Why is there a fairly noticeable bad-blood between Catholics and Christians?

Question

They are of the same religion, but a different "bracket". I, myself, am a Catholic. We go to the same churches, but different times. I know that the only difference between the two is that Catholics recognize Mother Mary more and is often worshipped the same as Jesus.
But I noticed that Christians always have some messed up things to say about Catholics and vice versa. What the f is that about? And why??

Answer 1

In group, out group bias. Once you make a group people tend to glorify the group they are in and defile the other groups. Just like everyone thinks the group they belong to are full in divers members but everyone int the other group are just a bunch of "insert attribute here". For instance all someone "could" say that Catholics are commandment breakers. But that would be just another example of ingroup/outgroup bias, because this implys that all Catholics break all ten. In my limited knowlege of religion I beleive only people can break commandments not orginizations. It is also my understanding that Catholics do not worship Mary, but do recognize her more than other saints. I say give the girl her props, I mean she gave birth to the son of God.

Answer 2

I've been quite surprised by the tendency of Catholics to call Protestants "Christians" but not apply that word to themselves. I wonder why. I've always considered both Protestants and Catholics to be part of the Christian faith.

I am a Protestant Christian and haven't noticed much bad blood or felt any toward Catholics. I do, however, feel some reservations toward some of the practices. I don't understand all the furor over Mary and, to some extent, the "saints." The Bible, as I understand it, suggests that they were fairly ordinary people that God was able to work through and weren't any more worthy than people alive today (and that he can still work through people.) It says that all have sinned, even saints. Also, when Jesus teaches how we should pray, starts the prayer, "Our Father...," which suggests that we should pray directly to God and that saints are not needed as intermediaries. I don't think the emphasis on saints is necessarily idolatry, but it does seem discouraging to the idea of having a personal relationship with God and growing close to Him. It seems to say that God is not willing to hear our prayers because we are not holy enough to talk directly to Him.

Another thing that I've noticed about many, but not all, Catholics I've known. Some people I've known seem indistinguishable from non-Christians in their day-to-day actions. When those people are not in church, they hardly think of God and seem to do pretty much what they want and think that a weekly confession will make what they did okay. This is not restricted to Catholics, and probably not even to Christians as a whole. Other religions probably have people like this who pay lip service to a belief, but show no fruits of that belief in their daily lives, and have no desire to live what they believe. It seems more of an insurance policy to them in case Heaven and Hell actually exist. Not all Catholics are like this, though, and I've known Protestants that do whatever they want. Even those people who try to do God's will mess up, but the important thing is to try. And I have definitely messed up quite a bit, so I try not to judge anyone.

It's too bad that some Protestants and Catholics would not get along with each other. There are many things they have in common and the similarities are much more important than the differences.

Both teach love for God and obedience to Him. Both believe in Jesus as God's Son and Savior of humans from their sins. They believe that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was born. They believe that Christ died for our sins and rose again to save us from eternal suffering in Hell. Both practice Communion and Baptism, although they are done in different ways. The Catholic christening is probably like the Protestant dedication of a child. They both believe that those who accept salvation will spend eternity with God.

And almost as important as loving God is the commandment that we should love others, even our enemies. Hating and killing each other is wrong. I don't know why anyone who claims to follow Christ would those things to anyone, especially fellow Christians, whether Catholic or Protestant.

Answer 3

I harbor no ill-will towards Catholics, but I do believe they are misguided. First, they pray to saints. Add to this the fact that they believe one must confess sins to a priest, who is only a man. One of the things that Christ accomplished was a connection to man. No longer is it necessary to go through a "holy" man to speak to the Lord. Upon Christ's ascension, He sent us the Holy Spirit, to be our intercessor. It is now possible and even necessary for each of us to develop a personal relationship with God. And as you said, Mary is worshipped. Only the One is worthy of worship.
I've also heard from Catholics, don't know if this is true or not, that they do not believe in evangelism. However, as Christ said, "I will make you fishers of men... Go out into the world and spread the Good News."
Other than these, take a look at Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses.

Answer 4

I'm wondering if your trying to start controversy. I haven't seen that. I have married children and they have married children. Several have married Catholics, one married a baptist and two married Greeks. This is America. My dads sister married a Greek immigrant in 1930 and he served in world War I. My mothers sister also married a Greek immigrant. He homesteaded the area where Vail Colorado is. I love them all regardless of nationality or religion. I don't know where you live but I live where there is very little discrimination. When I read all the above answers I wonder if any of you and I include myself, if any really exactly know what these religions are about besides 2 points?

Answer 5

If you're Catholic, then you know that we don't "worship" Mary at all, we just give her a lot of respect and credit. I think other Christians are just a little intimidated by some of our practices like confession and communion, but otherwise, we're pretty much the same.

Answer 6

I'm sure our division is very grievous to Our Father. I love Catholics, but the thing is that sometimes their faith seems a little cold and at times impersonal, not personal toward friends, but really passionate toward unreachable things like rituals, the pope, rosaries, etc. We believe that you are worshipping idols. Mother Mary is not to be worshipped, she is not a Savior. But again, only God can judge and I try not to, but rather treat others with love.

Answer 7

Protestantism substitute into based at a time whilst the Catholic Church substitute into very corrupt. monks actual offered indulgences, tickets that decreased one's time in purgatory, to the prosperous. for that reason, some Protestants nevertheless locate the Catholic Church to be corrupt. Others do no longer in basic terms like the belief of having God interpreted for them via the Pope. the main significant distinction, specially else, is that the Catholic Church believes you desire to do specific issues with the church (sacraments) as a fashion to be saved; you will desire to be baptized, shown, pass to mass, sense undesirable for each little thing you have ever completed incorrect, and confess. Protestants are a lot extra introspective and have much less church involvement in human beings's very own lives.

Answer 8

I do not have a problem with Catholics. I am a Christian and have been for 18 years. It is kind of weird how you mix up 'recognize' with 'worship'.

Answer 9

I know that even you mess things up. And, I am not even a Christian. Catholics honor Mary, the mother of Jesus. They do not worship her. If you do this, you are an idolater.

Answer 10

It is weird isn't it.

I heard it was because we pray to 'God' and not to Jesus.

Or maybe it was the other way around!

I remember being VERY offended because I consider myself a Christian AND a Catholic.

Catholisism is just a form of Christianity - they all believe in Christ = that is what Christianity is about! It really annoys me that people carry on about it.

And about the 'false idols' what a load of hogwash. If you go into that - than any cross is a false idol, or the fish that you see on the back of the christian cars!!