"Catholicism is all man-made religion" from others

[HeWillProvide]

I have heard this twice from coworkers - how Catholicism is all man-made and too influenced by man, etc.

What is an appropriate response? Or should I just be quiet?

 

[Rawb]

If I’m feeling charitable I laugh. Sometimes I ask them just what they think is ‘man-made’ and then correct them.

It’s more fun if I’m not feeling charitable. Sometimes I’ll play ‘dumb Catholic’ and laugh, smile dope-ly, and keep saying “But the Church says-” or “No, God started that-” but that’s only if I really feel there’s no hope in reaching the person and they’re stuck in their position regardless of truth. Sometimes I’ll get into long debates. Those are more fun too, if we’re both thick skinned enough to not care about political correctness.

 

[bostonboy23]

I have heard this twice from coworkers - how Catholicism is all man-made and too influenced by man, etc.

What is an appropriate response? Or should I just be quiet?

you could point out the fact that we believe in one God but God is 3 persons. also we believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. both of these things to me show that Catholicism at least is not man made. how could someone ever come up with something like that?

 

[UnusFides]

If a Protestant is saying this to you simply show him history. Martin Luther created a man made religion. Christ created the Catholic Church.

To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant ~ Cardinal John Newman

 

[Junebug999]

depending on my mood, i’d probably say, “In your opinion, but my opinion is different, obvously because I’m Catholic, and while I will not argue religion topics with anyone, and especially in the workplace, I’d be happy to answer any question you have. If you don’t have a question why don’t we just respect each other’s opinion and right to religious freedom without having to put each other’s chuch down, and I wish you well and my prayer for any non catholic is always that God’s will be done in your life. Have a nice day.”

One gal at work did this little up down up down thing and crossing herself mockery thing and then said, “Catholics don’t know why they do this up down and up down and making marks on themselves and they never take their Bibles to Church.”

My reply was, “First of all, maybe you need to hang out with better Catholics! Second, the Catholics I hang out with know why we kneel every time we kneel and why we stand up every time we stand up, and we do this out of respect for what is happening in the Mass. And sometimes people don’t have their Bible with them but they hear four readings from the Bible in every Mass which is more than I ever heard even as a preacher’s kid growing up – and the Catholics stand up of respect when the Gospel is read – and by the way my Bible does go with me everywhere.”

I don’t let people mock my Lord or my Church. Whatever I say I say it with a nice tone of voice, and I’m polite, but I make it clear we can either discuss something specific, but we won’t be resorting to just casual put-downs of Christ, His Church, or my fellow Catholics or Christ’s mother, saints, pope, etc.

Oh, someone said something one day about the Church should be closed down because of the priest scandal…I quickly pointed out the protestant preacher scandals I had been aware of growing up protestant, does that mean all protestant churches should be closed down? Or, school teachers have been convicted of child molestation…should we close all public schools?

Most people don’t really know what Catholics believe or do not believe. But they love to take a swipe at the Church anyway. I decided I would stand up to it. All the years I believed in the Church before I was baptized I just kept silent. And they just kept on…I’m not silent any longer. They can go mock something else, but not my Lord, not His Church, and not his Mother either, or the saints, or pope, etc. (I love them all.)

When people are allowed to do that in the workplace, they open themselves up to a heap of trouble if someone wants to make a case out of it.

Just my 2 cents. I have found the more I learn the easier it is to respond back.

I said something to a gal today I was doing some beading with. She and I used to belong to same southern baptist church 25 years ago. I was explaining my conditional baptism in the Church and said “because after all ‘there is only one baptism for forgiveness of sins.’” She gave me a look like all confused like, “there is???” HAHA That’s becausse those protestants never preached on that since they didn’t believe baptism had anything to do with sin, it was just a symbol showing you were following Christ.

I did tell her I had found in the Church the complete fullness of faith and truth. And I told her about the finding out that Christ is really presence in the Mass – versus grapes and crackers that are a mere symbol. And that was all that was said, we then went back to our beads.

 

[shuzo1189]

I have heard this twice from coworkers - how Catholicism is all man-made and too influenced by man, etc.

What is an appropriate response? Or should I just be quiet?

Strike your breast and say “Ave Constantinus”, if they ask simply say you are not at liberty to say…maybe throw in a grunt about how “The Jesuits know all.”

Also works on Fundies if your feeling bored.

But in all honesty if you really want to “blow there minds” get a copy of the Didache or maybe Clement’s Letters and have them read it.

 

[ConflictedBoy]

I have heard this twice from coworkers - how Catholicism is all man-made and too influenced by man, etc.

What is an appropriate response? Or should I just be quiet?

Yikes…umm…I’m probably WAY out of line as a possible convert to Catholicism, but I feel so compelled, even so, to jump right into apologetics. =)

here’s my crash course;

If this guy is Protestant give him a friendly suggestion. Ask him why he is Protestant. Tell him to study at length, the writings of Martin Luther, tell him to study at length where his own denomination came from, tell him to ask himself why Protestant sects are MANY in numbers and all have their origins in schismatic conduct. Tell him to look up what Martin Luther’s real thoughts were on sin, polygymy, taking books out of the Bible. etc etc etc.

