Again: To the opening post and poster:
Define “anti.”
Does it mean to disagree? If so, then The Catholic Church disagrees with Lutheranism on the exact same points and to the exact same degree as Lutheranism disagrees with The Catholic Church - and we are equally “anti.”
Does it mean to have emotional disapproval? Then, we might want to compare the excommunication of Luther by Pope Leo with the non return of that favor (lol), the anathemas of Trent with those of the Lutheran Confessions, etc. AT BEST, it’s a wash. But it’s probably worse from the Catholic perspective. Yes, we can recall The Hundred Years War, etc. But those were pretty two-sided, as my faint recall of European history remembers…
Dear American Josiah,
In my original post I was just pointing out that Lutheran forum where they make remarks about the Pope being the anti Christ and call Catholic Papists, also many find fault and say things like incense is papist, actually most of the traditions we have are. But they also appear to be anti Lutheran if another Lutheran doesn’t agree with them. I don’t consider disagreeing with Catholic doctrine based on what they consider truth to be anti Catholic, but when you use derogatory terms I do consider that anti Catholic. You can state your disagreements in a civil manner.
As I stated the Lurtherans on CAF seem to be great and well educated. I was just surprised to see such remarks by Lutherans. As I said in another post, my friend who is Lutheran was upset over the way one of the Lutheran Bishops was treated by his fellow Lutherans. Maybe this group is like another Catholic forum I go on which is traditional and many posters are against most Catholic unless they agree with their mentality. Although they don’t use derogatory terms, some don’t accept anything the Pope does and find fault with anyone who doesn’t go along with their beliefs.
Sorry if I offended you, as I wasn’t speaking of all Lutherans. In fact my dauther’s father in law is a Lutheran pastor and he married them, although she is Catholic and her husband doesn’t practice any faith.
I didn’t say anything against the Lutheran church, I only brought up that one forum where I saw such anger against the Catholic Church.
To me “anti” means more than just opposing views, it means feeling such hostility towards something that you spew nasty and false statements against a person or belief.
God Bless
Bernadette
Here’s MY personal opinion of The Catholic Church. Please read it. IF you will and do say MORE positive, affirming things about The Lutheran Church, then I’ll resign to being more “anti” than you. IF you will and do say LESS positive, affirming things about The Lutheran Church, then… I regard The Catholic Church to be a valid and good Christian institution that I hold in very high esteem. I regard her ministers, ministries and Sacraments as all valid. I regard nothing it officially teaches to be “heresy” in the sense of being contrary to Scripture or Tradition. I regard all believers in her as my full, unseparated and in every sense equal brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray daily for God’s rich blessings upon her, her ministries and her Holy Father."
Your turn.
Now, I think there are vast misunderstandings among us. Misconceptions get perpetuated because each “side” is only listening to itself, assuming self knows about the other better than the other does. Things just get perpetuated, unexamined, often for generations. People copy and paste something from some website, assume it’s true if it comes from their “side” and never bother to examine it. I’ve been active on ecumenical, interdenominational websites since I was 10 years old (this is the first time I’ve never been active on a “one perspective” site) and it seems we will be addressing these misconceptions until Jesus comes back. “Catholics worship Mary.” “Sola Scriptura means individual interpretation.” Oh, there are MANY strawmen, MANY misconceptions. Some treasure (and need) them, and thus nothing will change it.
Now, I DO have my disagreements with The Catholic Church (or else I would not have left it). These are mostly in the areas of ecclesiology and epistemology (and related issue) but I probably agree with 95% of the 2,875 points in the Catechism (which I very, very carefully studied with Catholic teachers for 5 years). And I don’t exactly disagree with most of the remaining 5% (I just don’t agree). In view of CCC 87, etc., it was MY conclusion that honesty, integrity and sincerity required that I leave. But I have no regrets. I was richly, richly blessed by my years in Catholicism. I simply agree with the views and “heart” of Lutheranism more. My strong sense of the communion of saints, of community, of humility and accountability, my embrace of The Theology of the Cross rather than The Theology of Glory, make me a FAR better Lutheran than I was Catholic. But, again, no regrets. I have MANY Catholic friends, including my best (guy, lol) friend who now lives in Spain. Last time I traveled there, we often attended Mass and I LOVED worshipping with him and his family in beautiful Catholic churches amide my full, unseparated, equal brothers and sisters.
Thank you.
Pax
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Back to St Paul…would he have described himself as a “Catholic”? Probably not, as the term was probably not used until later in Church history. By the same token…if Paul had been asked why an apple fell from a tree, he would not have blamed it on “gravity”. That does not change the fact that gravity existed then as now, whatever it is called. Same Church…same gravity. Shakespeare said it best…" a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
