Why do so many people attack the Catholic Church...?

Question

for things like worshiping mary and statues? We don't! Can't you get your facts straight before accusing us?

Dizzy, to answer your question:
the Bible.

Answer 1

Oh I wish they would, I used to be a Catholic brasher myself. When I realized it was not fair for me to bash things that I did not understand, I started to study the Catholic faith for myself.

Now I am a Catholic myself.

People are free to dis-agree with the teachings of the Church, and that is really easy to do, all of the teachings are in black and white, even in print.

No this branch says one thing and another group says another garbage going on.

I just wish they would question the faith from a true knowledge of what it is instead of what their Preacher or Imam told them.

But we must be patient with them and non-judgmental. Starting arguments does them or us no good.

God Bless you!

Answer 2

people criticize what they don't understand. people often don't take the time to actually study and learn. people often take the approach of - one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.

in regards to those who posted about rosary beads and calling prietss father:
Mt 23:9
In this passage Jesus is teaching that God is the ultimate Father – alone, the source of all authority. But He is not speaking absolutely because that would eliminate biological fathers, church fathers and so on. Jesus used the term father quite often and not in reference to God. IE Mt 15:4-5, 19:5, 19, 29, 21:23, John 8:56 and numerous others. In the parable of the rich man & Lazarus Jesus used the address father Abraham Luke 16:24, 30, also Acts 7:2, Rom 4:12, Jas 2:21. St Paul uses the term when he wrote that he became our father in Christ through the gospel (1 Cor 4:15, 1 Cor 4:14-16)
In 1 Cor 12:12-30 we are taught that we are one body, one membership but that there will be set aside in the church some as first second third and so on, some will have gifts of faith, healing, tongues, etc.
This also applies to the pope, nuns and other terms used. I didn’t find minister, reverend or pastor either yet these are all terms used. There are many words in today language that you will not find in the Holy Scriptures.

Apostolic tradition - yes we hold to it and here's the Scripture to "back it up"
all Rcc beliefs can be found in the bible, some plainly others indirectly indicated. Scripture itself points out an authoritative church & tradition. St Paul points out in his second letter to the Thess – stand firm & hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or letter. Here are some scriptures to check out 2 Thess 2:15, 1 Cor 11:2, 2 Thess 3:6, 2 Tim 1:13-14 & 2:2. When the first Christians had disagreements they didn’t open their bibles – they didn’t exist – they held councils and held binding decrees – these councils were those who knew more then the others and they came to an agreement/understanding and thus made a binding decree (acts 15:1-29). The very books of the bible were determined by the Church (Rcc) and didn’t even happen until the 4th century – centuries of oral tradition. Without their determination and will to listen to the Holy Spirit, sent by God to inspire them there would be no bible.
If the traditions and leaders of the Rcc did not hold to the scriptures (while some held violently or savagely) the majority shared and taught. Had the hierarchy of the Rcc not established the foundations where would Christianity be today? Would there even be a bible in print – I really don’t think so. Because people would not have shared their traditions. Most people century’s back never owned a bible like we do, gracious they couldn’t even read.

and the statues....No Rcc who knows anything about the Rcc has ever worshipped a statue (a in pagan idolatry). If we cherish the memory of political and war hero’s, what more noble a hero than one who died for God. Are they not worth honouring? Statues are simply a reminder a visual aid to the hero’s of God, the Christian faith. If they were not why in Rev 6:9-10 are they under the altar of God asking how long it will be before the will be avenged on earth? They are there, it tells us, watching and waiting. Scripture back up – 1 Per 2:17, Rom 12:10, Heb 12:22-23, Heb 11, 2 Cor 3:18

yes there are people in every ddenomination that take things to the extreem.

to the poster about studying the cathchism -- i have and these ARE the facts.

to the poster about the Hail Mary.... open your bible to Luke and read.... you will find the beginning of the prayer - it's Scripture! Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed ary thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. those are the beginning words. not sure which site you copied and pasted from but.... it was sightly off.

God BLess and keep you all!

Answer 3

I don't know because at my Catholic Church we don't worship the statues either. Or worship the priests or the rosary or Mary. Mary is the Holy Virgin Mother of God. Some might say she isn't a "mediator" but to me she is a direct soul to send a prayer to. Not for her to answer but for her to give to God. Yes there is a mailing system in my head but that doesn't matter. People just accuse what they do. Sure some church cardinals and bishops and priests are pedophiles but umm doctors are too. Same with rabbis, lawyers, firemen, soldiers, people in Office (Foley rings), everyone and anyone can be bad. Just because some happen to have become priests people freak. Which they SHOULD but then they judge ALL priests are pedophiles. Well how about all Muslims are terrorists? Its all dung. People don't think beyond what they see on the television or hear from others thinking at least once. Hey maybe they aren't all bad? I love the criticisim some people give when others might judge them the same way they judge others. Its tiring and I'm done. No one should attack anyone by the way. Its impolite.

