Top 10 Misconceptions About the Catholic Church

LISTVERSE ^ | 13 July 2009 | Jamie Frater

[Arthur McGowan]

I have taken ten of the most believed or written about misconceptions about Catholics or the Church and debunked them (with evidence wherever possible).

[Boogieman]

Yes, for every thread telling Catholics they should leave their church, there must be more than one hundred threads celebrating Protestants who convert to Catholicism.

[kvanbrunt2]

lets unit under this:

1. I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
4. Under Pontius Pilate, He was crucified, died, and was buried.
5. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.
6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
10. the forgiveness of sins,
11. the resurrection of the body,
12. and the life everlasting.
Amen.

[DesertRhino]

And the nutty thing is that no seriously taken leader of any sect, Roman Catholicism, Orthodoxy, or Protestants hold that the others are hell bound.

For example, I do not believe for a minute that Mary popped down into a cave outside of Mexico and told the Indians they should be catholic. No more than I believe Jesus did the north American tour as the Mormons say.

But though I do not believe it, I do believe those Mexican Indians belong to Christ. I cannot see why this topic generates such heat, and little light. None of the leaders advocate it except the nutty fringe.

[naturalman1975]

I’m a lifelong member of the Church of England who is heading towards Roman Catholicism.

I’ve considered myself a Christian for about the last quarter of a century. I’m not sure if I’ll ever find an organised denomination that matches for me - but Anglicanism did for a while, and Catholicism seems to now.

I hate seeing Christians arguing about who else is a Christian. Debating the details is another matter.

[Arthur McGowan]

I’m happy to know that you’re getting closer to the Catholic Church.

I’m a cradle Catholic, from a family that’s been Catholic since the 7th Century—I have been told.

Don’t let the current Pope scandalize you. (He scandalizes me!) Popes come and go.

[Loud Mime]

You can sense the people’s respect for the church by how the people dress for its meetings. At the local Catholic Church I see people attending Sunday services in shorts and T-Shirts, and the priest dressed in beautiful vestments shaking their hands as they leave.

If there were no confessionals or forgiveness, how many people would be in the church?

[Yosemitest]

Would you explain WHY they call their preacher "Father" in relationship with what Jesus said in Matthew 23:9 ?

Would you explain WHY Catholics "think to change times and laws" and WHY Catholics worship against Our Heavenly Fathers Commandmants of Keeping the Sabbath and worship on "The Day of the Sun" ? (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. XIV, p. 335)

Do you know the HISTORY of the Catholic Church, that it CAUSED many to be KILLED for KEEPING our Heavenly Father's Commandment of Keeping the Sabbaths?

Have you not read of The Council of Laodicea?
(Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1899 Edition, Vol. XXIII, page 654)
(Council of Laodicea, c. A.D. 337, Canon 29, quoted in C.J. Hefele, "A History of the Councils of the Church," Vol. 2, p. 316)

Do you not know what your church did to people they called "Heretic! You are anathema!”?

LITTLE FLOCK… OF HERETICS?

Jesus prophesied that His Church would be a “little flock” (Luke 12:32) that would undergo persecution.
“They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service” (John 16:2).
He also said,
“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…” (John 15:20).
This would continue right up to the time of His second coming.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9).

The Catholic Church LEADS PEOPLE INTO HELL !

WAKE UP and GET OUT OF THAT SATANIC CHURCH !

[CharleysPride]

“I believe that Catholics are Christian”

True that, Orthodox as well.
It’s any “religion” after 600 AD I have qualms about!

[Al Hitan]

Calling Iscool and Editor-surveyor.

[sauron]

We have a lot of Roman Catholics, Mormons, and Protestants (of which I was but recently one) on FreeRepublic. All well and fine.

But what about a minority view--one that we only rarely hear of on FR? I'll share it:

Who are we?

We're not Jewish, but we are Orthodox.

We're not Roman, but we are Catholic.

We're not Protestant, but the Bible came from us.

We're not Denominational, we're Pre-Denominational.

We are the Orthodox. We were Christian since the very beginning.

http://www.gettoknowtheoriginal.net/

[Biggirl]

The original mega church.

[Daffy]

The links and arguments offered do not support your end conclusion.

[swampfox101]

“I believe that Catholics are Christian, but I also believe that many of them labor under legalistic burdens. Of course, that isn’t unique to Catholics as any Christian can fall prey to that.”

Are God’s commandments legalistic...?

[Yosemitest]

Then correct those errors with LINKS and supporting FACTS, IF YOU CAN !
But I seriously doubt you can.

[Blue Collar Christian]

I won’t admit Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, or LMNOPists are Christians. I will admit that many Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, and LMNOPists are Christians.

Church pews have tons of non-believing members in them, and thank God, because the chances of them becoming Christians is greatly improved by them being there.

[defconw]

I understand where you are coming from. But I try to look at it as at, least they came. I mean Mass should be a "dress in your best" , but sometimes when life gets moving at warp speed it becomes, "come as you are".

I have had to go to Mass in work clothes before, because if I didn't I would not make it to Mass at all. Schedules do not always permit me to get dressed as I would like. Now I will tell you that no matter how hot it is, I do not wear shorts to Mass and generally not jeans, well not blue jeans anyway.

[Yosemitest]

"... but the Bible came from us."

Uh, you want a chance to restate... or correct that ?

[Boogieman]

I think part of it is that it’s easier to lure someone to your church if they are already Christian than it is to actually go out and evangelize non-Christians. So churches are cannibalizing each other as an easy way out.

[Salvation]

**And the nutty thing[s}**

Discourage Bible Reading
Idolatry
Non-Christians
Totally Infallible
Anti-Science
Indulgences
Emperor Constantine
Priestly Celibacy
Modified Bible
Medieval Papacy

[NKP_Vet]

“At the local Catholic Church I see people attending Sunday services in shorts and T-Shirts”

Due to protestantism that has creeped into the church, and also the following garbage, which is more protestant poison.

1. Greeting each other (shaking hands) before the start of Mass.

2. Shacking each other’s hands after the Our Father.

3. Guitars in the chorus.

4. Taking communion in the hand.

5. Clapping after a Mass (before it’s over).

6. Coming to Church dressed like you just left the beach or working out in the backyard.

I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. Every bit of this irreverent nonsense is taken from protestant services. Even when firm quidance comes from the Vatican it is mostly ignored by the people in the pews.