Why don't people believe Catholics are intelligent enough to understand our beliefs?

[BayCityRickL]

I think the direct answer to the original question is that these other “people” are simply prejudiced.

Attributing lack of intelligence to someone is called an ad hominem (at the person) attack. It’s nothing new.

Catholics and protestants (to whom I think you are referring) (the lower case P is intentional, as there is so much difference between them) simply **elect to differ ** as much as possible. I frequently observe to myself that the protestant reformation is constantly raging around us every day.

Every place that there is the slightest chance of driving a wedge between us is exploited.

But, every such attack is also an opportunity to stand up for the faith.

 

[MariaG]

Posted by spauline

I will try to respond as charitably to your post as I can, but I am angered by it. Are you even supposing that most US Catholics are good Catholics who know their faith well and practice it?

Angered by my post? I am truly at a loss here. I asked an honest question. Do you not believe that a Catholic Apologist knows and can accurately explain what the Catholic Church teaches?

I have been constantly running into people who say that they, who left the Catholic church or were never in it, understand Catholic teachings better than professional Catholic Apologists.This is what prompted the post. Why do those who are not Catholic think they know more than an educated and practicing Catholic?

And yes I do believe that most who are PRACTICING Catholics do know their faith well as opposed to those that IDENTIFY themselves as Catholic, practicing or otherwise. whether or not that is true, most of the Catholics HERE on this forum know what they are talking about. And I also acknowledged personal experience of people talking to those who have met Catholics who are clueless. But, there is a difference between a sincere but somewhat ignorant Catholic and a clueless Catholic.

The first is happy and content worshipping and praying to God with the knowledge they have. They are not plagued by endless questions or challenges to their faith. They simply accept it without question and do not seek what is in their opinion, unneccessary knowledge.

The second doesn’t pray much if at all and the little that which they do know is wrong. This would be the clueless ones. Neither of which probably come HERE to this site. (Or if they do, they do not stay long.)

So I ask you what you have to be angry about my post that caused you to try to act charitably? The fact that you think the majority of US Catholics are clueless and I think the majority of Catholics that come to **this Catholic Forum, professional apologists, **and practicing Catholics (as opposed to cultural Catholics who identify themselves as Catholic) are not clueless

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

 

[spauline]

MariaG:

So I ask you what you have to be angry about my post that caused you to try to act charitably? The fact that you think the majority of US Catholics are clueless and I think the majority of Catholics that come to **this Catholic Forum, professional apologists, **and practicing Catholics (as opposed to cultural Catholics who identify themselves as Catholic) are not clueless

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

Dear MariaG,

I’m sorry, i think i misunderstood you. I thought you were implying that MOST US Catholics DO know their faith well and faithfully practice, when in reality you were only talking about good Catholics who are rare in this country. My apologies.

GB,
Scott