Criticising the Catholic Church

[robwar]

This thread reminds me of an old joke:

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump. I ran over and said: “Stop. Don’t do it.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” he asked.

“Well, there’s so much to live for!”

“Like what?”

“Are you religious?”

He said, “Yes.”

I said, “Me too. Are you Christian or Buddhist?”

“Christian.”

“Me too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?”

“Protestant.”

“Me too. Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?”

“Baptist.”

“Wow. Me too. Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?”

“Baptist Church of God.”

“Me too. Are you original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?”

“Reformed Baptist Church of God.”

“Me too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915?”

He said: “Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915.”

I said: “Die, heretic scum,” and pushed him off.

that is so hilarious but that sad thing is that this mentality is so true among a number of these groups. I watched an old John Akerburg show ( warning he is very anti-Catholic) about KJV 1611 verses more modern English translations. At first, the pro-KJV only group looked like a bunch of men that sucked lemons all day, but the vitriolic answers against having a Bible to read that fits the current English language was so pathetic and nasty, one just gotta wonder. I think the must have forgotten Corinthians 13 because one isn’t going to know these guys by any love.

 

[cheezey]

Is anyone catching the irony in this thread?

that isn’t alway an accurate analysis and isn’t fair to lump all Protestants together. … The only think I would say to Op is to use the different comments spoken to him as opportunities to educate and plant seeds because his friends are just speaking out of ignorance.

:thankyou:

 

[Matthew_Light]

Yes very true!

We religious people spend so much time criticizing people of other faiths and thinking we need to fix them by making them agree with us.

 

[fhansen]

Why is it that many protestants are always criticising the Catholic Church. You never hear them criticising each other.

I had a Pentecostal friend. One day she rang me just as I was going to Mass. She later asked me if I went to Church because I wanted to or because I had to. She told me that Catholics change every thing. (we did not take out the 7 books of the Old Testament. Another day she told me that all Catholics were sinners. My answer was, "Yes Lord I am a pure Pentecostal Pharisee that’s why I can kneel in the front of the church. I am not like that Catholic Publican sinner kneeling at the back of the church:. That shut her up.

I had a Baptist friend who came over at least twice a week. Not once did he not say something against the Catholic Church. Ultimately I ended my friendship with him.

Is it because deep down they know that the Catholic Church is the one true Church?

They sincerely believe the CC is in error, in darkness, etc. I used to do so as well in my Protestant.days. Not all Protestants believe this way, however; many have no idea what the Reformation was all about-and could care less. And, if one strays into other, general Christianity forums, we can encounter all kinds of disagreement between Protestants there, BTW, just as there was when Protestantism began. It seems the spirit of dissension and discord and schism is simply inherent in the movement that broke away from the Church God established.

 

[Medmanmjl]

Please comment or direct me to an official response to the “frontline” (PBS) documentary on the corruption in the Vatican re: predator priests/homosexual priests/Vatican bank etc.

 

[PaulDupre1]

Please comment or direct me to an official response to the “frontline” (PBS) documentary on the corruption in the Vatican re: predator priests/homosexual priests/Vatican bank etc.

During a frustrating argument with a Roman Catholic cardinal, Napoleon Bonaparte supposedly burst out: “Your eminence, are you not aware that I have the power to destroy the Catholic Church?” The cardinal, the anecdote goes, responded ruefully: “Your majesty, we, the Catholic clergy, have done our best to destroy the church for the last 1,800 years. We have not succeeded, and neither will you.”

God love you,

Paul

 

[fhansen]

Please comment or direct me to an official response to the “frontline” (PBS) documentary on the corruption in the Vatican re: predator priests/homosexual priests/Vatican bank etc.

Comment: The Church was never guaranteed impeccability-only the means to eventually realize it. Meanwhile imperfect people will continue to behave, well, imperfectly. And some of those imperfect behaviors will be reported accurately while others will be embellished a bit for the sake of sensationalism-primarily because news agencies don’t consist of impeccable people either.

