What Do Catholics Not Respect Non-Catholics?

[TriuneUnity]

I would just like Catholics and the Church itself to take a good, strong, honest audit of itself and face some facts…

By and large, Catholics have never been a Bible-reading group (laity)…Most of my protestant friends always express ‘shock’ that I know scripture so well. The only reason I know scripture is because I’m SELF-TAUGH. The RCC never taught me squat about scripture. We learned catechism in CCD growing up, a little old testament, a few basic stories of Jesus and that’s about it. We mostly learned rules, when to bow, how to pray, and what to say…

Protestants are missionary-oriented. I can’t count how many of my protestant co-workers or friends have gone on missions. They use laity to go on missions and they’re driven. Catholics use the priesthood for missions by and large. I can’t name one catholic at our church who has ever gone on a mission.

Protestants tend to have more buy-in with kids and youth. Only in the last ten years has there even been a vacation bible school in our parish and that being said, it’s a pitiful-looking program. Protestants were having VBS way back in the day. I used to go with my lutheran and non-denominational friends as a kid to VBS because we didn’t have one.

Protestants focus on scripture heavily, catholics as a whole tend to focus mostly on the liturgy, confession, rosary, and prayer.

There is not as much fellowship in the Catholic Church as in protestantism. When my family and I used to attend the Anglican Church, there was always coffee hour directly after the service as well as Bible study and dinner together in the hall Wednesday nights. After Mass at our Catholic Church now, there’s nothing.

What I’d like to see is Catholics STOP just using the 7 sacraments as their only claim to fame to get protestants to convert. While I DON’T want roller coasters and ferris wheels or crazy born again revivals in the park, I’d like to see the Catholic Church try to open itself up with more scripture, more passion, more missionary zeal and evangelism, more youth buy-in, more fun, and some child care wouldn’t hurt at our parish!

The tone I often feel in these forums is: "hey, we have all seven sacraments and Peter himself. We’re infallible and that’s enough. Reform? Bah, Trent did that. So many Catholics are contemptible toward Luther and try to sugar coat the indulgences racket back in the Middle Ages or sluff off papal misdeeds. I think the Catholic Church needs to take stock of itself. When I’ve gone overseas in the past ten years with my wife to the Philippines it is shocking to hear how boring, urbane, and just all around dreadful the Mass is. Good Lord they’re just dull. Even Mass can be dull if the lector, priest, and co-celebrants are boring farts. I don’t think we Catholics can just rely on some statements by St. Ignatus and Polycarp about the Eucharist to get folks into the Church. We need to breathe more life back into it!

Great post, gurney!

By the way, I am trying to send you a PM, but it says your PM box is full

 

[MrS]

If I can experience the sacred, form a relationship with God and better my life…I will gladly join that idiots Church.

I experience and feel nothing in what you call the one true Church.

I don’t think he is an “idiot”… but I agree, it is his faith community, not Jesus’ Church

 

[peary]

This is my response to the threads that go "Why do (non-Catholic group name here) hate Catholics? However, I refuse to use the word “hate” as I was raised to believe that we should do our best not to “hate” anyone and I find it’s lose use on this forum somewhat upsetting.

Having been both a Protestant and a Catholic and now being pretty much neither, I read the posts here from a less biased point of view than some and I see a alot of uncharitable behavior on both sides. However, many Catholics, usually the same ones who wonder why so many folks are anti-Catholic, appear to be very arrogant and disrepectful of the faiths of others. Belittling and sanctmonious behavior are not Christ-like, IMO. Nor do they make for dialogue. To assume that people who hold sincere beliefs that differ from your own need only to “try harder” and they would see things your way is indeed an insult.

Thoughts?

I find Catholics over the years to be more tolerant than the uncharitable attacks by protestants on all fronts. Anti-Catholicism is on the rise not only in the U.S. but throughout the world. I do not find Catholic Christians arrogant or disrespectful of other faiths as much as I do nonCatholics. Catholicism is attacked on all sides for its “not with it” views of the contemporary world, or its rigidness in Faith and morals. We don’t ‘change’ with the times. We dare to call a spade a spade. A lot of the world hates the Church and those who belong to it. Christ said as much and warned us in advance.

