Don't they claim that the non believers and those that don't believe that the pope is the Vicar Of Christ are heretics? Weren't heretics put to death for their beliefs until not all that long ago? Wasn't this the cause of millions of deaths in the last 1700 years? Is this really all that different from what we're seeing today with islam? Which the papacy invented around the 7th century to control the arabs, but it backfired on them.
2007-12-02 08:14:04 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes they do. Matter of fact, following 09-11-2001, Mrs. Bush, Jr. was on a TV program with Tim Russert and a Catholic Cardinal. The Cardinal said there were only believers (in European Catholicism) and unbelievers (Christians aka Protestants, etc.). Essentially the Catholic Cardinal tried to insult all the world's non-profit religions. The Cardinal was corrected by Tim Russert and Mrs. George Bush, Jr.; however, it clearly displays the extremist European Catholicism Adolf Hitler type of mindset which comes from Rome, Italy.
2007-12-02 08:27:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
First, your question is mean-spirited and filled with hate and bigotry.
Second, the answer is no, Catholics do not view non-believers as infidels in the same way that radical Islamists view their non-believers. The definition of heretic is one who does not believe in the established belief system, so anyone who does not believe in Catholicism would be a heretic to Catholicism in the same way that anyone who does not believe in Baptist teaching would be a heretic to Baptists. Catholics view our belief system as the fullness of truth - the whole truth - but we also believe there is a good bit of truth to the beliefs of non-Catholic Christian faiths and even non-Christian faiths when it comes to kindness, generosity, chastity, etc. I'm sure you believe that whatever you believe is also the truth, and therefore those who don't believe it would be, by definition, heretics to your faith.
Third, up until the 15th century all Christians were Catholics (Roman or Orthodox), so even your ancestors, if they were Christians, were Catholics. Anything that is good or bad about our history is a history we all share.
Fourth, don't go making comparisons about how justice was carried out centuries ago to how we view justice today - it simply isn't fair. In the early centuries, all of those kinds of punishment were the common ways to deal with criminals, and in those days going against the rule of the monarch was a crime (and in some countries, still is). Plenty of Catholics endured persecution under the Romans and other regimes in the same way. Less than 150 years ago, we were hanging people in the town square in America. Times change and what is considered acceptable forms of just punishment change, too.
Fifth, the pope being the Vicar of Christ does not mean that we think he IS Christ on earth - no one believes that and only ignorant people claim that we believe that. The word Vicar means representative or ambassador. Not the same thing as actually being the one represented.
And finally, your last statement about the papacy inventing Islam is just a complete falsification - not true.
2007-12-02 08:36:59 · answer #2 · answered by Myth Buster 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, we don't believe that Protestants and non-believers are infidels or heretics. In fact, the Pope recently reiterated that Protestants are our brothers and sisters in Christ and that they have a measure of the truth. The Church also teaches that non-believers are still God's children in need of His saving grace.
And according to the latest estimates, the death toll of the Inquistion was somewhere around 125,000 all told -- a far cry from "millions of deaths." That certainly wasn't one of the Church's finest hours, but we've learned a lot and come a long way since then. So welcome to the year 2007. We don't put heretics to death, and we don't believe that Protestants are infidels.
Oh, and one last note: you can't seriously believe that the papacy "invented" Islam, can you? Or if you do, where are you getting your facts? I'd love to read the source material for that notion.
2007-12-02 08:31:01 · answer #3 · answered by Wolfeblayde 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Catholic Church have come a long way from the Middle ages. Today's Catholics do not call others heretics; true Catholics will respect the religious faith of others.
The Catholic Pope did call on European Kings to stop the Muslim invasion in the Middle ages. Although they did a rotten job, as a historian, I can't blame the Catholics for that war; it was the Muslims that started it...it was more a political war on both sides using religion; there was nothing religious about the Crusades. And yes! this war caused millions of deaths...on both sides.
Now lets compare this with what the Muslim fanatics are doing today; shall we?
Now while the Catholics today have mostly swayed away from politics and concentrate on Religion, Muslim fanatics today still live in the Middle ages and still use religion for their evil political ends. And don't you know that Fanatic Muslims still call unbelievers Infidels????
Before you post a question like this, you need to look at both sides of History...or I will be forced to call you a one-sided fanatic.
