Why Is Catholicism So Unattractive to Evangelicals?

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Graceful_Lamb said:
I tried watching LOTR, and I couldn’t finish watching it.
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Find the animated version of The Hobbit because it actually follows the book. The latest movies are pretty much garbage and do not follow the books…Waaaaaay too much license…
 
Graceful_Lamb said:
I don’t have a problem with the answers. It is the way that some people present their answers. Sometimes it can come across as condescending, patronizing, and holier-than-thou.
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Okay…I don’t suppose that you’ve been on any of the multitude of other religious forums then because this place is Heaven by comparison. I do not recommend it.

Online message boards have the disadvantage of not seeing human expressions and tone of voice and all the other cues that make our communication work, so I find that in most cases I can and should focus on the information and pay less attention to the style or whatever.

Personally, I try to keep mine heavy on the information and as light as possible on the rhetoric and polemics which don’t add much of value to any discussion. 🤷

Here, see if this is more to your liking. 🙂
God’s Love for You
 
It would be helpful for people to read the article, since that is the subject of the thread.
When I reverted back to the Catholic Church eight years ago I had within me a lot of negativity and anger toward non-Catholics. Simply read my posts from back then and you can see it.
Age has tempered that to some degree and caused me to look more introspectively on my experience among evangelicals. I realized how easy it is to exchange the negativity I once had for Catholics for a new negativity for non-Catholics. That approach, says more about me than about the opposing group.
I found the article intriguing because it forces Catholics to look at what evangelicals see when they look at Catholics. It’s easy to get defensive and attack the critique. It’s harder to see things from their point of view and gain an understanding as to why they reach the conclusion they do.
It serves as an opportunity to rectify assumptions on both sides, which CM did above me. Let’s allow evangelicals to enrich the conversation, and let’s all be willing learn something we needed to know.
 
FollowChrist34 said:
The answer to that I am afraid is, in many cases, a big fat no. (did you read the original article?) I honestly don’t blame people for not wanting to join the Catholic Church. Think of those poor souls out there watching EWTN, reading the CCC, undergoing an inner conversion to the Catholic Church…
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I agree that EWTN does much to make Catholicism more attractive to Evangelicals (I mean some of them of course). It’s interesting to note how ewtn.com/vexperts/conference.asp is apportioned. For example, there’s a section called “Apologetics: Defending the Faith” with staff from Catholic Answers, and another called “Pro-Life Issues” with staff from the American Life League, and so on. I’m not suggesting that arrangement appeals to absolutely everyone or that EWTN is perfect; I only suggest that, for those who are into that website, the ability to hear multiple perspectives/organizations/voices is probably a big part of the attraction (and, I’m guessing, a reason for some others staying away from it, but that’s beside the point).
 
MSSheBear said:
😊 I was involved with new or failing churches. I burned out doing childcare every Sunday. :imsorry: I shouldn’t have suggested that every Evangelical church was like that. I am still bitter about the way I was treated.:imsorry:
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That’s too bad, I’ve never been to an evangelical church where you had to do anything, especially every week.

I’ve always experienced a volunteer basis.
 
Church_Militant said:
Okay…I don’t suppose that you’ve been on any of the multitude of other religious forums then because this place is Heaven by comparison. I do not recommend it.

Online message boards have the disadvantage of not seeing human expressions and tone of voice and all the other cues that make our communication work, so I find that in most cases I can and should focus on the information and pay less attention to the style or whatever.

Personally, I try to keep mine heavy on the information and as light as possible on the rhetoric and polemics which don’t add much of value to any discussion. 🤷

Here, see if this is more to your liking. 🙂
God’s Love for You
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That link was good until I go to the part about joining the Catholic church. That is going to happen, at least in the foreseeable future.
 
JustaServant said:
It would be helpful for people to read the article, since that is the subject of the thread.
When I reverted back to the Catholic Church eight years ago I had within me a lot of negativity and anger toward non-Catholics. Simply read my posts from back then and you can see it.
Age has tempered that to some degree and caused me to look more introspectively on my experience among evangelicals. I realized how easy it is to exchange the negativity I once had for Catholics for a new negativity for non-Catholics. That approach, says more about me than about the opposing group.
I found the article intriguing because it forces Catholics to look at what evangelicals see when they look at Catholics. It’s easy to get defensive and attack the critique. It’s harder to see things from their point of view and gain an understanding as to why they reach the conclusion they do.
It serves as an opportunity to rectify assumptions on both sides, which CM did above me. Let’s allow evangelicals to enrich the conversation, and let’s all be willing learn something we needed to know.
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Another insightful post. I personally get tired of the antagonism between various denominations. If you are really that concerned about how lost your brethren are, the proper response is compassion and a desire to share your faith in a constructive way. If all you see coming from someone is criticism, look out. (or more specifically worry more about the source than the subject)

As a Catholic I tend to romanticize the Protestants and see too many failings in my own Church. The scandals, “bad” Catholics, etc. set my teeth on edge. But the Protestants can match these problems with their own.

