Why are so many Catholics anti-Protestant? (2)

[bbbbbbb]

Why did the Catholic church hate the Cathars, Gnostics, Bogomils, Waldensians and any other heresy that cropped up. Indeed, in the middle ages Popes even called Crusades against "heretics" that were living quite peacefully in the Languedoc region of southern France. If these crusades and subsequent Inquisitions had not been so zealous, its arguable that a western reformation may well have occurred much earlier in European history.

Any school of thought that reduced the influence of the Pope and the Church was seen as a threat to centralized Christianity and Romes political influence. Luther was not the first person to have broken away from the church, not by a long stretch of the imagination.

Indeed. I frequently remind people that Luther was neither the first nor the last to have attempted reformation of the Catholic Church. To this day there are people within the Catholic Church who are working at various goals of reformation.

 

[Stephen Kendall]

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Those of Christ aren't against others of Christ. They have love and tolerance. They obey Christ throughout their hearts and words spoken. They do exist in all churches, but I would think that their numbers are small, for the mere fact that not all who cry Lord Lord are his.

 

[Fullness Found]

Please excuse me for jumping into this discussion rather late...

I think it is obvious that both 'sides' have certain things to be ashamed of in their history, and with the Catholic Church being the oldest 'human institution' (speaking sociologically, not theologically) of any sort, there are bound to be more even more shameful situations in Catholic history...

Now onto the present-- I just wanted to add that as someone who has had more than 20 years experience in various protestant Churches (methodist, fundamentalist baptist, Presbyterian, then Lutheran) before becoming Catholic, I have witnessed MUCH more hateful attitudes directed toward Catholics than visa versa in my own subjective experiences, for whatever they are worth. I myself hated the Catholic Church before I read the Catholic Catechism and studied all of the early church writings that I could get my hands on. Before, I had a 'zeal, but without knowledge' to quote from St. Paul...

Now, I do not feel any hatred toward protestants, and out of all the Catholics that I have met since my conversion roughly 5 years ago, I have yet to meet even one in person that has evidenced any hatred toward protestants! No, I am not exaggerating (I have met a few on internet forums that seem quite hateful, though). I have a feeling that many other converts will agree with me.

Don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that protestants are more hateful people in general, I just think that certain beliefs (which I now think are misunderstandings of either scripture or catholic teaching) are more likely to cause them to hate the Catholic Church because they think she is leading millions to hell... at least that is how I used to feel myself as a protestant.

 

[Albion]

The reason so many Catholics are anti-Protestant is because they've been instructed by their church to see every Protestant church as a phony religious body not even deserving of being called a church, and that they exist only so that the members don't have to be obedient to God's true church (the Roman Catholic Church).

Protestants who are anti-Catholic are such because their churches have taught them that Catholicism is a twisted variety of Christianity that has substituted a human power structure for God's teachings.

 

[PJM]

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GREAT question, BUT I don't "buy it"!

I'm a life long Catholic

have been very active within the Church and Teaching for more than 20 years. Including 3 years with the RCIA ["Rites of Christian Iniation for Adults] required for entry into the RCC, and for the past four years a large and ever-growing [THANK YOU JESUS] internet Ministry; Teaching, explaining. sharing and when necessary; defending our Catholic Faith.

Never have I personally, nor do I persoanlly know of anyone who IS a Informed and Practicing Roman Catholic that has admosity towards our Brethern of differing faith-beliefs.

Do we strongly disagree? you bet!

Do we debate" yes; eagerly.

I have a Ministry that stresses PROVING what we Catholics believe and WHY we do so. Most often biblically.

Because thefre is BUTOn God

That ONE and Perfect God can [and DOES} have only One set of Faith beliefs. This is solidly biblical and proveable.

& this One God has ALWAYS choosen only One "Chosen people"
The OT Jews & NT Catholics...ALSO Biblically proveable.

But our disagreements are NOT personal, and ought NOT be treated as if they are.

Because we are Gravely and Morally obligated to disagree, does not mean we don'tcare; or are angry. We too wish to share "the TRUTH" which we hold MUST be singular as is God Himself.

