Why is there a seemingly perpetual stigma towards the Catholic Church?

[Nietzscheiswrong]

In a nutshell its thanks to Luther's fabricated theology.

The whole thing started from a morality movement against the immorality and corruption in Rome which Luther witnessed. He was shocked and wrote against indulgencies which was simonry. The indulgencies were pieces of paper. diplomas of absolution bought for the absolution of certain sins before they were ever committed. The people who bought them knew before hand that they were going to commit that sin and hence wanted to!!...

Anyway the Pope didn't repeal the indulgencies and Luther went on fabricating theology on a moral crusade against the Pope (which was right but due to superbia ended up very badly). He fabricated theology to prove a point. The feudal kings in Germany then saw this heretical movement as a means to separate from Rome and hence not pay taxes. They therefore backed it up.

The rest is revolution, killings, protestant inquisitions which are deemed holy because they were killing catholics.

England became the world power which replaced catholic Spain and the degrading propaganda has flourished ever since. The first colonisers were protestants. They came from Holland and the Uk.

Yes both countries have catholics but the first settlers weren't catholics.

That is historically why. Now its because the church is geopolitically against the system. The protestant sects and churches are more easily infiltrated by non-religious private interest lobbyers who then become pastors/ministers and are paid by very rich elites - agenda driven people. Its a fact. Only the catholic church needs a priest to be celibate. That makes it harder to infiltrate.

Is it just me seeing politicians use religion hypocritically just to get elected?
I guess politicians act like that because religion has become another element of population control in this matrix like system..

 

[Root of Jesse]

What truly baffles me is how much bad a lot of people have to speak of mother church and our good pope. How can anyone accuse Catholicism of being evil or of the devil when they don't truly know anything about it?

What amazes me is how quick people are to condemn us when people like Martin Luther have been known to throw out scriptural books that do not agree with their teachings.

It's easy to criticize. They don't understand what we do and how we worship. But it's really easy to criticize, just try not to. We interpret people's actions by our own experiences. People see us kneeling before statues, they think we're worshipping the statue. It's up to us to know our faith, and be ready to defend it.

What they don't realize is that, just because we've had bad popes, and have done bad things as a church is a function of fallen mankind. Just as Jesus said there will always be poor, there will always be evil until He comes again. But our Church isn't holy because of the pope or the hierarchy, or any of the man-made stuff, we're holy because of Jesus and we take him at his word.

 

[Root of Jesse]

In large part I think it is because many of the ritualistic things which Catholics do and believe in, they do more via faith than through reason. However, there is a deep theological meaning behind all of these rites and rituals. But alas few Catholics can explain them to those who ask. Which makes us look a bit silly (and superstitious and idolatrous,etc).

Would it not be a good idea for people, if they do something, but don't know what they're doing or why, to find out? I know when I was a kid, I learned the f word at school and came home afterward and spewed it at my mother...that taught me to figure out what you're doing so you can explain it. She didn't punish me, but showed me what the word meant and how it really was such an ugly thing.

As a Catholic example, do people know why priests kiss the altar when they process to the sanctuary? Do people know why they cross themselves with holy water before mass? And do they know they're not really supposed to do it when leaving mass?

 

[Dark Radiance]

Would it not be a good idea for people, if they do something, but don't know what they're doing or why, to find out? I know when I was a kid, I learned the f word at school and came home afterward and spewed it at my mother...that taught me to figure out what you're doing so you can explain it. She didn't punish me, but showed me what the word meant and how it really was such an ugly thing.

As a Catholic example, do people know why priests kiss the altar when they process to the sanctuary? Do people know why they cross themselves with holy water before mass? And do they know they're not really supposed to do it when leaving mass?

I think that is true of most things people do. Many people rarely reflect or ask questions of things that we have adopted as rituals or habits. How many people that say "God Bless You" when someone sneezes actually mean it, or even know why the phrase originated?

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I think that is true of most things people do. Many people rarely reflect or ask questions of things that we have adopted as rituals or habits. How many people that say "God Bless You" when someone sneezes actually mean it, or even know why the phrase originated?

In my experience, those who most zealously criticize the Catholic Church or any Church for that matter have never darkened the door, nor will they because they already "know it all". What they "know" usually come second or third hand, and for these persons there is little that one can do to change what they already believe that they know.

While I'm Lutheran, we retain the traditional and historic Western Liturgies (and some from the East as well). For those who do visit our Church, we provide a booklet which explains the Liturgy of the Mass, the historic significance, and the meaning and symbolism which it contains. Our ushers give this to every person who they do not recognize. It has been universally well received, and appreciated. These booklets are often taken by members and given to family and friends, members also use them as a "quick" refresher.

We can reach out to those we can reach, and they may reach those whom we can not.

Pax Domini,

Mark

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Why is there a seemingly perpetual stigma towards the Catholic Church?

I've noticed that there are many anti-Catholic protestants out there (I know not all protestants are anti-Catholic, but some are) who truly hate Catholicism and the Catholic Church.

Probably just a slight misunderstanding

 

[Dark_Lite]

Why is there a seemingly perpetual stigma towards the Catholic Church?
Probably just a slight misunderstanding

Most anti-Catholics don't actually know what the Catholic Church teaches. Or, they do "know" in the sense they've been told what the Church teaches, but they ignore it and continue claiming something else anyway. Most bigotry is based on ignorance. Some are rational enough to overcome bigotry when presented with facts. Many are not. Some people slide further into bigotry when challenged on it.