 

[onetimeposter]

**We dare to call a spade a spade. **

Even when the Church is wrong, they will hold firm to their infallible morals.

 

[elts1956]

once i found the fullness of faith in the Catholic Church (and benefitted from its powerful “helps”… ) i was not at all interested in learning about what other “churches” teach…

Let me correct that… There is only ONE Church… I should have said “What other ecclessial communities teach…”

Once you have found the pearl of great price, you don’t need… agates… or what have you…

Dear Distracted, I am sure there are no Protestants who consider their beliefs “agates”. Of course you wouldn’t want to find out about other faiths, because as many other Catholics decide in their arrogance, they would rather isolate themselves and their religion than dialogue with others not of the Catholic Faith, nor do they believe in the love of others through the practice of Ecumenism to which Pope John Paul II tried to lead us. With this attitude, neither Catholics nor Protestants will make a move to be “one”. Can’t say I blame the Protestants if everyone closes their minds and hearts as you are doing.

 

[elts1956]

once i found the fullness of faith in the Catholic Church (and benefitted from its powerful “helps”… ) i was not at all interested in learning about what other “churches” teach…

Let me correct that… There is only ONE Church… I should have said “What other ecclessial communities teach…”

Once you have found the pearl of great price, you don’t need… agates… or what have you…

I find Catholics over the years to be more tolerant than the uncharitable attacks by protestants on all fronts. Anti-Catholicism is on the rise not only in the U.S. but throughout the world. I do not find Catholic Christians arrogant or disrespectful of other faiths as much as I do nonCatholics. Catholicism is attacked on all sides for its “not with it” views of the contemporary world, or its rigidness in Faith and morals. We don’t ‘change’ with the times. We dare to call a spade a spade. A lot of the world hates the Church and those who belong to it. Christ said as much and warned us in advance.

So do we fight hate with hate??? I don’t think that works.

 

[elts1956]

Great post, gurney!

By the way, I am trying to send you a PM, but it says your PM box is full

I would just like Catholics and the Church itself to take a good, strong, honest audit of itself and face some facts…

By and large, Catholics have never been a Bible-reading group (laity)…Most of my protestant friends always express ‘shock’ that I know scripture so well. The only reason I know scripture is because I’m SELF-TAUGH. The RCC never taught me squat about scripture. We learned catechism in CCD growing up, a little old testament, a few basic stories of Jesus and that’s about it. We mostly learned rules, when to bow, how to pray, and what to say…

Protestants are missionary-oriented. I can’t count how many of my protestant co-workers or friends have gone on missions. They use laity to go on missions and they’re driven. Catholics use the priesthood for missions by and large. I can’t name one catholic at our church who has ever gone on a mission.

Protestants tend to have more buy-in with kids and youth. Only in the last ten years has there even been a vacation bible school in our parish and that being said, it’s a pitiful-looking program. Protestants were having VBS way back in the day. I used to go with my lutheran and non-denominational friends as a kid to VBS because we didn’t have one.

Protestants focus on scripture heavily, catholics as a whole tend to focus mostly on the liturgy, confession, rosary, and prayer.

There is not as much fellowship in the Catholic Church as in protestantism. When my family and I used to attend the Anglican Church, there was always coffee hour directly after the service as well as Bible study and dinner together in the hall Wednesday nights. After Mass at our Catholic Church now, there’s nothing.

What I’d like to see is Catholics STOP just using the 7 sacraments as their only claim to fame to get protestants to convert. While I DON’T want roller coasters and ferris wheels or crazy born again revivals in the park, I’d like to see the Catholic Church try to open itself up with more scripture, more passion, more missionary zeal and evangelism, more youth buy-in, more fun, and some child care wouldn’t hurt at our parish!

