Posted on 02/22/2010 10:21:17 AM PST by Between the Lines
Question: "Catholic vs. Protestant - why is there so much animosity?"
Answer: This is a simple question with a complicated answer, because there are varying degrees of, and reasons for, animosity between any two religious groups. This particular battle is rooted in history. Degrees of reaction have ranged from friendly disagreement (as reflected in the numerous ecumenical dialogues produced between the two groups), to outright persecution and murder of Protestants at the hands of Rome. Reformation teachings that identify the Pope as the Beast of Revelation and / or Roman Catholicism as Mystery Babylon are still common among Protestants. Clearly, anyone with this view is not going to “warm up” to Rome any time soon.
For the most part, today at least, most of the animosity comes from basic human nature when dealing with fundamental disagreement over eternal truths. Passions are sure to ignite in the more weighty matters of life, and one's faith is (or at least should be) at the top of the heap. Many Protestants think Roman Catholics teach a works-gospel that cannot save, while Roman Catholics think Protestants teach easy-believism that requires nothing more than an emotional outburst brought on by manipulative preaching. Protestants blame Catholics for worshipping Mary and Catholics think Protestants are apparently too dull to understand the distinctions Rome has made in this regard. These caricatures are often difficult to overcome.
Behind the particular disagreements over the role of faith and works, the sacraments, the canon of Scripture, the role of the priesthood, prayers to saints, and all the issues surrounding Mary and the Pope, etc., lies the biggest rift between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism: the issue of authority. How one answers the authority question will generally solve all the others. When it comes down to deciding a theological issue about defined Catholic dogma, there isn’t really much to discuss on the Catholic's side because once Rome speaks, it is settled. This is a problem when trying to debate a Roman Catholic - reason and Scripture are not the Catholic’s final authority, they can always retreat into the “safe zone” of Roman Catholic authority.
Thus, many of the arguments between a Protestant and a Catholic will revolve around one's “private interpretation” of Scripture as against the "official teachings of the Roman Catholic Church." Catholics claim to successfully avoid the legitimate problems of private interpretation by their reliance on their tradition. But this merely pushes the question back a step. The truth is that both Roman Catholics and Protestants must, in the end, rely upon their reasoning abilities (to choose their authority) and their interpretive skills (to understand what that authority teaches) in order to determine what they will believe. Protestants are simply more willing to admit that this is the case.
Both sides can also be fiercely loyal to their family's faith or the church they grew up in without much thought to doctrinal arguments. Obviously there are a lot of possible reasons, and while we should not divide over secondary issues, both sides agree that we must divide when it comes to primary issues. Beyond that, we can agree to disagree and worship where we find ourselves most in agreement. When it comes to Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, the differences are just too great to ignore. However, that does not give license for caricatures or ignorant judgments - both sides need to be honest in their assessments and try not go beyond what God has revealed.
WORTHY POINTS, imho.
HOGWASH—IN TERMS OF THE PROTTYS.
i.e. we have no need to !!!!CONTROL!!!! Roman Catholics et al
We also insist on not being !!!!CONTROLLED!!!! by the Vatican or the Pope. All the more so as we see him and his pronouncements move more and more in support of the satanic global tyrannical government predicted in Scripture.
INDEED.
WELL PUT.
There’s plenty of poor teaching on all sides.
PLENTY TRUE.
However, when it comes to support of Anti-Christ and the global government etc.
that’s a line I won’t cross.
QUIX!
C’est Moi
I just got carried away with the all caps
Cute...
Now, now!
That’s heresy!
One can NEVER get carried away with all CAPS.
. . . wellll . . . almost never. LOL.
Nice article. “Reformation teachings that identify the Pope as the Beast of Revelation and / or Roman Catholicism as Mystery Babylon are still common among Protestants. Clearly, anyone with this view is not going to “warm up” to Rome any time soon. “ —> is very true. A lot of Protestants I see think of Catholicism as being what they were taught it to be and are pleasantly surprised when they find it isn’t!
just having fun - I like to laugh in the morning before the world gets its claws in me
-All the best
Consarned Zoroastrians! They mess up everything!
Oh, I think some have quite enough animosity for all of us to share — and there would be at least 12 baskets of fragments left over.
Here’s how to nurture and strengthen animosity. Let most of your (not you personally, generic ‘you’) learning about the other side be dominated by books and people who hate the other side. That way you can be almost certain that you will not understand the other side, and the fears and concerns which we all have about the unfamiliar will be readily converted into contempt.
It also helps if you have a theology which stokes the illusion that it is okay to hate people because, after all, God hates people, so that once you ‘know’ whom God hates, you can be as venomous as you please while telling yourself you are righteous.
And, as I saw among some co-religionists yesterday, it is also good to be so ready to rebut the other side that you never hear what they are saying.
Hatred and contempt are addictive. Like most addictive things, they help us avoid confronting those aspects of our lives and selves which need confronting if we want to grow in love.
LOL.
Except for ZORO, of course.
[joke]
Thx.
Likewise.
GOOD POINTS.
A worthless and silly book, unless you're a Catholic looking for a laugh.
which is found free online
Which is more than what it's worth.
Uh...(modestly and tastefully adjusting rosary)...OK! Reporting for Duty, Sir!
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