With some of the idiocy that anti-Catholics come up with, I wouldn't call it a "slight misunderstanding." More like a very massive understanding.

 

[Luther073082]

Most anti-Catholics don't actually know what the Catholic Church teaches. Or, they do "know" in the sense they've been told what the Church teaches, but they ignore it and continue claiming something else anyway. Most bigotry is based on ignorance. Some are rational enough to overcome bigotry when presented with facts. Many are not. Some people slide further into bigotry when challenged on it.

With some of the idiocy that anti-Catholics come up with, I wouldn't call it a "slight misunderstanding." More like a very massive understanding.

Want to add you are facing a stigma on 2 levels.

One is a lot of popular protestant stigma that is often rather ignorant. I admit I'm not used to seeing this in real life, but I live in a area that is very Roman Catholic (in terms of the faith tradition people identify most with.)

I think the other that you have to be aware of though is just the regular stigma against Christians who take moral stances on anything. And you have to remember that isn't so much because you are Roman Catholic but mostly because you took a moral stance.

People hate it when you take a moral stance that something they do, did, or enjoy doing is wrong.

Its one of those things that I just think. . . you know if people are critical of you or your faith. . . its only because you had a backbone and took an open stance on something that is controversial. The only way to avoid people being critical of you is to not take a firm stand on anything controversial.

 

[ChristianLayman]

I typically try to be ecumenical with these people, try to figure out what their level of knowledge is and then encourage them to read early Christian history.

However, when some blowhard nut starts ranting and raving, never mind hurling insults at our mother, the Church, I have no qualms about making an example of them in the public eye, if nothing else other than to embarrass them into keeping their mouths shut and their stupidity to themselves. After all, these are generally the kinds of people that are shouting from their street corners to convert or be damned despite getting schooled in basic history and philosophy. Sadly, this among other reasons I suspect, are why atheists think ALL Christians are nuts.

 

[602CathConvert]

I've noticed that there are many anti-Catholic protestants out there (I know not all protestants are anti-Catholic, but some are) who truly hate Catholicism and the Catholic Church.

Typical arguments I see from AC Protestants are:

"Catholics aren't Christian"
Christ came to establish a Church, that church was spread by the apostles, and later the church fathers, and still maintains in Traditions that were established by Christ for his Church. It is a Church, not a movement. Churches have physical aspects, movements can be purely intellectual. *Note all the Capitalized words.*

"Catholics worship Mary by praying to her"
Catholics worship God only. Period. We venerate Mary, the Saints, Holy Places, etc because they represent God's work on/in/through the physical world. To deny God's presence and works through the Saints and in Holy Places is to deny the very Incarnation.

"Catholics worship the pope"

As the Pope being the physical leader of our Church, who is under the guidance of The Holy Spirit deserves our Veneration, not worship. God, in the person of the Holy Spirit works through the Pope, and is yet another physical work of God on earth.

"Catholics worship the sign of the cross and not Jesus"
Did they mean the Crucifix with the physical body of Christ on the cross, as opposed to the bare cross found in most Protestant churches.

"Catholicism is a pagan religion"
Our Lord Jesus Christ was a JEW! His Church carries over some of the same Traditions that the Jewish people had, and some of those practices are similar to the ones that other pagan religions may have had.

"Catholics believe in salvation through works"
Nope, Salvation in Catholicism isn't a One-and-done matter like in some revivalist circles (Once saved, always saved.) On the contrary, Salvation is the process in which we work with God to become more and more and more like Him. And processes always have a physical as well as mental and spiritual aspects. Truly we cannot ever become as Holy as He since we are finite and He is Infinite. Getting back on it, our salvation involves good work because faith without work is dead (James 2:14-29; Specifically 2:24)

"Catholics call priests and the pope 'father' because they worship him"
Again with God's work through man and in the physical world.
I cannot comment on the other questions since I haven't researched them. If I have misspoken, please some one correct me. I humbly ask that you do correct me if I am mistaken.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

I typically try to be ecumenical with these people, try to figure out what their level of knowledge is and then encourage them to read early Christian history.

However, when some blowhard nut starts ranting and raving, never mind hurling insults at our mother, the Church, I have no qualms about making an example of them in the public eye, if nothing else other than to embarrass them into keeping their mouths shut and their stupidity to themselves. After all, these are generally the kinds of people that are shouting from their street corners to convert or be damned despite getting schooled in basic history and philosophy. Sadly, this among other reasons I suspect, are why atheists think ALL Christians are nuts.

Are you talking about other Christians other than RCs?
Guess you won't be visiting the GT board anytime soon.


.

 

[fireof god98]

John 15:18-25=If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason. 2 Timothy 4:3-For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. the truth hurts. god bless

 

[outsidethecamp]

What truly baffles me is how much bad a lot of people have to speak of mother church and our good pope. How can anyone accuse Catholicism of being evil or of the devil when they don't truly know anything about it?

What amazes me is how quick people are to condemn us when people like Martin Luther have been known to throw out scriptural books that do not agree with their teachings.

Interesting. What was the "Mother Church", in the NT, First Century?"

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

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