 

[robwar]

Yes very true!

We religious people spend so much time criticizing people of other faiths and thinking we need to fix them by making them agree with us.

i think it is an easy trap to fall into. When one finds their faith in God and become zealous for truth, I think it is too easy to forget to temper desire for truth or to share that with others around us with love. Usually people are not converted by an argument or negative comments about what they believe or practice. People usually are converted by love and compassion. Yes there are times to discuss differences and what may be wrong or right about differences in ideas and beliefs and practices.

 

[House_Harkonnen]

Why is it that many protestants are always criticising the Catholic Church. You never hear them criticising each other.

I had a Pentecostal friend. One day she rang me just as I was going to Mass. She later asked me if I went to Church because I wanted to or because I had to. She told me that Catholics change every thing. (we did not take out the 7 books of the Old Testament. Another day she told me that all Catholics were sinners. My answer was, "Yes Lord I am a pure Pentecostal Pharisee that’s why I can kneel in the front of the church. I am not like that Catholic Publican sinner kneeling at the back of the church:. That shut her up.

I had a Baptist friend who came over at least twice a week. Not once did he not say something against the Catholic Church. Ultimately I ended my friendship with him.

Is it because deep down they know that the Catholic Church is the one true Church?

Yes. I have noticed ITT that there is a shocking number if Protestants critiquing the Catholic Church.

 

[robwar]

Please comment or direct me to an official response to the “frontline” (PBS) documentary on the corruption in the Vatican re: predator priests/homosexual priests/Vatican bank etc.

I see that you are new but this is a little off topic. Why don’t you start a thread with this topic because that is a topic all on it’s own.

 

[DaisymaeD]

I sometimes listen to the local Protestant radio station. The different preachers aren’t even in full agreement with each other on how to get saved, sola scriptura, how much interpretation of scripture is allowed, and who may do it, and the role of baptism.

I even heard a sermon yesterday that veered dangerously close to being in alignment with the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist!!!

Remember, however, the Catholic Church is an enormously large target. Kinda like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

[dronald]

I sometimes listen to the local Protestant radio station. The different preachers aren’t even in full agreement with each other on how to get saved, sola scriptura, how much interpretation of scripture is allowed, and who may do it, and the role of baptism.

I even heard a sermon yesterday that veered dangerously close to being in alignment with the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist!!!

Remember, however, the Catholic Church is an enormously large target. Kinda like shooting fish in a barrel.

So are Protestants.

For proof, check out This Thread.

 

[chero23]

that isn’t alway an accurate analysis and isn’t fair to lump all Protestants together. i grew-up in United Methodist Church which had a high liturgy (due to it’s Anglican roots). I can say about them that I never heard any criticisms of any other Christian group and my confirmation class even paid a visit to the neighboring Catholic Church. When I left them and went to independent Charismatic groups, is when I started hearing and seeing “criticisms” of other Christian groups. When i went away to college and participated in different campus ministries usually run by evangelical groups, i certainly more than anywhere else, witness Christians bashing others as being less spiritual, less Biblical, less real etc and so on. Different Protestants do criticize others Church services and worship as being ritualistic and mechanical or not spirit filled. There certainly many different Protestant groups see themselves as more authentic or Biblical or close to what the Church was in Acts or more “spiritually serious” and not like that social club style Church down the road. I’ve also witnessed about 4 different Church splits. The more fundamentalist the mind set, the more that person will think they have it right as opposed to the other guy. One of the first things that actually attracted me to the Catholic Church is that I didn’t see Catholics going around thinking they were the better Christians than someone else. The only think I would say to Op is to use the different comments spoken to him as opportunities to educate and plant seeds because his friends are just speaking out of ignorance.

