What is the biggest misconception non-Catholics have of Catholicism?

[Peter_J]

This question is addressed to Catholics.

What is the biggest misconception that non-Catholic Christians have of Catholics and Catholicism?

For example, what stereotypes or incorrect assumptions are made of Catholics or Catholicism that are inaccurate or unfair that you wish could be addressed and corrected once and for all?

One inaccurate assumption that comes to mind for me is that I have heard some Protestant Christians refer to Catholicism as a “works-based” religion instead of a “faith-based” one. I have come to realize that is not the case. Sure, works are important in Catholicism but faith plays a big part, too.

Good thread … although I’m tempted to start a separate one about misconceptions that are *not *necessarily big. Big misconceptions are easy to pay attention to (I think someone mentioned Chick Tracts earlier) but sometimes we have even more trouble with misconceptions that are (relatively) small.

I don’t know about ‘biggest misconception’, but I think the humanity of the flock is a focus that can lead someone to conclude to walk a path away from what they desire to find.

I think it’s possible that people think ‘if there is a true Church, it will stick out like a sore thumb’.

So then they see people in all their humanity and use this lack of difference to their group of friends / family / congregation as reasoning to apply a conclusion which may be categorized as a misconception.

I was thinking something different but related to what you said: the whole “monolithic” matter.

Now I’m not suggesting this is true of every single Protestant, but there definitely exist Protestants who regard us as way, way, WAY more monolithic than we actually are. (It never ceases to amaze me when a Protestant hears one Catholic say something, and immediately conclude with absolute certainty that the other 1 billion Catholics must also say it.)

 

[Tommy999]

Not only the Mass, but the official daily prayer of the Church, the Divine Office is primarily Scripture–Psalms with some other passages and prayers: divineoffice.org.

That was mine, as well. Looking in from the outside many Protestants, especially Evangelicals/Pentecostals, see devotion to Mary as worshiping her. I believe you have come to understand that’s not what Catholic do. But I can understand how it may seem that way, which is why it needs to be explained to non-Catholics in terms they can grasp.

**The thing to remember about Marian theology is that it is based in Christology. Mary is not an entity studied apart from her Son and his mission, but rather as an integral part. What the Church teaches about Mary and devotion to her is all centered in Christ, who he is, what he accomplished in his earthly mission and his promises to us his people. Understood in that context Marian doctrine/dogma/devotion makes sense.**We cannot possibly fill in all anyone needs to know about Marian teachings on CAF. For that inquirers need to read solid Catholic material that deals with the topic. I urge you to do so, for the sake of your understanding if not your acceptance.

Please remember us, as well–although I suspect you already do.

Yes, I do remember you all in my prayers. But sometimes I suspect you don’t need it as much as I do.

By the way, what you bolded is similar to what Al Kresta said on a recent program I listened to on EWTN radio. I really like his show. I think I am beginning to understand the concept, although it is still a little foreign to me. After all, when you’ve spent over 50 years in a different belief system and never had to think about certain things much, it can be a little intimidating. As always, thanks, Della.

 

[Tommy999]

Good thread … although I’m tempted to start a separate one about misconceptions that are not necessarily big. Big misconceptions are easy to pay attention to (I think someone mentioned Chick Tracts earlier) but sometimes we have even more trouble with misconceptions that are (relatively) small.

I was thinking something different but related to what you said: the whole “monolithic” matter.

Now I’m not suggest this is true of every single Protestant, but there definitely exist Protestants who regard us as way, way, WAY more monolithic than we actually are – it never ceases to amaze me when a Protestant hears one Catholic say something, and immediately conclude with absolute certainty that the other 1 billion Catholics must also say it.

Hi Peter J,
As far as I am concerned, you can state misconceptions of any size or shape on this thread. The small ones have been just as enlightening to me as the big ones.

 

[PJM]

Being a convert with loads of Baptist family members, I am constantly accused of “worshipping Mary” and by praying to Saints, I am “worshipping idols”.

I explain time and time again the role of the Holy Mother as our protector who intervenes for us in our time of need. I also explain that we honor her, for without her consent there would not have been an immaculate conception as we know it. Still, I constantly hear these statements, and I have somewhat just given up trying to reason with them.

