Nuttiest Things Non-Catholics Have Said or Done Around You Because You're Catholic

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Robyn_p said:
It comes from the World Christian Encyclopedia, which uses a weird method to come to that number. That same source says there are over two hundred different Catholic denominations, which is just obviously false.
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From The Facts and Stats on "33,000 Denominations"Now for a few facts and stats from the actual source: World Christian Encyclopedia by Barrett, Kurian, Johnson (Oxford Univ Press, 2nd edition, 2001).
The source ** does** refer to ** 33000+** total “Christian” denominations, but it defines the word “denomination” as an organized Christian group within a specific country:
“Denominations. A denomination is defined in this Encyclopedia as an organized aggregate of worship centers or congregations of similar ecclesiastical tradition within a specific country; i.e. as an organized Christian church or tradition or religious group or community of believers, within a specific country, whose component congregations and members are called by the same denominational name in different areas, regarding themselves as one autonomous Christian church distinct from other denominations, churches and traditions. As defined here, world Christianity consists of 6 major ecclesiastico-cultural blocs, divided into 300 major ecclesiastical traditions, composed of over 33,000 distinct denominations in 238 countries, these denominations themselves being composed of over 3,400,000 worship centers, churches or congregations.” (Barrett et al, volume 1, page 16, Table 1-5, emphasis added)
So we have, according to Barrett’s Encyclopedia:
  • a denomination is defined as existing within a specific country
  • there are 33,000+ total of these “Christian denominations” in 238 total countries
These 33,000 are subdivided into “6 major ecclesiastico-cultural mega-blocs”, and ordering them by denomination size we have (I am rounding up or down slightly for convenience, using year 2000 figures) :
So the 33,000 number is from the total of these 6 mega-blocs:
22000 + 9000 + 1600 + 781 + 242 + 168 = 33,000+
That’s where the 33,000 figure comes from. If you count the “mega-bloc” of “Protestants” * only* it is 9000 / 33000 or 27% of the total. However, if you combine Protestants with ** Independents** and Anglicans ( [22000 + 9000 + 168] / 33000) it is 94% of the total or 31,000+ . We will see below that most (about 97%) of the "Independent" churches are indeed Protestants. Now that we have that settled, I will examine what the source says about each of these “mega-blocs.” All of the information below is found on pages 16-18 (volume 1) of the World Christian Encyclopedia (2001, 2nd edition).
So… 242 Catholic “denominations” in 238 countries is where that “200 Catholic Churches” number comes from. That probably boils down to the following:
1 Catholic Church worldwide (down from 1 Catholic Church in each of 238 countries)
1 Apostolic Catholic Church
1 Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association
1 Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
1 Old Catholic Church
or something quite close to that.

For purposes of this thread, however, one can probably just look at how many separate and distinct Christian denominations there are just in the USA – and still end up with a number in the tens of thousands.
 
Erich, there are 23 Catholic traditions, no idea where you get 242 from. There is only 1 Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
 
I had a tenant who was elderly… One day, we were talking about our beliefs and she nearly cried as she wailed at me, “Oh, why can’t you be a Baptist?” Poor thing, By remaining a Catholic she believed I would have no chance of salvation.

I once worked with a Seventh Day Adventist man. Over the course of several years we discussed his beliefs and I gave mine as a Catholic. When it turned out I agreed with the vast majority of things he also believed, he stated that he believed I was a Christian. The only explanation he could accept was that my beliefs must go against Church teaching.
 
HungerNThirst4R said:
Erich, there are 23 Catholic traditions, no idea where you get 242 from. There is only 1 Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
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I know that. I even said as much in my earlier post.

The 242 number comes from the same source that “33,000 denominations” comes from (namely, World Christian Encyclopedia by Barrett, Kurian, and Johnson – which counts one Catholic “denomination” per country). As I mentioned in my post above, “242 Catholic ‘denominations’ in 238 countries” is probably really:
** 1 Catholic Church worldwide** (down from 1 Catholic Church in each of 238 countries)
1 Apostolic Catholic Church
1 Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association
1 Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
1 Old Catholic Church
or something quite close to that.

