heaven) are offering worship, prayers, and praise to Jesus – in Scripture

They are already in Heaven so who do you think they are praying for???

Well you have just read the main Catholic prayer " The Hail Mary" what is objectionable?

Does your congregation here on earth offer prayers for those in need? Does your friends and family during hard times pray for you?

 

[c659smith]

I think Jesus has the answer for you.

Matthew 7:14
“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

MAYBE THIS WILL HELP YOUR PUZZLEMENT

Christian 2,173,183,400
Roman Catholics 1,135,729,000
Independents* 432,223,000
Protestants 382,179,000
Orthodox 219,433,000
Anglicans 81,237,000
Muslims 1,335,964,100
Hindus 871,982,000
Chinese universists 386,666,900
Buddhists 382,542,000
Sikhs 25,880,100
Jews 15,118,000

SO WHAT WAS YOUR POINT?

 

[AlexiaMusing]

Conversion requires humility. If it was difficult for Scott Hahn, humble as he is, imagine how difficult it is for other non-Catholics to admit that they are in the wrong. So you’re right, pride is the biggest problem.

The other two might be insecurity and cowardice.

I am curious. I am not anti-Catholic. I am also quite happy as I am. I am neither a coward, nor prideful, nor arrogant as you seem to suggest. Do you believe that everyone who is not Catholic is these things? Perhaps your attitude is why we aren’t Catholic!

 

[AlexiaMusing]

fear. most fear. since they been tought to watch out to stay away from the anti christ Church.

Do you really think it is prudent to lump all non-Catholics into one boat like this? I have been taught no such thing.

 

[AlexiaMusing]

Well, I don’t know why people reject Catholicism who aren’t Christians, but I have heard arguments from Protestants a lot.

1. They dislike the idea of the Pope.
2. They dislike the idea of praying to Saints
3. They dislike the idea of confessing to a Priest

These are the three things that I’ve seen as I talk to Protestants that they all seem to have preconceived notions of, and they’ll listen when you try to explain it to them or talk with them about it, but whenever I’ve explained it, I get the feeling that they still don’t understand.

I’m Episcopalian and we do both 2 and 3, but I agree, we disagree with giving infallibility to a person.

 

[AlexiaMusing]

I think Jesus has the answer for you.

Matthew 7:14
“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Your scriptural referent suggests you believe that only Roman Catholics are saved. That would be a tad presumptuous would it not, and quite inaccurate from your own teachings I would think.

 

[RobHom]

Do you really think it is prudent to lump all non-Catholics into one boat like this? I have been taught no such thing.

As you are “new to this site”, may I suggest that you “de-sensitize” just a little bit…

Please note that we already know that… But at the same time, there are many people who have been taught that precisely.

The Anglican/Episcopalian is essentially “Catholic” in that it would seem that the major difference between Rome and London is the fact that Henry the VIII had a problem with the Pope, right. Beyond that there are few other differences…

One of the problems that leads to “generalizations” is that there are so many non-Catholic denominations…literally thousands, and I believe the general consensus tends to put it some where around 30,000. Its pretty hard to not generalize where OTCC’s (Other Than Catholic Churches) are concerned…

Don’t take it personal…OK?

 

[RobHom]

I am curious. I am not anti-Catholic. I am also quite happy as I am. I am neither a coward, nor prideful, nor arrogant as you seem to suggest. Do you believe that everyone who is not Catholic is these things? Perhaps your attitude is why we aren’t Catholic!

Alexia… The other day…we “Catholics” got jumped on by some “non-Catholics” for using the word “Protestant” and lumping everyone together or inferring something…

Frankly, I think its all about, if the shoe fits…wear it. In your case, your “curiosity” lead you here, I take you at your word on all else. And no, we do not believe all others are those things.

I wonder, will you be as vociferous in defending “when you find that the shoe is on the other foot”?

Peace!

 

[Danny_OC]

I am offended by your comments but think your post deserves a better response than my last post.

As someone who is attending RCIA at the present (not remotely anti-Catholic), I am extremely put off by the anti-protestant comments I occasionally read here.

I don’t plan on letting individuals, good or bad, determine whether I eventually convert. This is about truth, not likeability. However, having said that, the original post was about evangelization. May I suggest that:

Calling people cowards if they don’t see things your way,
Calling people prideful if they don’t see things your way,
Calling people insecure if they don’t see things your way,

is likely to interfere with evangelization because people are likely to take offense at your comments and their anger (completely justifiable anger) at comments may make it harder to see the truth in the message you wish to advance.

If that’s your attitude, it’s going to come through when you speak to people and I think it hinders any message you wish to get across.

His post clearly stated that those “might” be reasons; he pointed no fingers. Disagreeing with him would be stating that insecurity and cowardice absolutely are not reasons for anyone refraining from converting to Catholicism, now THAT is a truly ridiculous statement. Give the man a break.

