Just curious - why do non-Catholics hang here?

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lizaanne

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I’ve noticed that there are many non-Catholic members here. I’m really curious why they hang out on a Catholic site? I’m not asking this in a judging or nasty way, I’m truly curious. Why would someone who is clearly not in agreement with the Catholic Faith want to spend time in a place where what they probably do believe is constantly disagreed with?

What do non-Catholics get out of being here, I guess is what I’m wondering. :confused:

~Liza
 
Hi,

I ask myself that everyday:D LOL
My catholic friend found this site and thought I would like it. My husband(catholic name only) and his family are catholic. I thought it would be good to learn about catholocism. I now know more then all my catholic friends and I didnt have to go RCIA:D 😉

I have actually learned alot about my own faith.:D(Born again christian) Sometimes reading the posts is like a bible study.👍
 
I am also curious as to why.
  • Do you think you are going to “save” us? 😉
  • Do you want to really learn about Catholicism from Catholics instead of your church who will give you wrong information about the Catholic Church anyway?
  • Do you want to taunt us?
  • Are you just curious?
  • Do you just want to lurk?
  • Are you considering becoming Catholic?! :yup: Say yes, say yes! 😃
 
lizaanne said:
I’ve noticed that there are many non-Catholic members here. I’m really curious why they hang out on a Catholic site? I’m not asking this in a judging or nasty way, I’m truly curious. Why would someone who is clearly not in agreement with the Catholic Faith want to spend time in a place where what they probably do believe is constantly disagreed with?

What do non-Catholics get out of being here, I guess is what I’m wondering. :confused:

~Liza
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If they are Christians, there is MUCH we have in common. If they aren’t - well, it’s nice to learn about each other’s faiths. I have learned what Mormons believe and more about the Muslim faith thanks to the posters here. The discussions have strengthened my faith - so for that, I’m thankful. Maybe they feel the same way? Or maybe they have become interested in the Catholic Faith? (we can hope!)

Besides, there are lots of threads that have nothing to do with religion and are about kids & in laws & movies. I think the mods to a good job of keeping us all charitable, so even if we disagree, we must do so, nicely.

It would be so boring if there were only Catholics here. Although we’d probably manage to fight amoung ourselves? 😉
 
Just kidding.

My wife is a Roman Catholic, so I am interested in understanding papist theology.
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Hi,

I ask myself that everyday:D LOL
My catholic friend found this site and thought I would like it. My husband(catholic name only) and his family are catholic. I thought it would be good to learn about catholocism. I now know more then all my catholic friends and I didnt have to go RCIA:D 😉

I have actually learned alot about my own faith.:D(Born again christian) Sometimes reading the posts is like a bible study.👍
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I certainly appreciate your answer. I teach theology at a Catholic University and while I find many knowledgeable Catholic students I find many Catholic students who went to Catholic school who know practically nothing about their professed faith.

I’m glad you are here. I also am born again as most on this forum are.

CDL
 
lizaanne said:
I’ve noticed that there are many non-Catholic members here. I’m really curious why they hang out on a Catholic site? I’m not asking this in a judging or nasty way, I’m truly curious. Why would someone who is clearly not in agreement with the Catholic Faith want to spend time in a place where what they probably do believe is constantly disagreed with?

What do non-Catholics get out of being here, I guess is what I’m wondering. :confused:

~Liza
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I was introduced to this site by an acquaintance after he stumbled across the “Anti-Neopagan Apologetics” article that appeared in “This Rock.” The article showed a fair amount of misinformation on the beliefs of Neopagans, so we came over to assist in clearing that up (the thread was called “Neopagan Apologetics” and I believe it was moved to the Apologetics subforum). Comparative theology is a bit of a hobby for me and I have enjoyed those posters who are willing to actually have a discussion.

After arriving and participating in the boards for a couple of weeks, I continue to see a need for such education, since Neopaganism appears to crop up as a regular topic on the Non-Catholic Religions Forum (with equal if not worse levels of misinformation).

Actually, I would think that Catholics would find the presence of non-Catholics useful and helpfu in this context, at least as long as the posters are willing to discuss things in a rational, civil adult manner. If you truly believe that your religion commands you to proselytize to those outside of it, those efforts are going to stand at least a somewhat better chance of being heard if you have an accurate understanding of the beliefs and religions you are arguing against. Otherwise, you (and any group with which you are affiliated) are likely to quickly be dismissed as “just another uninformed raving fundie” and totally ignored.

Unfortunately, many of the Catholic posters seem to think the best way to proselytize is to call childish names better suited for a junior high or elementary school setting than an adult conversation. Civil, rational disagreement helps us to hone our understanding of our respective religions and is, in my opinion, productive. Spitting out nasty names and villifying or demonizing those who are different is not.
 
KarenNC said:
Spitting out nasty names and villifying or demonizing those who are different is not.
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You are right Karen. I hope that in your experience, this has been the exception rather than the norm.
 
lizaanne said:
I’ve noticed that there are many non-Catholic members here. I’m really curious why they hang out on a Catholic site? I’m not asking this in a judging or nasty way, I’m truly curious. Why would someone who is clearly not in agreement with the Catholic Faith want to spend time in a place where what they probably do believe is constantly disagreed with?

