What is it about Catholicism that turns so many away?

JudyKayTee · Feb 6, 2010, 08:28 AM

This is going to turn into a firestorm but here goes.

I was raised strict Roman Catholic. My split is about the "We are right and everybody else is wrong" philosophy as well as the hypocrisy. I know that RC's are not the only ones who "own" bad clergymen, hypocrites but I am not familiar with other religions.

Maybe other RC churches are different but my childhood religious experience consisted of people judging each other instead of leaving that up to God - and it turned me away. I've seen people here, on this board, preach Christianity and then in the next breath attack someone purely in the name of God.

That's my experience - I wanted a religion with less fire and brimstone and more love and support.

galveston · Feb 6, 2010, 05:15 PM

I see the problem as being that the RCC (and some others) as holding that there is no truth outside of their group.

That is difficult to hang on to when you see so much that is wrong going on within that group.

What EVERYONE needs to know is that NO church gives salvation.

A good church is needed and worthy of support for a lot of reasons, but SALVATION comes from knowing and receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

His record, love, and commands are all revealed in the pages of the New Testament. Read it with an open heart and mind, and you will find the TRUTH.

JudyKayTee · Feb 6, 2010, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galveston

I see the problem as being that the RCC (and some others) as holding that there is no truth outside of their group.

That is difficult to hang on to when you see so much that is wrong going on within that group.

What EVERYONE needs to know is that NO church gives salvation.

A good church is needed and worthy of support for a lot of reasons, but SALVATION comes from knowing and receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

His record, love, and commands are all revealed in the pages of the New Testament. Read it with an open heart and mind, and you will find the TRUTH.

But what about non-Christians? There is no salvation for them?

- and there is my other problem with Christianity in general.

Fr_Chuck · Feb 6, 2010, 05:29 PM

Most are turned away by untrue statements of groups that make it their sole purpose to attack other groups.

At times one issue is that they do not cater to those that want new and modern.

But to some the changes they have made, ( like Vactican II) stoping the Latin Mass, were turn offs

arcura · Feb 7, 2010, 12:13 AM

Jenjeru,
Your statement, "I've found that most of those who feel strongly against religion were raised Catholic." amazed me.
The Catholic religion is Christianity just as are the Protestant denominations.
Perhaps you are referring to other religions than Christianity.
I know of no Catholics who are against the religion of Christianity.
I'm a former protestant who for years was very hostile to Catholicism but the more I studied the more I could see that Catholicism was true full Christianity and after much resistance became a Catholic, but I am NOT against other denominations.
I fact I still love the denomination I left because it lead me to Jesus Christ.
So please be more clear as to what your statement says.
Are you speaking of Christian denominations or other religions?
Peace and kindness,
Fred

jenjeru · Feb 7, 2010, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcura

jenjeru,
Your statement, "I've found that most of those who feel strongly against religion were raised Catholic." amazed me.
The Catholic religion is Christianity just as are the Protestant denominations.
Perhaps you are referring to other religions than Christianity.
I know of no Catholics who are against the religion of Christianity.
I'm a former protestant who for years was very hostile to Catholicism but the more I studied the more I could see that Catholicism was true full Christianity and after much resistance became a Catholic, but I am NOT against other denominations.
I fact I still love the denomination I left because it lead me to Jesus Christ.
So please be more clear as to what your statement says.
Are you speaking of Christian denominations or other religions?
Peace and kindness,
Fred

Fred,

Thank you for your answer. I am speaking about Catholicism in particular, as a denomination of Christianity. I understand that there are many reasons for choosing a particular faith or leaving it (depending on geography, ethnicity, culture, etc.) so the fact that most of the people I have interviewed about falling away from religion are Catholic is largely based on the community in which I was raised and currently reside.

However, I'm more interested in getting a broader opinion about Catholicism and why there is such a push against it...why being raised Catholic affects people so strongly. One Catholic priest that I interviewed said to me in a joking manner, "Do you know what the largest Christian denomination around the world is today? Catholicism. Do you know what the second largest is? Former Catholics."

So again, it's not necessarily Catholics being against Christianity, but rather something about Catholicism (be it the dogmatism, or rejection of other beliefs as previously mentioned) that causes groups like "recovering Catholics" to form.

All best,

Jenna

Fr_Chuck · Feb 7, 2010, 10:31 AM

One of the issue is "issues" the Catholic Church has a moral compass, and specific set standards, unlike some other churches, it does not allow or let people decide what they feel is right, the church tells them what is correct on issues of sex before marriage, abortion, and other issues. Along with this, many people don't like being told what is the correct moral code.

JudyKayTee · Feb 7, 2010, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

One of the issue is "issues" the Catholic Church has a moral compass, and specific set standards, unlike some other churches, it does not allow or let people decide what they feel is right, the church tells them what is correct on issues of sex before marriage, abortion, and other issues. Along with this, many people don't like being told what is the correct moral code.

This is also one of my concerns - in my area decisions about second marriages (without church annulments), birth control, abortion (which startles me) are matters of conscience.

Apparently if it's okay with "you" it's okay with the Church.

Very unlike the way I was taught! I was also raised to believe that the worst sin of all was bad example.

I also agree - I could do without the kiss of peace, guitar music and mass in English.

450donn · Feb 7, 2010, 01:13 PM

So far I have restrained myself, But can no longer hold back.
IMHO and you are free to disagree, but in my opinion the biggest problem the RCC has are legalism, and too much pomp and ceremony. For those like Fred who like that sort of religion that's fine. But to reach people today you must talk and work at their level. That does not mean drinking and swearing , but rather actually having been where they are and able to relate to them in a real way. As I see it, priests are too insulated from real world experiences. Couple that to a hierarchy that is too steeped in robes and laws than trying to reach lost souls.
The people who are actually reaching the most people today have been delivered from drugs, alcohol, or sex addictions. They are the ones who relate to and reach people, like God commanded. Jesus did not go to the religious leaders of his day, he went to the sinners and saved them. He knew that pomp and ceremony as practiced by the Jewish leaders of the day did not work. So why do people believe it will work today?

What is it about Catholicism that turns so many away?

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