This past Sunday when I got to my truck after Mass with my family someone had put a flyer on several cars in the parking lot.  These flyers were from the Tony Alamo Ministries New Jerusalem.  Today out of curiosity I visited their website as the flyer seemed harmless.

http://www.alamoministries.com/

After briefly looking at this site a question comes to my mind, "Why is it that so many people choose to hate the Catholic Church?"  Even as a child when I was being taught to hate the Catholic Church (I'm a converted Southern Baptist) I could never fully understand the reasons.  But I was a "good son" and followed along.  But today I still don't understand.  It really makes no sense to me.

Beware this site will make you sick.

Tarheel

Understand the Satan part.  I won't say all protestants are satanic.  But it still makes me wonder why at times.

Tarheel (Dave)

I, too was Southern Baptist.  I wasn't taught to "hate Catholics" but they were certainly suspect.  I think part of it is cultural.  As a non-liturgical church, Southern Baptists find "ritual" to be suspect [not recognizing they have their own, I might add!].  My coming into the Catholic Church was a long, arduous process, partly because I had to rethink a lot of things. 

As I said, part of it is cultural.  The traditions are so different, and, I believe, both are valid.  I am grateful for my heritage, and still have many precious Southern Baptist people in my life who are vital Christians.  I am Catholic, not because the Catholic Church is "better"--though I believe it is.  I am Catholic because it's where God led ME.  I am a witness to my Catholic faith, certainly, but full conversion is God's business.

Most of the misunderstanding stems from the fact that things are so different when you are part of them, as opposed to looking at something from the outside.  You can't convince someone else [very easily] of the value of contemplative prayer or Bible reading.  It's something we come to value experientially.  From the inside.  An onlooker might suppose they're both a waste of time!

Certainly, the enemy is opposed to the Church.  And when God's people wake up and experience true conversion and renewal and begin to impact the culture of death, the enemy comes out full force against them.

The Catholic Church is hated by most Protestants because the Church proclaims She is the only true Christian church to the exclusion of all others.  We say the Protestant churches are imperfectly Christian and not true churches and that the Catholic Church is the repository of the Christian faith on this planet.  I can't imagine them embracing that doctrine, so it's only natural they would hate anyone who *seems* to denigrate their very existence.

 Of course the Church merely proclaims the truth and it's interpreted as an insult.  In my experience, deliberately.

DebR and Tarheel, you are Catholics because, as you say, God led you to the Church.  However, you first had to be open to the truth and willing to be led.  Most Protestants are not open to the truth, which is on the 2000 year old record.  I pray daily their hearts and minds will clear up and they will really seek the truth instead of averting their eyes to it.

I have had some very bad personal experiences with protestants since I converted.  Many in my own family.

Tarheel (Dave)

DebR and Tarheel

Thank you for your wonderful posts.

Is the  Church Unity Octave celebrated widely in the US? This year it will be from 18 to 25 Jan.

Church Unity Octave:

The observance of which was extended by Pope Benedict XV to the Universal Church and enriched with indulgences, 25 February 1916, had its inception in 1908 under Reverend Paul J. Francis, when he was a "Pro-Roman" Anglican of tbe Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/ncd02035.htm.

God bless,


NoelFitz.
_________________________________________________
In necessariis, unitas; in dubiis, libertas; in omnibus, caritas.
_________________________________________________

It's not just Protestants that can be anti-Catholic. Look at what happened in rome this week. La Spiezza University disinvites the Pope because a very few "professors" say that a speech he made there many tears ago as Cardinal Ratzinger was anti- scientific. So much for the free exchange of ideas at a university. The exchange at this university and most of them in the US is you listen to our liberal catholic bashing dribble and you have no opportunity to reply.It is also interesting that the media covered the snub of the Pope fairly extensively, but yet today other than at Catholic websites, I see no mention of the fact that some 100,000 people came to St. Peter's Square in solidarity with the Holy Father. That, my friends is also indicative of the anti-Catholic bias in our media.

Thank God for our Holy Father. I pray that he continue to speak and hope that at least some of us listen.

I agree that the media hinges on being anti-catholic but, I would be more prone to describe them as Catholic ignorant. 

Do any of you ever get the impression that our wonderful Catholic faith and religion is the most mis-understood?

