The most ANNOYING misconception about YOUR faith?

[jacquie4000]

Katzpur, I was just on the same site and going to post that also:yes:

 

[Kay]

What, for you, is the most annoying misconception about your faith?

That paganism automatically means polytheism. I don't have anything against polytheism, but it's not a given that all pagans are polytheistic.

That paganism is synonymous with Wicca. Paganism is an umbrella term. I'm pagan, but not Wiccan.

And of course, the old standby - that I worship "The Devil."

 

[andyjamal]

When using the term "widespread", quantity is irrelevant; geography is what the term refers to (just think about the context of my post), and the Baha'i faith is the second most [geographically] widespread. Obviously, if I thought that the Baha'i Faith had the second highest membership, I wouldn't have said that most people haven't even heard of it. Thank you all, though, for bringing this point to clarity.

 

[kaysquared89]

As a Catholic:
~We are not accepting of other religions and that we outwardly preach, trying to get people to convert to our beliefs.

I have heard this through discussions with my protestant friends and their families, which have bashed my religion without knowing I am Catholic...therefore proving their theory wrong.

 

[Katzpur]

As a Catholic:
~We are not accepting of other religions and that we outwardly preach, trying to get people to convert to our beliefs.

I, for one, don't share that misconception. While there are many aspects of Catholicism I cannot accept, I know from experience that Catholics are some of the most accepting, respectful and tolerant of all Christians.

 

[standing_on_one_foot]

That Judaism is simply Christianity without Jesus, or that Judaism has remained unchanged since Jesus.

Actually, the most annoying ones are the crazy anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and such, but I tend to think of those in a seperate category.

Fortunately I don't generally run into many misconceptions, all things considered.

 

[Katzpur]

...that Judaism has remained unchanged since Jesus.

Actually, you got me on this one. I was pretty much of that opinion. Maybe you're referring to the divisions of Judaism -- Orthodox, Conservative and Reform -- (did I get them right?). Is that what you meant when you say Judaism has changed since Jesus? If not, would you mind educating me? Thanks.

 

[Lux et Umbra]

Wow. Interesting thread!
I'm not one to judge other faiths, but there were some things I've learned that I didn't know.

 

[Real Sorceror]

I've just discovered that some people really hate Moral Relativism.

 

[love]

That the majority of Christians already have a reservation in hell for everyone else. Any Christian who says this missed the commandment "thou shalt not judge lest ye be judged"

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

Atheists are immoral.

 

[Nein]

That I believe in the "Devil." I think would be the biggest misconception i have found so far.

 

[athanasius]

That we worship the Pope
That we worship Mary
That we worship the saints
That we worship anything that isn't God
That we are pagan
That we teach pelagianism or semi-pelagianism(Works rightousness for salvation)
That we use fetishes and "magic" charms(in refernce to sacramentals and relics)
That we conjure the dead(in reference to praying to saints)
That we are cannibals(In reference to the Eucharist)
That we have alot of guilt(really we are pretty guilt free compared to the fundamentalist Christian sects who beat themselves up over what a worm they are and how bad they are. Just watch "Jesus Camp" and you'll see the kids in the certain fundamentalist camps do that. You will never find the Catholic school kids on a religious retreat doing that! People are just spoiled and immature and like to blame the Catholic church for all of there problems and so called guilt! Oh no Sister so and so said this to me when I was in 3rd grade and now I have a complex! Boohoooo! Grow up!)

Those are my problems with peoples misconceptions about my faith!

 

[James the Persian]

semi-pelagianism(Works rightousness for salvation)

You need to take another look at your definitions because that's not what semi-pelagianism means. The fact that one of the people who Rome often calls semi-pelagian is St. John Cassian should amply demonstrate that. Read some of his works. Of course, Rome is completely wrong in suggesting that Cassian was semi-heretical (whatever that's supposed to mean) as all he did was oppose Bl. Augustine's novel teaching of irresistible grace and uphold the ancient understanding of salvation being a synergy of God's grace and man's reaction to it. Augustine overreacted in his opposition to Pelagius and Cassian corected him. Rome later applied the semi-Pelagian label to Cassian presumably because nobody could have been right to correct the 'Great Doctor' of the Church. But of course Cassian, not Augustine, was the one who was being faithful to Tradition, so all semi-Pelagianism really is is a new name for the ancient faith handed down from the Apostles. Pelagianism is rather different and is what you suggest (though Pelagius himself never taught it - later followers did - and was exonerated of heresy as a result).

James

 

[Gentoo]

Another Annoying misconception is that all or most of the Christian holidays were once Pagan. While that's true, the annoying part is people think it's either a revelation or completely false and get upset at such a notion.

 

[joeboonda]

That people don't understand that salvation is a totally free, undeserved, unmerited, unearnable, GIFT, that we get for simply trusting in Jesus, and that we can never lose that gift, having done nothing to earn it, we do nothing to keep it. Salvation is free, position and reward in Heaven is not.

 

[michel]

That people think that I believe mine is "The only way", and that I feel the need to convert everyone I meet.........

 

[NoahideHiker]

That the Noahide justice system calls for everyone to get their heads chopped off for the slightest crime.

 

[*Paul*]

People misconstrue heartfelt evangelism for arrogance.

 

[LuisDantas]

As a Buddhist, that we're believers in reincarnation; as an atheist, that I should not have a religion.