What do other Christians have against Roman Catholics?

Question

What's the big deal? I mean, people of different religions have their crazy conflicts, but it always seems worse whenever you get the rest of the Christians talking about the Roman Catholics. Seriously, you're both Christian! You both accept Christ as your personal savior, so what the crap is the problem?

And, just for the sake of neutrality, I'm not Christian. I'm an agnostic, so I'm not for either side. I just seem to find a lot of Christians bashing Roman Catholics, and it just doesn't seem fair.

I can't believe this! My family is Roman Catholic, so I know the creed. Some of the accusations listed here are absolutely rediculous and untrue.

For example:
Baptism: Roman Catholics do not believe baptism will automatically save you. Baptism is a symbol of washing away original sin.

--Catholics do not worship Mary. They pray to Mary and ask her to keep us in her prayers. It's the same as asking a friend to pray for you.

--Molesting Little Boys: Yes, it sometimes happens. However, these people are corrupt. There are corrupt people everywhere, in every religion.

--Catholics do not send their people to hell.

--Yes. The Catholic Church commited horrible crimes in the name of their religion... 1000 years ago. Get over it. You don't see an Inquisition going on now, do you?

--Yes. People in power are often corrupt. But what about the people who aren't in power?

--The Church used to do Indulgences. However, that hasn't happened in a long, long time.

joey120746 pointed out a lot. thnx

Answer 1

Nothing. Christian are not against anyone or any other religion.

Answer 2

The term 'Protestant' refers to those who 'protest' something about the Roman Catholic Church. Some time it is easier to say that you are not one of 'those people' than it is to positively define who you are and what you believe. As a Charismatic Roman Catholic I have a great deal of respect for anyone who genuinely seeks God. That includes people in other Christian churches and even Muslims and Jews. A number of years ago Roman Catholics and Lutherans came to a consensus that justification is by faith alone. Here are some thought provoking questions and answers:

1) Where did the bible come from? It was originally approved by the Council of Nicea (325) of the Roman Catholic Church.

2) Was John Paul II a Nazi? Seems kind of unlikely for a poor Polish boy with lots of Jewish friends.

3) Why do Christians go to church on Sunday?
a) Because the Resurrection happened on the first day of he week.
b) Because Pentecost happened on the first the of the week.
c) Because grandpa said so! A Baptist friend shared this one with me!

Answer 3

I've been asking myself the same question for years! I'm catholic and most of the non-catholic christians i know personally are great people and we have extrodinarily similar views on things.

A friend of mine discribed the source of the tension as thus:

Up until 1964, the Catholic church had a very ridged set of rules that one must follow or else face eternal damnation. In 1964, Pope John 23rd held the second Vatican council, in which the church was modernised i.e. it was no longer herisy for the bible to be printed in languages other that latin, the mass was now in people native tongue. It stipped away alot of the old rules that were man made and focused on what was most important to us, namely the Eucharist. Now the Catholic church is a huge ship with a very small rudder and it takes a long time to turn that ship around. We are only beggining to see the changes of vatican 2 now.

So thats the back story...

Now Catholosism Does't have its ultra strict guidelines. It invites people to explore their own faith and let Jesus speak to us through the scripture and through the Eucharist.

This is where conflict of opinion occurs.

Many Christian groups hold the ultra conservative views that the Catholic church once had. Basically if it is printed in bible it must be true. Not that I'm discrediting the bible! Considering the old testament, most of the storied laid out there were written for people who didn't have our level of scientific understanding. People out there still think that the world was created in seven days! now considering the new testament, not a single one of the books in the NT were written in English. Therefore translation and context must be considered. It is not so important that Jesus cured the sick etc, but it is the underlying message that is parramount.

I will leave you with my favourite way to silence the ultra conservative:

I qoate from the Jerusalum Bible

In Leviticus (the rule book for the Jews) it states that, " You must not lie with a man as a woman. This is a hateful thing." (spoken to a man)

This is almost always used for the damnation of Homosexuality.

In the same book it also says, "Of anything that lives in water, these you may eat:
Anything that has fins and scales, and lives in the water...But anything...that has not fins or scales...must be held detestable" Therefore it is an abomination to eat praws, oysters, lobster.

So, one can't be gay but one can sit down to a lobster dinner??

