Is Protestant anti-Catholicism a luxury who's time has passed?

[snarflemike]

Given the state of the USA, the state of the Western world, and the state of the entire planet, I suggest that those strains of anti-Catholicism that still exist in Protestantism are a luxury that can no longer be justified. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” seems very applicable to today’s situation, does it not? “Fiddling while Rome burns” also comes to mind.

And please, let’s not devolve into a pointless discussion of what is anti-Catholicism. I hope we can all recognize it when we see it. If not, I’ll offer one characteristic: a near total lack of Christian charity. Read Newman’s “Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England” for more detail.

 

[Tomster]

Given the state of the USA, the state of the Western world, and the state of the entire planet, I suggest that those strains of anti-Catholicism that still exist in Protestantism are a luxury that can no longer be justified. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” seems very applicable to today’s situation, does it not? “Fiddling while Rome burns” also comes to mind.

And please, let’s not devolve into a pointless discussion of what is anti-Catholicism. I hope we can all recognize it when we see it. If not, I’ll offer one characteristic: a near total lack of Christian charity. Read Newman’s “Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England” for more detail.

Just from my own experience, it has been a great joy to work side by side and together with some fantastic evangelical Christians protesting at abortion clinics.

 

[snarflemike]

Just from my own experience, it has been a great joy to work side by side and together with some fantastic evangelical Christians protesting at abortion clinics.

A perfect example of how I think Protestants and Catholics should be moving forward in union, even if not in unison.

 

[sennincatholic]

Given the state of the USA, the state of the Western world, and the state of the entire planet, I suggest that those strains of anti-Catholicism that still exist in Protestantism are a luxury that can no longer be justified. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” seems very applicable to today’s situation, does it not? “Fiddling while Rome burns” also comes to mind.

And please, let’s not devolve into a pointless discussion of what is anti-Catholicism. I hope we can all recognize it when we see it. If not, I’ll offer one characteristic: a near total lack of Christian charity. Read Newman’s “Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England” for more detail.

I have friends who will be ready to do anything for me…yet they are protestants.Never have they made me feel uncomfortable about being catholic.However there are many anti-catholic denominations here in Cameroon who wrongly think catholics are the whore in revelation and bla bla bla…IMHO i think ignorance of most non-catholic “christians” on matters of the catholic church is what fuels their anti-catholic sentiments and it will continue to be so until some miracle makes them see the catholic church for what it realy is.

 

[TimothyH]

Given the state of the USA, the state of the Western world, and the state of the entire planet, I suggest that those strains of anti-Catholicism that still exist in Protestantism are a luxury that can no longer be justified. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” seems very applicable to today’s situation, does it not? “Fiddling while Rome burns” also comes to mind.

And please, let’s not devolve into a pointless discussion of what is anti-Catholicism. I hope we can all recognize it when we see it. If not, I’ll offer one characteristic: a near total lack of Christian charity. Read Newman’s “Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England” for more detail.

Protestants are not our enemies, even those that are anti-Catholic.

-Tim-

 

[Ismael]

Catholic bashing is a still well-accepted form of bigotry and discrimination… actually it’s more accepted now then ever.

So Protestants can ‘let it rip!’

I wonder however how smart that is of them. After all we face common enemies, like atheism.

 

[snarflemike]

Protestants are not our enemies, even those that are anti-Catholic.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_enemy_of_my_enemy_is_my_friend

 

[snarflemike]

Catholic bashing is a still well-accepted form of bigotry and discrimination… actually it’s more accepted now then ever.

So Protestants can ‘let it rip!’

I wonder however how smart that is of them. After all we face common enemies, like atheism.

My point exactly.

 

[MaryT777]

 

[Goya]

You’ve touched on the single greatest paradox in my life…

–my own personal experience–is that I am convinced in my heart and soul, at the deepest levels… that the Catholic Church is THE Church founded by Christ; THE fiduciary of the Faith; THE custodian of the Word of God; the guardian and conduit of Truth…

…and yet, I know so many wonderful protestants…

–beginning with my wife (and countless friends from my youth, and current colleagues). That’s not to say that I don’t know more/better folks who are Catholic–just…how can such wonderful people flourish, outside the Church?

Sometimes I wish our seperated brethren would be nasty–that would make it easy not to like them, and then blame their nastiness, on their protestantism.

Alas, that is simply not the case. ‘Seperated’ though they may be, they are still BRETHREN. They are indeed, our BROTHERS in Christ–and, at the very least, ‘men of good will’ (who could pretend to deny them that much?).

