Why are some Protestant religions taught to hate Catholics?

Question

I went to a large Baptist university and recieved much harrasment for being Catholic. I was told people would "pray for me to come to a true faith in God" and grilled on my faith many times over. It was from other denominations other than Baptists too. I am married to a Baptist and he remembers Sunday School lessons on why other denominations are incorrect.

Also, Catholics do not worship Mary over God or Jesus and do not practice idolatry. Maybe that answered my question some; there are many out there of many faiths or athesists that have many misconceptions of what a Catholic is. Yes, the Church has gone through corrupting ages but what about all the Protestants televangelists? A lot of them do some good but surely a servant of God doesn't need the wealth they afford themselves. I understand not every Protestant "hates" other Christians but there are good few that do.

Answer 1

I grew up baptist myself and still consider myself one if i have to choose, but do to the attitude that they are right and everyone else is wrong is undesirable to me. If somone is wrong i believe the truth should be taught and not to point fingers to the point where its obsesive. I may sound contradicting but i dont believe all religions are right nor do all have everything correct. Biblically, thats a big deal. I like the baptist doctrine of the word for the most part and feel its closest to what my convictions are, but they arent right on every single thing. I also dont like all the man-made rules and religious stink that goes with it. I dont agree, biblically, with catholicism, but hate it i definantly dont nor was i taught it. It may feel like your hated, even though you havent heard hate for yourself, but to me they just want to prove catholicsm wrong and sometimes go about it the wrong way. Ive had it happen to me several times from catholics, since my wife was one while we were dating and got chewed out and told that my religion was bad, when i went to watch her sing. I dont doubt there are some teaching hate but i certainly bellieve its in every demomination.

Answer 2

I don't think they are "taught" to hate catholics. I think though that it's a thing that get inherited through the generations. They are surrounded by Protestants and there is a lot of talk from parents, relatives, friends about "how bad and how wrong" the catholics are. This is often the case in other religions also . I don't think it's only protestants that talk bad about other religions, it's pretty common every where (a little less in the eastern religions it seems like ..)

Answer 3

I think people in all religions are sometimes subjected to information that is not true. There are many representations about Catholicism on TV and in Movies that misrepresent or give inadequate information. Catholics have a bible that give detailed interpretations of scripture that differs from protestant bibles. On any given day Catholics will read the same portion of the bible and the homily (sermon) will be based on church law. Different protestant faiths interpret the bible in different ways in many instants. Our old testament has more books than the protestant bible or the Torah. People assume that Catholics only feature creepy Gothic music in our masses not true...we use everything from blue grass, to jazz, to classical to rock to contemporary and traditional gospel in our worship. We do not prohibit drinking or dancing, which more conservative religions have trouble with. Since my mom and I are Catholic and Dad and my brothers are protestant. I have been raised around both traditions. We all love God and that is enough for me.

Derek...you are sadly misinformed. There was a time when all Christians were Catholic, prior to Martin Luther. People did not have books and were taught other ways to remember the life of Jesus. For example, the Rosary is a way to recall the life of Jesus. We do not "worship" Mary. We ask the blessed virgin mother to pray for us. Have you not ever asked someone to pray with or for you??? As other posters said, we believe in unity. Let me ask you this. Jesus told us to use the Lord's Prayer to pray. Did he say that any other form of prayer was banned???? Of course not. However, if someone took this literally, we would look upon any other words as wrong. Similarly you are misrepresenting what we represent with novenas and statues. Our statues represent role models...people who have proceeded us who did wonderful things for the Lord. Nuns are women who devote their entire life and sacrifice all comfort and autonomy to worship and service. I wonder why you have such rage and hatred in your heart.
As a Catholic, I totally abhor the sexual misconduct committed by predators who hid behind the church to conduct henious crimes against humanity. That aside, these people do not represent Catholicism. Love and faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to forgive our sins and lead us to everlasting life is basically what we are all about. I am not a scholar or expert in canon and do not officially represent the position of the church. I am simply a person of faith and really wish you would not hate me for the way I choose to embrace God.

Answer 4

I don't know of any Protestant churches that teach people to "hate" others. However, there may be churches that teach people to hate false doctrine and the Catholic church is full of that.

1 Timothy 3:1 Faithful is this word: If anyone aspires to the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 It is necessary, therefore, for a bishop to be irreproachable, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful at teaching; 3 not given to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not loving money; 4 one ruling his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence; 5 (for if one does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same judgment as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not being given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being irreproachable. 11 Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children well, and their own houses.

1 Corinthians 9:5 Do we have no right to take along a wife who is a sister, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Cephas is Peter supposedly the first "Pope" of the church. He had a wife, the Bible says an church officer must demonstrate that they can rule over their household well before they can be appointed to that office. So what's up with the Catholic church?

In around 1,000 AD they decided that the church was in danger of losing property to inheritance when their priests died so they twisted the Bible and said priests couldn't get married. It's like that with many of the traditions of this church that come from men and not God. :o(

Answer 5

Catholics are not taught to look down upon Protestants. When I was in CCD class, they drilled it into our brains that Protestants are good people who WILL be saved if they follow Christ. Never once did I ever hear a priest or Catholic teacher say ANYTHING negative about protestants.

Now, to answer your question.

Yes, some protestants look down upon Catholics, but in general they are not taught to do so. Real followers of Christ do not "hat.e" other followers of Christ.

The people who think that the Pope is the Antichrist or that Catholics are children of evil are the ones disobeying God. Jesus wanted his body of believers to be unified, and its about time everyone realized that.

Answer 6

Its called Hypocrisy.

Because the Catholic Church is EVERYTHING it persecuted in the Medieval days. Its full of Idolatry, Pagan worship, Most of their beliefs come from other relgions (rosary beads, nuns (buddhaism) holidays (pagan) on and on) and Christ said, "no one goes to the Father, except thru me" but I guess the Catholic Church knows more than the SON OF GOD, YES?

Cause they pray to Statues, finger and toe bones of Saints (reliquaries) and other idols, they worship Mary (oh, yes they do, don't even go there). And on and on. Yet they KILLED MILLIONS for almost 1,700 years for nothing more than GOSSIP.

The Popes had illicit wives and children (which ALOT of them we're Popes) think Borgia. The Office of Pope itself was bought and sold for almost 1,700 years, like it was nothing. I'm not saying this to be MEAN, this is all in the Historical record and even the Catholic Historians have to be honest about it for the most part, look it up. Its NOT a pretty picture. Do your own reasearch.

Read "The Two Babylons" written by a Catholic Priest by the name of The Rev. Alexander Hislop around 1850 A.D., its still one of the best reads today you'll ever find.

Answer 7

There are too many questions directed to Protestants and Catholics which basically are throwing insults on each other. I really never looked into the sectarian Christianity beliefs maybe it is time to get some knowledge.

Answer 8

No protestant faith teaches to hate catholics. But the Catholic church has done some historically attrocious acts and I could see how negative feelings could get passed down generationally

Answer 9

That's not right... what kind of religion teaches to hate others... Catholics are not that different from protestants... in the end we are all the same we should all help each other be better people through out our earthly lives

Answer 10

For the same reason that many Catholics are taught to look down at Protestants. Religion pays better if you actually believe that you are better than anyone else