ITT We Discuss Theology

IrishLake · #1 10-01-2010, 12:40 AM

Well here's a question I have, coming form a Catholic's standpoint.

Several times recently, and less frequently in my younger years, some non-Catholic Christians have essentially told me that Catholics are not real Christians. A lot of other Catholics I know have said they've encountered the same thing. Why do some other Christians think that? I remember being a freshman in college, and a girl I became friends with down the hall grew up in the Baptist faith, and she would come to my room and I would do her eyebrows for her, and she'd always ask me stuff like "Why do you pray to saints? Why do they matter? Why do ya'll love Mary so much? Why do you go to confession?" And I'd answer her to the best of my ability (13 years of Catholic school prepped me for these visits!), but at the end of our conversations, she'd still say "Well, ya'll still aren't "real" Christians." What the hell does that MEAN?!?!

The most memorable one in recent memory was I went to a local Christian bookstore by my house this past spring, hoping to find a gift for my God-daughter's First Holy Communion. I wandered around for a while, not seeing what I was looking for, so I asked the girls at the checkout counter. Never in my life have I felt like such dirt! The one girls response, complete with sneer on her face, was "Well, you're just gonna have to go to a 'Catholic' bookstore for stuff like that, we don't recognize all that stuff, so we don't carry anything to support it." I'm standing there thinking... wtf? All I could say was "Ok, thanks." and I walked out.

Oh, and I found a perfect childs book of saints at a Catholic bookstore.

Alumiyum · #2 10-01-2010, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrishLake

Well here's a question I have, coming form a Catholic's standpoint.

Several times recently, and less frequently in my younger years, some non-Catholic Christians have essentially told me that Catholics are not real Christians. A lot of other Catholics I know have said they've encountered the same thing. Why do some other Christians think that? I remember being a freshman in college, and a girl I became friends with down the hall grew up in the Baptist faith, and she would come to my room and I would do her eyebrows for her, and she'd always ask me stuff like "Why do you pray to saints? Why do they matter? Why do ya'll love Mary so much? Why do you go to confession?" And I'd answer her to the best of my ability (13 years of Catholic school prepped me for these visits!), but at the end of our conversations, she'd still say "Well, ya'll still aren't "real" Christians." What the hell does that MEAN?!?!

The most memorable one in recent memory was I went to a local Christian bookstore by my house this past spring, hoping to find a gift for my God-daughter's First Holy Communion. I wandered around for a while, not seeing what I was looking for, so I asked the girls at the checkout counter. Never in my life have I felt like such dirt! The one girls response, complete with sneer on her face, was "Well, you're just gonna have to go to a 'Catholic' bookstore for stuff like that, we don't recognize all that stuff, so we don't carry anything to support it." I'm standing there thinking... wtf? All I could say was "Ok, thanks." and I walked out.

Oh, and I found a perfect childs book of saints at a Catholic bookstore.

That's not a very Christian way for her to act.

MysticCat · #3 10-01-2010, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Hmmmm.....I always thought that Catholics were the "original" Christians.

The Eastern Orthodox would argue with you on that one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrishLake

Well here's a question I have, coming form a Catholic's standpoint.

Several times recently, and less frequently in my younger years, some non-Catholic Christians have essentially told me that Catholics are not real Christians. A lot of other Catholics I know have said they've encountered the same thing. Why do some other Christians think that?

Those "Christians" are misinformed and ignorant.

This, and historical prejudices and anymosities. And it can work both ways. I've heard the same thing from some Catholics -- that non-Catholics are not real Christians. Meanwhile, I've had some Baptists assure me that I'm not really baptized, as I was baptized as an infant. And so it goes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

They usually get their information regarding Catholicism from their Protestant minister or even better, Dan Brown.

Just to be clear, there are lots of Protestant ministers out there that don't perpetuate steroetypes or mis-information about Catholicism. It's a certain subset of Protestantism where this is found.

And oy, Dan Brown.