The lack of “Bible based teaching” is another one, but I can argue that the Catholic Mass entails three (sometimes more) readings from scripture as a basis for our message each week. Most of them don’t know that because they have never been.

Here my friend is a TIP gained form much experience:

Consider trying to explain Mary this way:

When we Catholics pray “TO” Mary; we are ACTUALLY praying THROUGH** Mary**

For Catholics & Christians ALL Prayers END with God

WHY do Catholics do this?

We do so because of a teleological term: “THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS”

This "communion /gathering / “family” for clarification has three distinct elements:

[1] ALL of us Catholic-Christians here on earth

[2] ALL of the souls in Purgatory

[3] All the acknowledged Saints [capitol “S” & all the souls in heaven [“saints” W/ a small "s;.

This “body” of souls makes up this collective “communion”.

Because we ARE “family” we come to the aid and defense of each other.; specifically we can and we DO pray for each other.

So Mary & the Saints accept OUR prayer-petitions

THEN add their own on top of them

& present them to God on our behalf; ADDING TO TO THEIR EFFICACY: [effectiveness]

BTW; The RCC does NOT mandate intercessory prayer; which is a personal piety practice BUT STRONGLY recommends it:thumbsup:

God Bless you,

Patrick

 

[Tommy999]

Thanks to everyone for your contributions. I wanted to add a prior misconception I had. I’m not sure how many other non-Catholics had/have it.

When I first came to CAF, I didn’t know much at all about Catholicism. Compared to my faith tradition, it seemed somewhat legalistic and overbearing to me. There seemed to be lots and lots of rules and regulations to follow, similar to that of the Pharisees, or so I thought at the time.

I no longer feel that way.

For example, I recall reading of Catholics needing to get special permission or authorization to miss Sunday Mass.
Note: That concerned me because in my line of work, I have to sometimes leave at a moment’s notice to go to work when I am on-call and there is a problem. where I am paged. I’ve actually been called into work before on Sunday morning as I was preparing to leave with the family to attend church, therefore missing it, even though I really wanted to go.

In that case, to add insult to injury, my understanding was that if I were Catholic, I would also have to seek out a pardon from a priest for something that was out of my control.

I also remember hearing about some folks who seemed overly-concerned (to me, anyway) agonizing over the proper way to receive communion (on the tongue, hand, etc), and what way to bow, etc. That seemed overly-scrupulous to me and seemed to be focused on the details of the act instead of the state of the heart of the person who was receiving.

However, now I have come to appreciate many of the rules that are in place as a means to help guide the faithful into doing what is right.

An Analogy:
When my kids were little, we used to like to go bowling as a family. We preferred to bowl during the “bumper bowling” hours when they put up the guide rails to stop the balls from going into the gutter, which they would inevitably do for my kids (and sometimes me ) if they weren’t in place.

I have come to appreciate the Catholic rules to be like spiritual guide rails that help keep the spiritual and physical lives of the faithful from landing in the proverbial gutter and keep them pressing toward the goal. (Philippians 3:14).

 

[Della]

Picking up on your bumpers in the bowling gutters as an analogy for the rules and regs of Catholicism, here is a quote from the brilliant G. K. Chesterton from “Orthoodxy”:

Catholic doctrine and discipline may be walls; but they are the walls of a playground.

He goes on to describe those walls as keeping the children playing within them from falling over a cliff. Without the walls, they feel insecure and so less able to play with abandon lest they go over the edge.

St. Augustine wrote: “Love God (which entails being faithful to the Church Christ founded as much as praying and doing good things for others), and do what you please.” Why, because if we love God as he intended, being faithful to the Church he founded, we are free to live in joy knowing that we are doing what God wants us to do and being who God wants us to be.

 

[Tommy999]

Picking up on your bumpers in the bowling gutters as an analogy for the rules and regs of Catholicism, here is a quote from the brilliant G. K. Chesterton from “Orthoodxy”:

He goes on to describe those walls as keeping the children playing within them from falling over a cliff. Without the walls, they feel insecure and so less able to play with abandon lest they go over the edge.

