Your Worst Anti-Catholic Experience

[Ave Maria]

What are some anti-Catholicism experiences you have had? What do you do to avoid these attacks or to counter them?

 

[Annabel Lee]

Too many to keep track of. Though I should add, it's all been online.
In real life, people are basically decent.

I think the anonymity of the internet can cause people to drop pretenses and show their true colors.

 

[CeeBee]

Man, there's been so many.

From my mom, brother, father, Baptist pastor where family goes to church(including me being forced to go), granny (former Catholic, Pentecostal now), websites, including this one.
I try to do apologetics, but they seem to ignore me, they "just know it cant be true and don't wanna waste time"

 

[Freedom&Light]

My stepfather, who believes that the Pope (some future one) will be the antiChrist.

My mom has a severe aversion to anything that smacks of Tradition, and honestly believes that Catholics do not read their Bible. Period.

 

[Ave Maria]

Too many to keep track of. Though I should add, it's all been online.
In real life, people are basically decent.

I think the anonymity of the internet can cause people to drop pretenses and show their true colors.

There is a Fundamentalist Baptist church around here that uses the whole "harlot of Babylon" stuff. I have also heard the "Catholics worship mary" thing a ton of times. Both instances in real life.

 

[CeeBee]

Oh yeah I forgot also from two of my closest friends. (Baptist) neither who are religious...

 

[Ave Maria]

Let us remember:

[BIBLE]Matthew 5:43-45[/BIBLE]

 

[Ave Maria]

Oh yeah I forgot also from two of my closest friends. (Baptist) neither who are religious...

Do they spew anti-Catholicism vitriol? Let's just remember to love our enemies.

 

[Annabel Lee]

There is a Fundamentalist Baptist church around here that uses the whole "harlot of Babylon" stuff. I have also heard the "Catholics worship mary" thing a ton of times. Both instances in real life.

Oh I believe you. I've heard horror stories from a lot of Catholics.

Maybe it has something to do with living in southern Cal. Everyone is basically accepting in the neighborhood I live in.
Within a one mile radius, we have a Catholic Church, Church of Latter Day Saints, an assortment of protestant churches and a Islamic Center.

No problems.

 

[Ave Maria]

Oh I believe you. I've heard horror stories from a lot of Catholics.

Maybe it has something to do with living in southern Cal. Everyone is basically accepting in the neighborhood I live in.
Within a one mile radius, we have a Catholic Church, Church of Latter Day Saints, an assortment of protestant churches and a Islamic Center.

No problems.

Oh wow. That's a pretty diverse area. I live in Indiana and there is a lot of Baptists and Fundamentalists in this area. In my town, there is only one tiny Catholic parish. I go to another town that has somewhere around 1,000 parishioners/families.

 

[onesheep]

Oh I believe you. I've heard horror stories from a lot of Catholics.

Maybe it has something to do with living in southern Cal. Everyone is basically accepting in the neighborhood I live in.
Within a one mile radius, we have a Catholic Church, Church of Latter Day Saints, an assortment of protestant churches and a Islamic Center.

No problems.

Really? I live in Southern Cal and I hear the same anti-Catholic tripe as online. Not as much or as vitrolic but I do hear it. I also have a B'hai center as well as just about any type of religious group around me.

 

[AMDG]

What are some anti-Catholicism experiences you have had?

I'd say that most are simply unintentional reiterations of someone else. Completely unintentional. Like asking a decent question but ending it with something like "I know you Catholics worship the Pope" or "I already know what Christians believe, now I'm asking you RCC." That one is guaranteed to be like fingernails rasping against a chalkboard to me. However, I can actually handle those anti-Catholic remarks because they aren't intentional, but not so some of the other nasty "on-purpose" ones. I've actually been lectured by someone because they claim that we Catholics "worship Mary" and so are "idolators" or that we Catholics do weird things and have "canned prayers". (Yes, this was in person. Was so angry I could barely catch my breath--simply refused to even talk with one person anymore.) And the anti-Catholicism in regular society just bothers me altogether. You know how the media bends over backwards to not offend others, but it's "open season" on Catholics--jokes are made at Catholic expense, television shows feature Catholics in the worst light, and more--even ebay sees nothing wrong in auctioning off a Consecrated Host.

 

[BillH]

It's pretty rare that people will be venemously anti-Catholic to my face -- there's a lot to be said for various standards of politeness.

The worst was during the West Coast Walk for Life a couple of months back. Some of the counter-demonstrators were just absolutely viscious -- asking about how often I engaged in certain obscene acts with my priest, talking about how I supported the rape of innocent children, how I wanted to oppress women, etc. I just handled it at the time by holding my head high and kept on walking. There's no point in feeding such behavior.

More often, I come across simple ignorance about what the church actually teaches. There's a wonderful quote from Bishop J. Fulton Sheen that I believe went, "There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church—which is, of course, quite a different thing."

In both cases, it's best to assess how willing people are to genuinely listen to counterarguments. If they seem so, they explain why they are wrong as charitably as possible. If not, just move on. In all cases, pray that the person in question might be converted.

