Question to all about why people can't stop critisizing others for their faith?

Question

My question is general, why is it that some individuals will not others express themselves through their faith w/out criticism?
I know it is nothing new, for it i has been going on since the beginning-according to my beliefs-but why do you think we care so much about other's views and for some even their way of life. Here's a scenario, I am Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and throughout my entire life, I've heard many say "Catholics are always trying to preach to us about their beliefs", and such things. Myself and my family never preach to others, for we keep our religion private and close to our hearts. But the majority of my friends were protestants or jewish and ta few of the protestants were always trying to get me to go to their church (which I did) and would never reciprocate some would pick on me about certain things. Two would even go as far as to blatantly make fun of my beliefs. All I saw from those experiences was pure hypocritical behavior.

Before I insult anyone,
I am not trying to single out any religion/beliefs, I simply am telling of my experiences.

I'd like to add that I find many flaws and mistakes in my religion, but I woship my lord and follow his commandments. I am just wondering if all religious people, even Catholics, understand just how hypocritical and cruel they are being to those other other faiths'?

From the responses so far, I now wonder if it is not a Greek or Greek Orthodox thing thing. I grew up in a basically all greek neighborhood, but went to school w/ people of all nationalities, races, and religions. I was taught by my family, the church, and through myself that hate and critisism were not the Christian way and I live by that. And also the fact that we only dicuss God and religion at church, before and during prayers, etc. It was considered unpolite to talk about our beliefs to people of other beliefs.

to tadalos- do your research, Greek, Russian, etc, Orthodoz are CATHOLIC!!!!!

Answer 1

I DON'T, and the story ends here. But...
by definition of Catholicism and Orthodoxy
you CANNOT be Catholic and Orthodox at the SAME time

(ATTENTION: it's a different thing as an Orthodox to say that you "believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church", according to the "Symbol of Faith" -the creed mentioned somewhere around here).

About your question, if you live in a community where religion matters significantly to people, and especially where those people are very active spreading their beliefs, you are going to be criticised WHATEVER your religion is. And if, among all the types of Christians, you choose to be a "Catholic Orthodox" one, you are more likely to have a problem.

Answer 2

How can you be a catholic greek orthodox?
Christians orthodox are most of the people in Greece, Russia, Serbia, or people with such roots.
Christians catholics are the people in Italy and many other parts of Europe and the rest of the world.It is not an insult, I just never heard the term catholic greek orthodox before.


As we can find in wikipedia:
"Christianity may be broadly represented as being divided into three main groupings:

Roman Catholicism: The Roman Catholic Church, the largest single body, includes the Latin Rite and totals more than 1 billion baptized members.
Eastern Christianity: Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, the 100,000 member Assyrian Church of the East, and others with a combined membership of more than 300 million baptized members.
Protestantism: Groups such as Anglicans/Episcopalians, Lutherans, Reformed/Presbyterians, Congregational/United Church of Christ, Evangelical, Charismatic, Baptists, Methodists, Nazarenes, Anabaptists, Seventh-day Adventists and Pentecostals. The oldest of these separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century Protestant Reformation, followed in many cases by further divisions. Estimates of the total number of Protestants are very uncertain, partly because of the difficulty in determining which denominations should be placed in this category, but it seems to be unquestionable that Protestantism is the second major branch of Christianity (after Roman Catholicism) in number of followers."

Answer 3

I share my faith because I sincerely care about people and I believe what I'm sharing is the truth, I don't just tell them "THIS IS THE ONLY WAY!" I give them evidence and documentation that would lead them to decide for themselves. I do the same thing with many beliefs I have, for instance I'd totally harass my friend if he started doing acid because the evidence seems to point to it being harmful. Maybe acid wouldn't do any serious damage to him, but my beliefs say that it's a strong possibility and I care about him enough to not let that possibility become a reality.

Answer 4

It sounds like you have had experiences with new or under-educated protestants. To share faith is a beautiful thing, but many do not realize that ANY perspective (spiritual or not) can be heard less "preachy" if there is a strong, trustworthy relationship between the two first.

Preachy people are just immature or beginners in their journey of faith.

Hopefully, others will not choose to believe all are this same way, for that would be just as immature.

Answer 5

Maybe it's because they're immature in their own beliefs. You cannot force anyone to believe anything. All you can do, in the end, is share what you believe in love, and give the person a choice to accept it or not. We don't really know what's true about God, even if we study our whole lives in His Word. Truth will be revealed, but not all of it. Man is not intended to discover the whole truth of God in his lifetime (nor in the entire lifetime of mankind). So, to your friends, I would say "I've heard your side of things, and I just don't agree." If they can't or wont accept that and choose instead to continually criticise you, I'd choose other friends. It's kind of sad that Christians can't get it through their heads that we must love one another as God loves us (which includes having different opinions about Him).

Answer 6

They feel they are right, and what you believe isn't. It's part of human nature to criticize and make fun of things you may not understand. Be the bigger person and walk away when that happens. Some people are very opinionated, so there is no use trying to argue or get them to see your way of thinking. It's called being closed minded. It's nice to see that you went to another church to see what it is all about.

Answer 7

Well read the gospels and learn why Christians are so verbal about their faith. Read the commandemnets of Jesus to His disciples about spreading the Word of God to the world and leading the lost into salvation.

I agree that we should not be judgers of men, but I dont feel that Christian should be criticized either, because we are only doing what Christ has told us to... being missionaries for Him. Its all in the new testament.

As a Catholic you are Christian, is this something that the Catholic faith disregards in the NT??? Justa question...
.

Answer 8

Dear Cat

Greetings in Christ

If you are an Orthodox Christian you know that your church was created be Jesus Christ in the year 33. The Church that Jesus built does not have branches of people believing different things. If you are Orthodox you should understand the words of St. John Chrysostom when he says we must battle the heretics with words, not the heretics themselves but words they speak.

In Christ,

Hox

Answer 9

I think some people have developed a warped sense of what religion really is about.
It seems that their lives are so empty and senseless, that they have to turn to other 'deities' to try and make some sense. This is fine by me, but when you start to go off the tracks like an imbecile and, as you say, attack other people's ideas cause you are delicately imbalanced, it is a sure sign of something else going wrong in your life...like basic lack of adjustment to living with others.
Sad, sad, but totally true and usually you find that intemperate foolishness in Muslims.... the most troublesome people on this earth.

Answer 10

It has been going on through time because there has always been one true church of God. The one setup by Christ and that carries his athority and is in harmony.

Others have taken and perverted the word or started there own practices to get gain or be worshiped.

Prophets have had to speak bold to these people to repent of there priestcrafts and transgression. Prophets have been killed for this. Those who live faithfully and are misslead will be forgivin.

Those who willing and openly know through reading that they should seek more truth because they see faults in there faith and priestcrafts in there church should continue to seek truth.

It is are duty to seek truth and those in athority need to help others to find it. Some will take offense and say that they are being unchristlike. But the truth is that there is one faith, church and baptisim.

It is a promise in the book of Mormon that he who reads fully and asks in the name of Christ if the church and book are true that God will manifest the truth to the reader through the power of the holy ghost.

Cant beat that deal.

I testify that there is one church in unity that holds the keys to the ministry and God will back it. We rely on scripture battling and contention far more then we rely on the spirit to confirm things nowadays. Those seeking truth.

Good luck