2007-12-02 08:24:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Intellegent question. Except keep in mind that the holocaust was at the hand of Hitler who definitely was not Christian by any stretch of the imagination. However, you can certainly see that theres been alot of horrible acts committed in the name of God; but whats new under the sun? Its not just Christians - turn on the tv and see who's children are blowing themselves and others up in the name of religion. If you're not sure, call Baghdad. All peoples of all religions fight - sometimes over God, sometimes because they are being oppressed because of their beliefs - but its not just Christians. I can't believe you did all that research of statistics and this never dawned on you? Lets get to the devil helping = peace idea. Biblical writings tell of the antichrist coming before the true Christ appears. The Book of Daniel tells of antichrist coming pretending to be Jesus. Even disguised as Jesus. He will come in not as an evildoer - but as the loving, peaceful christ- "prosperly and peacefully" - no more homeless, a chicken in every pot, the greatest religious revival you will ever see. Love and peace and tolerance. So if its peace you're looking for, the doctrine of satan should be just about right for you. Unfortunately, its peace that will come to deceive the masses. And, the manuscripts are quite clear that this antichrist will not love non-believers any more than he does Christians or any other religion. If you think he's gonna make you his 'bro, I've got a bridge i can sell to you cheap. He'll use you and promise you the world, but he's not gonna exist long enough to give you what he promises, even if he was really gonna do it - which he's not. Get it down where you can understand it: Satan does not like you. You can do satanic services in your basement all damn year, and get a satanic tattoo - you can call him your friend. You can work in his service when he comes - he'll tear you up from the inside out spiritually and when you look to Christ to help you, he'll stand there and spit on you. Get the picture?? If you looked at all the writings in the manuscripts and saw satan's m.o. you would see that he doesn't care one bit about you. He wants to be worshipped - he wants to be the Christ, instead of the actual one. Thats been the fight from the beginning. Its not gonna happen - he already lost, but God is only using him in this earth age to deceive those masses who are stupid enough to go whoring after him. And just like a whore, when he's done with you, he'll throw you out. Wake up.
2016-05-27 06:57:13 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
+ Infidels +
An infidel (from infidelity) is any unbeliever with respect to a particular religion.
So any non-Catholic could be considered an infidel to Catholicism and a Catholic is an infidel to any non-Catholic religion.
+ Heretics +
Heresy is the obstinate denial after Baptism of a truth which must be believed with divine and Catholic faith. Only a Catholic (or former Catholic) can be a heretic to Catholicism.
This is similar to treason. A citizen of the U.S. can commit treason against the U.S. but not against France.
Most Non-Catholics Christians today have never been Catholic Christians so they cannot be heretics.
They are our brothers in Christ but separated a bit in faith.
+ Pagans +
A pagans is defined as anyone who does not believe in the one true God of Abraham, basically anyone who is not Jewish, Christians, or Muslim.
+ With love in Christ.
2007-12-02 17:36:36 · answer #6 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Not since Vatican 2.
So how does a church that claims it's the only true church believe that non-believers are saved? It's called Baptism of desire meaning if a person had had the opportunity to be a part of the true church in their lifetime they would have joined the Church. It also means that everyone who loves God with their whole heart whether Christian or Muslim or Jew can go to Heaven.
To the first poster. Elizabeth killed far more Catholics than Mary killed Protestants. And at least Mary thought she was doing what was best for Christianity. She was raised Catholic and she was trying to save the only Christian Church the world had ever known at that time. Elizabeth was just trying to save her own skin.
2007-12-02 08:33:37 · answer #7 · answered by Ten Commandments 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No they don't think of non-believers as infidels. Protestants and Catholics alike killed people who didn't agree with them on religious matters. Elizabeth 1 killed many more Catholics in her reign than Mary 1 killed protestants in her reign - but history is written by the "winners". In England Catholics were emancipated by 1850 - which I'm pretty certain involves a guarantee not to be disected for your religion. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Emancipation
As for "Weren't heretics put to death for their beliefs until not all that long ago" - it depends what you mean by "not all that long ago". I'm fairly sure that europeans stopped killing other faiths by the end of the 1600's, which is fair few years ago in my book.
2007-12-02 08:22:38 · answer #8 · answered by Alex 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Ever hear of Bloody Mary?
Mary began her tumultuous reign at 37 years of age, arriving in London amid a scene of great rejoicing. Following the disarray created by Edward VI's passing of the succession to Lady Jane Grey (Jane lasted only nine days), Mary's first act was to repeal the Protestant legislation of her brother, Edward VI, hurling England into a phase of severe religious persecution. Her major goal was the re-establishment of Catholicism in England, a goal to which she was totally committed. Persecution came more from a desire for purity in faith than from vengeance, yet the fact remains that nearly 300 people (including former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer and many of the most prominent members of society) were burned at the stake for heresy, earning Mary the nickname, "Bloody Mary."
2007-12-02 08:18:54 · answer #9 · answered by Little Red Hen 2.0 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
No, that's not quite accurate. "Heretics" are Christians who believe doctrines that have been condemned by canon law. "Unbelievers" are not heretics, and were never considered heretics.
And the word "infidel" literally means "unbeliever."
2007-12-02 08:28:42 · answer #10 · answered by NONAME 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