Why does one hate the Catholic Church?

[Roblox84]

I would like to find out peoples opinion on why they don’t like the Catholic religion so much. As a Catholic I know other Catholics that do not believe in certain things such as for example confession to a priest, the presence in the Eucharist, etc… But yet they say they wouldn’t want to be any other faith. Some of them we simply call “practicing catholics” who are Catholic but don’t go to Church or do much associated with the religion, but these people are still Catholic. What I am trying to say is that Catholicism isn’t just about rules, rules and more rules, it is simply a faith of people who believe in the Lord and not just people that worship Mary and the saints and that every little thing they do they have to repent to a priest or they go to hell. After all, the Catholic Church doesn’t disagree that one may know they are saved.

Just like all Protestant Churches are somewhat different, so are Catholic Churches. The Church that I go to now, St.Francis Xavier is somewhat less traditional, they don’t mention prayer to Mary, Saints, and they also preach that salvation is only reached through Jesus Christ and his grace and not through anything else. When they mention sacraments, they mention it as something that is done only by Catholic people in order to receive the grace of God, and never say anything about it being something necessary to get into heaven. So I never understood why protestants would have a problem with such a thing as sacraments. And even if you don’t believe in them, why not just do them to better your relationship with Christ and nothing else, there isn’t anything to lose. Its kind of like telling an Atheist why not just believe in the bible since there is nothing bad the bible tells us to do (unless someone doesn’t want to do more then the bare minimum necessary for salvation) and either way he will still end up in the ground where he was planning.

Up until recently I didn’t really know much about the Protestant faith, it was just never mentioned ( I thank mostly this forum), I just thought that they believed the same things, only had different churches that they liked better. Why does it seem to me that so many Protestants, even on this forum would bet their lives that they know way more about a Catholics faith then the Catholic? And where does most of the hate come from? Do people study the Catholic faith for fun or to find something wrong with it? I also know of some Protestants that have been in their faith for generations and yet they disagree with Catholicism. How do so many know about our faith practices, and why would they even want to know about it? Is it to justify their faith or what? If someone I knew believed in Christ I wouldn’t care how they practiced their belief, I just looked at them as one of me. I think that there are many people in the world that want to do a little extra for God and would rather do many things that the Catholic Church has to offer for example, fasting. I never looked at things like this as something that would give you a first class ticket to hell.

I will try to answer something I said, but tell me if I am wrong. Just as I am on here to learn about Catholicism, Protestants search for the foundation of their beliefs on the internet or history books as well and maybe somewhere down the line of their belief their doctrine might have been given to them through the Catholic Church and then they decide to look further into this “Catholic Church” to try to disprove that teaching? And in turn they then change it around a little to appear more correct or further from the Catholic Church. And if so, why not just take this as something that connects us all.

 

[Constantine42]

People hate the Catholic Church for the same reasons that some Catholics hate Protestants. Ignorance and closed-mindedness. WE are all Christians born of the same cloth. Although we may disagree on a lot of things, Christ said that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Light. And that if you believe in Him that you shall not die, but have life everlasting.
I grew up in churches that said that “Catholics go to Hell.”
My dad was Catholic and we all left that church immediately (My father got in trouble for marrying a Protestant, he was asked to leave the Catholic Church).
I had a Catholic friend that one day told me that I am going to Hell just because I’m Protestant.
I am no longer his friend.
And yet I remain open to the idea of Catholicism due to my own journey to overcome a prejudice that I was surrounded by.

I know that’s a lot of talk, but I hope it kinda helps.

 

[Bill_Pick]

I would like to find out peoples opinion on why they don’t like the Catholic religion so much. As a Catholic I know other Catholics that do not believe in certain things such as for example confession to a priest, the presence in the Eucharist, etc… But yet they say they wouldn’t want to be any other faith. Some of them we simply call “practicing catholics” who are Catholic but don’t go to Church or do much associated with the religion, but these people are still Catholic. What I am trying to say is that Catholicism isn’t just about rules, rules and more rules, it is simply a faith of people who believe in the Lord and not just people that worship Mary and the saints and that every little thing they do they have to repent to a priest or they go to hell. After all, the Catholic Church doesn’t disagree that one may know they are saved.

