Should we begin including Catholics? I know - I know. Many of you are thinking of Priest jokes right now, but bear with me.
The fundies tell them that they aren't Christian, they tell them that they're going to hell, etc. Basically, they get the same crap we do without anyone having their back.
2007-03-15 09:32:05 · 11 answers · asked by ZombieTrix 2012 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Miss Vegas, Deists and Pagans and some free thinkers also believe in God.
2007-03-15 09:36:01 · update #1
Why do you need to divide the world into "us" and "them"? Isn't that the whole problem in the first place? When you start labeling people, they become abstractions that are easy to hate. By the way, I am a "fundie" myself, and if you are interested in the "fundamentals" of what fundies believe (and I'm sure you are if you are truly open minded) read Matthew chapters 5-7. Fundamentalists adhere to a fairly strict interpretation of their particular scripture, be it the New Testament, the Vedas, the Koran, or Mao's Little Red Book. The closest you will get to a Christian Fundamentalist would be a Mennonite, if you look at the NT. If you read the Hadith of the Sunna and the Koran, the closest you will get to a Muslim Fundamentalist is Osama.
But, to answer your question, Catholicism has a lot of man-made doctrines (like priesthood/celibacy) that are contradictory to what the NT actually says. However, only God knows who is a true follower. Many so called Christians, Baptist, Catholic, and Methodist alike are not genuinely Christian. "By their fruits you shall know them". The NT explicitly states that there will be those who claim to be followers but are not. But it is dangerous to decide who "is" and who "isn't" because that is the job of God alone.
Anyway, I am sorry if you feel offended that Christians believe that non-believers are going to hell. It isn't something we feel happy about, in fact, it is horribly, horribly upsetting to us. Why else would we risk your scorn by trying to convince you to believe? But if you don't believe in it, why should you even care? Maybe deep down God is looking for you.
2007-03-15 10:02:55 · answer #1 · answered by greengo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I gravitate toward Deism yet I was raised a Catholic. I am not an active church goer but when I do go my church it is upbeat and always positive. I went to a Baptist church once and was told I was going to hell if I didn't become born again. On top of that they wanted me to begin the born again process or whatever right away. They even ran up to me and found the page they were reading from the bible. At my Catholic church I can do whatever I want at the service. I can sing, I don't have to sing. I can read a book or I don't have to read a book. I dunno lol.... This is a tough question. All I can say is that "fundies" aren't too nice to some of us catholics lol. But I suppose there are catholics who are "eccentric" too. It depends on if you look at the catholic church on a macro or micro level. On the micro level it is very free depending on your church. On the macro level it can be seen to many as repressive but then again that is a value judgement also. Some view the last pope we had as a champion of freedom and some view him as still a repressor of gay rights.
i don't know...free thinkers don't always have to be progressive because then they wouldn't be neccesarily free thinkers...
GOOD QUESTION I DON'T KNOW LOL
2007-03-15 16:43:22 · answer #2 · answered by yerp85 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would have to say no. Catholicism is still one of the most repressive branches of Christianity I've seen.
Besides, almost all denominations say that junk to each other. That doesn't mean they're oppressed or use their brains. It just means they are a bunch of idiotic hypocrites.
2007-03-15 16:39:41 · answer #3 · answered by Kharm 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
But according to Catholics we're all going to hell anyway.
2007-03-15 16:35:30 · answer #4 · answered by photogrl262000 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
included in what? i'm not included, even though i am a godless pagan, i tend to get crap from both christians & atheists & have only a few individuals that 'have my back'
it must be disheartening for them. but i'm sure they can cope too.
2007-03-15 16:41:26 · answer #5 · answered by just me 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Except that they have the support of the world's largest and most influential organization.
2007-03-15 16:35:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Considering they're one of the largest (And richest) religions in the world, they don't need our help.
Besides, they do their fair share of persecuting others.
2007-03-15 16:35:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Catholics believe we are going to hell, so they wouldn't want to be with us anyway.
2007-03-15 16:35:02 · answer #8 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
catholics believe in god, so no, you cant include them.
2007-03-15 16:35:06 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
No that doesn't make sense.
2007-03-15 16:37:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