Answer 4

You point is valid and interesting. Although, your scope is way too limited. For clarification sake, I am a devout Christian. This problem transcends Catholicism. All religions and sects judge each other. I can't speak intelligently for other religions, but Christianity teaches not to judge. My relationship with God isn't affected by the way Catholics or Baptists believe, by homosexuality, other non Christian religions, or agnostics. I choose to focus on myself and no one else. One definitely can't lump Christians into the same category. Some Christians get it, while others call themselves Christians. Catholicism has some different nuances than some other Christian sects, but that could be said of Pentecostals and the Church of Christ. The probable reason for the conflicts is probably due to the political history of Catholics in Europe. Some of it was pretty bad. But the atrocities carried out by the Catholic church in history wasn't the works of men who were truly at one with God. No self thinking person could say Mother Theresa wasn't one with God.
All peoples and religions would be at peace if they loved the Lord with all of their heart and loved their neighbor as their self - I believe this includes gays, lesbians, killers, Christians, Muslims, and agnostics.
Love Ya and God bless you!

Answer 5

Roman Catholism has alot of wrong teachings in thier Churches. Just look at the Reformation and what has happened. There are untold amount of bad stuff about the Roman Catholic Church. They are:
Semi-Pelagianist
Priests molests kids
Sells indulgences to forgive sins
Sprinkling baptism when a baby is incorrect (John 1:12-13)
Extra useless books in the Bible
Had 2 Nazi popes. John Paul II and Benedict.
Called for Crusades
Countless other wrongdoings.

Answer 6

I know what you mean! There are several denominations (Christian) that dislike Catholics for several reasons. Here are some of my favorites:

We "worship" Mary, as well as other saints. (Not true - saying a prayer for a saint or Mary to help you or extra guidance with God is not worshipping.)

Many don't understand or recognize transubstantiation

Baptism

Confession

Also - I don't think many recognize that without the Catholic church, no other Christian religion would be in existence, since all Christian based religions can be traced back to the Church.

Answer 7

Religion is religion. It is not faith. I don't have much faith in any religion I've studied. Christians have changed their name so many times that it is hard to recognize one. I think roman catholics were the first ones to change the name christian to the name roman catholic and people in churches have been changing their name from Baptist to Methodist to Lutheran and on and on.
Other religions do the same. Their are many different covens in wicca, different deities in paganism, different schools in spiritualism, different types of Jews, Buddhists, and Muslims etc.
I was an agnostic myself for a while. I became a christian. I don't want to be a part of the divisions. I prefer to find fellowship with true hearted christians wherever I find them.I like to agree with Jesus in prayer that we "all might be one as He and the Father are one.' in the "unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace."

Answer 8

Well, I'm a Christian, and personally I don't believe that any person has the right to judge another - that's God's job. My very best friend is a Roman Catholic! We may practice our beliefs differently, but we believe the same: Jesus is God's son and our personal savior. People tend to make religion too complicated & that's where the conflicts begin.

Answer 9

Your new pope is about as charismatic as a toad. The magnificent cathedrals are impressive, in an idolatrous sort of way. For western world Catholics, the pope's word is the law. But Jesus wrote a new commandment in our hearts and called it "Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as you would love yourself." So Popes' opinions are like sphincters, everyone has one(whoops, I just miss-spoke myself, as an ex-nurse i know and realize that not everyone is blessed with a sphincter, my apologies). Ritual is far too important in Catholicism. In the third world, Catholicism is tainted by animism among other pagan religions. But, I will say this, what the Catholic church has done historically in the form of torturing and brutalizing native peoples in the name of their God, I've gotten over that. The Anglicans were just as brutal. What Cook did on Easter Island, for instance, was a disgrace. Sincerely, UC Steve.

Answer 10

I don't want to bash Roman Catholics, there are some really great people in that faith.
The Bible says that the false prophet will come from Rome.
I do have a problem with those that head the church that ignored priests molesting children, and shipping them off to other parishes to hurt other children.
Also, they used to kill people.

Answer 11

it's a long story.look,long time ago all christians had the same belief.that there is only one god and jesus is god 100% and god's son 100%.but someday they were confused.some were separated and formed a new church in europe those who believed that jesus was less than god.that was catholic church.the other and original one was orthodox.then after time catholics returned to the original belief.that jesus =god.but the church remained with it's name,catholic.but unfortunately catholic priests cared alot about politics.and they controlled the countries.they even took money from ppl to give them mercy and 4giveness.this political role is clear in vatican now.some1 came and protested that way.he said there should be no priests,no fathers.totally opposed catholic.that's y it's called protestants.but due to having no priests,every1 explained the bible as he wish.that's why there too many groups of protestants.but as long as we believe in God the Lord,his son Jesus ,and his holy spirit ,are 1,we r all christians