1. Fellow Mormons: If I published a journal citing errors in the Catholic Church & how we can learn from them,

Question

would that make me an anti-Catholic?

2. If not, what would I have to do to accurately be labeled "anti-Catholic"?

3. Does my motivation have any bearing? In other words, if I do it out of love, does it make me less anti-Catholic or more? How about if I do it as a missionary to help Catholics find the truth?

4. If Catholics were to read my article, would they be right to tell me to "grow up", and stop fighting the truth, or that I would answer to Mary for the article?

FYI: I am not writing a journal. I don't hate Catholics. In fact, this question is purely tongue-in-cheek and was meant to help us all understand how judgmental we are without even realizing it.

I love Catholics. My childhood crush (and longtime best friend) is Catholic. We grew up together and talked many times about religion. In fact, it is probably because of her that I am so open to other people's ideas and tend not to get up in a huff when people criticize mine.

Senator: Lol, it wasn't meant to ouch you, just inspire thought. "Critic" is a good word... I like it better than "anti" as well. Three cheers for tolerance!

Answer 1

critiquing something, whether it be an academic journal article, tv programme, or a religion (as you intend to do), should always include an appraisal and a critical evaluation not only its flaws, but also of its strengths. i guess it would be bias to merely point out its errors. i also don't find it congruent that you want to point out errors because you love catholics. but that's just me.

i am a LDS for 8 months now and still counting. and i love the church heaps, and i have a testimony of its truthfulness. however, i was born and raised a catholic, and i know that i have been raised by my carers well. i wont be who i am right now if not for the values and attitudes that they have taught me, which are rooted in our faith. having learned a lot from the missionaries, i now see some of the major flaws in the beliefs of my previous religion (eg: infant baptisms), but i also see good things that catholicism has done in my life.

would you be labeled an anti-catholic? beats me. it all depends on your real motive. if i were still a catholic and i have come across your journal citng errors, i wouldnt really give a toss. i guess no matter how much you point out other people's mistakes, if they wont accept your testimony then no doctrine in the world an convert them. people will only hear what they want to sometimes, and their hearts are hard and not ready for the truth. at the end of the day, we can really only be good examples and do our best by helping others out to express our love for them.

Answer 2

I'm not a fellow Mormon. I'm a Catholic. Just a few thoughts here from a member of the group you'd be critiquing:

Publishing a journal containing your opinions on Catholicism, if those opinions are openly critical of the Catholic Church, could potentially cause you to be seen as anti-Catholic. You admit yourself that the purpose of this journal is to critique Catholicism. However, it would really depend on how you handled it. If you did nothing but berate Catholicism and attempt to drive people away from it, then yes, you'd be anti-Catholic, by definition. However, there's a big difference between that sort of behavior and simply expressing a dissenting viewpoint. You have the right to dissent, and nobody's denying that. You also have freedom of the press, and freedom of speech.

Your third question gets a bit sticky. You feel that your motivations are pure. That's fine. You have a right to your opinion. However, your query, "How about if I do it as a missionary to help Catholics find the truth?" implies that you have the truth, and that Catholics somehow don't. So don't be surprised if some people find a statement like that to be profoundly arrogant.

I'm a Catholic, and I've read plenty of articles that oppose Catholicism. I wouldn't necessarily tell you to "grow up", because you have a right to your opinion. You wouldn't have to answer to the Blessed Virgin for the article, of course, but you might have to answer to reason. Motives are the crucial issue here. Why would you devote an entire journal to tearing down someone else's religious beliefs? If you don't believe in the Catholic Church, then don't attend Mass.

Answer 3

Here's another Catholic, but of course you must have expected a few of us would happen upon this question.

1. and 2. You're probably aware that both Mormons and Catholics are on the receiving end of "anti-" literature (both printed and web-based) from certain fundamentalists. And yes, I believe "anti-" is the proper term; it means against, and they are certainly that. Emphatically, in some cases.

3. Motivation does not mitigate the perceived arrogance of "citing errors" in another's beliefs because those "errors" are subjective, for one; more importantly, if the motivation is to convince and/or convert, negatives don't work. Being told "your beliefs are wrong" immediately puts a person on the defensive and is counterproductive. He's not going to think, gee, maybe you're right; more likely, who in the world do you think you are? It matters little whether one's motives are of love and concern. Most of us, and probably most Mormons, have become rather jaundiced about the "love" involved in whacking someone upside the head with Scripture and condemning them to hell if they don't stop doing X, Y, or Z.