St. Augustine wrote: “Love God (which entails being faithful to the Church Christ founded as much as praying and doing good things for others), and do what you please.” Why, because if we love God as he intended, being faithful to the Church he founded, we are free to live in joy knowing that we are doing what God wants us to do and being who God wants us to be.

 

[ffg]

The missal (book with the bible readings and Mass order and responses) at the Church where we are members has a great section in the back with things like -

Prayers to prepare for Mass
Prayers for after Mass, in thanksgiving
Prayers and psalms to prepare for Confession
Prayers for after confession
Stations of the Cross

Then there is maybe 3 pages on the fundamental teachings of the Church -

1. Ten Commandments
2. Beatitudes
3. Golden Rule
4. the 5 Precepts
5. I think a couple other things I can’t remember (oh, gifts and fruits of the HS)

Every time I’m in Mass, I like to look at this section of the book and it always strikes me as so small / simple / common sense.

The Church having a public image like a prison with laundry lists of structure and rules, I think has to be an attack, because - for a prison, it’s a pretty poor one as people are quite free (and the human-ness taking advantage of that freedom is on display everywhere).

I guess it’s good to remember that the definition of free will is typically not what people apply. Free Will is the ability to choose the good. Not simply ‘to choose’.

In that light we can apply our ‘Will’ properly, or not. There is no neutral with God, there is a relationship, or there isn’t. Many people think there is a relationship, where there isn’t (good to reference the parable of the 10 virgins here).

With regard to the Sunday Church dilemma - pending your location, you might have quite a few options for Mass. If limited to 1 parish, there should at least be a Saturday evening Mass. We are quite lucky, there is a Sunday evening Mass close to us, if Sunday AM is a bunch of running around.

Misconceptions many times can be like temptation, can be very difficult to shake. It takes a strong person to recognize their own.

 

[Tommy999]

The missal (book with the bible readings and Mass order and responses) at the Church where we are members has a great section in the back with things like -

Prayers to prepare for Mass
Prayers for after Mass, in thanksgiving
Prayers and psalms to prepare for Confession
Prayers for after confession
Stations of the Cross

Then there is maybe 3 pages on the fundamental teachings of the Church -

1. Ten Commandments
2. Beatitudes
3. Golden Rule
4. the 5 Precepts
5. I think a couple other things I can’t remember (oh, gifts and fruits of the HS)

Every time I’m in Mass, I like to look at this section of the book and it always strikes me as so small / simple / common sense.

**The Church having a public image like a prison with laundry lists of structure and rules, I think has to be an attack, because - for a prison, it’s a pretty poor one as people are quite free (and the human-ness taking advantage of that freedom is on display everywhere).

I guess it’s good to remember that the definition of free will is typically not what people apply. Free Will is the ability to choose the good. Not simply ‘to choose’.**
In that light we can apply our ‘Will’ properly, or not. There is no neutral with God, there is a relationship, or there isn’t. Many people think there is a relationship, where there isn’t (good to reference the parable of the 10 virgins here).

With regard to the Sunday Church dilemma - pending your location, you might have quite a few options for Mass. If limited to 1 parish, there should at least be a Saturday evening Mass. We are quite lucky, there is a Sunday evening Mass close to us, if Sunday AM is a bunch of running around.

Misconceptions many times can be like temptation, can be very difficult to shake. It takes a strong person to recognize their own.

Good points, ffg. I agree especially on the bolded. I also like how you described the contents of the missal. That sounds like a very helpful book.

We have a neighbor whose child-rearing philosophy was a lot different than ours. She considered us to be too strict because our boys had rules, curfews, and were made to do chores to earn an allowance. She thought that we were too overbearing with them and that they would rebel or blow up at us one day.

She even thought we were mean to our dogs because we made them sit and stay and lay down on command. In spite of her criticism, we continued to raise our kids and pets with rules and guidelines. We weren’t mean to them. We did these things in love.

We taught our kids to be polite and respectful to others and to try to treat people as they would like to be treated. We also trained them as best we could in the Christian faith.