The tone I often feel in these forums is: "hey, we have all seven sacraments and Peter himself. We’re infallible and that’s enough. Reform? Bah, Trent did that. So many Catholics are contemptible toward Luther and try to sugar coat the indulgences racket back in the Middle Ages or sluff off papal misdeeds. I think the Catholic Church needs to take stock of itself. When I’ve gone overseas in the past ten years with my wife to the Philippines it is shocking to hear how boring, urbane, and just all around dreadful the Mass is. Good Lord they’re just dull. Even Mass can be dull if the lector, priest, and co-celebrants are boring farts. I don’t think we Catholics can just rely on some statements by St. Ignatus and Polycarp about the Eucharist to get folks into the Church. We need to breathe more life back into it!

Hello Gurney, I think you have helped me put my finger on the bit of unease I feel with the Catholic Church. Let’s face it, the CC has always taught that we will gain our “just” rewards in heaven, so therefore there are many of us, myself included, who didn’t pay too much attention to what was going on on Earth. Now I am not throwing this at all of today’s Catholics, because I think the idea of mission has changed a lot since my earlier days, but in my era, we certainly were taught this way to think.

I think the clergy has done too good a job to set itself apart from the laity. When a problem comes up, we (I) always think, oh that’s the priest’s job. I can’t do anything about it. Because of the system, each group, clergy and laity seems to believe that problem solving belongs to the other. One advantage the Protestants have over us, is that usually, not always, most members of individual churches think of themselves as being equal, “So lets all join in and get the job done.” I find too many Catholics standing back, praying, waiting for God, or the clergy to do “something” not realizing the old saying "God helps those who help themselves and (others), is true. God works through us. Let’s let God have the chance to do that. .

 

[peary]

Originally Posted by pigtown
For several reasons I have left the Catholic Church. When I was little we couldn’t even read the Bible!

Blame your parents.

 

[peary]

So do we fight hate with hate??? I don’t think that works.

Being honest is hardly hate. Your definition of hate is expanded beyond what it means.

 

[elts1956]

Originally Posted by pigtown
For several reasons I have left the Catholic Church. When I was little we couldn’t even read the Bible!

Blame your parents.

Uh uh. His parents were only doing as they had been told. I think the non reading of the Bible by Catholics was predominently a U.S. thing. The CC members in Europe and elswhere may have had a different take on it.

 

[elts1956]

Originally Posted by pigtown
For several reasons I have left the Catholic Church. When I was little we couldn’t even read the Bible!

Blame your parents.

Being honest is hardly hate. Your definition of hate is expanded beyond what it means.

There are other ways of expressing oneself and belief in truth without being arrogant and sounding hateful.

 

[fbl9]

I think the clergy has done too good a job to set itself apart from the laity. When a problem comes up, we (I) always think, oh that’s the priest’s job. I can’t do anything about it. Because of the system, each group, clergy and laity seems to believe that problem solving belongs to the other. One advantage the Protestants have over us, is that usually, not always, most members of individual churches think of themselves as being equal, “So lets all join in and get the job done.” I find too many Catholics standing back, praying, waiting for God, or the clergy to do “something” not realizing the old saying "God helps those who help themselves and (others), is true. God works through us. Let’s let God have the chance to do that. .

what we are doing in our diocese,is we have the parish council then we have the deanery council with reps from each parish,then the archdiocese council with reps from each deanery meet and discuss isssues and plan event within our diocese.yes off topic but like somone said it is very rare that a thread goes behond 2-3 pages before it is a free for all,something i am very bad at.oops did it again.

 

[elts1956]

I find Catholics over the years to be more tolerant than the uncharitable attacks by protestants on all fronts. Anti-Catholicism is on the rise not only in the U.S. but throughout the world. I do not find Catholic Christians arrogant or disrespectful of other faiths as much as I do nonCatholics. Catholicism is attacked on all sides for its “not with it” views of the contemporary world, or its rigidness in Faith and morals. We don’t ‘change’ with the times. We dare to call a spade a spade. A lot of the world hates the Church and those who belong to it. Christ said as much and warned us in advance.

