Let's see . . . I've seen Catholics refer to "fundies" (including you yourself), "snake-handlers," "Bible-thumpers," "Bible-bangers," "Bible-toters," and "brain dead bibliolators." I have never seen Protestants refer to Catholics as mackerel snappers" or "bead fumblers," though I have seen a few references to "Papists" and "Romanists."
Catholics may not engage in dialogue about doctrines, but they rule when it comes to ethno-cultural slurs.
It seems from this post and all the replies that Francis has indeed turned something upside down, much as John XXIII did.
I’m sure his goal is to save souls. He is simply starting from a different point. It seems to me that he truly believes in natural law, and that if you appeal to it in anyone, that person will respond—even if he is an atheist.
If you start arguing, or judging, you are off on the wrong foot.
Basically, he is saying our approach to the nonbeliever should be “Namas te,” “I see the God within you.” If this resonates, the hearer then has two choices: to respond to what he feels or knows is the true God within him, or to use the words as an excuse to do whatever he wants.
Those who make the first choice have been reached in a way that all the arguing in the world cannot accomplish.
We all have God within us. The job is to get through all the weeds and distractions to find it, in ourselves and possibly, with the grace of God, in others.
Zionist Conspirator:
I have used the term Fundie you are correct and Bible Thumpers as well. I will fully disclose that I have used those terms, but!, and that is the point, only in the context of a thread started by said Protestant fundies that set out to distort and misrepresent what Catholicism teaches, which is clearly laid out in the Catechism of the Catholic CHurch. It is not like the Catholic CHurch hides its Doctrine at the Institutional level. So the substance of my post remains, I have, as I said in the previous post never started a thread that attempts to explain any of the various competing Protestant groups teachings at the “Confessional or Institutional level”, i.e. I don’t try to represent what Reformed-Protestantism teaches, the Southern Baptist Convetion teaches, the United Methodist, the Pentecostals, in all their various stripes, etc, etc, etc.
So again, when I have used the term Fundie or bible-thumper, is has only been in the context of a thread started by said protestants refered to above and not, as I have stated in my previous post, and in this post, a thread started out by me that attempts to represent said Protestant groups and then after individual protestants come in and reply in a thread, I respond with fundie/bible thumper.
And for the record, Fundie does have any ethnic connotations nor does bible-thumper. Romanist, on the other hand, clearly has ethnic implications given that Rome is a city in Italy. Papist, I would concede, has no ethnic implications given that the last 3 popes are all of different ethnic background, Polish, Bavarian-German, and and Argentinian from Italian ancesty.
“Catholics may not engage in dialogue about doctrines ...
ethno-cultural slurs...”
I have never seen one example of a Catholic on this forum engage in name calling and I have seen plenty of engagement on doctrine. Catholics are usually referred to derisively as “you guys”.