We would just smile and tell our neighbor lady that we were doing the best we could with the Lord’s help, even though we weren’t perfect by any means and made mistakes along the way.

Long story short, their kids, even as adults, are kind of spoiled and self-centered. The neighbor lady complains about how messy her daughters are in their own homes after they got married, although she never made them help her clean in their formative years.

She thought that love was giving them designer clothing and everything money could buy and almost total freedom in their personal behavior. Their boy went through a phase where he blew up curbside mailboxes for fun and almost went to prison for it as a teenager.

Our boys are not perfect by any means, but both have nice jobs and continue to be respectful to us and others and continue to follow the Lord and attend church. They’ve never gotten in trouble with the law or when they were in school.

In short, rules and guidelines are a good thing and provide a foundation on which to live and thrive if done in love and with a dose of common sense, in my opinion. They gain a sense of security that comes from boundaries.

 

[adf417]

Hi Convert1,
On the bolded, I agree that there is plenty of scripture said at Mass. When I listen to a Mass on radio, they give the three readings as you mentioned, and the homily expounds on them. I like that.

I must admit that Mary and the attention that Catholics give to her still is a stumbling block for me. I don’t mean to offend Catholics by that statement. I am just being honest as I share my heart with you. I am trying to work through it.

Part of me believes she is worthy of honor beyond that which most Protestants give her. However, perhaps due to my over 5 decades as a Protestant, I still feel at times that the amount of attention given to her by Catholics is so effusive that it borders on turning her into a goddess akin to Artemis of the Ephesians.

Please keep me in your prayers if you don’t mind.

Greetings Tommy!
This post caught my eye and wanted to ask…
In all your Mass listening experience have you ever once gotten the impression or understanding the worship there was to Mary? What attention are you referring to that one would be more uncomfortable with than the attention Christians will give to say, the super bowl this week?
Peace!!!

 

[Tommy999]

Greetings Tommy!
This post caught my eye and wanted to ask…
In all your Mass listening experience have you ever once gotten the impression or understanding the worship there was to Mary? What attention are you referring to that one would be more uncomfortable with than the attention Christians will give to say, the super bowl this week?
Peace!!!

Hi adf417,
No, I have not heard any direct reference to Mary in the handful of Masses that I have listened to on radio (that I remember) or the one Mass that I went to in person over a year ago. However, I have heard many references to her outside of that.

In regards to my concerns with the Marian doctrines/dogmas, it would be best to discuss that topic on another thread because I don’t want to derail this thread with that discussion, because it might be a long back-and-forth.

I started this thread to find out in a general way what Catholics consider misconceptions that non-Catholics have about Catholicism. I would prefer to stay on that topic and not focus entirely on one specific concern to the exclusion of all others.

However, if someone would like to open a new thread asking how Protestants view Mary and how some of us struggle to understand the Catholic view of her or something to that effect, I promise I will weigh in on such a thread.

I concede that many Catholics would consider my position on Mary to be a misconception and that I haven’t come around to the correct view yet. Perhaps that is true. Nevertheless, I am not disingenuous. I cannot pretend to believe in a doctrine or dogma unless I actually do.

PS. Perhaps I am a little dense, but I don’t understand the correlation you are making between attention given to Mary and the Super Bowl. Sorry about that.

 

[Convert1]

Maybe you just got words mixed up. Mary`s pregnancy is referred to and the Blessed Incarnation. Mary had no part in her conception. But she still was conceived immaculately.

Mary gave consent. The Immaculate Conception took place because she agreed to it. I don’t think you read my meaning correctly. I stand by that teaching.

 

[Convert1]

Here my friend is a TIP gained form much experience:

Consider trying to explain Mary this way:

When we Catholics pray “TO” Mary; we are ACTUALLY praying THROUGH** Mary**

For Catholics & Christians ALL Prayers END with God

WHY do Catholics do this?

We do so because of a teleological term: “THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS”

This "communion /gathering / “family” for clarification has three distinct elements:

[1] ALL of us Catholic-Christians here on earth

[2] ALL of the souls in Purgatory

[3] All the acknowledged Saints [capitol “S” & all the souls in heaven [“saints” W/ a small "s;.

