Why do so many Protestants think the Pope is the antichrist?

Question

Or the Vatican or Catholic Church? No long answers please - I promise not to read anything over 20 lines long. I don't think others will read them either - it's the short and to the point answers people read.

And please, no lengthy quotes from Revelation. I've read it many times and I know about the city on seven hills; Jerusalem and Istanbul have seven hills, and many other cities besides.

I'm not a Catholic and I know there are some wrong things about the Catholic Church, but then there are in every church. I think we Christians should be standing together, showing a united face to the world, and praying and worshipping together, instead of all the bitchy infighting.

Answer 1

Chronic, willful ignorance, and pervasive, binding fear. You find this a lot in "conservative" religious movements, including a lot of Protestant christianity. One of the major indications of the pervasive, binding fear is obsession with "end times" prophecy. The more a religious person focuses on "End of the World" matters, the more afraid they usually are, and the more willfully ignorant. This is also true of professing belief in such concepts as "biblical inerrancy."

Answer 2

As a Protestant, I've never thought the Pope was the Antichrist, and any such suggestions always seemed absurd to me. Please understand that not all Protestants are Fundamentalists, and in fact, most mainline Protestants are not running around worried about the identity of (or even the existence of) the Antichrist. My denomination is not anti-Catholic, and we don't fear or resent every little thing that comes wandering out of Rome.

After my spouse converted to Catholicism, I learned a lot more about this denomination, and although I am not personally converting, I am more knowledgeable than ever before about Catholicism, and welcome the opportunity to learn even more about it in the future.

Answer 3

Because at the time of the Great Schism the Pope was more interested in politics that religion. That has changed over the years but some people believe the Pope is still more political than a religious leader.

Answer 4

Blind prejudice is the answer. If the Pope is the antichrist, how come he keeps dying all the time?

I'm no Christian but I agree with the infighting statement. What is the point of it? Always seems to happen when organizations get above a certain size.

Answer 5

Honey, anytime there is a major political or religious change, like a new pope, for example, people, and particularly Protestants think that the End is in sight. I am a Protestant, by the way, and no, I don't think the pope is the antichrist. But since the first sighting of Halley's Comet, Christians have preached of eminent doom and the end of the world.

Answer 6

Not every church closes their eyes and moves pedophiles to another congregation to inflict more harm on other innocent children!
And we won't even go into the history of the church!
And if you've already read Rev. and the city on seven hills, and the woman clothed in purple and scarlet, etc., why ask?

Answer 7

Maybe we could if the docturne didnt say we are damned for hell because we arent Catholic,maybe we could If we could take communion in the church..Jesus said all believers welcome.Sorry but They shun out others.Yeah we should stand together,and most do..I dont think they are the antichrist or whatnot but they dont put out much effort to be less elite.

Answer 8

Catholics are not allowed, and especially are not encouraged to hear both sides regarding truth and error. They are not to read books that differ from their doctrine. Thus, they are encouraged by the clergy to be closed minded to anything that differs from Catholicism. "Why don't Catholic officials encourage their members to examine opposing Scriptural teaching?" False teachers have learned that when truth and error are examined side by side, some begin to see the truth. False teachers are afraid of being exposed and of losing their members.THE BIBLE ONLY IS THE ALL SUFFICIENT GUIDE TO SALVATION, BUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES THAT IT IS NOT.CHRIST DID NOT MAKE HIS CHURCH INFALLIBLE AS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES.CHRIST DID NOT MAKE PETER A POPE, yes in rev. it speaks of the catholic church....

Answer 9

Well lets face it. It's all a myth invented by people sometimes in a genuine attempt to help people who needed something to believe in and sometimes just for political purposes. There is nobody living or who has ever lived who knows the truth

Answer 10

So does Seattle.

Religions teach separitism. "Our way is the only way." It's a means to consolidate power by binding followers to a particular set of beliefs, and has kept differing sects at each other's throats since the dawn of humanity.