Can one speak out against the Catholic Church and not be considered "catholic bashing"?

Question

Isn't the ad hominem "catholic basher" simply a way to avoid valid criticism?

Everyday; If the shoe fits...

Answer 1

No, they like playing the victim.

Answer 2

oh gracious no.... the only time people are considered bashers of any denomination is when they offer lies as truth and mislead others. we Catholics are more then happy to give the Scriptures as to "where they come up with" this or that. however when someone then says - you're wrong/cult/lier.... where does one person's interprutation of Scripture superceed the others?! the Catholics have been studying Scriptures for over 1500 years and most other denominations are lucky to have started in the 1500's. what pains me most is when someone says - i "know" and then spout some insane item as truth - that's a basher for even though it's easily refuted - they will not listen.

Answer 3

Of course it is perfectly possible to hold an opinion contrary to Catholic teaching without it being "bashing."

IMHO, it's only bashing when somebody states an obvious and easily disproved falsehood. Such as saying Catholic believe in sacrificing Christ over and over and over again, when the Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly states exactly the opposite.

Granted, most of the people who state these lies have no idea that they are lies. But they obviously have not bothered to do ANY research to determine what is true before making their claims against Catholicism. And in this day and age, the research isn't even remotely difficult. The full Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium (the shorter, Q&A format of the Catechism) are both on line in multiple languages.

Now, if you want to say that Catholics are wrong for believing in apostolic succession or the communion of Saints or the primacy of the bishop of Rome (the pope), have at it.

All I ask is that if you're going to hate us Catholics, hate us for what is TRUE about us...not a falsehood.

Answer 4

Yes you should, although there's many areas of UK society that you 'can't' comment on now for the "... basher" reason.

However, we shouldn't accept this. While I staunchly support measures designed to protect groups from discrimination, everyone has a responsibility to be socially minded (not manipulative) to raise concerns if things don't work.

Make your criticism about specific behaviours / acts etc that you disagree with, and why, rather than the fact they are propogated by the Catholic church and you are doing nothing other than voicing your opinion in a constructive way.

Answer 5

Yes, in democracies in the world you can.

Unfortunately, the European Catholic Church is identical to Islam. Neither non-profit Churches allow any criticism at all.

Islam will issue a fatwah against those who speak out; the European Catholic Church will excommunicate those who speak out.

Both European Catholicism and Islam are monopolies and reject western democracies including the USA, Canada, Australia, and Britain.

The USA was founded by Christians, not European Catholics.

The USA would never have been founded by either Islamists or European Catholics.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_bible/index.html

Answer 6

Of course, but I would say it depends on how you do it.
If you go into things blatantly "on the attack" (especially in how you word things) then Catholics are going to get defensive right away.
But if you can manage to get them into an intelligent discussion on a friendlier level, maybe you can avoid this ad hominem "Catholic basher" nonsense.
It does seem to be a shield when defenses are crumbling, same as the all-too-often-repeated "We cannot claim to know God's will," or "Prove to me that God -doesn't- exist!" Every debate always turns into a game of "Who can ask a question that the other side can't answer?" But it's still worth trying.

Answer 7

It really depends on what you are saying and how you are saying it. If you tell your friend "I think all Catholics are ignorant morons" then you are Catholic bashing.

If instead you criticize doctrinal points within the Catholic faith intelligently then there is nothing wrong with that as long as you stay away from personal attacks.

Answer 8

i think of you already know the answer to this. Now, do you already know that Calvin did precisely the comparable issues to his critics and different non secular dissenters in Geneva? do you already know what Luther and his followers did to Catholics and Jews in Protestant factors of Germany interior the sixteenth century? do you already know what terror grew to become into wrought interior the hearts and minds of English Catholics on the mere point out of Tyburn even during the so-referred to as enlightened rule of Elizabeth I? do you already know that for the period of Anglican England, non secular dissent, rather of the Catholic type meant forcible help to penury until nicely into the 1840's? the element is to not excuse the terrible atrocities committed in Catholic Europe against its critics and dissenters. the element is that what we condemn as cruelty at present grew to become into universally practiced in those days and considered as completely applicable - not by using fact of non secular conviction yet by using difficulty of human awareness at that element. we'd desire to continually by no potential decide the previous utilising the sensibilities of the present.

Answer 9

Hardly. If you want to speak out against the Catholic Church, then do it right: BY THE BIBLE!
Expose their false teachings thru the Bible. For example:
1. They kneel down and worship statues of saints (e.g. Mary)
-Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"
-Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image...Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them.

2. Concerning reciting the rosary 52 times (or so) per day:
- Matthew 6:7 "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

3. Praising Mary
- Isaiah 42:8 "I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

Hope you get the point. God Bless you!

Answer 10

the object is to be true to G-D, to Worship G-D, and not necessarily be true to any church of thought. if there is something not right with G-D in any church, then according to scripture you must, acknowledge this by makeing them aware. since according to scripture upon allegation of error, that function must cease, and evaluated by at minium of a tribunal. it is not catholic bashing, for making an honest attempt to be true to TheG-D.

Answer 11

When Jesus was on earth he bashed the religious leaders at that time, but he never bashed the people that followed their teachings. He felt compassion and pity for them and he goes on to said that they were sheep without a shepherd. If you want to do bashing, go to their leaders.