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"Bashing" Roman Catholics? (Q&A from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church)
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church ^

Posted on 09/12/2008 3:04:43 AM PDT by Gamecock

Is there a specific reason as to why we seem to look down upon Roman Catholics more than other religions? They are Christians after all. A lot of my friends are Catholic and they seem like nice people. We even share many of the same beliefs. So why do we "bash" them?

Answer:

Thank you for your question. There are several presuppositions in your question that need to be teased out as a part of my answer. You write, "we seem to look down upon Roman Catholics more than other religions." And there are other usages of we: "we even share many of the same beliefs". "So why do we 'bash' them?" Are all the usages of 'we' referring to the same group? Who is the "we": all Protestants, Presbyterians, the OPC, some in the OPC?

Do you mean by "look down" that we differ sharply with Roman Catholics and regard their doctrine as deficient? If so, we do, and we hold that position confessionally. In this regard, let me take the liberty to append a fairly lengthy review that I have written of Mark Noll's and Carol Nystrom's book, Is the Reformation Over? The short answer is "No, there was a reformation for a good reason and that reason continues": Rome fails to understand properly the depth of man's sin and need and thus the necessity for a wholly gracious salvation. Our differences are addressed in a number of places in the Bible and in the Westminster Standards. Please take a look at the OPC's confessional standrds (especially the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 25, for a proper definition of the church).

If by "look down" you mean deride, belittle, or mock, any who do such are wrong. Our Roman Catholic friends are in serious error and we deeply differ from them. I do not dispute that they may be quite nice and that some of them may truly trust Christ. But with regard to Roman Catholics being true Christians, those who are true Christians in that communion are such in spite of the serious errors about salvation taught in the Roman Catholic Church.

We should not "bash" the Roman Catholic Church but call her to repentance for her errors. I hope that you do not see the expression of sharp differences in and of itself as indicative of a lack of love. In truth, we as Protestants do understand the Christian faith rather differently from those in the Roman Catholic Church. We need to speak the truth to our Roman Catholic friends and do it in love.


TOPICS: General Discusssion
KEYWORDS: opc
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1 posted on 09/12/2008 3:04:44 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; HarleyD; Quix; xzins; Forest Keeper; enat; Marysecretary

I move that we continue to speak the truth, even when we are accused of “Catholic Bashing.”


2 posted on 09/12/2008 3:11:20 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Gamecock

dear Presbyterians,

Pray for your own souls and repent for you own ‘errors’.

We RC’s are secure in our own beliefs so don’t try to change us.

Thanks in advance.

As Always,

A Roman Catholic.


3 posted on 09/12/2008 3:12:38 AM PDT by Vaquero (" an armed society is a polite society" Heinlein "MOLON LABE!" Leonidas of Sparta)
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To: Vaquero

***We RC’s are secure in our own beliefs so don’t try to change us.***

Which explains all of the former RCs on FR who are now Presbyterians.

Have a nice day.


4 posted on 09/12/2008 3:14:55 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Gamecock
Which explains all of the former RCs on FR who are now Presbyterians.

Dream on....

... and if your going to make blanket statements like that at least try to present a graff of former FR Catholics converted to Presbyterian and vice versa. You statement is useless without it.

and have a great day yourself.

5 posted on 09/12/2008 3:32:50 AM PDT by Vaquero (" an armed society is a polite society" Heinlein "MOLON LABE!" Leonidas of Sparta)
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To: Gamecock; All

FIRST SMILE TODAY!

http://www.freerepublic.com/~alpha82502/

5 SOLAS AND 66 POINTS!


6 posted on 09/12/2008 3:34:14 AM PDT by alpha-8-25-02 ("SAVED BY GRACE AND GRACE ALONE")
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To: Vaquero; alpha-8-25-02

It’s been discussed elsewhere, just in the last couple of weeks actually.

But since you brought it up, one of them just popped up on this thread.

Hey Alpha, weren’t you a Catholic?


7 posted on 09/12/2008 3:37:18 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Vaquero

I’m with you, Vaquero - the incredible depth of Roman Catholicism is beyond words .. somethings cannot be explained to teenagers!


8 posted on 09/12/2008 3:41:00 AM PDT by Ken522
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To: Gamecock

please...not a acceptable trend. Get a life and let others live theirs.


