The Moral Superiority of Protestants. .

[Captain_America]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.

How many Catholics have run into this?

Of course, for some, they don’t even know the theology of their own denomination and can’t explain how it differs from whatever’s being offered at other Protestant churches!

So it goes.

I think this is perhaps caused by the Doctrine of Niceness, in which “real Christians” practice niceness upon each other, and being nice is the sum of the Gospels. This has intellectual problems with it, I believe.

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

 

[spedteacherita]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.

How many Catholics have run into this?

Of course, for some, they don’t even know the theology of their own denomination and can’t explain how it differs from whatever’s being offered at other Protestant churches!

So it goes.

I think this is perhaps caused by the Doctrine of Niceness, in which “real Christians” practice niceness upon each other, and being nice is the sum of the Gospels. This has intellectual problems with it, I believe.

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

I’m sorry that other Christians treat you in this manner. No one has the right to look down their noses at anyone…all of us are sinners and Christ commanded us to check the plank in our own eyes before we check out the splinter in another’s. Stand proud as a child of God - unfortunately we deal with “sibling rivalry” way too much within our Christian family.

It’s way past time for us to stop bickering among ourselves and get out together to make sure more people are brought to Christ before it’s too late.

God bless!

 

[Zachary]

It’s not just protestants:blush:…it’s atheists too. Most non-Catholics seem to go out of their way to get digs at me, including family, with no provocation. Being Catholic is offensive enough, I suppose…

 

[JRKH]

No - I can’t say that I have run into this very much. Most people accept me for who I am.
When I do I just remember the Pharisees and let it roll off my back.

Peace
James

 

[SyroMalankara]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.

How many Catholics have run into this?

Of course, for some, they don’t even know the theology of their own denomination and can’t explain how it differs from whatever’s being offered at other Protestant churches!

So it goes.

I think this is perhaps caused by the Doctrine of Niceness, in which “real Christians” practice niceness upon each other, and being nice is the sum of the Gospels. This has intellectual problems with it, I believe.

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

I do this in reverse, or at least I might be perceived this way. I’m more than average educated in religion in general, Christianity and it’s sects specifically, so I might come off as I’m turning my nose. However, sometimes I am turning my nose, I think a lot of people are childish, illogical, uneducated and overly sentimental/emotional.

 

[Bonnie]

… I think a lot of people are childish, illogical, uneducated and overly sentimental/emotional.

I think we’d get along!

As for the OP, I think I’m lucky. The Protestants we are friends with are well educated, decent people.

The only times I’ve run into people - both Protestant & Catholic - who are verbally abusive is on-line. Anonymity seems to bring out the worst in people.

 

[dronald]

Protestants come in all different shapes and sizes!

I think most threads that comment on the personalities of certain groups aren’t usually accurate. I know tall Protestants, short ones, mean ones, nice ones, smart ones, dumb ones, etc. That’s just what happens with large groups of people.

I imagine that most of the people from my Church may ask a ton of questions if they found out you’re Catholic. And I think they would be more than willing to be educated on any misconceptions they may have.

I for one did think that Catholics ‘worshipped’ Mary when I was new to Christianity; but I never judged them and eventually learned that it was untrue.

So definitely be careful with threads like this that there isn’t a big log in your eye! Maybe the people you come across are just ignorant of your beliefs and need some kind, polite education; who knows? In general I think people as a whole are willing to learn about other’s faiths.

 

[unstoppable_II]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.
…

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

The next time this happens, ask if they “think for themselves” whenever they have a medical problem. Whenever we have a leaky roof, we call in a roofer to repair it; whenever we have something wrong with our car, we take it to a mechanic; whenever we have a plumbing problem we call in a plumber; whenever we have a difficult technical problem to solve, we call in an expert. This is because the cost of attaining the required knowledge is too expensive, and we might get it wrong. It is only in matters of faith that we are expected to “think for ourselves.” I believe this is partly because Protestants are basically Sola Scripturalists, i.e., they interpret the Bible for themselves and expect others to do the same, and partly because they can look down their noses and get in a jab at Catholics. There is another approach I have used: Ask them why, if we are to “think for ourselves”, Christ came down to earth, suffered a cruel death, and commissioned his followers, “…you, therefore, must go out, making disciples of all nations, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all the commandments which I have given you.” Mt. 28:19-20.

 

[SonSearcher]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.

How many Catholics have run into this?

Of course, for some, they don’t even know the theology of their own denomination and can’t explain how it differs from whatever’s being offered at other Protestant churches!

So it goes.

I think this is perhaps caused by the Doctrine of Niceness, in which “real Christians” practice niceness upon each other, and being nice is the sum of the Gospels. This has intellectual problems with it, I believe.

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

I chalk it up to being a good thing overall…but here in the bible belt I am constantly confronted with this. They come to the door with their bible Rolodex to counter any argument I have, they refer to us as cannibals…which hey…I had a pretty crazy encounter with a gentleman in the candy isle at walmartland that left me exhausted and shaking…and don’t even get me started on how many times my wife and I have been confronted at an abortion clinic nonetheless to be told we were doing it wrong…(praying rosary or divine mercy chaplet silently)…so yeah I can see where you are coming from.

 

[Glomung]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.

How many Catholics have run into this?

Of course, for some, they don’t even know the theology of their own denomination and can’t explain how it differs from whatever’s being offered at other Protestant churches!

So it goes.

I think this is perhaps caused by the Doctrine of Niceness, in which “real Christians” practice niceness upon each other, and being nice is the sum of the Gospels. This has intellectual problems with it, I believe.

