Why are so people hateful of Catholicism?

Question

Most people are ignorant and do not know that any sub religion of Christianity stemed from the Catholic Church. You may not like the current structure of the church but that doesn't mean the early catholic church was all bad. I think people would be really shocked if they actually took the time to read up on the history of Christianity. I encourage you all to actually investigate and not speak from ignorance but from educated intelligence. Also, People frame Catholics as the source of all religious persecussion. I am not saying they have done no wrong but you also should look into history and discover the persecution of Catholics from early roman times to the prejudical treatment Protestants gave then in America up until JFK. Starting at the Rev. War catholics history in America has been filled with religious persecussion that Anglo-Saxon Protestants fled europe to gain. Ie) Catholics were not allowed to vote& protestants taught their bible to force cath. kids out (leads to cath. schls

I realized I forgot to put many in the title question, sorry guys... I would fix it but it won't allow me to.

To the individual talking of catholic preists molesting boys.
1) I would love to see a comparative study on sex offenders in positions of religious leadership in every denomination.
2) abuse of a child is always wrong and should never be hidden (to the diocese that did cover it up I would never try to defend them)
3) the catholic church has not doctrine on kids deserving such treatment
4) I would not assume that catholic preists are the only religious leaders of a Christian sect to abuse kids

but thanks for the input

also to the person who talked of Kind Henry the 8th naming himself a Pope. He formed his own church is was called the Church of England... not a Catholic Church. This was in response to a issue he was having with the Catholic church in Rome.

In response to the individual who thinks I am also ignorant. If you read through what I wrote you will notice I did not say the Catholic Church was perfect and that it did no wrong. I am just wondering why people only see the bad when there is so much good that has come from Catholicism. Maybe you should do some closer reading. Thanks for the input though!

I have come across many explainations... and what I have concluded some (not all) non catholics do not beleive that religious freedom should not be extended to catholics because they choose to beleive in something other than what other non-catholics choose to beleive. And this lack of repsect for relgious tolerance or fredoom is justified by these people because of previous instances of catholics violating other people rights. I see, so basically it is ok to hate something that is not what you beleive... toleration and respect I supose are not valued traits to these people... intresting and sad. I asked the question, so I would like to thank all of you who answered even if some of your answers were harsh. God bless and now I am going to say a prayer to Mary :)

Answer 1

You're partly right; not completely. Persecution between Catholics and Protestants went both ways. Luther was technically a heretic according to the Catholic Church, and so were all of his followers.

Did all Christianity stem from Catholicism? Nope. That's the whole point of difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. They didn't believe Peter to be the Pope; they didn't follow the Papacy, hence they weren't and aren't Catholic in that sense.

Why do Catholics get a bad rap? Because Bible-only faiths claim, rightly, that Catholics have another source of truth. They believe Sola Scriptura, or Bible Alone. Catholics have church tradition and the Pope.

Some Christians believe that there is no intermediary between Christ and Man; Catholics have the Saints and Mary. Other Christians believe this wrong.

With all of the differences between the traditions, some Christians believe Catholics to be something other than Christian. Whether this is right or wrong, it's real. Still, there is no Christian denomination on Earth that is accepted by all others as orthodox. Every single Christian denomination has at least one other that claims it's adherents are heretics and doomed to hell. The Catholics simply have more detractors than most.

Not all Catholic schools were formed as a result of protestant teaching. Most protestants up to the 1880's or so read a Bible that was distinctly similar to the Catholic Bible, containing the Apocrypha. The teachings of many protestant churches have become much more fundamentalist of late than they were some 200 years ago. (Not that they weren't then)

Anyway, I think it's the more vocal denominations that slam Catholics. Some protestant churches accept them as fellow Christians; albeit with different forms of worship.

Answer 2

I am sorry you've experienced hate toward Catholicism in any way. No one has a right to spew hate in any direction because we are all human and God loves us all. I know a little about the Catholic church and its history. The fact is there has not been one religion on the face of this earth that has not had violence (death, murder, bloodshed) or devious deeds (rape, molestation, physical abuse etc) done within that religion. All have fallen short of the glory of God. There is none righteous!! However, you can't deny the fact that there are some rituals and practices that are not biblical in any way in the Catholic faith. I think that is where some of the "hate" comes from. But at the end of the day it doesn't matter the ritual as long as the fundamental foundation for the Christian faith forms the basis of your belief which is Jesus Christ died for our sins, we mus repent, and accept Him as Lord and Savior. At that point it will be the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth of all things as we seek God in his word (The Holy Bible preferably the King James Version). To not read and study the bible for yourself can open the door for any church to come up with any doctrine that sounds like Christianity devise all sorts of rituals that have nothing to do with God or the truth of His word. So if you are Catholic and reading and studying the bible for yourself the Holy Spirit will show you the truth of what the Catholic faith is all about. Just be prepared to be transformed by the renewing of your mind when the truth hits your heart.

