Why Don't Some Protestant Websites Let Catholics Join?

[Augustinian]

When you write Greek Catholic are you referring to the Eastern Church in union with Rome? In that case, Catholic of the Eastern rite

They call themselves “Greek Catholics”, the large benevolent and fraternal organization in the community is named the “Greek Catholic Union”.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the “Roman Catholic” designation either, even if you’ve never been to Rome.

 

[1ke]

Some Protestant web forums refuse to let Catholics join them. Why is that? H

It’s a forum owner’s right to make whatever kind of forum they want and allow or disallow whomever they choose.

How can there be discussion if one side isn’t allowed to even present their case?

Not every forum is to debate Catholic vs Protestant or to present “sides”. Some may be for like-minded people to meet and discuss their own theology.

I’ve run a Catholic bible study in the past. It was for Catholics, not non-Catholics. It was to discuss the Bible from within the Catholic Church, using Church documents, Catholic scholarship, etc. That’s how I wanted it. This wasn’t a bible study to evangelize or debate non-Catholics. It was a bible study to dig deeper into Catholic theology and bible scholarship. My bible study, my rules.

am I to believe that ecumenism is a one way street?

There are zillions of channels for ecumenism. It seems pointless to question “why” some forums only allow certain members. Because (a) we can only speculate and (b) it doesn’t really matter, it’s their deal.

 

[Sarcelle]

Just curious. Do they allow non-Christians to join? Do they allow atheists?

Do they allow Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses?

 

[steido01]

I’ve asked you repeatedly not to @ me. Please respect that ask.

Augustine is claimed by other churches too.

 

[Spyridon]

Hardcore religious fundamentalists are not interested in dialogue or studying opposing views.

They will only tolerate total submission to their own views, and nothing less whatsoever.

These hardcore fundamentalist type Protestants mostly run in certain Evangelical, Baptist, and Pentecostal circles - they are a tiny minority in Christendom, less than 100,000,000 at most out of 2,400,000,000 Christians.

 

[Augustinian]

Hardcore religious fundamentalists are not interested in dialogue or studying opposing views.

They will only tolerate total submission to their own views, and nothing less whatsoever.

These hardcore fundamentalist type Protestants mostly run in certain Evangelical, Baptist, and Pentecostal circles - they are a tiny minority in Christendom, less than 100,000,000 at most out of 2,400,000,000 Christians.

I don’t know about this, I’ve known a fair number of “hardcore fundamentalist types” including some who were open to discussions.

Being open to discussion doesn’t mean that someone is necessarily up to discussion everywhere and every place. And if someone doesn’t want someone who isn’t a believer in what they are promoting in certain space, that’s fine and doesn’t indicate anything bad about them at all. If a fundamentalist per chance visited an RCIA meeting and openly argued with the various points being made, the facilitators would ask him politely not to come back pretty quickly. Debate isn’t the purpose of such a meeting, and those who have meetings on line have the right to determine if they will debate, who and the parameters as well

 

[Wannano]

Hardcore religious fundamentalists are not interested in dialogue or studying opposing views.

They will only tolerate total submission to their own views, and nothing less whatsoever.

These hardcore fundamentalist type Protestants mostly run in certain Evangelical, Baptist, and Pentecostal circles - they are a tiny minority in Christendom, less than 100,000,000 at most out of 2,400,000,000 Christians.

In fairness I point out that there are Catholic hardcore religious fundementalists who exemplify the attitudes expressed above. They are obviously participating on CAF even against the corrective (name removed by moderator)ut from Priests. What percentage of Catholics would this group represent world wide?

 

[tgGodsway]

I agree. They should.

 

[AugustTherese]

I’ve asked you repeatedly not to @ me. Please respect that ask.

Augustine is claimed by other churches too.

I am sorry. I will not reply to your posts from now on. I appreciated what you had to say about Our Blessed Mother in another thread. Take care!

 

[Raxus]

Nah. Don’t violate the rules.

Catholics are Christian. No violation of the rules.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

Catholics are Christian. No violation of the rules.

My understanding is the rules of the website specifically say “Protestant” or specifically disallow Catholics.

Either way, seems like a dumb website I wouldn’t want to join anyway.

 

[Raxus]

My understanding is the rules of the website specifically say “Protestant” or specifically disallow Catholics.

Either way, seems like a dumb website I wouldn’t want to join anyway.

Fair enough. No point in talking to a bunch of anti-Catholic zealots, if that’s the case.

 

[rfournier103]

Some pretty good replies here.

I guess it usually seems to me that we Catholics are always on the defensive, and always having to justify the Faith to those outside the Church.

I browse Protestant websites/forums (not necessarily ‘anti-Catholic’ sites) every now and again to gain a better understanding of Protestantism theology and to see what is being said about us. When I see the Church being attacked, I usually feel the urge to say something. And unlike the secular non-believers who love to bash Catholicism in particular and religion in general, at least there’s a common belief in Christ that offers a starting point. The anti-Catholics I know in my personal life pretty much care nothing for religion at all and think worship on Sunday morning is a waste of an hour. Can’t really reason with them.

As a previous poster said, some people seem to like their little hive of like-minded souls, but I can’t think of a single Catholic forum or website that just flat-out rejects non-Catholic applicants for membership - even the most hardcore sites that I know of. That’s not to say there aren’t strict rules of conduct, but at least a foot may pass the threshold.

I just think there’s a deep-seated fear of Catholicism within the ranks of the hardcore “Reformed” Christians. That’s unfortunate.