Just like all Protestant Churches are somewhat different, so are Catholic Churches. The Church that I go to now, St.Francis Xavier is somewhat less traditional, they don’t mention prayer to Mary, Saints, and they also preach that salvation is only reached through Jesus Christ and his grace and not through anything else. When they mention sacraments, they mention it as something that is done only by Catholic people in order to receive the grace of God, and never say anything about it being something necessary to get into heaven. So I never understood why protestants would have a problem with such a thing as sacraments. And even if you don’t believe in them, why not just do them to better your relationship with Christ and nothing else, there isn’t anything to lose. Its kind of like telling an Atheist why not just believe in the bible since there is nothing bad the bible tells us to do (unless someone doesn’t want to do more then the bare minimum necessary for salvation) and either way he will still end up in the ground where he was planning.

Up until recently I didn’t really know much about the Protestant faith, it was just never mentioned ( I thank mostly this forum), I just thought that they believed the same things, only had different churches that they liked better. Why does it seem to me that so many Protestants, even on this forum would bet their lives that they know way more about a Catholics faith then the Catholic? And where does most of the hate come from? Do people study the Catholic faith for fun or to find something wrong with it? I also know of some Protestants that have been in their faith for generations and yet they disagree with Catholicism. How do so many know about our faith practices, and why would they even want to know about it? Is it to justify their faith or what? If someone I knew believed in Christ I wouldn’t care how they practiced their belief, I just looked at them as one of me. I think that there are many people in the world that want to do a little extra for God and would rather do many things that the Catholic Church has to offer for example, fasting. I never looked at things like this as something that would give you a first class ticket to hell.

I will try to answer something I said, but tell me if I am wrong. Just as I am on here to learn about Catholicism, Protestants search for the foundation of their beliefs on the internet or history books as well and maybe somewhere down the line of their belief their doctrine might have been given to them through the Catholic Church and then they decide to look further into this “Catholic Church” to try to disprove that teaching? And in turn they then change it around a little to appear more correct or further from the Catholic Church. And if so, why not just take this as something that connects us all.

Did Our Lord say some thing about His Church did He not say they will hate You and me

 

[Roblox84]

People hate the Catholic Church for the same reasons that some Catholics hate Protestants. Ignorance and closed-mindedness. WE are all Christians born of the same cloth. Although we may disagree on a lot of things, Christ said that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Light. And that if you believe in Him that you shall not die, but have life everlasting.
I grew up in churches that said that “Catholics go to Hell.”
My dad was Catholic and we all left that church immediately (My father got in trouble for marrying a Protestant, he was asked to leave the Catholic Church).
I had a Catholic friend that one day told me that I am going to Hell just because I’m Protestant.
I am no longer his friend.
And yet I remain open to the idea of Catholicism due to my own journey to overcome a prejudice that I was surrounded by.

I know that’s a lot of talk, but I hope it kinda helps.

Yeah I would be wary of any church that even so mentioned another churches doctrine whether Catholic or Protestant.

You know, someone should start a comical thread on the stuff some preach. I heard one pastor preach that men with beards are in trouble with salvation.

How does one get asked to leave the Catholic Church? Does the priest look for him during the mass and then say “hey you’re not supposed to be here!” in front of the whole congregation, lol. If that was my situation I would just go somewhere else.

 

[FabiusMaximus]

Well, Catholics are quite icky.

LOL just kidding.

 

[Roblox84]

Did Our Lord say some thing about His Church did He not say they will hate You and me

True, true. I guess I wanted to hear from the Protestant side why it bothers them so much that Catholics do these “works” to become closer with Christ.

 

[PORATH]

I would like to find out peoples opinion on why they don’t like the Catholic religion so much. As a Catholic I know other Catholics that do not believe in certain things such as for example confession to a priest, the presence in the Eucharist, etc… But yet they say they wouldn’t want to be any other faith. Some of them we simply call “practicing catholics” who are Catholic but don’t go to Church or do much associated with the religion, but these people are still Catholic. What I am trying to say is that Catholicism isn’t just about rules, rules and more rules, it is simply a faith of people who believe in the Lord and not just people that worship Mary and the saints and that every little thing they do they have to repent to a priest or they go to hell. After all, the Catholic Church doesn’t disagree that one may know they are saved.

Just like all Protestant Churches are somewhat different, so are Catholic Churches. The Church that I go to now, St.Francis Xavier is somewhat less traditional, they don’t mention prayer to Mary, Saints, and they also preach that salvation is only reached through Jesus Christ and his grace and not through anything else. When they mention sacraments, they mention it as something that is done only by Catholic people in order to receive the grace of God, and never say anything about it being something necessary to get into heaven. So I never understood why protestants would have a problem with such a thing as sacraments. And even if you don’t believe in them, why not just do them to better your relationship with Christ and nothing else, there isn’t anything to lose. Its kind of like telling an Atheist why not just believe in the bible since there is nothing bad the bible tells us to do (unless someone doesn’t want to do more then the bare minimum necessary for salvation) and either way he will still end up in the ground where he was planning.