Answer 4

First of all I didn't accuse you of any thing so quit yelling at me! Second people criticize anything that they don't understand. It's called ignorance. The catholic Church is the larges christian denomination in the world. It comes with the territory. I belong to an Evangelical denomination. You know the one that speaks in tongues and prays for people and they get healed miraculously? People don't understand that so they rip on that all the time. Your church has a lot of acts of faith and traditions more then I understand. People are afraid of what they don't know or fully understand. ignorance is displayed in acts by people feeling threatened and insecure. Ignorance is hurtful and wrong. Ignorance is stupid above all, so next time someone rips on the Catholic church teach them don't yell at them.

Answer 5

Yes I agree with you. I am a Catholic and have been for 53 years and still believe in my faith. We follow the Bible and believe in Jesus and God and believe in salvation. We pray and attend Mass and follow what Jesus teaches us. Maybe if people studied the Church a bit more they might not attack us as much.
We all get blamed because of what some Priests have done and they tell us we are not Christians but heathens, well that is wrong we are Catholic as well as Christians because we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour
God bless you and keep the faith!

Answer 6

It's not so much the statues, or any of that.
The Catholic Church fails to follow the Bible on many things, including salvation.
Mary is not a mediator. Only Jesus is.You cannot earn your way into heaven as the Catholic Church teaches, not to mention priests, saints, Mary adoration, rosaries etc. It's unbiblical and even pagan.
Forget tradition. Jesus said, "In vain do they worship me, taking for commandments the traditions of men."
I love the Catholics, but despise their "church."

Answer 7

I think people feel threatened because they do not understand the changing of water and wine to the body and blood of christ.

Answer 8

Let's see I grew up in a catholic town,

and my friends would drive 3 blocks out of their way to avoid passing the church and have to make the sign of the cross when they passed the church.

The altars with Mary in their yards with plastic flowers and candles burning.

People walking 60 miles on their knees to pray to the virgin Mary. (prayer is part of our worship)

Kneeling before the priest. Kissing the pope's hand.

Which fact have I got wrong yet?

Mary Queen of Scots, This is were the name Bloody Mary comes from.

She was a good catholic, who killed many non catholics, in which she earned her name.


Maybe I have your catholic church confused with the one I grew up with.

Answer 9

Anti-Catholicism persists today in two primary forms. Traditional anti-Catholicism – fundamentalist attacks on the Church as the Scriptural "whore of Babylon" – bubbles just below the surface in many areas of our society. This traditional anti-Catholicism created many of the myths of anti-Catholicism that linger within the culture: the church as solely interested in power; Catholicism as an "alien" religion in America; Catholicism as the enemy of separation of Church and State (as well as the public school system); the Catholic Church as oppressor. This traditional anti-Catholicism sees the Church as unchristian and derived from paganism. Catholic ritual is portrayed as medieval superstition masquerading as belief. This is a Church portrayed as the enemy of the Bible, as well as the enemy of freedom.

This traditional anti-Catholicism laid the foundation for the common secular anti-Catholicism of contemporary culture. Stripped of its theological foundation, this is the bigotry of the so-called enlightened. It portrays the Church as a medieval relic, the enemy of science and individual freedom. Born in the pseudo-scientism of the 19th Century – with its mix of nationalism, racism and class warfare – it focused on the Church as the enemy of modern thought and progress. Developed during the eugenics, birth control and pro-abortion crusades of the 20th century, it reached its contemporary culmination in various theories of sexual liberation. It is widespread in contemporary thought and sees anti-Catholicism not as a prejudice, but as a legitimate tool to be utilized to denigrate Church teaching in the public arena.

Both these forms of anti-Catholicism thrive on the Internet. In the confusing world of the Internet, however, these two expressions of anti-Catholicism mix together. The aptly-named morons.org is an obscenity-laced screed that accuses the Church of ongoing campaigns that "slaughtered millions." The website is primarily based on an agenda of sexual liberation, though it’s focus is wider in attacking any traditional expression of values or beliefs. Yet, it provides "anti-Catholic links" which are essentially traditional old-Protestant attacks on the Catholic Church. Most of the links listed would be horrified to be associated with the gutter language and anti-Christian commentary on morons.org.

The number of such sophomoric sites spewing anti-Catholicism and generally anti-Christian views is legion.
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Answer 10

Because it is such an easy target. Granted, many people who do so proceed out of ignorance, but there is quite enough to complain about even if you are fully knowledgeable. Consider the Church's position on sexuality for example: this is so obviously stupid that even most practicing Catholics ignore it.