Why are so many people here so hostile towards Catholics?

Question

I mean, you don't hear us bad mouthing all the protestats, do ya? We believe in the same God, do you really think he'd want you out there saying hurtful things about someone else's religion?

Well... It seems I've created a bit of a fiasco! Ah well, just know that quoting the bible and going on about who’s saved and who’s not isn't converting anyone. You're just making yourselves look pretentious. To everyone who answered this seriously, without preaching, thanks.

Goethe: Yeah, your right. I guess I should have said “I don’t bad mouth the protestants.” That is I just bad mouth the English :)

Bob1442: I feel for ya man. I hate fish too. At least you have a logical reason.

Answer 1

"There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church—which is, of course, quite a different thing. These millions can hardly be blamed for hating Catholics because Catholics “adore statues;” because they “put the Blessed Mother on the same level with God;” because they “say indulgence is a permission to commit sin;” because the Pope “is a Fascist;” because the Church “is the defender of Capitalism.” If the Church taught or believed any one of these things, it should be hated, but the fact is that the Church does not believe nor teach any one of them. It follows then that the hatred of the millions is directed against error and not against truth. As a matter of fact, if we Catholics believed all of the untruths and lies which were said against the Church, we probably would hate the Church a thousand times more than they do."

Answer 2

I grew up in a community where the Catholics I knew were predominantly the underprivileged children of Italian immigrants. They were doing the best they could during the Depression, and rubbing me the wrong way didn't bother them at all. That was my problem [which it was].

About the time I was thirty I decided that a Protestant with any pretense to understanding his own religion ought to learn what Catholicism was all about, and he ought to read Catholics, not Protestants, to get that information. Perhaps I was lucky in the people I chose to read–John Henry Cardinal Newman, for one–but I learned very quickly that Catholics were not superstitious [Catholics might be, but their religion wasn't], that its intellectual basis was absolutely solid, and that a great many of the Catholic doctrines that were based upon tradition rather than scripture were reasonable and rational.

Since then I have found that most of those who dislike Catholicism are poorly informed, or that they assume something they dislike about one Catholic must be true of Catholics in general. And it isn't hard for someone seeking flaws to find something objectionable in an institution with a history reaching back to the primitive church.

Do Protestants think that no one achieved salvation before Martin Luther was born? Do they think, for all its faults, that the Catholic church isn't a viable institution today? Your church has survived nearly two millennia of abuse. Put up with a little more, please, it seems to be a source of strength.

Answer 3

People are taught to hate the Catholic Church because it is not an easy faith system to live by. Humans have a tendency to bash things they are not part of to justify their own position. To exalt a branch of Christianity over another it is necessary to spread as much falsehood as possible about the opposition.

As for all this talk about Babylonians and Pagans, people should consider Church history. Before the time of Christ pagan religions have been around for a long time. Pagan people expressed praise with certain practices that were not Jewish such as bowing instead of kneeling. When these pagan people became Christians they used their cultural practices to exalt Christ, in this example bowing. If you want to be technical then the Church in, let's say Asia, still uses pagan practices. But these forms of respect are directed towards Christ, not some ancient pagan god.

Certain Catholic holidays do have pagan origins. I believe the day for Christmas was originally used by the Romans to worship the sun god. When Christianity became the religion of Rome that day was used to celebrate the birth of Christ. Once again, the cultural holiday of pagan Rome had its focus changed. How is this wrong or bad? Praising Christ is bad now? Christ uses all things to bring people to himself. He used a pagan holiday and changed the focus so that Heaven would be exalted.

Our intentions are the things that count. A whorehouse can be changed to a place to praise God. A vehicle used to transport drugs in the past could later be used for humanitarian work.

Recent events have shown me that a lot of these angry protestant individuals do not represent their denominations. I have to say that protestants who study scripture and history have only Christ-friendly things to say. As a Catholic I have shared many fruitful discussions and prayers with Baptists, Pentecostals, Anglicans, and Non-denominational protestants. Those who are in the angry minority also happen to be the loudest, sadly.

Christ told us to love God and love people. Catholics who follow the teachings of Christ will not bad mouth protestants. They are our brothers and sisters whether they like it or not. We may question certain practices but we know that love speaks louder than trash-talk

And a shout-out to CJ. As strange as it sounds I do find your comments intriguing/interesting. You are dedicated to your version of the truth and are not ashamed to share it despite opposition. I applaud you for your zeal. Your approach does get the attention of people and I hope that ultimately your intentions are well-meaning. Though I believe you are biased and take information out of context to support your views, you did post references here.

Answer 4

I don't mean to insult you personally, I just don't support your church. Your new pope says I'm going to hell anyway, so why would you expect support? I'm protestant by the way.

So if I attack your church, you should know that it isn't anything against the catholic people, whom I feel are sincere, but blinded. So, I try to point out what troubles me about the Catholic church. The bible says that we should inform each other when they are deviating from the word of God.

Answer 5

Maybe because it has truth that they cannot disprove and therefore resort to hostility, if they really knew that most of the good that they have came from the Catholic church they would no longer be hostile, the very Bible that they love so much was transmitted from generation to generation by catholic monks in medieval monastries, they faithfully copied the Holy book by hand there were no computers then, they spent all their lives to make you and I recive the bible.

And CJ those things were and are present in the jewish religion to some extent, cardinal Newman may no tbe completely correct in that matter, CJ ,or maybe you could read him further.

Answer 6

Jesus called the Pharisees "hypocrites", "blind guides", and "liars" who by their traditions made invalid the word of God. Apparently, when he saw people being "skinned and tossed about" by the false religionists of his time, he did not hold back in naming the issue. If the motive is to liberate someone from religious darkness, and not simply to "slam" someone, one wouldn't be abusive, but clear and direct in exactly what the error was. Paul said he became all things to all men in order to reach them and help them see the truth; abuse doesn't fit in with that. Neither does waffling; Jesus said of those "lukewarm" in the faith he would spit them out of his mouth. Balance seems to be the answer, not slagging someone out of frustration.

Answer 7

I'm catholic and catholics are all full of sh*t, yes me included.

I think out of all the other religions catholics are the biggest hypocrites in that we are taught to fear god but we all avoid chruch and service like it' the PLAGUE. Pretty much only when people die, we are scared about something, or holidays.

Also catholics forget god when they have money or are in a nice situation, that's why it thrives so much in the 3rd world. The poor LOVE thinking that god will pull them out of sh!t situations if they only believe. (and so they have spent about 400 years waiting....)

Answer 8

Aw, I LOVE Catholics. (I am Anglican, by the way.) By far your Church has the best intellectual and spiritual traditions available inside Christianity. I only remain outside because of a few key doctrines I can't go along with that are lynchpins for the authority of the Church. But as for the people inside it, I couldn't respect you more.

Answer 9

because they are trying to be Christ-like in doing so,...

in a more serious sense, they forgot that Jesus did not promote any religion, nor did He even promote His own, He taught us to love God above all things. I guess they just forgot what that meant.

Answer 10

what is the stance of your church on free practice of Pagan religions?

and what is the stance of your church about Homosexual Marriage?

i am a legally ordained minister.
If my religion allows me to preform a marriage ceramony for a homosexual couple would your church try to stop me from doing this (if they could).

(remember now dont say anything mean or hurtful...but also do not lie, or give me your opinion i want the official opinion of your church,which i already know to be negative on all 3 questions)