What is everyone's problem with Catholocism?

Question

I noticed a lot of Christians making derogetory comments on Catholicism, and wanted to know what was at the roots of their feelings.

I personally am fine with different versions of Christianity. The Bible can be interperted so many different ways. Think about the ways that this simple sentance can be interperted:
I didn't say you stole that money.
i didn't say YOU stole that money.
i didn't SAY you stole that money.
i didn't say you STOLE that money.
i didn't say you stole THAT money.
i didn't say you stole that MONEY

Answer 1

I dunno. People are uncomfortable with things they don't understand. I'm very comfortable with it but that's probably why I'm a Catholic... anyways, have a great evening!

God bless,
=)

Answer 2

I'm agnostic, and while I do not hate catholosism, I like it less than a lot of other branches of christianity. I do not like the idea of a pope at all for one. Nor do I like the praying to statues, blond haird depiction of christ, the mindless reciting of prayer (which jesus warned against) and the fact that they hold Mary in such a high regard. Also the fact that they believe in Saints for some strange reason.

I do not hate catholics at all, but I just find the way they interpert christianity to be very different from what the bible states.

Answer 3

I have rather a long list.
1. The Catholic Church was, until the 20th century, the worst perpetrator of genocide in history, with over 250,000 innocent people having been slaughtered in inquisitions, auto-da-fe, and other atrocities.
2. The Catholic Church has historically stifled the growth of science. It took hundreds of years for it to admit that Galileo was right and the Church was wrong. It has, however, improved of late, having recognized evolution as valid.
3. The Catholic Church's attitude toward sexuality is criminally stupid: people die from following the Church's prescriptions. It should be obvious to anyone with the intelligence of a gnat that those species (including h. sapiens) in which the female is sexually receptive at all times use this for survival of the family during the long time required for raising young, which is a separate value from simple procreation.
4. The doctrine of Papal infallibility is asinine.

These are just off the top of my head; there are probably others.

Answer 4

I was Catholic for 18 years. I chose to end my association with the church because I do not agree with the idea of praying to/through saints rather than directly to God, I believe Mary the mother of Jesus should be honored but not deified, and I don't believe in the bartering system of absolution that we were taught. Also (and this is probably more from the congregations I was raised in than a statement about the entire Catholic church) I think it's an awesome and amazing thing to worship God, to know that the Creator of the universe cares about each one of us personally...I think we should be celebrating, not acting like God is a burden.
To quote a movie I love, Dogma (comedy, but actually makes some cool points about the Catholic belief system): "I have a problem with any religion that treats God as a burden, not a blessing."
But I do not think it's right to go around slamming Catholics or any other faith. Valid debates or questions are one thing, but we don't need to be hateful.

Answer 5

1. A really, really colossal church hierarchy that seems to go against the egalitarianism preached by Jesus.

2. Lots and lots of doctrine that's based more upon Thomas Aquinas and medieval scholasticism than what's actually in the New Testament itself.

3. A thoroughly complicated and byzantine mess of saints, doctrines, rituals, popes, anti-popes, and ecclesiastical laws that makes the Jewish Kabbalah or the system of Hindu deities look simple by comparison.

4. The arrogant assumption that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ and speaks for God Himself when he's speaking ex cathedra.

5. A long, bloody history full of witch-burnings, heretic-torturings, Inquisitions, Crusades, genocide against the Albigensians and Waldensians, the Thirty Year's War which murdered 1/3 of everybody in Bavaria, and other bloodshed.

6. Support for fascist dictators like Mussolini and Franco and a ton of others in Latin America.

7. Forcing the clergy to be celibate, and then acting surprised when there's reports of child molestation.

8. The whole Galileo incident.

And that's for starters...

Answer 6

As a former Catholic I may have some strong disagreements with Catholics but I don't make intentional derogatory comments. I also look for areas of agreement and at times find myself defending then against what I believe are unwaranted remarks. In fat a few years back because I defended them so much one nutter accused me of being a Jesuit spy. Lol anyhow try to separate the sincere comments from those who just like to stir the pot and smoke it.

Answer 7

Catholicism - lets look at this rationally.

Reason 1

"The Catholic church is the biggest financial power, wealth accumulator and property owner in existence. She is a greater possessor of material riches than any other single institution, corporation, bank, giant trust, government or state of the whole globe. The pope, as the visible ruler of this immense amassment of wealth, is consequently the richest individual of the twentieth century. No one can realistically assess how much he is worth in terms of billions of dollars."

Seems odd that the church has all this yet there is so much international poverty and children dying of malnutrition

2 The Catholic church has been responsible for more death and slaughter of human life than any nation - the crusaders would lay waste villages who did not follow the churches teachings. The church still remains silent about this well recorded fact.

3 Preaches intolerance of difference - homosexuality. while it's history is filled with pedophile acts that have been deliberately covered up.

4 Pushes man made agenda to further it own gain - The law that priests are unable to marry was introduced to ensue the accumulated wealth would remain with the church.

I could go on but i'm sure you get the picture - Hypocrisy

Answer 8

Their of the Antichrist.If you would stop reading your catichisim book and start reading the Bible you would know this. Example Mark 16:16 read it and ask yourself how an infant could receive this.Leviticus 26:1 read this and explain how at the Vatican the statue of Peter had to be repaired.His toes had been kissed so much that that were worn smooth. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 read this and ask who this is referring to,and how this was prophesied 2000 years ago.If that don't seem to help you try reading Martyrs Mirror.It will tell you how the Roman Catholic church tortured and killed thousands of Anabaptist, and Waldensess, how they put to death those who wanted to have their own bibles and refused to except infant baptism.

Answer 9

I think it's left over bitter feelings passed down through generations from those who were illiterate and participated in crimes like the Inquisition and the Crusades, based on someones interpretation of the Bible. The guys in power kept people in the dark forever so they could tell them what God wanted.
My interpreta5tion is the main reason the Founding Fathers wanted their own country/gov't was to get away from any one group telling the rest what to believe/think/do.

Answer 10

I worked for a Catholic Priest and when joining in a service was denied the Eucharist. I felt that they didn't accept me even though I was Christian non-demonimational.
Also, I had a problem with their praying to Mary, many days of observance to strange things, and 'limbo' or 'purgatory' which I have not found in the Bible.
However, I accept them as fellow Christians since they believe in Jesus.

Answer 11

Well it seems to me that a lot of Catholics get hung up on the small details and the rituals of Christianity. Sometimes it seems like a lot of them go through the motions of "being religious" but aren't very sincere about it. That's totally a generalization though, so I know not all of them are like that. But I also don't really see how they get some of their ideas, like the whole purgatory thing seems weird. All of the church history and traditions get kind of smooshed in with the religion, which can be good and bad I guess. It all comes down to having your heart in it though.