Why are people so quick to criticise the Catholic Church?

[dfnj]

Why do people point their finger at Catholics and say the Catholics are the sinners or the 'stupid' denomination?

Anything Catholic individuals do wrong is blamed on the Church as a whole. That is wrong.

Catholics could also laugh at the Protestants: the Anglican church was set up so Henry VIII could remarry and Mormonism's Joseph Smith couldn't read the same plates twice. Westboro Baptist Church is also a Protestant Church.

If you value self-reliance and freedom then a religion based on slavery is naturally offensive.

Start at the 4 minute mark:

 

[SomeRandom]

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Id say just those priests. I dont know which Church policies that need changing. Unless the Church is going against their own doctrines.

I wondered, if I commited any number of federal crimes straight, although a risk would be high I would do it again, but a risk isnt a fact. To what degree would people believe me if I said I wouldnt do it anymore; what are the facts that would let them conclude I will (not might) do it again?

To when do you say some priests are protected by the Church compared to not sending your child to confession at all because of generalizing the priesthood based on what a handful of priests did?

I dont know what else the Church can do, really unless they break the seal of confession and allow priests to defend themselves.

But, on what basis would you not let your child see a priest in confession based on what the church did and some of its priests?

It's complicated no one is claiming otherwise. I dunno my priority is and always will be the child. So if a church did protect a priest who confessed to molesting a child or heaven forbid children, I wouldn't have any qualms about moving my hypothetical child far away from said church. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh towards priests or even churches, who are probably just doing their best. But that's just where I stand.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

May I ask what the thousand commas mean?

Im a little slow when it comes to understanding what such things imply.

Haha

My computer nook didnt see all the commas until I went on my phone. I must have fell asleep on it.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

It's complicated no one is claiming otherwise. I dunno my priority is and always will be the child. So if a church did protect a priest who confessed to molesting a child or heaven forbid children, I wouldn't have any qualms about moving my hypothetical child far away from said church. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh towards priests or even churches, who are probably just doing their best. But that's just where I stand.

Well. It seems the Pope is trying to find that balance. I just see more people protective around priest on general. That, I don't understand.

 

[SomeRandom]

Well. It seems the Pope is trying to find that balance. I just see more people protective around priest on general. That, I don't understand.

I agree. The protectiveness of the priest is a little odd. You'd think with the visceral way the public responds to pedophilia in general it would be the other way around. Whenever it involves an adult with a seemingly clean cut reputation the phenomenon is somehow reversed. Weird.
I wish the Pope good luck. That's not a job I would want that's for sure.

 

[SomeRandom]

The typical policy is to condemn any pedophile. so what you gone on us? we condemn any pedophile as the most disgusting act against our children....now what you claim against us?

Just an observation that people tend to close ranks, as it were, if the accused is someone with an otherwise clean cut reputation. Priest, teacher, kind neighbourly Jim from down the road etc.
Kind of fascinating in a way.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I agree. The protectiveness of the priest is a little odd. You'd think with the visceral way the public responds to pedophilia in general it would be the other way around. Whenever it involves an adult with a seemingly clean cut reputation the phenomenon is somehow reversed. Weird.
I wish the Pope good luck. That's not a job I would want that's for sure.

Yeah. I guess people can be "famous" for only so long before people write him or her a ticket to stage left.

 

[Spiderman]

Just an observation that people tend to close ranks, as it were, if the accused is someone with an otherwise clean cut reputation. Priest, teacher, kind neighbourly Jim from down the road etc.
Kind of fascinating in a way.

I know lol

I'm just screwing with you. I think the fact that the twelve tribes of Israel were named after men, and the twelve Apostles were men, all male Priesthood, and all authors of Scripture were men, is totally gay sausage fest!!!

F*** that! Women are better posters at RF at least! Surely God could annoint them to write some Scripture!!!

The Bible is written by all men? Really?? That's totally gay!

If I were God I would have hot babes as apostles!!!

 

[sojourner]

If I were God I would have hot babes as apostles

But, somehow, Bartholomew, James, Thaddeus and Peter sound a lot more credible than Candi, Trixie, Bubbles and Tiffani...

 

[Spiderman]

But, somehow, Bartholomew, James, Thaddeus and Peter sound a lot more credible than Candi, Trixie, Bubbles and Tiffani...