Join me in praying for the Unity that Christ desires. Amen
Patrick

 

[Albion]

.

 

[Albion]

GREAT question, BUT I don't "buy it"!

I'm a life long Catholic

have been very active within the Church and Teaching for more than 20 years. Including 3 years with the RCIA ["Rites of Christian Iniation for Adults] required for entry into the RCC, and for the past four years a large and ever-growing [THANK YOU JESUS] internet Ministry; Teaching, explaining. sharing and when necessary; defending our Catholic Faith.

Never have I personally, nor do I persoanlly know of anyone who IS a Informed and Practicing Roman Catholic that has admosity towards our Brethern of differing faith-beliefs.

When you've been on CF for a little while, you'll know better.

 

[bbbbbbb]

When you've been on CF for a little while, you'll know better.

Yes- sad, but very true.

 

[samcarternx]

Yes- sad, but very true.

Yes, nevertheless when we all agree with God we will all agree with each other too. The truth doesn't change for us, but is what God says it is.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Why did the Catholic church hate the Cathars, Gnostics, Bogomils, Waldensians and any other heresy that cropped up. Indeed, in the middle ages Popes even called Crusades against "heretics" that were living quite peacefully in the Languedoc region of southern France. If these crusades and subsequent Inquisitions had not been so zealous, its arguable that a western reformation may well have occurred much earlier in European history.

Any school of thought that reduced the influence of the Pope and the Church was seen as a threat to centralized Christianity and Romes political influence. Luther was not the first person to have broken away from the church, not by a long stretch of the imagination.

Are we really going to compare the Protestant reformers who explicitly affirmed the ancient catholic faith as expressed in the Creeds with out-and-out heretics and schismatics who denied the very fundamental tenets of the Christian religion?

I'm not justifying the violence perpetrated against the heretics (God forbid!), but the fact remains that they were, indeed, heretics; and thus there can be no comparison between (e.g.) the Cathars of the Aquitaine and the Evangelicals of Wittenberg.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

Indeed. I frequently remind people that Luther was neither the first nor the last to have attempted reformation of the Catholic Church. To this day there are people within the Catholic Church who are working at various goals of reformation.

Except that the groups mentioned weren't reforming groups, they were heretical sects (Cathars, Gnostics, and Bogomils) and schismatics (Waldenses), though the remnant of the Waldenses seem to have eventually joined the Protestants.

The only group listed that might be considered a reforming movement are the Waldenses. The Lollards and Hussites were, in fact, reforming movements; in particular the Hussites who legitimately were seeking theological and especially practical reform for the Church, in particular they sought the Sacrament of the Altar be administered in both kinds, particularly the Ultraquists (whose name comes from the Latin for "both kinds") who were the mainstream of the Hussite movement as opposed to the radical, violent, and millenarian Taborites.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Albion]

Except that the groups mentioned weren't reforming groups, they were heretical sects (Cathars, Gnostics, and Bogomils) and schismatics (Waldenses), though the remnant of the Waldenses seem to have eventually joined the Protestants.

Excuse me, but what do you think the Lutherans are?

The only group listed that might be considered a reforming movement are the Waldenses. The Lollards and Hussites were, in fact, reforming movements; in particular the Hussites who legitimately were seeking theological and especially practical reform for the Church, in particular they sought the Sacrament of the Altar be administered in both kinds, particularly the Ultraquists (whose name comes from the Latin for "both kinds") who were the mainstream of the Hussite movement as opposed to the radical, violent, and millenarian Taborites.

It sounds like you've reconsidered somewhat.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Excuse me, but what do you think the Lutherans are?

A reform movement within the Church; catholic identity was never cast away.

It sounds like you've reconsidered somewhat.

The Waldenses are in a much better position than the Cathars or Bogomils, while some of their doctrines may have been aberrant (such as their Sabbatarianism), they continued to maintain the basic confessions of faith.