…now, that said–when our said brethren take to ‘diss’n’ Our Lady, our Pope, our faithful deparated brethren members of the ‘Communion of Saints’, and the like…well, as all sibling rivalries go…things can get downright nasty. They may be family…but even family can’t go diss’n other family, without you feel’n compelled to defend the honor of those beloved family members whom are the objects of said attacks–especially when you esteem the attacked more dearly than the attacker(s)–(If only they would open their minds and hearts, and realize that Mary, the Saints, the Pope, the Bishops, and the Magesterium, etc., are on our side–on our team–part of the family–that they help lead us to Christ, not away from Chirst…that we honor Chirst, when we honor His friends…I digress…fight’n words, I’m sure…).

It appears that the best/most any of us can really do, is pray (and pray and pray…)–

—and live charitably.

 

[october_baby]

Catholic bashing is a still well-accepted form of bigotry and discrimination… actually it’s more accepted now then ever.

So Protestants can ‘let it rip!’

I wonder however how smart that is of them. After all we face common enemies, like atheism.

It is my experience that hard core proterstants will join atheists and anti-catholic leftists
to bash catholics. I tried to point out unity is the key, but the protestants don’t listen.
I think we should make alliances where we can, but we must be discerning. I think now is
is the time to distance ourselves from the anti catholic protestants, all we can do is pray for them.

 

[Ubenedictus]

Given the state of the USA, the state of the Western world, and the state of the entire planet, I suggest that those strains of anti-Catholicism that still exist in Protestantism are a luxury that can no longer be justified. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” seems very applicable to today’s situation, does it not? “Fiddling while Rome burns” also comes to mind.

And please, let’s not devolve into a pointless discussion of what is anti-Catholicism. I hope we can all recognize it when we see it. If not, I’ll offer one characteristic: a near total lack of Christian charity. Read Newman’s “Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England” for more detail.

I doubt some protestants will agree that the time for anti catholicism is past. I still know protestants who think the catholic church is the whore of babylon and the orthodox churches are her daughters who usurp the place of God in the heart men.
Ofcourse, catholics are said to be under a heavy delusion sent by God on those who have exchanged the glory of God for idols. The pope is the man of sin…etc.
Some people prefer to be misinformed about the catholic church.

 

[Goya]

It is my experience that hard core proterstants will join atheists and anti-catholic leftists to bash catholics. I tried to point out unity is the key, but the protestants don’t listen. I think we should make alliances where we can, but we must be discerning. I think now is the time to distance ourselves from the anti catholic protestants, all we can do is pray for them.

This is the crux of the problem–we talk about ‘protestants’, yet they cover the gamut. What really characterizes ‘protestant’? One group is charitable, another luke warm, and still another, virulently, vitriolically, viciously, anti-Catholic… I’ve had more than my share of run-ins with the latter, nastier variety–particularly Baptists and Reformed Calvinists…but then, so many more, are of the type I described in my post above yours.

 

[MaryT777]

I doubt some protestants will agree that the time for anti catholicism is past. I still know protestants who think the catholic church is the whore of babylon and the orthodox churches are her daughters who usurp the place of God in the heart men.
Ofcourse, catholics are said to be under a heavy delusion sent by God on those who have exchanged the glory of God for idols. The pope is the man of sin…etc.
Some people prefer to be misinformed about the catholic church.

…

The pope is the man of sin and of course himself of his office is AntiChrist and on and on it goes…
St Michael the Archangel defend us in battle.

 

[Goya]

I doubt some protestants will agree that the time for anti catholicism is past. I still know protestants who think the catholic church is the whore of babylon and the orthodox churches are her daughters who usurp the place of God in the heart men.
Ofcourse, catholics are said to be under a heavy delusion sent by God on those who have exchanged the glory of God for idols. The pope is the man of sin…etc.
Some people prefer to be misinformed about the catholic church.

…and our experiences with these types of protestants, have a tendency to taint or view of all protestants. Hell, I’m married to one, and I have the hardest time compartmentalizing these types of experiences, and not imputing them to other protestants, or letting them taint my view of even my own family members…

I have to step back, and remind myself of the bigger picture–we all believe in Christ, the Trinity, the overall salvation narrative, we read the same Bible (mostly same, anyway)…

…they’re not atheist, agnostic, secular, materialist, muslim, jewish, gnostic, wiccan…etc, etc.