Answer 3

People are hateful of things they do not understand. You do not need to apologize for the state of the Church. That burden is not on yours or my shoulders. In regards to the hierarchial structure of the church; I suppose you may mean the Church as it is run by men. Men who are human, and have the same failings, sins, and love and charity as well.

If we have an alien being come to Earth, and it searches across the span of the religions of the world and the most persecuted; it is the Catholics and the Catholic church. Not the Hebrew/Jews, not the Muslims, but Catholics. And that would make you question, why? Because the world will hate us not matter what. Because of what we hold to be true.

It is indeed very unfortunate that the Catholic church allowed seminarians and thusly priests who had questionable sexual orientation into the Seminaries. As a result of their homosexuality, the opportunity for the pedophilia to come out was ripe.

Also, as you have pointed out; if you look at just history. And let it stand alone you will find that it was the Catholic church that played a part in political, spiritual, and economic well being of the known world. "Where the Catholic church is; so goes the world". The Catholic church is the beacon of light. Sadly at this late stage; it seems that that light is being hidden under a bushel.

Those that claim that the Catholic faith teaches false doctrine, such as "R" a poster to your question, shows that the ignorance of the full knowledge of their faith. And for those such people we can only pray for them.

Answer 4

I do not hate Catholics and I saw firsthand what Mother Teressa was doing in India. I also saw what lasting good works William Carey did too. I know the good my own original church(Nazarene) did and does. But, all churches given time turn into Pharisee and seduces if not careful. Since the Catholics have been around longer than most they are almost parallel with those to Jewish orders.

While the Catholic Church has done many good things, do not be arrogant and say that all Sub religions come from you. There was one God, one Son and a Mighty Spirit, and 12 men, long before the Catholic church was even a twinkle in the Pope's eye.
From these every sub religion, and yes Virginia Catholics too, came from.

The problems I have with the Catholic church are these.

1) Priest absolves sins and sets up payments hail Mary's etc...
2) Rosary and prayer to the saints and prayers for every little thing.
3)Not allowing Priest's to marry and causing them to stumble in sin.

Do I believe their will be Catholics in heaven. Yes as with many other denominations there will always be a remnant.

Answer 5

well lets see the crusades and the witch trails/ inquisitions , the locking up of capornicus for his scientic knowledge wow catholics were persecuted in America and by the Romans well until Constintine made it Rome's national religion . A study of history will show you that even the Apolistic lineage of the Pope cannot be proven but is proably just a fallacy to add weight to the church's power. To further this your missionaries in the African nations have done little more then cause extra suffering for the struggling nations denying them correct knowledge and restricting medical procedures avialable because or their own twisted morals

There you asked for an educated reason for peoples hate and thats the gist of it althoough holding a university level education and having a very through knowledge of religious concepts and philosphy I'm sure I can come up with many more if you like though

Answer 6

I think part of the reason Catholics have traditionally been persecuted in America is because the RCC practically drove quite a few people from Europe to America.

Another part is because the RCC is one of the biggest denominations in the world, and the bigger something is, the more attention, good and bad, it draws.

Lastly, many protestants do know that their denominations broke off from the RCC. That is part of the reason they are so adamantly against it. When the protestants were taught in confirmation class why their denomination succeeded from the RCC, they were taught the differences between the two.

As for the religious persecution starting with the RCC persecuting protestants, that's a bunch of bunk. Everyone knows about Nero, the Roman Emperor, burning live Christians as torches in his garden.

Answer 7

I spent 9 years in a catholic school/church...I did my time, and the church has earned my ire.