Tell him to read about Peter being the “Rock” upon which Jesus willl build His Churh (This verse, hit me like a car made of brick, not once had i heard it read in any Protestant church)

Ask him why the Catholic Church has managed to transcend the boundaries of race and national identity, hence being called the “universal church”,

Tell him to go to the library to reserach thsese things, In my experience many protestant christians (and many catholics TOO im sure) do not know their roots, do not know where our faith comes, and those who have suffered for the kingdom of God.

As Mike Campochiaro, a brilliant Catholic apologist (regretfully, hes no longer there) on youtube said “Do not leave he library until you know why you are protestant.” He’ll soon find protestantism is POSITIVELY manmade, its at best church “watered down”

Thats just a truth every Protestant has to face, I have had my enlightenment…

 

[Like]

Yikes…umm…I’m probably WAY out of line as a possible convert to Catholicism, but I feel so compelled, even so, to jump right into apologetics. =)

here’s my crash course;

If this guy is Protestant give him a friendly suggestion. Ask him why he is Protestant. Tell him to study at length, the writings of Martin Luther, tell him to study at length where his own denomination came from, tell him to ask himself why Protestant sects are MANY in numbers and all have their origins in schismatic conduct. Tell him to look up what Martin Luther’s real thoughts were on sin, polygymy, taking books out of the Bible. etc etc etc.

Tell him to read about Peter being the “Rock” upon which Jesus willl build His Churh (This verse, hit me like a car made of brick, not once had i heard it read in any Protestant church)

Ask him why the Catholic Church has managed to transcend the boundaries of race and national identity, hence being called the “universal church”,

Tell him to go to the library to reserach thsese things, In my experience many protestant christians (and many catholics TOO im sure) do not know their roots, do not know where our faith comes, and those who have suffered for the kingdom of God.

As Mike Campochiaro, a brilliant Catholic apologist (regretfully, hes no longer there) on youtube said “Do not leave he library until you know why you are protestant.” He’ll soon find protestantism is POSITIVELY manmade, its at best church “watered down”

Thats just a truth every Protestant has to face, I have had my enlightenment…

ConflictedBoy, you are truly amazing! You will be one of the best converts to HMC that I’ve have ever come across! I don’t know your age, but I do know you are a minor and very respecting of your parents & the folks on this forum!

I don’t have any doubt you will also be a great apologist for the Church.

This is just my humble opinion.

 

[HeWillProvide]

I think their point is, “Oh, you follow the Pope and he’s just a man - all we need is the Bible,” and all of our traditions are just made up by man throughout the years, etc. etc.

you could point out the fact that we believe in one God but God is 3 persons. also we believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. both of these things to me show that Catholicism at least is not man made. how could someone ever come up with something like that?

 

[Augie1530]

the posted replies and questions sound a lot like the questions I faced from my super fundamentalists protestant sister nephews and brother in law when I converted to HMC 3 years ago Im still praying that they will see the light as well and convert to the truth of HMC

 

[Cluny]

Pop-evangelicalism is what’s man-made.

 

[DonLeon]

I have heard this twice from coworkers - how Catholicism is all man-made and too influenced by man, etc.

What is an appropriate response? Or should I just be quiet?

I tell them: “That’s nice, don’t fight…the authority for my church comes direct from God…
the authroity for your church comes direct from a man,so there!” and walk away.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem: D

 

[mark_a]

I have heard this twice from coworkers - how Catholicism is all man-made and too influenced by man, etc.

What is an appropriate response? Or should I just be quiet?

I think it’s helpful to ask if the same goes for Eastern Catholic and Orthodox, some of which still have their litergies in Aramaic.

 

[Godfollower]

ALL religions are man-made.

Our Church is man-made, too. Jesus Christ was fully human.

He also happened to be fully divine. I don’t think that was true of the people who split away from the Church He founded.

 

[Heliotropium]

I just say Catholocism is a GodMan made religion since Christ was both God and Man.

 

[BernadetteM]

Hi Folks,

Would you please explain what “HMC” stands for, I don’t recall ever seeing that before.

I think I just figured it out Holy Mother Church, is that correct?

Thanks.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

 

[Jimzz12]

I have heard this twice from coworkers - how Catholicism is all man-made and too influenced by man, etc.

What is an appropriate response? Or should I just be quiet?

Create doubt in the unbeliever. My usual response is, “Is it?”

I suppose if any religion is man made and that is the rationale for not following its guidelines than that means anything man made is inherently not worth following. Therefore, let us say to ourworkers, “You know the brakes on your car? Those are man made too you know. I hope you get home safely.”

 

[Godfollower]

Hi Folks,

Would you please explain what “HMC” stands for, I don’t recall ever seeing that before.

I think I just figured it out Holy Mother Church, is that correct?

Thanks.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

Yes, that’s correct.

 

[CatholicChick]

Jesus said to Peter “You are my rock and on my rock I build my Church”
Peter was our first Pope, our leader.
The Truth in this one sentence is what led me to swim the Tiber!
The Catholic Church was ordained by Jesus Himself.
It was Man made, by the Man who died to save us all
Our sweet Lord Jesus Himself
Once I read this Truth in the bible and understood it, I was Catholic and will always be praise God

 

[GodIsGracious]

My follow up question to this thread is:

Many protestants come back with essentially saying that the roman catholic church has been infected by satan and is now being run by him. i.e. The implication is that maybe at one point the Catholic church was righteous, but now it is not.

How do you defend against that?