I have often wondered about that though - what a convert would think over time - when they really start to see the problems in the Catholic Church. But whenever I am over-exposed to Protestantism I get really homesick in a hurry. You are what you are - that is the truth, whether our apologists like it or not. It’s God will for one reason or another.
 
Peter_J said:
I agree that EWTN does much to make Catholicism more attractive to Evangelicals (I mean some of them of course). It’s interesting to note how ewtn.com/vexperts/conference.asp is apportioned. For example, there’s a section called “Apologetics: Defending the Faith” with staff from Catholic Answers, and another called “Pro-Life Issues” with staff from the American Life League, and so on. I’m not suggesting that arrangement appeals to absolutely everyone or that EWTN is perfect; I only suggest that, for those who are into that website, the ability to hear multiple perspectives/organizations/voices is probably a big part of the attraction (and, I’m guessing, a reason for some others staying away from it, but that’s beside the point).
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I love EWTN but I agree that they are not perfect. There is such a lack of catechism in a vast majority of parishes - it is a bit of a joke. EWTN fills that gap very well; so many people are so indebted to them in terms of learning about their faith. I do think they can pigeon-hole themselves on occasion, traditionalism for its own sake. But the good far, far outweighs that. It amazes me how little doctrine plays a role in “mainstream Catholicism.” Surreal - if I am honest.
 
Graceful_Lamb said:
If the Catholic church is the truth, then why not leave it up to God? If it is all what the Catholics on this board proclaim it to be, why would there be a need to have a huge effort to teach and learn the Church? Don’t you think that if the Catholic church is the truth, etc. that God will guide non-Catholics towards the Catholic church? Don’t you think that there would be no need for teaching, etc. if the Church is all what those who belong to it says it is?
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That’s how I got here. By God’s leading.
 
FollowChrist34 said:
Another insightful post. I personally get tired of the antagonism between various denominations. If you are really that concerned about how lost your brethren are, the proper response is compassion and a desire to share your faith in a constructive way. If all you see coming from someone is criticism, look out. (or more specifically worry more about the source than the subject)

As a Catholic I tend to romanticize the Protestants and see too many failings in my own Church. The scandals, “bad” Catholics, etc. set my teeth on edge. But the Protestants can match these problems with their own.

I have often wondered about that though - what a convert would think over time - when they really start to see the problems in the Catholic Church. But whenever I am over-exposed to Protestantism I get really homesick in a hurry. You are what you are - that is the truth, whether our apologists like it or not. It’s God will for one reason or another.
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Great post! When I see criticism of other religions here, I am inclined to give the message any credence. Sharing one’s faith in a constructive way is a GOOD thing. Bashing or criticizing someone else’s religion is NOT the way to go.
 
I agree with those who have pointed out that Catholic parishes aren’t very friendly, which has definitely been my experience. The only friendly place I ever attended was an SSPX chapel. All of the regular parishes I’ve attended could care less about new people, unfortunately.

That being said, I think that the main problem that Evangelicals have with Catholicism is all of the “rules” associated with the Catholic Church. Everything else is just an excuse for the most part, IMO. I think that there is usually some sort of sin that non-Catholics are attached to which prevents them from converting. Not that non-Catholics will see sin in the same way that the Church does. Generally, an Evangelical will deny that certain things are sins. And who can blame them? The world teaches that many sins are perfectly normal, and that they aren’t sins at all.

Even if many or most Catholics themselves don’t abide by the “rules,” the rules are still there.
 
Denise1957 said:
I agree with those who have pointed out that Catholic parishes aren’t very friendly, which has definitely been my experience. The only friendly place I ever attended was an SSPX chapel. All of the regular parishes I’ve attended could care less about new people, unfortunately.

