“Where Are The Catholics?”

[Michie]

Is Christianity the measure of modernity or is modernity the measure of Christianity?


On the morning after Thanksgiving, I was driving over to Frederick, Maryland with one of my nephews. On the car radio, he was listening to a talk radio program from WMAL in Washington. The host of the program was a man who described himself as a conservative Jew. He was talking of the increasing religious persecution within the United States. Several times throughout the program he pointed out that it was the Catholics who are more and more being singled out and discriminated against. The First Amendment on religious freedom seems almost a dead letter when it comes to Christians in general and Catholics in particular.

Continued- “Where Are The Catholics?”: Catholic World Report

 

[Moses Medina]

If it is any comfort, Sacramental churches like Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran churches are actually the majority in the entire world. Catholic still being the biggest of them all. With that being said, the face of Christianity in America is Baptist and the ever growing non-denominational churches.

I think Catholics in America are not held as Christians by many, a misconception I think, where this originates I'm not sure. However, the average american thinks Christian and Catholic are different. This is usually held in Charasmatic churches, my uncle for example is a Pastor of a non-denominational church, he doesn't view Catholics as Christian. He views only evangelists as Christians. I think this is very sad. I myself am not Catholic, and I disagree with many things that you practice, which I know it's the same for you on your views of a Lutheran. I still view you as brothers and sisters in Christ and honestly don't know why your church has the stigma in America that it does.

 

[Fantine]

I think that most of the reason is that more moderate or progressive Catholics are far too busy fending off the attacks of Catholics who are more conservative than they are to pay much attention to anything else.

So there's a simple answer to Catholic World Report's complaint. Publications like theirs are part of the problem--the persecution of moderate and progressive Catholics by their fellow churchgoers--and need only to look at themselves for the solution.

 

[Genersis]

If it is any comfort, Sacramental churches like Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran churches are actually the majority in the entire world. Catholic still being the biggest of them all. With that being said, the face of Christianity in America is Baptist and the ever growing non-denominational churches.

I think Catholics in America are not held as Christians by many, a misconception I think, where this originates I'm not sure. However, the average american thinks Christian and Catholic are different. This is usually held in Charasmatic churches, my uncle for example is a Pastor of a non-denominational church, he doesn't view Catholics as Christian. He views only evangelists as Christians. I think this is very sad. I myself am not Catholic, and I disagree with many things that you practice, which I know it's the same for you on your views of a Lutheran. I still view you as brothers and sisters in Christ and honestly don't know why your church has the stigma in America that it does.

I've noticed that too with evangelicals.
Rather sad...

 

[Michie]

I think that most of the reason is that more moderate or progressive Catholics are far too busy fending off the attacks of Catholics who are more conservative than they are to pay much attention to anything else.

So there's a simple answer to Catholic World Report's complaint. Publications like theirs are part of the problem--the persecution of moderate and progressive Catholics by their fellow churchgoers--and need only to look at themselves for the solution.

Then there is misrepresenting or going against the teachings of the Church. Which the RCC claims cannot be changed. No getting around that. Whatever people call themselves. I wouldn't call that an attack but setting the record straight.

 

[MikeK]

I read "Where are the Catholics?" in a "We are the Robots" voice.

YouTube

 

[MikeK]

I think that most of the reason is that more moderate or progressive Catholics are far too busy fending off the attacks of Catholics who are more conservative than they are to pay much attention to anything else.

Then shame on them. Their focus should be on obedience to Christ's Church and frequenting the Sacraments...and were it so, I doubt any would be "attacking" them.

 

[Michie]

Then shame on them. Their focus should be on obedience to Christ's Church and frequenting the Sacraments...and were it so, I doubt any would be "attacking" them.

Or seeing it as an attack.

 

[MikeK]

Or seeing it as an attack.

'zactly.

 

[Fantine]

I wondered how long it would take before people started looking for logs while ignoring their own planks...

One hour, 39 minutes.

 

[Michie]

I wondered how long it would take before people started looking for logs while ignoring their own planks...

One hour, 39 minutes.

Fantine, your statement absolutely includes yourself. There is opinion & there is Church teaching. I never know what you mean by 'progressive/moderate' Catholic while trashing everyone else in the RCC that simply follows Church teaching. Your constant sarcasm indicates you have quite the collection of splinters yourself. At least own up to it instead of playing the walking target. I doubt you are even on the radar.

 

[winjayoma]

I am a born again christian... i am also a catholic because catholic means universe

 

[Fantine]

It was not primarily an election about politics, about good or less good laws. It was an election about approving bad laws and about bad morals being elevated to the status of accepted, settled doctrine.

It was an election about the US economy and two different economic visions--one that believed economic growth came through investing in infrastructure, technology research, and education; and another that believed in untargeted tax cuts for the wealthy.

One that believed that without a middle-class a country can't be prosperous; another that attacked unions and sought to deregulate all of the protections that resulted in the creation of a strong middle class--including income protection insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare--out of existence.

Those who believed that Romney and Republicans held the moral high ground have set the bar too low on the kind of morality that affects real live people's lives--instead of the kind of morality that encourages self-righteous satisfaction over sticking it to the sinners.