4. Anyone reading such a journal whose faith is its subject can say whatever they wish about it. "Right" doesn't play into it. If an author has published his opinion, he essentially has had his say. Whoever reads it is then entitled to theirs. The only thing that would not be right (although it does occur, obviously) is an ad-hominem attack on the writer himself, rather than sticking to what he has written. "Stop fighting the truth", while a bit abrasive, is not ad-hominem but one could argue for "grow up". (As for the Mary thing ... you were kidding, right?)

Answer 4

Grow up!

You're going to answer to Mary for this hateful question.


I think that we all tend to have a "proximity complex" with regards to our religion. We always think the "other guy" is the hateful anti-us person, when really, we can sometimes be anti-them.

I appreciate your wanting to stick up for some of your friends, Morg (like me; I'm kind of an e-friend, right?), but unfortunately, labels will continue as long as there are traits to divide people. I just wish that it didn't have to be religion that divided people. Just as I have many Mormon friends and family (I technically am one), you have several friends that are critics of the church. When I was a believing member, in fact, one of my best friends was openly "anti-Mormon", you might call him. However, he didn't hate Mormons, but just found the church to be illogical and said so. However, we didn't let our difference separate us. We were great friends. I didn't call him a heathen or an infidel, and he didn't call me a lemming or a sheep (ok, we actually did call each other that, but affectively).

I just wish that everyone could understand each other as much as my friend and I understood each other. Unfortunately, though, it is very hard to do that online, because people don't have time to get to know the amazing personalities of other users, but simply identify people by their opinions on religion (and in certain cases, their silly animal-with-superhero-head avatars). As you know, it's not a good foot to start on when talking to someone. Do you remember proselyting door-to-door? ;)

PS: The questioner doesn't hate Catholics

Answer 5

I'm actually in the process of writing a book citing errors in Evangelical theology, and some of the ludicrous things they believe. I'm hoping it will win these poor deluded and misguided Evangelicals to the true restored gospel. I'm thinking of calling it "The God Fakers". Obviously I'm not anti-Evanglical at all. My best friend is Evangelical. I don't hate the people, I just hate the organisations which teach such stupid things as the trinity heresy, and "once saved, always saved" and thus cause people to lose their salvation.

And while I know your question is tongue in cheek, my answer isn't. I really am planning the book.

Answer 6

Ouch. I don't like people pointing out my double-standards. It's not very enjoyable.

If I have changed in anyway because of Y!A, it's that I have started to use the term critic or Mormon critic instead of anti-Mormon. It seems much more fitting.

Edit: Oh, no worries, James, I just figured that your Q might be a little too subtle for some.

Answer 7

1) I don't know, but there are people who would feel that way.

2) Well, I figure anti-Mormons are people who get pretty excited about showing Mormons the errors in our doctrine... so I'd be kinda on-the-fence about whether this document would be considered "anti-Catholic."

3) My experience with people who've shown animosity toward my beliefs is that as much as they may say they're doing it out of love, I still kinda feel like they're anti-...

4) Uh, probably.

Answer 8

I like your sense of humor Solarius.
But it is a double standard as the other person said .People attack the Mormon church all the time on Y/A. And when th e Mormons ask why, everyone is quite ready to point out everything that is wrong with Mormonism.
BUT, when their religion is questioned, it is unfair. Why is that?
Can't people just think what they want to think, and let Mormons do the same?
There are many things I find weird about the religions spoken about on here, but I don't feel it is my place to make fun of them, just because i don't understand.

Religion is like food. If you don't like it, don't eat it. It is really just that simple.

Answer 9

I'm not a fellow Mormon. . .I'm one of those Catholics whose "errors" you want to point out. Unlike members of your denomination, I have never knocked on your door, trying to hand you literature or convert you to my way of thinking. That's because I believe in "live and let live" as far as other people's religious beliefs are concerned.

Do me a favor and return the same courtesy, OK? I'm not interested in your 'missionary' work or your church. And I'm sure most of my fellow Catholics hold the same sentiment.

Edit:

Guillo, my friend, I think you're pulling the wool over your own eyes with your choice of words. If the intent was not to convert people to the "restored Gospel" of Mormonism, then there is absolutely no reason for Mormon representatives to go door to door.

The Nazis used to force concentration camp prisoners to dig holes, only to turn around and order them to refill the holes that they'd just dug. The point wasn't to do anything constructive: the goal was to numb the minds of those in the camps and show them just how meaningless their lives were.

If what you're saying about your people is true, then they're in the same position as those concentration camp prisoners.

Answer 10

If you published a journal citing "errors in the Catholic Church" you would be making a judgment. "Do it out of love".? Love for whom? Wow:- Help "Catholics find the truth? " Whose truth? If I was a fellow Mormon, I would be completely embarrassed that my fellow Mormon, was trying to prove himself right and Catholics wrong.

I am neither Mormon or Catholic, but I see a judge mental attitude before me.