9 posted on 09/12/2008 3:43:11 AM PDT by Vaquero (" an armed society is a polite society" Heinlein "MOLON LABE!" Leonidas of Sparta)
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To: Vaquero
please...not a acceptable trend.

What trend is that? Get a life

Got one. Very happily married, great kids. Travel a lot.

let others live theirs.

I not only do that, but am part of an organization that makes it possible for people to do just that. Besides, it's not like I picket your parish or burst in an scream at participants.
I post on FR. If you don't like my threads, you certainly don't have to read them,

10 posted on 09/12/2008 3:51:03 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Gamecock

absolutely waste FR of space during this tough election season.

Enjoy, but I will not waste anymore bandwidth on you.

goodbye


11 posted on 09/12/2008 3:54:14 AM PDT by Vaquero (" an armed society is a polite society" Heinlein "MOLON LABE!" Leonidas of Sparta)
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To: Vaquero
Hqave you ever read the FR Religion Forum Rules,

This is an open thread, as such:

(From the RM's FR page)
Open threads are a town square. Antagonism though not encouraged, should be expected

Posters may argue for or against beliefs of any kind. They may tear down other’s beliefs. They may ridicule.

On all threads, but particularly “open” threads, posters must never “make it personal.” Reading minds and attributing motives are forms of “making it personal.” Making a thread “about” another Freeper is “making it personal.”

When in doubt, review your use of the pronoun “you” before hitting “enter.”

Like the Smoky Backroom, the conversation may be offensive to some.

Thin-skinned posters will be booted from “open” threads because in the town square, they are the disrupters.


12 posted on 09/12/2008 3:54:21 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Gamecock

You just don’t learn, do you Gamecock. The very fact of this thread is Catholic bashing! Your screenname is Catholic bashing!!!

Please, please, won’t somebody save us poor oppressed bashees from those terrible bashing bashers in the Orthodox Presbyterian basher club!!?!?!

AAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!! I feel bashed!!!

;)


13 posted on 09/12/2008 4:00:25 AM PDT by Claud
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To: Gamecock; Vaquero; All

GOOD MORNING,
HISTORY AT LINK!
FLESHLY BORN CATHOLIC,THEN REFORMED BAPIST,KNOW RPC.
MY PASTOR THE SAME.
MAN-CENTERED WORSHIP VS. GOD CENTERED!

5 SOLAS!


14 posted on 09/12/2008 4:01:41 AM PDT by alpha-8-25-02 ("SAVED BY GRACE AND GRACE ALONE")
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To: Gamecock
I move that we continue to speak the truth, even when we are accused of “Catholic Bashing.”

I'd amend the motion, thus:

I move that we continue to speak what in our considered and prayerful opinion is the truth, even when we are accused of Catholic Bashing." However, taking seriously [as this article states] "the depth of man's sin" we pray for the grace to avoid gratuitous "bashing" of any group and, without compromising the forthright exposition and defense of out beliefs, we exercise vigilance to avoid such "bashing".

15 posted on 09/12/2008 4:08:24 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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To: alpha-8-25-02; Vaquero
Vaquero in 5:...at least try to present a graff of former FR Catholics converted to Presbyterian...

alpha-8-25-02 in 14: FLESHLY BORN CATHOLIC,THEN REFORMED BAPIST,KNOW RPC

Not sure what a "graff" is, but I found one RC->Prebyterian switch on this very thread. How many more are required to make a "graff?"

16 posted on 09/12/2008 4:08:37 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Mad Dawg

Oh come on, when is the last time I accused a catholic of being a Pagan? Weeks, if not months!


17 posted on 09/12/2008 4:09:48 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Gamecock

graph...


18 posted on 09/12/2008 4:13:24 AM PDT by Vaquero (" an armed society is a polite society" Heinlein "MOLON LABE!" Leonidas of Sparta)
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To: Vaquero

Oh...

So what would be a satisfactory “n”? of RC -> Presbyterian converts to make my point?


19 posted on 09/12/2008 4:16:59 AM PDT by Gamecock
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To: Gamecock
[slaps head] WHAT was I THINKING!

Excuse me, I have to go out now and worship the sunrise.

:-) Have a good day, dude!

20 posted on 09/12/2008 4:18:40 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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