Tarheel (Dave)

Tarheel, The reason the Catholic church is so hated and Catholics also is because Jesus said, "If they hated me they will hate you also". The reason Jesus was hated was partially because the priests of Rome at the time of Christ were envious of [his] power and authority.

I have found a simple way to determine a friend of Christ: A person who adores him/herself is an enemy. A person who adores Christ is a friend.

 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

Actually, no, David, I don't see the trend you speak of.  Bobo (or Boko) spoke of members of the Church who do not study Scripture and are not guided by the Holy Spirit.  Couldn't be the Magisterium he's talking about.   Must be the mis-guided laity and clergy who teach and preach heresy.  

He didn't challenge any doctrine or dogma, but took to task those who do.  I, too, find some of the claims of Catholic clergy and laity 'astoundingly insane and not true dogma.'  If you want your accusation to stick, you need to be a little more specific.  There is no questioning of the authority of the Church I can see.  Could you point it out?

Peace

"Why is it that so many people choose to hate the Catholic Church?"  Even as a child when I was being taught to hate the Catholic Church (I'm a converted Southern Baptist) I could never fully understand the reasons.  But I was a "good son" and followed along.  But today I still don't understand.  It really makes no sense to me."

Sir, If you read the Bible (King James Version) the Word of God will tell you what makes sense. The Word of God will tell you to keep all of God's commandments and Jesus is The Word.

John ch. 1 v.1 :The Word of God, In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.   Genesis ch.1 verse 26- Let Us make man in our image. 

Catholic doctrine will take your soul to a burning pit of hell for all of eternity. There is NO purgatory. It's either heaven or hell.

Why do I say that? - Because No where in the Bible does it say to pray to Mary - Mary was an incubator - a women chosen to carry the son of God.

Ask yourself - Why would God send His only son to this world to save your soul from hell and then expect you to go to a mom for forgiveness.

That's what doesn't make sense! 

Jesus was beaten beyond recognition, his beard was ripped from his face, he was mocked and spit on. Mary didn't suffer any of that.

Wouldn't you rather go to someone that has - been there - done that - to get comfort for your troubles?  

 think about it

Thanks David for a response back to redeemed. 

 I suppose I should get into some dialogue here with redeemed about the comments made.  And perhaps tonight when I get home from work I may do just that.

But for now the only response or question I have is this. 

"If you ask someone to pray for you is that wrong?" 

"Is it all that different  than me asking Mary the Mother of Jesus to pray for me?"

Tarheel (Dave)

Winslow,

You wrote, [Bobo (or Boko)] spoke of members of the Church who do not study Scripture and are not guided by the Holy Spirit.  Couldn't be the Magisterium he's talking about.  Must be the mis-guided laity and clergy who teach and preach heresy.  

I disagree with your interpretation.

Bobo{Boko} wrote this in another thread, " Pretty biased if you ask me.  How many mothers have sacrificed their lives for their families and have gone on unnoticed?  Many, countless.

This is just one example of the biased ways of the Vatican leadership.  

In another, Bobo{Boko} wrote, "Heresy is really a thing that goes against what the Christ teaches.  What Christ teaches?  Yes, the Church only repeats His Words, and if the Church adds to His Words and changes His words, than the Church has stepped into Heresy.  This is an example, because this did happen back in the day.  So, it behooves one to examine and be patient not to condemn something of it's members as St. Paul writes about in Corinthians.  That is to be well rounded.  The Holy Spirit is the one who guides, teaches, counsels, and so forth through those who are Faithful to God." {Here, in my opinion, he is not talking about the Magesterium} -emphasis mine-

and there is more{trend} from other threads over the last few months.

In Christ, 

There, now you have a couple of little Abe Lincolns from me...

Remember, the Sun is always shining!

Redeemed:

Consider yourself fully warned as a last warning.  You have not followed the "Forum Rules", namely:

While we welcome everyone who seeks a better understanding of the Catholic faith, or who would like to dialogue with Catholics about religious differences, we will not tolerate "Catholic-bashing" or gratuitously insulting posts about the Church, its beliefs, its practices, or its persons, including the pope, other Church ministers, and the Blessed Virgin.

This is a first and final warning.

I am leaving up the original post as there have been a few responses to it already. 

That being said, we have to warn you - as a poster on the Catholic Exchange forums - you are being prayed for.  And we hope you will continue to pray for us, too.