Up until recently I didn’t really know much about the Protestant faith, it was just never mentioned ( I thank mostly this forum), I just thought that they believed the same things, only had different churches that they liked better. Why does it seem to me that so many Protestants, even on this forum would bet their lives that they know way more about a Catholics faith then the Catholic? And where does most of the hate come from? Do people study the Catholic faith for fun or to find something wrong with it? I also know of some Protestants that have been in their faith for generations and yet they disagree with Catholicism. How do so many know about our faith practices, and why would they even want to know about it? Is it to justify their faith or what? If someone I knew believed in Christ I wouldn’t care how they practiced their belief, I just looked at them as one of me. I think that there are many people in the world that want to do a little extra for God and would rather do many things that the Catholic Church has to offer for example, fasting. I never looked at things like this as something that would give you a first class ticket to hell.

I will try to answer something I said, but tell me if I am wrong. Just as I am on here to learn about Catholicism, Protestants search for the foundation of their beliefs on the internet or history books as well and maybe somewhere down the line of their belief their doctrine might have been given to them through the Catholic Church and then they decide to look further into this “Catholic Church” to try to disprove that teaching? And in turn they then change it around a little to appear more correct or further from the Catholic Church. And if so, why not just take this as something that connects us all.

There is soooooo much wrong with this that my response would be many times longer just to correct it. Brother/Sister, I say this with as much love and charity as a man can muster. Please Please Please, go to your Parish Priest and ask him to explain what is wrong with your statement. I am a cradle Catholic and was not served well in terms of my formative education in the Church, however, I have taken the time and effort to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church. Your explanations are precisely why other Christian faiths are able to sway some Catholics away from the Church. If you truly try to learn the faith properly you will answer your own questions. From my perspective and of some theologians I have researched, if a Catholic does not believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, he/she is not Catholic at all. That is the foundation of the faith believed by all of the Church fathers all the way back to the Apostles and Christ Himself. Please learn your faith, you are missing so much.

 

[Roblox84]

There is soooooo much wrong with this that my response would be many times longer just to correct it. Brother/Sister, I say this with as much love and charity as a man can muster. Please Please Please, go to your Parish Priest and ask him to explain what is wrong with your statement. I am a cradle Catholic and was not served well in terms of my formative education in the Church, however, I have taken the time and effort to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church. Your explanations are precisely why other Christian faiths are able to sway some Catholics away from the Church. If you truly try to learn the faith properly you will answer your own questions. From my perspective and of some theologians I have researched, if a Catholic does not believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, he/she is not Catholic at all. That is the foundation of the faith believed by all of the Church fathers all the way back to the Apostles and Christ Himself. Please learn your faith, you are missing so much.

I’m talking about the Catholics that aren’t very Catholic or go to Church, if you want to call it that. No matter what the Catholic Church say’s about them, they are still considered Catholic in their eyes. And even these people aren’t swayed away from the Church because they say they wouldn’t ever be anything else.

 

[Darron_Steele]

True, true. I guess I wanted to hear from the Protestant side why it bothers them so much that Catholics do these “works” to become closer with Christ.

They do not think you do these works to get closer to Christ.

They think – wrongly – that you do these things to merit salvation.

 

[Roblox84]

They do not think you do these works to get closer to Christ.

They think – wrongly – that you do these things to merit salvation.

Catholics believe that when you have a chance in life to receive sacraments, you take that opportunity as assurance. But the Church also teaches that a person will receive the sacraments even if they suddenly die simply by their faith. Meaning that if the person that died believed Jesus wanted them to receive these sacraments through his grace, would they take them. And most would, so everyone at one point in life will receive the sacraments if they were true followers of Christ. .

 

[ccolley]

I would like to find out peoples opinion on why they don’t like the Catholic religion so much. As a Catholic I know other Catholics that do not believe in certain things such as for example confession to a priest, the presence in the Eucharist, etc… But yet they say they wouldn’t want to be any other faith. Some of them we simply call “practicing catholics” who are Catholic but don’t go to Church or do much associated with the religion, but these people are still Catholic.