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

I run into that quite a bit, particularly among Evandgelicals and the “non-denominational” types. I call it their “excessive arrogance without merit”.
For a group that has very little to nothing to show for their efforts they sure do have a humongously inflated opinion of themselves.
Each and every one of them is absolutley convinced that they are the sole interpreters of truth (as found in their favorite version of the Bible) and that any outside of their denomination are completely deluded.
It would be funny if it weren’t so sad.

 

[spedteacherita]

I think we’d get along!

As for the OP, I think I’m lucky. The Protestants we are friends with are well educated, decent people.

The only times I’ve run into people - both Protestant & Catholic - who are verbally abusive is on-line. Anonymity seems to bring out the worst in people.

I see that, too. That’s so unfortunate because we all can learn so much from one another!

I think this type of interaction probably saddens Jesus a lot.

Blessings!

Rita

 

[GiveTheTruth]

I haven’t encountered your experience in person, but I did encounter it listening to Evangelical Christian radio (which I no longer listen to because I found the EWTN radio station). I live in a predominantly Catholic part of the country. Sometimes I used to listen to the evangelical radio station that has a majority of Calvary Chapel pastors on there who will directly or indirectly lambast the Catholic Church and all it’s teachings. I don’t know if they received a distorted education on what the Catholic Church teaches and are, therefore, ignorant or they are just outright bearing false witness. One thing is for sure, the truth is not in their pastors. And that’s a big problem, because it’s their pastors that indoctrinate them and pump them up to behave this way.
I remember one Calvary Chapel pastor claiming that because the Catholic Church teaches good works are important that Catholics will become apostate and will not endure during times of persecution. I wonder what he thinks now that so many Catholics were slaughtered for their faith in Iraq. Even the Coptic Christians seem to be a branch of Catholicism. I remember listening to one pastor give an expose on Peter and then claim that Catholic Church teaches that Peter was not married, which is the farthest thing from the truth. They also have very little knowledge about the early church fathers or don’t want to know, because it would create a lot of problems in what they are teaching. The best thing to do is pray for them. But I understand the frustration.

 

[pianistclare]

No - I can’t say that I have run into this very much. Most people accept me for who I am.
When I do I just remember the Pharisees and let it roll off my back.

Peace
James

Yes. I don’t really care what others think, so long as they get a “positive” whiff off of me.

 

[SuperLuigi]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.

How many Catholics have run into this?

Of course, for some, they don’t even know the theology of their own denomination and can’t explain how it differs from whatever’s being offered at other Protestant churches!

So it goes.

I think this is perhaps caused by the Doctrine of Niceness, in which “real Christians” practice niceness upon each other, and being nice is the sum of the Gospels. This has intellectual problems with it, I believe.

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

I’ve been told that we “place too much emphasis on Mary”.

If you wanted treated like a fifth grader or other remarks that are nasty and would crack the forum rules like an egg, heh, you should see my PM inbox. :whacky:

TRY to look at it as part of being a Catholic. Persecution comes with it. I would imagine if you keep talking to people of non-Catholic religions that you could be called names and what-not.

In my experience, interestingly enough, I’ve had more issues with fallen-away and practicing Catholics than anything else.

 

[SteveVH]

No - I can’t say that I have run into this very much. Most people accept me for who I am.
When I do I just remember the Pharisees and let it roll off my back.

Peace
James

That has been my experience as well. When I hear the anti-Catholic stuff its always been when I was around a group that didn’t know I was Catholic. When I started a new job about 15 years ago I was invited to a fourth of July celebration at a co-worker’s house. There was a large group of the men there who were discussing a mission trip to Mexico and how they had to save all of those Catholics. As they started reciting what Catholics believe I got out of my chair to join in the conversation but got “the look” from my wife and just sat back down. lol.

All in all I have been treated very good by our separated brethren.

 

[clem456]

It goes both ways.

 

[SteveVH]

It goes both ways.

True, that. I find myself correcting my fellow Catholics about “those Protestants” on a regular basis.

Peace.

Steve

 

[aidanbradypop]

. . . I keep running into Protestants who look down their nose at me for being Catholic, as if I’m simply a child and unable to think for myself.

How many Catholics have run into this?

Of course, for some, they don’t even know the theology of their own denomination and can’t explain how it differs from whatever’s being offered at other Protestant churches!

So it goes.

I think this is perhaps caused by the Doctrine of Niceness, in which “real Christians” practice niceness upon each other, and being nice is the sum of the Gospels. This has intellectual problems with it, I believe.

But in the meantime, I’m treated like a fifth grader.

Yeah it is not fun when this happens. I would suggest maybe praying for them and allow God to work on them.

We have no clue sometimes what makes people angry at other people’s faith. Sometimes it is simply ignorance of facts, while other times it is something personal I have found. I like to say that God uses whomever, wherever and whenever He wants.

 

[Captain_America]

I agree with the fellow above about atheists:

A good many will just give you the Parental Tolerant Smile and murmur things along the lines of “that’s good for you, honey,”

Others get belligerent. As if I was picking a fight or something. This can happen surprisingly fast. I think what happens here is that they’ve been told (by those they agree with and follow politically) that Religion always is against Human Freedom and Advancement, and religion is an enemy of political freedom, particularly we damn Catholics.

Others of course — those I find to be less well informed about science, actually — come at you with the old “science has proven religion false” stuff. And then, despite this incredibly ignorant statement, see YOU as backward, benighted, stupid, etc.

But yeah, with a good many Protestants, they seem to feel as if Martin Luther resolved all the theological issues with a doctrine of Be Nice and Don’t Be Mean, and Avoid Intellectual Dispute and Analysis. (My guess is that for some, this is how a semblance of harmony is maintained at their church).

 

[JustaServant]

Some people just like feeling superior, religion just adds another dimension to it. Thinking you “know” something the poor dumb slob you’re talking to doesn’t is simply pride. And it reveals itself in many other areas, not just religion.