What do non-Catholics get out of being here, I guess is what I’m wondering. :confused:

~Liza
Click to expand...
This is a Catholic site? I mostly hang out for the free KJV bible offers that tend to pop up on my computer screen now.

As an example, I got into a debate on Psalm 22 earlier and I’ve now spent a couple hours studying the pslam. So though study I’ve strenghtened my understanding of the Pslam. That’s a good thing.
 
here.
The discussions have strengthened my faith - so for that, I’m thankful. Maybe they feel the same way?
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Hi, This forum has strengthened my faith as well. I am also thankful. It has also strengthened my debating skills and biblical knowledge:thumbsup: 😃
I think the mods to a good job of keeping us all charitable, so even if we disagree, we must do so, nicely.
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Agreed
It would be so boring if there were only Catholics here. Although we’d probably manage to fight amoung ourselves? 😉
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LOL------ What would you do without us:p
 
AlegreFe said:
I am also curious as to why.
  • Do you think you are going to “save” us? 😉
  • Do you want to really learn about Catholicism from Catholics instead of your church who will give you wrong information about the Catholic Church anyway?
  • Do you want to taunt us?
  • Are you just curious?
  • Do you just want to lurk?
  • Are you considering becoming Catholic?! :yup: Say yes, say yes! 😃
Click to expand...
I am considering becoming a taunter. Or perhaps a lurker. I think lurking will take less effort but taunting will be more rewarding.
 
carol_marie said:
You are right Karen. I hope that in your experience, this has been the exception rather than the norm.
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Only to a point.
The nature of any discussion group is that the discussion progresses. What I see happening on many threads is that people come in long after the original idea is thrown out and selectively reply to the entire discussion, ignoring what they want.

IMO, Catholics are trained in Apologetics (somewhat). We defend what we believe and should be able to do that.
Non-Catholics evangelize. They put in what they believe and want us to be able to counter it, on their terms.

Which is why I normally stay out of here.
I leave it to the experts.
 
I enjoy having the non-catholics here as, this is the most civil board I have ever been on.

Going on CRM, Rpture Ready, and a few others dismay me at the amount of ill will out there. I am not saying that these forums are perfect, we have quite a bit of non-charitible, irrational posters here also but there is a little cleaner aspect to this forum.
People actually try to have civil dialogue which doesn’t happen anywhere else on any religion board that I have seen.
(except maybe the Christian defense but that has so little traffic it is difficult to get really good discussions going.)

I realize some people have deep emotional, spiritual and other personal reasons to not be Catholic, but this is much different from the hatred, bigotry and outright sometimes deliberate ignorance that many hold on other forums. So I try to invite my brothers and sisters in Christ over here to have some possible fruitful conversations.

God Bless
Scylla
 
lizaanne said:
Why would someone who is clearly not in agreement with the Catholic Faith want to spend time in a place where what they probably do believe is constantly disagreed with?
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This could also be turned around as to why Catholics hang out on this subforum. This particular subforum is titled “Non-Catholic Religions” and the description is “Comparing and contrasting beliefs.” I operate under the assumption that Catholics and non-Catholics who choose to come to this forum do so for the reasons listed in the description with the understanding that they are expressly choosing to talk to others whose faith is different than their own.
 
KarenNC said:
This could also be turned around as to why Catholics hang out on this subforum. This particular subforum is titled “Non-Catholic Religions” and the description is “Comparing and contrasting beliefs.” I operate under the assumption that Catholics and non-Catholics who choose to come to this forum do so for the reasons listed in the description with the understanding that they are expressly choosing to talk to others whose faith is different than their own.
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I am in full agreement with this.
And basically, if you don’t your Apologetics well enough to defend your faith, read up on it before coming here.
Personally, I’m not good enough at it.
 
netmil(name removed by moderator) said:
Non-Catholics evangelize. They put in what they believe and want us to be able to counter it, on their terms.
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Bit of a broad brush, I believe, but then I do not have an extensive history on this forum, so I may be incorrect. I had assumed that it was primarily Catholics posing the questions (that’s the way the titles of them read superficially anyway). Perhaps it is indeed the case that the majority of the threads in this subforum are started by non-Catholics.

Personally, I have no interest in starting threads, taunting, or converting anyone, but will reply to correct erroneous information and to answer specific questions in which I have some knowledge.
 
Valke2 said:
This is a Catholic site? I mostly hang out for the free KJV bible offers that tend to pop up on my computer screen now.
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Valke2 said:
I am considering becoming a taunter. Or perhaps a lurker. I think lurking will take less effort but taunting will be more rewarding.
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I love your sense of humor, and your putting up with my “totally ignorant of Judaism” questions 😃
 
I have to say that, as a Catholic, I really appreciate the views of non-Catholics on this site. It really makes me look at my beliefs in a different light. I have lived in a “Catholic bubble” all of my life - grew up in a practicing Catholic home, went to Catholic schools for 16 years, married a not-so-practicing Catholic, and I am now a practicing Catholic adult myself. I enjoy learning about other religions, and I am learning that the whole world does not interpret scripture, history, politics, etc. all the same way.

Thank you, all of you non-Catholics. You have helped me grow.👍
 
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