 

[khutcheson]

His post clearly stated that those “might” be reasons; he pointed no fingers. Disagreeing with him would be stating that insecurity and cowardice absolutely are not reasons for anyone refraining from converting to Catholicism, now THAT is a truly ridiculous statement. Give the man a break.

It’s clear you don’t get it and I think I shall give this thread a rest as I don’t see that responding to your argument is going to move anything in a positive direction.

 

[c659smith]

It’s clear you don’t get it and I think I shall give this thread a rest as I don’t see that responding to your argument is going to move anything in a positive direction.

There is only one reason why and that is ignorance for if Protestants love Jesus which I know most do.They cannot hate,redicule, and dispise Him (the Body of Christ) “the Church” at the same time.

They cannot concede that the Hail Mary is a prayer out of scripture even though that is clearly what it is.

They cannot concede that Christ told His Apostles and deciples to hear trangressions and that those sins you forgive are forgiven and those you retain are retained.

They cannot concede that the Apostles and Deciples baptized whole families to include infants even though it’s there.

They cannot concede that Christ on the cross gave us His Mother when he said to the Apostle This is your Mother and Woman here is your son.

They cannot concede that Mary is due deep respect and Admoration after all what do you think Jesus would want?

Jesus really did not mean he who does not eat My Body and Drink My Blood shall have everlasting life and those that do not shall have no life within them.
All those people who left then Jesus saw no need to explain the Protestant version but to let them be condemned.

 

[SacredHeartFan]

If one million people say they hate the Catholic Church, they lie. Three quaters of them hate what they falsely believe about the Catholic Church. The other quater are just to full of pride.

3 Main Reasons:

1.) Think we worship Mary/Saints
2.) Think we worship a cracker
3.) Don’t understand what the pope is.

 

[reen12]

MAYBE THIS WILL HELP YOUR PUZZLEMENT

Christian 2,173,183,400
Roman Catholics 1,135,729,000
Independents* 432,223,000
Protestants 382,179,000
Orthodox 219,433,000
Anglicans 81,237,000
Muslims 1,335,964,100
Hindus 871,982,000
Chinese universists 386,666,900
Buddhists 382,542,000
Sikhs 25,880,100
Jews 15,118,000

SO WHAT WAS YOUR POINT?

My point?

quote: reen12

It has been 20 centuries - since Christ is said to have founded a Church.
If the Holy Spirit guides this church, how is that - 2,000 years later -
soley 14% of human beings, profess Catholicism?

I invite any poster - or anyone following this thread, to produce
a different set of numbers - which radically depart from the numbers that I quoted.

20 million, one way or the other, is statistically insignifcant,
given the size of the numbers involved.

Since the CC considers herself to be the one, true Christian church - even grant another 1/2 billion, and the number is hardly what one would expect - after 2,000 years, in terms of a religious entity, deigned by God, to be His contact point with humankind.

And speaking of numbers -

reen12

Had Jesus been God/son of God, I rather doubt that he would have noted that billions upon billions of human beings were created - by he or his father - only to ‘miss the boat’ [barque of Peter?] [eternal salvation?]

Am I to understand that even ‘baptism of desire’ still ends up
with the select few saved? “…those who find it are few?”]

This says more - about the God of Christianity -
than it does in terms of poor, hapless humanity.

How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few. [Matt.7:14]

From my own ‘catechism’

What of the faith statements of the major world religions?
These express deeply held beliefs about God,
often based on scriptures.

Trying to convince the world that one’s own scriptures reflect theological reality,
is surely understandable activity.

reen12

 

[Danny_OC]

It’s clear you don’t get it and I think I shall give this thread a rest as I don’t see that responding to your argument is going to move anything in a positive direction.

It may be so that I don’t get it as I haven’t read most of this thread; but I do think that just by looking at your initial response that you did not do his words justice. Saying that there might be people who refrain from converting to Catholicism due to insecurity/cowardice is a perfectly reasonable statement, and I admit I am biased but I sensed no malice in his tone. This does bring up a major issue with online forums though… the vast majority of what is said would be far better done in person, though forums do indeed have their place.

 

[SacredHeartFan]

My point?

quote: reen12

I invite any poster - or anyone following this thread, to produce
a different set of numbers - which radically depart from the numbers that I quoted.

20 million, one way or the other, is statistically insignifcant,
given the size of the numbers involved.

Since the CC considers herself to be the one, true Christian church - even grant another 1/2 billion, and the number is hardly what one would expect - after 2,000 years, in terms of a religious entity, deigned by God, to be His contact point with humankind.

And speaking of numbers -

reen12

From my own ‘catechism’

What of the faith statements of the major world religions?
These express deeply held beliefs about God,
often based on scriptures.

Trying to convince the world that one’s own acknowledged
scriptures reflect theological reality is surely understandable
activity.

reen12

God does not want to force himself on his children. If he did that would make him a mean God and everyone would be afraid of him. He wants us to love him as a father.