for donald shaw. is it just the catholics that worship in the wrong way?
598885
Donald Shaw would like to barbeque us on the grill of righteousness and chew on us for all eternity.  He is praying for that right now!
458034
i am catholic but i believe most of what you said especially the end part. people trust catholicism for the same reason they trust any other religion (i don't know why i follow the religion i am just guided) people use religion because they have weak minds and hearts. there is nothing wrong with this but religion gives them somethin to hold onto. someone in history i believe it was Marx or Stalin said the church was the "opiate of the masses"
463003
This is EXACTLY how you should feel and I don't blame you a bit. I'm not catholic, but I have been wondering the same things. Why aren't more people in an uproar about this??
309090
I am not a mason, but I agree with you.  It seems that those who tend to bad mouth the group are fundamentalist Christians, who tend to be rather dogmatic and rigid about what they believe in.  Since Masons (from what I have read) have more of a unitarian philosophy, it probably grates against the fundamentalists.\n\nMy cousin is a fundamentalist and had a book on the 10 biggest cults according to the author (who was obviously a fundamentalist).  Among them in the book were masonsry as well as Catholism...
995917
No, they really don't,  and sadly, i doubt they ever will.  It's a fundamental part of their religion now, not to understand what they do.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say to worship saints, or to confess to another sinner about your sins--whether he's wearing a fancy robe or not.\n\nThat's why I'm non-denominational, I go to a Bible Church and I read exactly what the English translation says.  Nobody has a right to teach their own opinions on God and what he says and does.\n\nAnd Catholics worship Mary becausethey think that Jesus is God, and Mary was the mother of Jesus, so Mary is the mother of God.  Hate to break my tone of intelligent commentary, but that's just silly.  Mary was a sinner like everyone else, she was probably thinking when they kicked her out of the inn, "buncha l3@$T@ l^D$, i'm about to pregnant with your savior and you can't find room!?  Well then kick somebody out, I'm Mary dammit!"\nShe was just the mortal chosen to bring him into the world, that's all.\nIt was a holy game of chess, and Mary was a pawn used to put the king of the red team in check and send him running in fear behind his last pieces, but that doesn't mean the pawn deserves any worship--she's just a pawn.  She followed God's will, (she's so lucky).  No crying he makes!? WTF!, that's not fair at ALL!  she got to be the mother of the perfect child, not the well behaved one, not the nice one, not the smart one; she got to be the mother of the perfect child, that should be payment enough for her.
1187884
I dakno but it really bugs me when they say we worship idols, saints and the Virgin Mary.\n\nInfo to u guys who don't kno:\nWe have statues and things that remind us of the saints, Jesus, and Mary. They help us pray, by helping create an image in our head. We don't WORSHIP Mary but we honor her. And saints are people in the past who show great examples on how to live a life full of goodness and faith.\n\nSo please understand that we are Christian and the term "Catholic" means universal. Meaning we are a universal church of the Christian faith that accepts everyone.\n\nYes, like you I am tired of anti-Catholics, I am tired of any anti-any religion.\nGod Bless, keep sticking up for us. :]\nedit-\nOk, i just read the answer above me and it makes me so damn sick. He has no idea what being a Catholic is, and should pick up a bible for himself sometime, or at least do real research online, seeing as he just justified the answer I gave you, for how people think so many false things about Catholics. I don't think I should even waste my time correcting an uneducated person like him. Obviously he has issues.
992044
I have been to several different churches.  Some do, and some don't.  The focus never seems to be on an image, statue or drawing.  I think people are worried to much about the wrong things!
560856
Unless God has shared something with him that He hasn't with the rest of us, the guy is wrong.\n\nBelieve it or not, Catholics can make mistakes just like other people.\n\nWith love in Christ.
1081791
I'm catholic, and I don't believe that there is only one answer for everything.\n\nAssuming you're speaking about Catholic dogma - not everything the church teaches is considered "dogma":  only those items which are utterly critical to our faith (one god, jesus is his son, etc.)\n\nwhen you get to the idea of (for example) salvation though good work vs. through faith, you're completely out of he realm of dogma, although it was one of the critical points in he early division of protestants vs. catholics.\n\nMost of the overlap between Protestants and R. Catholics is not dogma. \n\nAnd, there are other churches who are not protestant, but who aren't Roman Catholic either (specifially the Orthodox churches).
533722
The better word would be follow.  Not worship, because we all know that worship is reserved for God/Jesus.  And they follow the Pope and the Saints because it suits them.  Catholicism has always been a denomination for people who need structure, rules, disciplines, etc.  It keeps them focused and leads them down the right path and helps them to make the right choices.  Other denominations have branched out allowing for their members to make their own decisions and they will be guided by a well equipped pastor.
996175
This is a specifically Catholic belief and involves the conception of Mary, not Jesus.  I believe that most Protestants (only know for sure about Baptists, though), do not subscribe to that belief
782955
I agree totally with you. The Catholic Church does teach the Bible and we hear the Bible at every Mass. We have two readings and usually a psalm reading at every Mass. I really think it is a matter of jealousy with the other denominations. Just like Joseph's brothers were jealous of him they are jealous of us because we have the Mother that our Father loves the best The Virgin Mary. We love and honor her and they don't so I would say the proof is in the pudding.
440034
a lot of good answers I see. a lot of the catholic religion is herisey. however, they do beleive in God and Jesus. Many are good people and many of them are saved by grace. but I would never pray or bow down to Mary or say 7 hail Marys. The Bible doesn't say to do that and no code will reveil something like that. their are other things too. the bottom line is, if you are going to worship this God and Jesus, do it as the bible says to do it. Try reading it for the facts. anything else is false and heretical.
854805
Not all Protestants said ugly things about the pope.  I make it a point to never say anything about Catholics, I'm Southern Baptist. Guess you taught me a lesson, huh?
136039
The Catholics use intercession to the Saints.\nI do not agree that they should be doing this at all, but i do not think they are "Worshipping" them.   Now there is the Virgin Mary that they do seem to Idolize.  I respect the Virgin Mary greatly, but I do not worship her.  \n\nI do not need any man nor saint to get to God.  I peay directly to God and to his son Jesus Christ.
153368
In practice? I'd still have to say conservative but like most any large "group" of people out there, it'll be a mixed bag. From my own anecdotal experience, most Catholics are staunchly against America's handling of Iraq so in that sense they might be considered Democrats, left-leaning, liberal etc. With regards to other hot topic issues such as abortion Catholics are fervently Republican, right-leaning, conservative. Mind you with respect to issues of abortion and homosexual marriage there is a strong "liberal" vein in Catholic America. Unfortunately they are not in communion with the Holy See and, simply speaking, are not Catholic. The Catholic church has always had its ultra conservative elements and ultra liberal elements and has typically fostered good intra-Church debate. But at the end of the day, all true Catholics should submit themselves to the policies of the Vatican/Magisterium/Pope, if not intellectually then at the very least, in practice.
862169
Yes I do. The majority of these people do not understand the office of the Pope and I sadly think they do not want to understand. They think nothing about God appointing Moses and Joshua and so on down the line but anything Catholic they automatically reject to their peril.