Hi Peary. I owe you an apology. After rereading your post above, you didn’t sound arrogant or hateful. I wonder where my brain was when I first read that. I apologize.

 

[Peter_J]

Of course you wouldn’t want to find out about other faiths, because as many other Catholics decide in their arrogance, they would rather isolate themselves and their religion than dialogue with others not of the Catholic Faith,

But bear in mind that many Protestants make a similar decision.

P.S. Good thing we Catholics have this exhortation from Unitatis Redintegratio: “We must get to know the outlook of our separated brethren.”

 

[dcb188]

One thing I have noticed is that we Catholics seem (to Protestants) to have rules and regulations for everything, and to the non-Catholics it sometimes may seem that these ways of doing things permeate everything we do so that the forest of faith is obscured by all the trees of rules in the foreground, and to a lot of Protestants I have spoken with, they are of the impression that we Catholics see these rules and regs as being nearly as important or on the same level as Scripture itself.
Examples are far too numerous to mention. I think any of us could cite many rules and regulations.
One example that Protestants cite to me is the prohibition against non-Catholic Christians receiving communion. The Catholic and the Christian both believe in the same God, the same Trinity, the same Son, the same Holy Spirit, and yet they are prohibited, not merely discouraged but prohibited from receiving communion. And this is because when we receive communion we are stating, in effect, that we adhere to all Catholic doctrine and beliefs.
So it is no surprise to me that Protestants seem to BELIEVE that Catholics do not respect them.

 

[Pro_Domina]

If I can experience the sacred, form a relationship with God and better my life…I will gladly join that idiots Church.

I experience and feel nothing in what you call the one true Church.

You make the mistake that even most catholics make.

Putting sensibility over everything.
Sensible graces are not the best indication of a good spiritual life.
In fact, when there is a lack of that and feeling of walking on a lone desert and still a virtuous person, there there is merit.
If Jesus Christ appeared to you it would not have merit, because it is a grace that you had no effort to recieve.

So when you protestants and soft catholics go to a "prayer group"and feel the "Spirit"and judge life is all good because of that you are gravely mistaken.
The Devil is quite capable of making you "feel"something.

Now this is not a bashing of mysticism. In fact I side with the Dominicans who sustain that the mystical spirituality is better than the aesetical one defended by the Jesuits (not that one is wrong, but that this is the way that better suits the times).

But that is a false “mysticism” that simply combines a horrible (if not satanical) art of using emotions and sensibility combined with sometimes actual preternatural action.

Plus words have always had a way with the simple minded.

 

[dcb188]

A lot of folks enter a church and expect things to happen, according to what they wish. But they themselves, and what is inside of them, is where the true change and experience takes place. Externals are not good indicators of spiritual matters. If one is completely unaffected by a church service, then perhaps the issue lies within that person rather than the four walls around him.

 

[peary]

The Catholic Church never forbade anyone to read the bible. I think you’re confusing some facts here. The Catholic Church and the bible forbids you to have your own “private” or “personal” interpretation. But the Church never has or never will forbid you from reading the bible.

I grew up in the 1950s and our parish had a bible study.

 

[Pro_Domina]

A lot of folks enter a church and expect things to happen, according to what they wish. But they themselves, and what is inside of them, is where the true change and experience takes place. Externals are not good indicators of spiritual matters. If one is completely unaffected by a church service, then perhaps the issue lies within that person rather than the four walls around him.

Well the “four walls” are important. Sensible graces are good and the liturgy should help them. But even in the most solemn masses, that specific person might not feel anything and be in a perfect state of grace. How so? To admire God you don’t have to feel Him. To admire God in His creatures and His Church you don’t always have to have a sensible grace. Regardless of if it is there or not you should admire because of what it is, not because of what you feel. Now not having an a good interior life will not only make you go for the sensibility but also make you despise Him when He sends you aridness.

 

[distracted]

Why was this? How odd. If you touched it, was your body racked by electric shocks, or something?

No… he was just afraid the Bishop might come to his house and yell at him & call him Anti-Christ for not interpreting it correctly…