Although I do agree that not all Christian denominations point the finger at the CC, you do have to agree that it happens quite a bit. Maybe in your Methodist church they never did that. But you do here from a lot of converts about how they heard how the CC was this and that. I mean its no secret

 

[robwar]

Although I do agree that not all Christian denominations point the finger at the CC, you do have to agree that it happens quite a bit. Maybe in your Methodist church they never did that. But you do here from a lot of converts about how they heard how the CC was this and that. I mean its no secret

Oh yes, I know that very well. I was responded to the lumping of all Protestants together in one big group which one can’t do. It looks like Op is a cradle Catholic and his experiences with a few Protestant friends seem to have him thinking that Protestants are hyper anti-Catholic or are on the same page with each other. I saw more pointing at other Protestant groups and what is wrong with them than the Catholic Church when in Charismatic Churches. I also think many pick up anti-Catholic ideas not from what they may hear from the pulpit but from books and teaching ministries that are out there and there is no control over them. Lets say a Methodist pick up Lorraine Bottner’s books about the Catholic Church, reads it, buys into it and then goes to his or her Catholic friend to tell them they are lost. That person didn’t pick it up from their denomination but from books or TV shows like John Ankerburg or listening to the late Keith Green and his ministry. I think a lot of anti-Catholic stuff may come more from these sources than one’s particular church they attend.

 

[Miserissima]

If your trying to win the prize for nastiness on the internet, you should know that the competition is pretty fierce.

Not at all.

With rueful levity, the joke illustrates:

There is no solidarity among Protestants in theology. The Church is one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic, protected from error by the Holy Spirit.

We are all in danger of being prejudiced by the traditions of men in the letter of the law rather than rather than spirit of the law (saving the man’s life is second to what he believes).

We must all be careful to teach, lead, and build each other up rather than cut them off at the first disagreement.

Catholics aren’t the only target of Protestants. People are people and don’t always represent their beliefs well, no matter how knowledgeable about their faith.

The list can go on, I think.

 

[trevorhall]

My perspective is that of a convert in the Texas panhandle, the middle of the buckle of the Baptist and Pentecostal Bible belt. This is a protestant region and, unfortunately, very anti-Catholic (I was one). Growing up protestant, I sat in many sermons in many churches learning that the Church is pagan and that the Pope is anti-Christ. What is more unfortunate is that many of these “pastors” will sit side-by-side with our Bishop at community events, all the while telling their congregations that the Church is an instrument of Satan. I am not exaggerating, folks. The cradle Catholics in this area don’t even realize how the protestant community in this region views the Church – it is not simply friendly disagreement about some doctrine.

I embodied Bishop Sheen’s comment that millions hate what they think the Church teaches, but few hate what the Church actually teaches. The problems are many. The solution, however, is evangelization – within and without the Church. We need to spread the Gospel to those outside of the Christian faith; we need to educate our separated brethren on the true teachings of our faith; and we need to catechize our own better. Now, I just need to figure how to do this! I am on the RCIA team at the Cathedral, but we need a plan for more community education and outreach.

I look forward to the thoughts and comments continuing on this thread.

 

[Nelka]

If they thought this, they’d join the Catholic church!

.

Pride?

 

[McCartney]

A protestant at work said she noticed Catholics going to church on Saturday evening and made fun saying “we go to church on Sundays not Saturdays”.

I am generally told what I do and believe by protestants rather than asked.

You are right. I have had many occasions where people criticise the Catholic Church for something that is not true. Then they will argue with you that they are correct about the Catholic teachings like they know more than you.

 

[McCartney]

Well, they say defence is the best form of attack.

Also, to borrow from John Bowlby, father of attachment theory: “Separation initially leads to anger and anxiety.”

True!!

 

[McCartney]

There is a reason they still call themselves “Protest-ants.” They were founded in protest against the Church and to one degree or another they are taught those protests. Depending on their upbringing or pastor, some have more protests against the Church than others. Some are taught not to judge Catholics (just don’t do what we do) while others are taught that we are pagans.

If the Catholics did not uphold and promote Christianity for the first 1500 years AD there would be no protestant church,