This “body” of souls makes up this collective “communion”.

Because we ARE “family” we come to the aid and defense of each other.; specifically we can and we DO pray for each other.

So Mary & the Saints accept OUR prayer-petitions

THEN add their own on top of them

& present them to God on our behalf; ADDING TO TO THEIR EFFICACY: [effectiveness]

BTW; The RCC does NOT mandate intercessory prayer; which is a personal piety practice BUT STRONGLY recommends it:thumbsup:

God Bless you,

Patrick

Thank you for expanding on my verbiage. I totally agree!!!

 

[Peter_J]

Mary gave consent. The Immaculate Conception took place because she agreed to it. I don’t think you read my meaning correctly. I stand by that teaching.

Hopefully I won’t regret getting involved in this, but are you talking about Mary or Anne?

 

[randomuser]

The worst false belief is that Catholics aren’t Christian and aren’t saved; that it is a pagan religion invented by Emperor Constantine. Now, THAT is ignorant. Everything else is small potatoes compared to that one.

This.

Taboo topic that never gets talked about because it’s erroneously believed to have been beaten to death, yet nobody bats an eye when someone wants to talk about Mary - again.

I dunno.

 

[Memaw]

Mary gave consent. The Immaculate Conception took place because she agreed to it. I don’t think you read my meaning correctly. I stand by that teaching.

The Immaculate Conception is when Mary was conceived in her mothers womb, immaculately. The Incarnation is when Jesus was Conceived in Mary’s Womb and yes she agreed to that Precious Moment. God Bless, Memaw

 

[JustaServant]

Thanks to everyone for your contributions. I wanted to add a prior misconception I had. I’m not sure how many other non-Catholics had/have it.

When I first came to CAF, I didn’t know much at all about Catholicism. Compared to my faith tradition, it seemed somewhat legalistic and overbearing to me. There seemed to be lots and lots of rules and regulations to follow, similar to that of the Pharisees, or so I thought at the time.

I no longer feel that way.

For example, I recall reading of Catholics needing to get special permission or authorization to miss Sunday Mass.
Note: That concerned me because in my line of work, I have to sometimes leave at a moment’s notice to go to work when I am on-call and there is a problem. where I am paged. I’ve actually been called into work before on Sunday morning as I was preparing to leave with the family to attend church, therefore missing it, even though I really wanted to go.

In that case, to add insult to injury, my understanding was that if I were Catholic, I would also have to seek out a pardon from a priest for something that was out of my control.

I also remember hearing about some folks who seemed overly-concerned (to me, anyway) agonizing over the proper way to receive communion (on the tongue, hand, etc), and what way to bow, etc. That seemed overly-scrupulous to me and seemed to be focused on the details of the act instead of the state of the heart of the person who was receiving.

However, now I have come to appreciate many of the rules that are in place as a means to help guide the faithful into doing what is right.

An Analogy:
When my kids were little, we used to like to go bowling as a family. We preferred to bowl during the “bumper bowling” hours when they put up the guide rails to stop the balls from going into the gutter, which they would inevitably do for my kids (and sometimes me ) if they weren’t in place.

I have come to appreciate the Catholic rules to be like spiritual guide rails that help keep the spiritual and physical lives of the faithful from landing in the proverbial gutter and keep them pressing toward the goal. (Philippians 3:14).

One tip I will add Tommy, only because I have been guilty of it when I was across the Tiber, try not to “overthink” certain issues.

 

[Tommy999]

This.

Quote:
Originally Posted by boomerang View Post
The worst false belief is that Catholics aren’t Christian and aren’t saved; that it is a pagan religion invented by Emperor Constantine. Now, THAT is ignorant. Everything else is small potatoes compared to that one.

Taboo topic that never gets talked about because it’s erroneously believed to have been beaten to death, yet nobody bats an eye when someone wants to talk about Mary - again.

I dunno.

I agree with you on the bolded, randomuser and boomerang. I think a portion of non-Catholic Christians believe in a narrow set of beliefs and actions that a person must do to be saved. In their eyes, if you don’t do these things, you aren’t saved. It’s as simple as that. Some of the more fundamentalist branches have adherents of that view.