 

[Roblox84]

Roblox84;6378032:

As a convert, I would like to say that I never thought I would become Catholic. The Catholics that I knew were “nominal” Catholics. They were NOT practicing their faith. They really didn’t understand the faith nor were they able to explain what Catholics really believe. I think we have too many Catholics that are not well-catechized. Non-Catholics tend to learn Catholicism from Non-Catholics. That is where they get their misunderstandings of Catholicism. When I hear that an EX-Catholic said they did not have a personal relationship with the Lord, I often wonder if that person really understood the concept of the Real Presence of Christ in the sacraments…Good grief! how much more personal a relationship can you get with our Lord than to be able to take him into your body and become one with Him…EVERY single day! Now that is a real personal relationship with Christ~

The other thing I wonder is why do EX-Catholics turned Protestant speak so negatively about the Catholic church? You don’t really hear Converts speak negatively about their former Protestant church. I have always been extremely grateful for my Methodist upbringing. I simply took what I learned from the Methodist Church and brought it with me to the Catholic Church.

You provided a good example of how non-Catholics get their misunderstandings. We don’t always explain our faith clearly…we do not worship Mary…we venerate her…we HONOR her because of her unique role in our salvation history. Her YES to God’s bold invitation undid the NO of EVE. We are NOT a faith of rules, rules, rules…unless you count the 10 commandments…then I guess, maybe we are~



We ARE saved…we are BEING saved…and we WILL be saved…

CC
[SIGN]I love my Papal Papa[/SIGN]

That being said, I just ordered my first Catechism from Amazon not too long ago. I’m so excited and I can’t wait until I can study it.

 

[kempo1]

There is soooooo much wrong with this that my response would be many times longer just to correct it. Brother/Sister, I say this with as much love and charity as a man can muster. Please Please Please, go to your Parish Priest and ask him to explain what is wrong with your statement. I am a cradle Catholic and was not served well in terms of my formative education in the Church, however, I have taken the time and effort to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church. Your explanations are precisely why other Christian faiths are able to sway some Catholics away from the Church. If you truly try to learn the faith properly you will answer your own questions. From my perspective and of some theologians I have researched, if a Catholic does not believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, he/she is not Catholic at all. That is the foundation of the faith believed by all of the Church fathers all the way back to the Apostles and Christ Himself. Please learn your faith, you are missing so much.

Boy do i agree!!!

 

[Pilgrimage]

And in turn they then change it around a little to appear more correct or further from the Catholic Church. And if so, why not just take this as something that connects us all.

Hate is not a very nice word, Jesus teaches us to love our neighbours as ourselves. On this instruction alone it is illogical that the Catholic Church ostracises and oppresses women’s ministry. Jesus was a champion of women at a time when culturally women were down trodden. He made a point of telling one of His most outspoken men that what a woman was doing for Him, by drying His feet with her hair, was a deeper understanding of His needs than the men had. Yet the Catholic Church ignores the depth of understanding that women do have of Christ’s spirituality. Men should consider whether they are behaving like Judas in nature, in not considering that in Christ we are neither man, nor woman, and that within us, both male and female is the one and the same Holy Spirit. If Christ is in us then it is Christ who ministers through us. Who is a mere man to deny Jesus His ministry through the vessels of His choosing?

So, therefore on this issue alone many people who understand the gravity of oppressing others who have received Christ’s Holy Spirit would not feel comfortable in the Catholic Church.

Aside from that, as much as I love Mary myself, married men have moved on from the veneration of their mothers to a more mature relationship with their spouse. Our purpose is to grow up in our faith into a full and direct relationship with ‘Jesus’, to let go of our mothers. Jesus did this as well, He told Mary when he was dying ‘Woman behold your son’. Otherwise, she was to go home with the disciple. Calling on her to carry His burden was not what He intended for her, yet the Catholic Church keep doing it, not as an exception, but as a rule.

Mary wanted Him to be His own man, to speak for Himself. In fact she was eager for this because it was Mary who wanted Him to speak at the wedding feast. So, even Mary is telling us that her son is grown up and ready to minister to us by Himself, that she was distancing herself from His ministry. There is a purpose in the distance between them, because He is God and she is like us, a chosen vessel. A very special one, yes, but still a chosen vessel to receive His Holy Spirit.