 

[Della]

Peter Kreeft wrote a book on this topic that was intended to bring people of faith together to fight the secular decay we are seeing in our world, but it has been ignored or fallen on deaf ears: A Review of Peter Kreeft’s Ecumenical Jihad.

If people of faith are not willing to set aside their biases, our culture will continue to slide deeper and deeper into chaos and destruction. I don’t know why some of our separated brethren can’t see the forest for the trees.

There are those who are so bent on destroying the Church they would rather see the world become totally secular than give up their ignorance and hate. I think they see it as clearing the ground so they can come in and convert the world to their particular sect–as if that is going to happen.

As society becomes more secular people are much more likely to ditch all religious institutions for their own brand of “spirituality” that in the end will lead to complete indifference and atheism. Really, those Christians who fight the Church based on prejudice and ignorance are only shooting themselves in the foot, but getting them to see that is next to impossible.

 

[snarflemike]

It is my experience that hard core proterstants will join atheists and anti-catholic leftists
to bash catholics. I tried to point out unity is the key, but the protestants don’t listen.
I think we should make alliances where we can, but we must be discerning. I think now is
is the time to distance ourselves from the anti catholic protestants, all we can do is pray for them.

I have seen this countless times. A “hard core” Protestant will use arguments against Catholicism that can be trivially modified to argue against all Christianity.

 

[snarflemike]

Peter Kreeft wrote a book on this topic that was intended to bring people of faith together to fight the secular decay we are seeing in our world, but it has been ignored or fallen on deaf ears: A Review of Peter Kreeft’s Ecumenical Jihad.

If people of faith are not willing to set aside their biases, our culture will continue to slide deeper and deeper into chaos and destruction. I don’t know why some of our separated brethren can’t see the forest for the trees.

There are those who are so bent on destroying the Church they would rather see the world become totally secular than give up their ignorance and hate. I think they see it as clearing the ground so they can come in and convert the world to their particular sect–as if that is going to happen.

As society becomes more secular people are much more likely to ditch all religious institutions for their own brand of “spirituality” that in the end will lead to complete indifference and atheism. Really, those Christians who fight the Church based on prejudice and ignorance are only shooting themselves in the foot, but getting them to see that is next to impossible.

Yes, Yes, and Amen!

 

[Goya]

Peter Kreeft wrote a book on this topic that was intended to bring people of faith together to fight the secular decay we are seeing in our world, but it has been ignored or fallen on deaf ears: A Review of Peter Kreeft’s Ecumenical Jihad.

If people of faith are not willing to set aside their biases, our culture will continue to slide deeper and deeper into chaos and destruction. I*** don’t know why some of our separated brethren can’t see the forest for the trees***.

There are those who are so bent on destroying the Church they would rather see the world become totally secular than give up their ignorance and hate. I think they see it as clearing the ground so they can come in and convert the world to their particular sect–as if that is going to happen.

As society becomes more secular people are much more likely to ditch all religious institutions for their own brand of “spirituality” that in the end will lead to complete indifference and atheism. Really, those Christians who fight the Church based on prejudice and ignorance are only shooting themselves in the foot, but getting them to see that is next to impossible.

IMO, the elemental structure of protestantism–which anchors the 10000+ sects–is not condusive to unity of any sort. This is because protestantism is essentially religious capitalism. Unity suggests a surrender of uniqueness or identity, yet identity/uniqueness, is the bread and butter, the lifeblood, of individual protestant ecclesiastical communities. Protestant pastors need to be unique; different; original–they have to establish a niche; an identity that sets them apart–to be profitable, and therefore viable. Now, if protestant pastors must be unique; if they must be dynamic, entertaining, and original–to be viable…surely then, one can see how it would run so severely agaisnt their own interests, to lead their respective flocks, to unity with anyone else. They would essentially render themselves obsolete. By having a personal stake in the profitablitly/viability of their own respective ministries, it creates in the pastor, what we would call a ‘conflict of interest’. Hence protestantism, as an ecclesiatical system, is simply not conducive–perhaps even inconsistent–if not expressly contradictory–with unity of any sort, with anyone. (…In fact we can go so far as to say that protestantism, by its very structure, is quite conducive to fostering and proliferating disunity–which has been borne out through history…).

…and which appears to be the underlying wisdom of the structure of the Church that Christ actually founded, as He founded it.

 

[tabycat]