Why DO we focus on Protestants?

[Mason1971]

Long time lurker-rare poster. As I have read on this forum over the year, I have something to say.

67% of the world is not Christian.

In the United States the number of people self-identfying as Christian of any kind is at its lowest point since…who knows.
Suffice to say it has dropped to right at 75% the news reported last month.
In MY interactions with people, especially Europeans, primarily through the net, I have found them to be either hostile or condescending towards ALL Christians…particularly the 18-25 age group. I believe Europe is close to being post-Christian within a reasonable time frame.

So…why so much energy towards people who by and large are baptized and closer to the truth than the vast vast majority of the world?
The majority of posts on this forum ARE NOT Protestants attacking us but us…getting in THEIR face.
I am kind of the opinion that most of them(Protestants) are at least CONSIDERING us…atheists, Muslims, and others…not so much.
Thoughts?

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I suppose to answer the question, I would say that there are NOT many non-Christian posters in CAF from what I’ve seen. Most folks in here are either Catholic or Protestant and they are debating the differences between the denominations. You are correct that focusing energy on non-Christians is more productive but in this format it seems more Protestants come in here either seeking/curious about Catholicism or are hostile against it, or are just in the mood to hob-nob with Christians of any variety. On a global scale you’re correct, but in CAF I’d say that it’s primarily just the old Catholic vs. Protestant debate/dialogue/discussion.

I can say that, from my experience, I’ve watched the Philippines, my wife’s birthplace and original homeland, be BOMBARDED by Protestants over the past decade. From my point of view they are good Catholics being converted to a lesser vehicle of salvation that is defective. They are leaving what I consider the truth for something incomplete. So in some ways, protestant missions in Catholic countries are damaging the work that the Catholic Church has already set up. That is another angle to look at.

Some Catholics would say that ‘some’ of the truth would still put the individual soul in jeopardy. The catechism makes it clear that protestants ‘can’ achieve salvation, but then again, so can non-Christians with invinsible ignorance. But wouldn’t it be better if these folks had ALL the truth and a better chance of salvation? Most Catholics in here (I can’t speak for everyone) I think would rather the individual have all the truth than pieces/remnants and just a Bible.

I agree with you, though, that the Catholic Church needs to take back the third world and Europe. The Philippines, which is lauded so much in CAF to be super Catholic because they forbid abortion, has ALARMING cohabitation rates, plenty of contraception despite the Church’s prohibition, constant Protestant encroachment, far too much American pop culture spoilage, and a heap of out-of-wedlock births. The gay lifestyle is also highly tolerated in the Philippines. My wife sometimes feels she scarcely recognizes the place. Catholicism has been lax in that country as it has been lax here. We need to take these countries back to their roots and re-energize the missionary zeal. In that, I definitely agree with you! As for Europe, you hit the nail on the head. Sad stuff. Pope Benedict is going to have to do more than talk about taking back Europe and his moral relativism stuff, he needs to get aggressive and get some apologetic troopers and missions going there!!

Scott

 

[Matthew_J]

Bear in mind that I have no been with this forum long, and so am merely speculating and admittedly speaking from limited experience:

The majority of posts on this forum ARE NOT Protestants attacking us but us…getting in THEIR face.

Whilst this may be the case on these forums, it is not necessarily the case in our everyday lives. You can (maybe reasonably) doubt my objectivity on the subject, but in my experience Protestants, particularly Baptists or Pentecostals, are generally far more radically involved in the ever-raging Catholic vs. Protestant debate. Added to this, the average Catholic is not nearly as armed in apologetics as the average Protestant is in anti-Catholic arguments. This isn’t really to be unexpected, as Protestant denomations by definition, were founded for anti-Catholic reasons.

I suppose a forum such as this is a nice way to balance the see-saw a bit, not to mention a brilliant opportunity for said “lesser-armed” Catholics to become learned apologists =)

I suppose to answer the question, I would say that there are NOT many non-Christian posters in CAF from what I’ve seen.

That certainly wouldn’t surprise me. I imagine that members from other religions (and atheists for that matter) aren’t foolish enough to attempt to argue their views in a primarily Catholic forum. It’d be like a soccer player walking into a footy club and trying to convince the players that soccer is the better sport. Not a chance, mate.

I’d say that such an action would have to be undertaken by a fairly outspoken, self-confident and stubborn person. Qualities not uncommon in Protestants. Although to be fair, Catholics can be exactly the same.

Not that those are bad things of course. I’d be having a go at myself, otherwise.