Why do some Christians feel the need to belittle the beliefs of other Christians?

Question

I am a Catholic and no matter how you look at it we ARE Christians. We follow Christ. We may all worship differently but we hold to the same truths. If you want to convert someone then you should be concentrating on those who have not heard the message of Christ not belittling others who choose to worship or pray differently than you. It is truly a waste of time. We have heard and we have made our choice. This holds true for all Christians.

I was actually speaking for ALL CHRISTIANS.

Answer 1

I agree with you. But we also called to ignore these people because if we know what we are doing is right with God, then that is all that matters.

Answer 2

Debra, No matter how you look at it, Catholics follow the Pope and not Christ. I have in my library quotes from the Pope and other Catholic bishops etc that state that the Pope supercedes Jesus Christ. They say that the Bible is a dead book. I have these sources and I will be happy to share them with you. They have changed the Bible to suit their own purposes, and then they declared the Bible dead. Their beliefs in some areas are FAR REMOVED from what the Bible says. I have all of the sources for this in hand.

Please tell the truth.

And then tell us why you are so upset when someone points out the inconsistencies in Catholic dogma when you are so adamant that the rest of us Protestants are "heretics" and should be killed. I have sources for that too.

Anyone is free to contact me if you are interested in obtaining these sources.

By the way - I have never belittled a Catholic believer - I have only stated truths about the Catholic church herself that I can prove - and am only too happy to do so. There are many Catholics whom I love and who are sweet loving people. There are also many Catholics who take great delight in bashing me for my religion.

If you are interested in proving me wrong, contact me and I will be happy to study the Bible with you as well as show you my HUGE library of Amazing statements made by the RC church. If you can prove me wrong, I will publically apologize here on Yahoo Answers.

Answer 3

If they are belittling anyone else for any reason they aren't being Christian in their behavior, are they?

Not walking the walk. Or talking the talk.

Why they belittle:

1-People attack those who are different. This includes people who believe differently than they do.

2-If you are a member of another religion, you aren't a member of their religion. You, therefore, aren't giving them your money-it is going to someone else. (This is more applicable to churches where paid clergy attack other religions from the pulpit, or who encourage that kind of behavior.) They mount these hate campaigns to keep from losing their members to a 'rival' church-another congregation. They pretend it's for doctrinal reasons. It is really based on jealousy and finances.

The Constitution gives us each the perogative to believe (or not believe) as we like. We should afford each other the same courtesy.

Note: There is a difference between belittling and proselyting. One can proselyte without belittling another's belief. One can belittle another's belief without proselyting. And people often change from one Christian religion to another so it isn't a 'waste of time'. You may personally have made your choice and are not going to change. You can't impose that determination on everyone else.

Answer 4

I've been with so many people from many countries including Asia and the USA and one thing I noticed consistently is that Fundamentalis/Evangelical Christians are so self-righteous. They must be thinking they're doing God a favor by insisting their beliefs on others yet when they're challenged to a formal debate they're always ready to retreat. This is because they're so emotional and thinks what they know can't be challenged. There's this guy(actually a friend in college who told me I shouldn't wear a crucifix or make the sign of the cross because it is an abomination/scandal to Christianity and even asked me if Christ died through a shotgun then would I wear a shotgun or gesture its sign?) He wouldn't listen no matter how I explain that its not the reason why catholics wear it. Its a Catholic custom and so catholics should provide the meaning, not others. But he wouldn't buy that so I quoted these:

Tertullian
"[When a scorpion stings someone's heel] we have faith for a defense, if we are not smitten with distrust itself also, in immediately making the sign [of the cross] and adjuring and besmearing the heel with the beast. Finally, we often aid in this way even the heathen, seeing we have been endowed by God with that power which the apostle first used when he despised the viper's bite [Acts 28:3]" (Antidote Against the Scorpion 1 [A.D. 211]).

Cyril of Jerusalam
"Let us not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Let the cross, as our seal, be boldly made with our fingers upon our brow and on all occasions over the bread we eat, over the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings, before sleep, on lying down and rising up, when we are on the way and when we are still."

Jerome
"[A woman with three sick children came to St. Hilarion and] on reaching the saint she said: 'I pray you by Jesus our most merciful God . . . to restore to me my three sons, so that the name of our Lord and Savior may be glorified in the city of the gentiles. Then shall his servants enter Gaza and the idol Marnas shall fall to the ground.' At first he refused and said that he never left his cell . . . [but] the woman did not leave him till he promised he would enter Gaza after sunset. On coming thither he made the sign of the cross over the bed and fevered limbs of each [child] and called upon the name of Jesus. Marvelous efficacy of the name! . . . in that very hour they took food, recognized the mourning mother, and with thanks to God warmly kissed the saint's hands" (Life of St. Hilarion 14 [A.D. 390]).

And guess what? It was his first time to learn about this! This is an example of how they feel so above the others until you start answering back and put them on the defensive side rather than allow them to attack your faith. And I tell you, they're not good enough at defending their faith.

Answer 5

We all get it wrong sometimes--that is, we all make mistakes.

I suppose you mean some branch of Protestant in whatever form (Baptist, Pentecostal, whatever) criticized you....Some of them (and I used to) think that Catholics believe in a different God or Jesus. I now think it is more a matter of whether or not the individual Christian will place Holy Scripture above laws and traditions of men. Who is the authority on spiritual matters? The Apostles and firsthand reporters who wrote Scripture or the Pope? That's up to you.

I thank God for grace.

Answer 6

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka: Mormon) My Church teaches that we should allow all people to worship how, where, or what they may.
We do, however, try to talk to people of various faiths about our Church, as we feel that we have the fully restored Gospel which other Churches do not have.
We do, however, respect people of other faiths, for Our Heavenly Father placed ALL of us here on this earth for a glorious purpose.

Answer 7

not that i read the whole question,but there are people who try to put god in a box. that way it fits their pre- concieved conception. i think that makes them feel more comfortable.
i was taught the protestant way, but there is no path to god that doesn't lye through the individual; and if that is through the catholics or the protesatnts, it makes no difference. there are adherant protestant believers and there is no difference between them and the adherant catholic believers. we are are all one and the same. we all were taught that jesus is lord. the important thing is that people try to live by it. they haven't been successful to date.

Answer 8

Nobody should be belittling others who choose to worship or pray differently than you.

I'll cast spells for them and for you!

Answer 9

I can see it now...Catholics and Protestants together on the way up to Heaven at the last day...arguing all the way.
Then, when we finally arrive, we discover that neither one of us knew what we were talking about, anyhow....the REALITY of God far outshines our most glorious visions...

Answer 10

I never felt like that until I was belittled by a Baptist