 

[Ave Maria]

I'd say that most are simply unintentional reiterations of someone else. Completely unintentional. Like asking a decent question but ending it with something like "I know you Catholics worship the Pope" or "I already know what Christians believe, now I'm asking you RCC." That one is guaranteed to be like fingernails rasping against a chalkboard to me. However, I can actually handle those anti-Catholic remarks because they aren't intentional, but not so some of the other nasty "on-purpose" ones. I've actually been lectured by someone because they claim that we Catholics "worship Mary" and so are "idolators" or that we Catholics do weird things and have "canned prayers". (Yes, this was in person. Was so angry I could barely catch my breath--simply refused to even talk with one person anymore.) And the anti-Catholicism in regular society just bothers me altogether. You know how the media bends over backwards to not offend others, but it's "open season" on Catholics--jokes are made at Catholic expense, television shows feature Catholics in the worst light, and more--even ebay sees nothing wrong in auctioning off a Consecrated Host.

Yeah it's incredibly sad and I'm telling you, Jesus prophesied this!

[BIBLE]John 15:18[/BIBLE]

It's odd that Catholics, of all Christians, receive the most persecution isn't it?

I even endured anti-Catholic comments from my landlord. I was up studying a book about Catholicism all night and that morning I had to sign some papers for her. I think it was my lease. Anyway, I said I had been up all night and she asked me why. I told her I was studying a book about Catholicism because I was going to convert. She then proceeded to say that Catholicism is a "pagan" religion and I think she said that we worship Mary too. I was very mad about this but I just simply calmly said that I disagree and that I didn't want to argue about it cause she wouldn't give it up. I was sickened. I almost wonder if that isn't some form of discrimination. The housing I live in is HUD funded and so she CANNOT discriminate based on religion! Almost makes me want to turn her in but I have forgiven her.

 

[Forever trying]

I've had it. Even heard it on these forums from non-Catholics, when Pope John Paul II died. I've even had some lady at work making half smart comments about the Catholic Church and Catholics in general. Including about the Pope when he died (she's Presbyterian).

For some reason alot of other christians just hate us I guess. Viewing that we think ourselves superior or some garbage like that.

I have to say, I don't like what it's doing to me. I didn't ever think badly about other christian denominations, but after some of the comments I've heard in real life and online (including here), I think I am starting to look down on a lot of these other christian churches.

That's an awful thing for me to say and feel, I know. But my blood just boils when, for no justified reason, I'm hearing people dragging the Catholic Church through the mud. To make it worse, it's not the non-Christians (ie muslims and jews) doing it, but other christian faiths. It just seems that many have their own private war against the Catholic Church.

 

[Ave Maria]

It's pretty rare that people will be venemously anti-Catholic to my face -- there's a lot to be said for various standards of politeness.

The worst was during the West Coast Walk for Life a couple of months back. Some of the counter-demonstrators were just absolutely viscious -- talking about how I supported the rape of innocent children, how I wanted to oppress women, etc. I just handled it at the time by holding my head high and kept on walking. There's no point in feeding such behavior.

More often, I come across simple ignorance about what the church actually teaches. There's a wonderful quote from Bishop J. Fulton Sheen that I believe went, "There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church—which is, of course, quite a different thing."

In both cases, it's best to assess how willing people are to genuinely listen to counterarguments. If they seem so, they explain why they are wrong as charitably as possible. If not, just move on. In all cases, pray that the person in question might be converted.

Wow! The audacity! That is so sad. Best thing to do is waht you did. Just forgive them and keep on walking. Remember to love your enemies.

 

[cool2bCatholic]

A girl in one of my classes said that she was "sick of the Catholic Church" and so I asked why and she said because the new Pope was a Nazi...so I tried to explain to her the difference between being forced into a Hitler Youth program and actually supporting the slaughter of innocent lives, but she said she "didn't want to hear it" and walked away. So I just prayed for her, what else can I do?
If you really think about it, the only reason people are anti-Catholic is because they are misinformed, cuz if they truly understood everything then they'd be Catholic! So we just need to pray that God will open their hearts and give them an opportunity to learn about His beautiful Church!

May the Lord bless and keep you!
Angela

 

[Ave Maria]

A girl in one of my classes said that she was "sick of the Catholic Church" and so I asked why and she said because the new Pope was a Nazi...so I tried to explain to her the difference between being forced into a Hitler Youth program and actually supporting the slaughter of innocent lives, but she said she "didn't want to hear it" and walked away. So I just prayed for her, what else can I do?
If you really think about it, the only reason people are anti-Catholic is because they are misinformed, cuz if they truly understood everything then they'd be Catholic! So we just need to pray that God will open their hearts and give them an opportunity to learn about His beautiful Church!

May the Lord bless and keep you!
Angela

Lord, help us!

 

[RedTulipMom]

The only anti-Catholic comments i hear are online or from real life CAtholics..lol. Heres what i hear from real life Catholics alot "i think that the whole NO birth control thing is a bunch of garbage!" or "The Catholic church is always asking for money." or "when are they just gonna let Priest get married, the church needs to get into this century"

 

[sin_vladimirov]

I was anti-roman catholic for a long, long time.
I am sorry.