That said, “33,000 denominations” isn’t the right number either… but there *are *a lot:

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

I’m not trying to make any particular point with this particular image, other than to illustrate the complexity. But as complex as this image is, it can get out of hand very quickly. For example:

I know that in the US, there are at least five different major denominations just within Lutheranism that don’t even share altar and pulpit fellowship with each other, much less with other Protestants: ELCA, NALC, LCMC, LCMS, and WELS.

There are multiple branches within Calvinism: Presbyterianism (at least 11 different “flavors”), Congregationalism (at least 3 different “flavors”), and Reformed.

There are several major groupings within Pentecostalism as well, broadly defined as “Holiness”, “Finished Work” and “Oneness” Pentecostals.

Likewise, there are multiple “flavors” of Anglicans/Episcopalians, Methodists, and Baptists (for example, Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist World Alliance – and their 218 member conventions, and countless smaller groups, independents, and many of what would otherwise be considered ‘non denominational’ churches. And that’s just in the US!

Some time back, there was a whole thread devoted to coming up with a more accurate number, but that too got out of hand very quickly (i.e. in just three days, at least 79-88 major subdivisions of Protestantism were identified).
 
Patavium said:
A Southern baptist told me once that the Roman Catholic Church are the modern Pharisees, and that the Southern Baptists represent the Modern Jesus… I didn’t even reply, not worth my time 🙂
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So he was basically saying “God, I thank thee that I am not like those Catholics…”
 
When I was working in a hospital I was approached by a co worker who asked me if I was “cat-lik” After responding that I was I was told, “don’t you know that you worship the whore of Babylon?”
I walked away, but a few weeks later in a spirit of charity, I invited her to our church festival.
What do you do there? she asked.
I replied, eat fried foods, dance, gamble and drink beer. All for a good cause of course"
She never attended…

At another hospital a nurse told me she knew the Church was wrong because she knew everything about the Church because she spent 6 months in a Catholic High School.

👍
 
runjohnnyrun said:
when i was working in a hospital i was approached by a co worker who asked me if i was “cat-lik” after responding that i was i was told, “don’t you know that you worship the whore of babylon?”
i walked away, but a few weeks later in a spirit of charity, i invited her to our church festival.
What do you do there? She asked.
I replied, eat fried foods, dance, gamble and drink beer. All for a good cause of course"
she never attended…
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lol! 😃
 
Robyn_p said:
Yeah, that figure has been debunked several times, by both Catholic and Protestant apologists. It comes from the World Christian Encyclopedia, which uses a weird method to come to that number. That same source says there are over two hundred different Catholic denominations, which is just obviously false.

I do wish Catholics would stop citing that number. It weakens our argument and distracts from the main issue.
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How many denominations are there?
 
aimee said:
Thanks for this thread…I liked reading the posts. I have actually had simular things said to me as well…:eek:
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Gosh, I haven’t. I did have an atheist friend who was against religion in general but never said anything like what I’m reading here.

When we had our marriage convalidated I called my Baptist mother in law to invite her to the ceremony and dinner afterwards and all she could say was, reluctantly, “if he ( my husband) wants to do it”…, like I was going to convert him.
My husband grew up Baptist but after all the hellfire and brimstone experiences, he only goes to church once a year, which is Christmas Mass, with me.
 
During a job interview, the very “Christian” doctors asked me if I was Christian. I told them I was Catholic. One of them said, "well, I guess Catholics could be considered Christian. Ask me how badly I wanted to ask them who founded their church!
 
So I was talking back and forth with my crazy baptist uncle on Sunday about why we ask saints to intercede for us. He says many people are being deceived and that saints can’t hear us. He then said, “St. Peter and the apostles all rode around in one accord, so intercede for me and buy me a Honda.” The man is crazy and completely anti-Catholic, but I had to laugh at that one. 😃
 
We know that there were, indeed, cars in New Testament times, because Jesus was a car painter 🙂

As it turns out, there were cars in Old Testament times, as well. From a compilation I saw years ago:

In the beginning, God himself made mention of His favorite car, when He described to Jeremiah His plans for the Israelites: Jer 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in my Anger, and in my Fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.
Clearly, God was driving, not a bus, but a Plymouth Fury and a car called an “Anger”, which is no longer being produced. Later, however, the Lord was seen driving people around in a Valiant:Jer 46:15 Why are thy Valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.
The Lord frequently drove people out to important occasions, if they didn’t have their own car: Judg 1:19 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
Station wagons were also popular in early times. God saw that they were good, as they could not only carry an assembly of people, but would shield them in a crash. Ezek 23:24 And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.
Unfortunately, his followers, being generous in the ways of the Lord, tended to give them away: Num 7:6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
Fords, then as now, were popular, but not universally so, often being left behind in emergencies. Gen 32:22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the Ford Jabbok.
Ford dealerships were commonly used as gathering points for women. Isa 16:2 For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the Fords of Arnon.
The Israelites also drove customized automobiles. There was a distinct preference for brass and molten parts, which are rarely used today because of the difficulty in handling them. 1Kgs 7:30 And every base had four brazen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.

1Kgs 7:33 And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, were all molten.
The ancient Israelites took great pride in their wheels. Often they were of unusual design, with wheels inside other wheels instead of at the four corners like today’s cars. This may have been done to facilitate performing stunts such as “wheelies”. Ezek 1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Ezek 1:20 Whithersoever the Spirit was to go, they went, thither was their Spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Clearly, the Israelites considered the wheel to be the most important part of the car. But they were also fond of powerful engines: Ezek 26:10 By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach.
Of course, God, with an infinite expense account, could afford to occasionally drive a Rolls Royce. Ezra 6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the Rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
Dodge is one of the oldest car companies, selling the Triumph, Avenger, Colt, and Charger in Biblical times. 2Sam 1:20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised Triumph.
Of course, in modern times, circumcision is no longer performed on automobiles.

They were popular gifts. Mark 6:28 And brought his head in a Charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
The Dodge Ram was greatly admired, and frequently customized with aftermarket accessories such as custom leather seats and extra horns of different pitch. Dan 8:3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a Ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
Collisions, however, were frequent. Dan 8:6 And he came to the Ram that had two horns, which I had there seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the Fury of his power.
Here we see one of the earliest documented cases of road rage.Dan 8:7 And I saw him come close unto the Ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the Ram, and broke his two horns: and there was no power in the Ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the Ram out of his hand.
 
There are also very few Japanese cars in the Bible. The Honda Accord is mentioned several times, although one might question the driving skills of the ancient Israelites.
Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one Accord in Solomon’s porch.

Acts 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one Accord into the theatre.
However, the AMC Spirit was unquestionably the most popular car of Biblical times. They were so highly prized that they were sometimes even described as “holy”, and unlike the Spirits of today, had powerful engines, probably V-6 or V-8 turbines with fuel injection and dual overhead cams. Often people were said to be driving around “in an excellent Spirit”. The Lord Himself even reputedly owned one, undoubtedly because of their reputation for reliability. They would go wherever you wanted them to.
Ezek 1:20 Whithersoever the Spirit was to go, they went, thither was their Spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
 
halleone said:
During a job interview, the very “Christian” doctors asked me if I was Christian. I told them I was Catholic. One of them said, "well, I guess Catholics could be considered Christian. Ask me how badly I wanted to ask them who founded their church!
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To be fair I’m sure you know what their answer would have been… 😃
 
Lately, I’ve gotten more dirty looks than anything expressed verbally. Too bad. I would love to debate someone now that I know more about my faith.

I was challenged once when I was still in RCIA. I was studying at a local coffee shop and three men approached and tried to tell me I was wrong. One was so hostile that he glared at me the entire time. They left me alone when they didn’t get anywhere.

I think I overwhelmed a JW once, when I was approached right after I became Catholic. It was great. By the time we were done, she agreed how our Pope is awesome, Christmas is an important holiday, and that the trinity made sense. Then she said she had to go and forgot to give me a Watchtower. 😃
 
XndrK said:
Does anyone else get the “your Bible is edited” line?
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I did once, and ask the woman if she could recommend a peer reviewed article or book chapter that argued the case for the New World translation. She didn’t provide it.
 
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