That being said, I think that the main problem that Evangelicals have with Catholicism is all of the “rules” associated with the Catholic Church. Everything else is just an excuse for the most part, IMO. I think that there is usually some sort of sin that non-Catholics are attached to which prevents them from converting. Not that non-Catholics will see sin in the same way that the Church does. Generally, an Evangelical will deny that certain things are sins. And who can blame them? The world teaches that many sins are perfectly normal, and that they aren’t sins at all.

Even if many or most Catholics themselves don’t abide by the “rules,” the rules are still there.
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What sins do you think the Evangelicals are committing that prevents them from converting?

Did you ever think that it is a possibility that there are Evangelicals that don’t want to convert?
 
Graceful_Lamb said:
What sins do you think the Evangelicals are committing that prevents them from converting?

Did you ever think that it is a possibility that there are Evangelicals that don’t want to convert?
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I don’t want to list the sins that Evangelicals may not want to give up in order to convert. I think it varies quite a lot. Are you yourself in agreement with all of the “rules” that the Catholic Church teaches? If not, then why not?
 
Denise1957 said:
I agree with those who have pointed out that Catholic parishes aren’t very friendly, which has definitely been my experience. The only friendly place I ever attended was an SSPX chapel. All of the regular parishes I’ve attended could care less about new people, unfortunately.

That being said, I think that the main problem that Evangelicals have with Catholicism is all of the “rules” associated with the Catholic Church. Everything else is just an excuse for the most part, IMO. I think that there is usually some sort of sin that non-Catholics are attached to which prevents them from converting. Not that non-Catholics will see sin in the same way that the Church does. Generally, an Evangelical will deny that certain things are sins. And who can blame them? The world teaches that many sins are perfectly normal, and that they aren’t sins at all.

Even if many or most Catholics themselves don’t abide by the “rules,” the rules are still there.
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Don’t underestimate Evangelical loathing of the Catholic Church. If you get far enough out there, you can find people who think the Pope is the Antichrist - even today. Ian Paisley was into that - but it happens in the US too. They think Catholicism is nothing but superstition and sin - human teaching, power-grabbing and manipulation in place of God’s word and salvation. Hair-raising stuff. My point is that to deny this is not to be aware of what you are facing when you come across an Evangelical. In most cases, and especially in the last 20 years or so, this venom has begin to dissolve, thank God. But it still exists, in milder forms. Expect a lot of distrust and misinformation. I think this is more of a problem than whether or not they sin.
 
FollowChrist34 said:
Don’t underestimate Evangelical loathing of the Catholic Church. If you get far enough out there, you can find people who think the Pope is the Antichrist - even today. Ian Paisley was into that - but it happens in the US too. They think Catholicism is nothing but superstition and sin - human teaching, power-grabbing and manipulation in place of God’s word and salvation. Hair-raising stuff. My point is that to deny this is not to be aware of what you are facing when you come across an Evangelical. In most cases, and especially in the last 20 years or so, this venom has begin to dissolve, thank God. But it still exists, in milder forms. Expect a lot of distrust and misinformation. I think this is more of a problem than whether or not they sin.
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I agree that there’s certain loathing of the Church. But why is this the case? Is it really just about the supposed superstition, power-grabbing, etc.? Is it possible that if the Church didn’t have standards which are expected to be followed, (aka the “rules”) then there wouldn’t be as much loathing? I think not, but I could be wrong.
 
Denise1957 said:
I agree that there’s certain loathing of the Church. But why is this the case? If the Church didn’t have standards which are expected to be followed, (aka the “rules”) would there be as much loathing? I think not, but I could be wrong.
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I think the damage from the child abuse scandals cannot be overestimated, or other kinds of homosexuality and corruption exposed in the Church. Also the size of the Vatican - how much money it has - a base of human, world power about as far from Christ as you can get in their minds (nevermind their own megachurches and corrupt leaders). They think they are led by Christ - that is sufficient - he doesn’t need an earthly representative.

And a lot of Evangelicals see all of the “bad” Catholics who are so mainstream, not that much different from the mainstream Protestants that they broke with and dislike. I get this a lot - Catholics don’t go to Church - they aren’t “real Christians.” I think this is where they are coming from. Most Evangelicals are very conservative and traditional in their background - think the South, Bible Belt, Midwest, rural as opposed to urban. Red state.

Ironically I agree that they do sin just as much as anyone though. (Duh.) They seem to think that they have been SAVED so it is a “non-issue” after that point. I am happy to report that I see some improvement here, Rick Warren, that sort of Evangelical is getting more and more into humility (“I sin”) and helping the poor etc. Rick Warren watches EWTN. 😉 Seems to be helping.
 
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