But not more better writers than @SomeRandom , @Kelly of the Phoenix @Deidre @Unveiled Artist and so many other female posters. I don't see men as more intelligent posters here. In fact, all the worst trolls were men!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Not that it mitigates the Catholic Church's policy or actions, but it wouldn't have prevented anything. The most affected countries are all Protestant majority, so there doesn't seem to be a great effect from the Catholic teachings.

If you are having sex outside marriage, an affair or visiting a prostitute then it's unlikely that a condom is one sin too far.

Also when someone the President of Africa's richest country says you can't get HIV as long as you have a shower after sex it seems as if it's not only the Church that is driving such ignorance.

While the church's stance should be criticised, they are not really a significant factor behind Africa's HIV epidemic, and they couldn't have prevented it.

While I’m sure you’ll try to brush it off, people didn’t have to be Catholic to be affected by the Archbishop of Maputo’s suggestion that condoms are deliberately infected with HIV as part of a deliberate European campaign to exterminate the African people.

A person could think condoms are just fine and not believe in Catholic doctrine at all for a statement like that to seriously undermine trust in foreign NGOs in general. I wonder how many people died because they listened to Chimoio and refused help from European charities.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/sep/27/aids.international

 

[Gulo]

I agree. I do humbly point out that any religion that does not follow the Bible is a deception designed to point people in to confusion and frustration. There is only 1 religion that follows the Bible and the Bible only.

...and it is called "Brainwashing".

People haven't forgotten the Inquisition, The Salem Witch Trials, etc.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

...and it is called "Brainwashing".

People haven't forgotten the Inquisition, The Salem Witch Trials, etc.

The Salem Witch Trials were perpetrated by Protestants. Probably relevant to point out, since this thread is about the Catholic Church.

 

[JasonL]

I guess people criticize the Catholic Church because it is obvious that many of its teachings aren't biblical. Neither veneration of saints nor the Papacy is mentioned in the Bible.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

I criticise them for the same reason that I criticise some Protestant churches: for trying to force their beliefs on other people. They all campaign politically against anything that is against to their religion. It's perfectly acceptable for them to tell their followers that they can't have an abortion, be a homosexual, or receive euthanasia. But they have no right to tell the rest of us what we can and cannot do.

Mind you, other religions are just as bad. If the Muslims took over my country, I'd have no more wine, while some Hindus would have hissy fits over my beef!

 

[sojourner]

I agree. I do humbly point out that any religion that does not follow the Bible is a deception designed to point people in to confusion and frustration. There is only 1 religion that follows the Bible and the Bible only.

Since “Bible only” only came about 1500 years after the church began, I wonder where the “deception” really lies and who’s really pointing people to confusion and deception? The Church was never “Bible only” until Martin Luther.

 

[sojourner]

I guess people criticize the Catholic Church because it is obvious that many of its teachings aren't biblical. Neither veneration of saints nor the Papacy is mentioned in the Bible.

”Bible only” is a relatively new movement in the church. The church as always venerated it’s champions, and, while the papacy isn’t specifically mentioned, the episcopoi certainly are.

 

[Milton Platt]

Why do people point their finger at Catholics and say the Catholics are the sinners or the 'stupid' denomination?

Anything Catholic individuals do wrong is blamed on the Church as a whole. That is wrong.

Catholics could also laugh at the Protestants: the Anglican church was set up so Henry VIII could remarry and Mormonism's Joseph Smith couldn't read the same plates twice. Westboro Baptist Church is also a Protestant Church.

I try to only blame the Catholic church for what the members of it's clergy (including all the way up the long line of popes) does. I think there is enough rotten behavior included in that crowd to feel a little compassion for the deluded followers.

 

[sojourner]

So, I take it you aren't aware that the above stance is actually a de fide teaching of the Catholic Church?

Pius IX Vatican I

FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL (1869-1870)

The same Holy mother Church holds and teaches that God, the source and end of all things, can be known with certainty from the consideration of created things, by the natural power of human reason : ever since the creation of the world, his invisible nature has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made​

<cartoon “wah-waaaah”>

 

[sojourner]

God is evident in nature and through reason alone

I’d say it’s more intuition than reason.