As to the Sacraments, they are as precious to my church as Christ’s intended them to be. Having spent four years persuading a lady to go back to her Catholic church, because she needs to receive the Sacraments as she has a serious illness, I was none too please to be told that she was not to take communion with us. To me it was about the sickness in her soul and her need to receive Christ, so that she could be healed. To her church it was about having power over her life, that’s how I felt it was. It’s so sad.

I am thankful that she is blissfully ignorant of this deep hurt the Catholic Church inflicted on me, and thankful that she is finally receiving the Sacrament of bread and wine. So, I can take a few hurts for the sake of Christ. However, when I take the Sacrament from my own priest I will consider it no less precious, in-fact it is coming to me through sacrifice. She is happier and I know that she can go and confess, but then I have already heard her confession, bit by bit over 4 years, she just didn’t notice. My prayers for her soul were answered.

If, say, the churches are Jesus’ hands in this world I wonder why they haven’t realised that in Spirit Jesus was released from having them nailed apart from each other?

If we believe in Him Jesus saves us, He loves us, He does not say that we can’t share a meal at His table. My church does not say that this lady can’t share a meal with me, but the Catholic Church is saying that the table I eat at is not Christ’s and so she can’t share a meal with me. Why???

I am sorry but ‘My’ Jesus, the Lord I know from His Holy Word, which is witness to me of whom He is, cared for her sick soul and gave me the endurance to see her through her years and years of torture so that she could find her way back to her flock.

These issues are issues of life. In salvation we all have a right to a full life, one of healing and reconciliation to each other.

And so, I shall continue to worship in my church knowing that His Holy Spirit is not nailed to the cross because He is risen, and that in His Kingdom He will welcome us to sit at His table together.

God bless

 

[CMatt25]

I’ve been accused right here on CAF as hating the church. I hate no church. I hate no one. I want us all to recognize our unity in Christ. I’ve also been told here by a Catholic I will go to hell if I do not attend Mass on Nov 1 and do not repent. But the same person told me if I go to another church she could not then judge if I was going to hell and did not attend Mass on Nov 1.

 

[Roblox84]

I’ve been accused right here on CAF as hating the church. I hate no church. I hate no one. I want us all to recognize our unity in Christ. I’ve also been told here by a Catholic I will go to hell if I do not attend Mass on Nov 1 and do not repent. But the same person told me if I go to another church she could not then judge if I was going to hell and did not attend Mass on Nov 1.

I just consider those to be radical Catholics that just take it way to far and forget that God is LOVE and will never let us perish. I think they are just as lost as some.

 

[CMatt25]

I just consider those to be radical Catholics that just take it way to far and forget that God is LOVE and will never let us perish. I think they are just as lost as some.

You’re probably right. I worry if things are going too far. We’re all just trying to follow Christ along our way.

 

[Vile_Servant]

I would like to find out peoples opinion on why they don’t like the Catholic religion so much.

Much anti-Catholic sentiment stems from ignorance of what Catholics believe. I think the Catholic religion is a beautiful one, and it is most closely conformed with the teachings of Jesus Christ our Lord. We hear a lot about sola scriptura from Protestants, but I invite Protestants and other non-Catholics to apply their scripture study to the entire bible, and not just some selected verses in the Bible. Also to examine the writings of the Early Church Fathers. Then they will get a much better understanding of what Catholics believe.

I do not believe that only the Catholic religion contains the truth, to the exclusion of all other protestant and non-Catholic denominations, but I do believe that the Catholic religion contains the highest degree of truth compared with other religions. The practice of the Catholic religion is, in my opinion, the most perfect way to imitate Christ our Lord, who has instructed us to take up our cross and follow Him, to enter by the narrow way, to be perfect just as the Heavenly Father is perfect, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, to love God and neighbor with all our heart, mind and soul, in order to win the eternal crown of glory in heaven.

 

[Constantine42]

Yeah I would be wary of any church that even so mentioned another churches doctrine whether Catholic or Protestant.

You know, someone should start a comical thread on the stuff some preach. I heard one pastor preach that men with beards are in trouble with salvation.

How does one get asked to leave the Catholic Church? Does the priest look for him during the mass and then say “hey you’re not supposed to be here!” in front of the whole congregation, lol. If that was my situation I would just go somewhere else.

Just everyone at the church, even his own dad asked him not to come back. It was pretty pathetic.

 

[Mickey]

The Church that I go to now, St.Francis Xavier is somewhat less traditional, they don’t mention prayer to Mary, Saints,

Never a mention about intercessory prayer to Our Lady or the Holy Saints? This is extremely unusual for a Catholic Church.