I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I used to be one of these folks, especially earlier on in my faith journey when I was a youth, and in some ways up until recent years.

I have come to realize that God decides who is saved on judgment day and not us, and that we must keep persevering in the faith. Although it’s great to come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as I did as a teenager in a Billy Graham crusade (there were Catholics there at those crusades too, and even some Catholic leaders), it is even more important to keep fighting the good fight of faith and keep pressing on to the goal (Philippians 3:14). Salvation is not just one decision and you’re done – it is a lifetime journey.

I have come to appreciate the role that the Catholic sacraments play as a means of growing closer to God and Christ for Catholics. I also consider Catholics to be fellow Christians. and I even look up to them in many ways, which is the main reason I am on CAF – to grow in my faith by learning more about the different aspects of Catholicism from Catholics.

In short, I think that most Protestants consider Catholics to be Christians, but there is a vocal subset who still believe that Catholics aren’t saved because Catholics have a different means to achieve salvation that doesn’t involve the fundamentalist “formula”, as I call it.

As for Constantine, I don’t know enough about him to speak to it intelligently. As Rick Steeves said in one of his travel shows about ancient Rome, he said something like, "In the years before Constantine in the Roman Empire, you could be arrested (or worse) for being a Christian. After Constantine, you could be arrested for ‘Not’ being one. In other words, I know Constantine had a big role to play in Christianity in the Roman world, but I am not familiar with what misconceptions exist about him.

 

[PJM]

Thanks to everyone for your contributions. I wanted to add a prior misconception I had. I’m not sure how many other non-Catholics had/have it.

When I first came to CAF, I didn’t know much at all about Catholicism. Compared to my faith tradition, it seemed somewhat legalistic and overbearing to me. There seemed to be lots and lots of rules and regulations to follow, similar to that of the Pharisees, or so I thought at the time.

I no longer feel that way.

For example, I recall reading of Catholics needing to get special permission or authorization to miss Sunday Mass.
Note: That concerned me because in my line of work, I have to sometimes leave at a moment’s notice to go to work when I am on-call and there is a problem. where I am paged. I’ve actually been called into work before on Sunday morning as I was preparing to leave with the family to attend church, therefore missing it, even though I really wanted to go.

In that case, to add insult to injury, my understanding was that if I were Catholic, I would also have to seek out a pardon from a priest for something that was out of my control

A necessary clarification here

IN a case of uncontrollable circumstances; commonly but not always related to WORK; a dispensation being SOUGHT is not necessary.

When one DESIRES to fulfill sincerely their Sunday Obligation [a Mortal sin] BUT for reasons BEYOND their control arises; NO sin is attached to this event.

HOWEVER an effort ought to be made to attend a DAILY Mass in place of this IF at ALL possible [NOT EASY: Possible:thumbsup:]

If this is also NOT a REAL possibility; then some quiet time with God in Prayer [like a Rosary for example] will do.

IF ever in doubt, discuss your circumstances with your Confessor priest.

Both receiving JESUS [nothing LESS than GOD] either in one’s hand or on the tongue is a MATTER OF personal piety. BOTH ARE valid and licit:thumbsup:

That said:

There is nevertheless a THEOLOGICAL & significant difference between the two approved forms"

IN one’s hand is TAKING

While On Ones tongue is RECEIVING Jesus [a more humble choice]

An Analogy:
When my kids were little, we used to like to go bowling as a family. We preferred to bowl during the “bumper bowling” hours when they put up the guide rails to stop the balls from going into the gutter, which they would inevitably do for my kids (and sometimes me ) if they weren’t in place.

I have come to appreciate the Catholic rules to be like spiritual guide rails that help keep the spiritual and physical lives of the faithful from landing in the proverbial gutter and keep them pressing toward the goal. (Philippians 3:14).

GREAT analogy! THANKS!

Continued Blessings,

Patrick

 

[PJM]

Thank you for expanding on my verbiage. I totally agree!!!

YOUR VERY welcome

God Bless you,

Patrick