I was less focused on the Waldenses in my response than I was the Cathars and Bogomils, medieval Gnostic groups that were clearly heretical.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Albion]

A reform movement within the Church; catholic identity was never cast away.

A. That's not what the church that's calling all of those churches--including the Lutherans--heretics have to say about it.

B. I'll bet that most of the Waldensians, Hussites, etc. thought that they were reformers and had retained "catholic identity" too.

 

[thecolorsblend]

I just wanted to add that as someone who has had more than 20 years experience in various protestant Churches (methodist, fundamentalist baptist, Presbyterian, then Lutheran) before becoming Catholic, I have witnessed MUCH more hateful attitudes directed toward Catholics than visa versa in my own subjective experiences

Now, I do not feel any hatred toward protestants, and out of all the Catholics that I have met since my conversion roughly 5 years ago, I have yet to meet even one in person that has evidenced any hatred toward protestants! No, I am not exaggerating (I have met a few on internet forums that seem quite hateful, though). I have a feeling that many other converts will agree with me.

You're pretty much equating a 20 year history in Protestant churches with five years of membership in the RCC. Do you see a bit of a problem with that?

Also, while hateful sentiments may not be enshrined in your catechism, the pejorative label "Protestant rebellion" wasn't invented by the people who took exception to the RCC's teachings.

Keep in mind, I'm someone who has come to think many of the Reformers threw the baby out with the bathwater on a lot of doctrinal issues. I'd be the last take sides against Rome when it comes to a lot of things. But surely you can at least acknowledge that a lot of Roman Catholics (who had to be influenced or taught by someone) look down their noses at Protestants.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

A reform movement within the Church; catholic identity was never cast away.



The Waldenses are in a much better position than the Cathars or Bogomils, while some of their doctrines may have been aberrant (such as their Sabbatarianism), they continued to maintain the basic confessions of faith.

I was less focused on the Waldenses in my response than I was the Cathars and Bogomils, medieval Gnostic groups that were clearly heretical.

-CryptoLutheran

When we look in the mirror, we sometimes see ourselves differently than others see us; sometimes we see flaws that other overlook; sometimes we see what we want to see. Either is not necessarily wrong.

A. That's not what the church that's calling all of those churches--including the Lutherans--heretics have to say about it.

B. I'll bet that most of the Waldensians, Hussites, etc. thought that they were reformers and had retained "catholic identity" too.

Retained it... or restored it; which is how SDAs consider themselves.

Henry VIII felt the same also I'd wager.

 

[Albion]

You're pretty much equating a 20 year history in Protestant churches with five years of membership in the RCC. Do you see a bit of a problem with that?

That was a purely rhetorical question, I take it.

But you have hit on something there. It's almost always the recent converts to the RCC or any other faith that proclaims itself "the only true church" and thrives on distancing itself from the rest of Christianity that produces this "Eureka! I've found the truth at last" swagger.

But surely you can at least acknowledge that a lot of Roman Catholics (who had to be influenced or taught by someone) look down their noses at Protestants.

Let's see.

 

[seekingtohopefullyfind]

I'd say as far as the Internet goes, it's the other way around. All the Catholic forums I've been to refer to the Catechism saying that they're to accept their protestant brothers as Christians whereas I've seen tons of very mean-spirited protestant commentators (not that all of them are) flat-out say Catholics aren't Christians.

 

[KNOWLEDGE BOMB]

Protestants who are anti-Catholic are such because their churches have taught them that Catholicism is a twisted variety of Christianity that has substituted a human power structure for God's teachings.

Scripture is what tells me this!


It would appear (from your comment) that people get their wrong opinions about rcc because their church plants the idea

 

[KNOWLEDGE BOMB]

I'd say as far as the Internet goes, it's the other way around. All the Catholic forums I've been to refer to the Catechism saying that they're to accept their protestant brothers as Christians whereas I've seen tons of very mean-spirited protestant commentators (not that all of them are) flat-out say Catholics aren't Christians.

well your looking in the wrong place - the Vatican teaches their is no salvation without the rcc and your going to hell...


As per Vatican.va


Although their Muslims brothers can have it....