You claim that catholics were persecuted from Roman times thru JFK...and are wrong. The catholic church, upon becoming the dominant faith in Europe, ruled over kings. Education was withheld from the general populace at the church's behest, and scientific progress was impeded as a direct result of the church. They are directly responsible for the Spanish Inquisition, as well as the Crusades. During this entire time frame, they were not the persecuted, but the persecutor. Entire indiginous tribes were slaughtered at their hand, simply for the refusal to convert. It wasn't until the formation of the first Protestant sects that they received any opposition.

Yes, these are all in the past, but let's take a look at the harm they are doing today. While the sexual abuses to children are, for the most part, isolated incidents, the attempts to cover them up come from the highest bishops and cardinals in the church. The Vatican's cardinals themselves drafted an edict attempting to hold anyone who speaks about these offenses to be excommunicated. It even went so far as to tell them how to cover it up!

Or we could discuss how to this day, they are still trying to impede scientific progress, with the Pope himself, telling Steven Hawking that he should not attempt to pursue certain avenues, because they were in "God's domain".

Maybe you would like to discuss the psychological harm the church is visiting on women who are attempting to procure a legal, and elective medical procedure, simply because they claim it to be immoral. BTW...the bible itself states that its not a person until its 1 month old. (Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD. -- Numbers 3:15-16)

We could always take up the church's insistence that birth control is immoral, and that abstinence is the only thing that should be taught in schools. This particular piece of propaganda has been picked up by most chrisitian sects, and has been approved by the Federal govt, who has gone so far as to limit money to states that don't enforce it.

Before you decide to cry persecution, maybe you should do some research, so that you too can argue from educated intelligence.

EDIT: The reason people see the bad that the church has done, is twofold: First, if everytime your church does something good for the world, they throw it out there like a politician does, to hide the unpleasant things. Secondly, the church has hidden so many things, and tried so desperately to maintain its power base, that when the light shines on it, it really isn't as pretty as its followers would like the world to believe.

Answer 8

I personally don't hate Catholics. I do disagree with the idols, praying to Mary, confessing to a priest and etc. I don't know everything about that religion but I did go to a Catholic school for many years and mass and etc. I am appreciative of all the positive contributions the church has made but there is a lot of things I think don't line up to the Bible. Now...didn't the Catholic church split from the Orthodox church? Can't remember. Anyways, persecution is nothing to be blamed on anyone. All have sinned and come short. All creed of people and religions have persecuted.

Answer 9

I'm not ignorant of where my protestant church came from (Church of England...Henry VIII making himself his own pope). And it's crazy when I hear people say things like, "I don't know what the Catholics think, but as a Christian...." All that being said, the early Church wasn't great (selling indulgences, killing people who wouldn't convert, lots of slaughtering back and forth between the Protestants and the Catholics during the Reformation). And the Church today has *really* ticked off people with the covering-up of the predatory priests, and the Pope putting his foot in his mouth about Muslims. And the Church fosters intolerance of gays, won't ordain women, and is totally irrelevant on birth control, if you ask most American Catholics. So, while I reject that I'm "hateful" of Catholicism, I do find the Roman Church to be trying of one's patience.

*********

Yeah, I know he didn't call himself "Pope". However, his showdown with Pope Clement VII (which had to do with Henry wanting a divorce, and the Pope, as puppet master of Europe, worrying that this would upset the political scene in Europe as Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of the Spanish royalty). The King's defiance led to the Act of Succession, the withholding of all monies and land from the Pope, persecution of Catholic priests and the declaration that Henry VIII was the head of the Church of England and Thomas Cranmer was made the Archbishop of Canterbury. Cranmer declared Henry VIII marriage to Catherine of Aragon null and void; thus making his daughter, Mary, illegitimate. You, as a Catholic, *might* then remember that upon Henry's death, his only son, Edward VI, became king. He died, leaving the throne to Lady Jane Grey, who was murdered by illegitimate Mary, the Catholic...aka "Bloody Mary".
Do you really know the history of your Church???

Answer 10

You speak of persecution from the Roman times until JFK, and accuse Protestants who came to America for religious freedom of denying it to Catholics. I don't suppose Catholic school taught you WHY so many came seeking religious freedom, and that's because the Catholic church drove them out of Europe, in many cases confiscating property. Which was better than the earlier practice of torture and execution. Not that the Church did this, because the Church didn't torture, execute or sieze anyone's property. It simply turned the matter over to the civil authorities, which did.

And you wonder why the children of the children of the children of those persecuted don't feel kindly toward the Catholic church? What you're seeing is a real life example of the sins of the fathers being visited on their children.