Catholics, please answer...?
955502
Modern historians have long known that the popular view of the Inquisition is a myth. The Inquisition was actually an attempt by the Catholic Church to stop unjust executions. \n\nHeresy was a capital offense against the state. Rulers of the state, whose authority was believed to come from God, had no patience for heretics. Neither did common people, who saw heretics as dangerous outsiders who would bring down divine wrath. \nWhen someone was accused of heresy in the early Middle Ages, they were brought to the local lord for judgment, just as if they had stolen a pig. It was not to discern whether the accused was really a heretic. The lord needed some basic theological training, very few did. The sad result is that uncounted thousands across Europe were executed by secular authorities without fair trials or a competent judge of the crime. \n\nThe Catholic Church's response to this problem was the Inquisition, an attempt to provide fair trials for accused heretics using laws of evidence and presided over by knowledgeable judges. \n\nFrom the perspective of secular authorities, heretics were traitors to God and the king and therefore deserved death. From the perspective of the Church, however, heretics were lost sheep who had strayed from the flock. As shepherds, the pope and bishops had a duty to bring them back into the fold, just as the Good Shepherd had commanded them. So, while medieval secular leaders were trying to safeguard their kingdoms, the Church was trying to save souls. The Inquisition provided a means for heretics to escape death and return to the community.\n\nMost people tried for heresy by the Inquisition were either acquitted or had their sentences suspended. Those found guilty of grave error were allowed to confess their sin, do penance, and be restored to the Body of Christ. The underlying assumption of the Inquisition was that, like lost sheep, heretics had simply strayed.\n\nIf, however, an inquisitor determined that a particular sheep had purposely left the flock, there was nothing more that could be done. Unrepentant or obstinate heretics were excommunicated and given over to secular authorities. Despite popular myth, the Inquisition did not burn heretics. It was the secular authorities that held heresy to be a capital offense, not the Church. The simple fact is that the medieval Inquisition saved uncounted thousands of innocent (and even not-so-innocent) people who would otherwise have been roasted by secular lords or mob rule.\n\nWhere did this myth come from? After 1530, the Inquisition began to turn its attention to the new heresy of Lutheranism. It was the Protestant Reformation and the rivalries it spawned that would give birth to the myth. Innumerable books and pamphlets poured from the printing presses of Protestant countries at war with Spain accusing the Spanish Inquisition of inhuman depravity and horrible atrocities in the New World. \n\nWith love in Christ.
792960
There will be Catholics that will NOT be saved and there will be other Religions that will NOT be saved. The Catholic Religion offers the entirety of Salvation though. Other Religions have part of the truth. It all boils down to judgement by Jesus. What did you know and when did you know it and did you ever refuse knowing it and what did you do with it once you knew it?
558793
Specifically, Catholicism.
633460
I'm a catholic and you know i never even thought of that. Glad you did and pointed it out. As far as Don up there maybe the reason he didn't go see it. Is because he's to much of a chicken, he would realize what kind of person he really is. He claims to be a christain but is always bashing the catholics. Calling us a perverted & cult like religion. A true christain doesn't bash another for their beliefs and religious practices. They are kind and understanding. If you are a christain and honestly feel  that some other religion is wrong the best  thing to do is pray for those ppl, not bash them . Thats the true christian way.
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.
918259
I was raised Catholic and left the religion when I got older. \nHere are the reasons why:\n1) They pray to Mary. This is not what the Holy Bible tells us to do. Mary was the mother of our Saviour, Jesus, and we should know this and honor it, but she is not to be prayed to. Right now she is just another person like we are, only dead. Catholics also are told to pray to St. Peter and and some of the others in the Bible. The only one we are to pray to is God, as it says in the Ten Commandments.\n2) They use beads and such to pray. We don't need those beads or any other graven immage. \n3) They expect us to go through a priest to tell our sins and expect that priest to pray for us. God wants us to repent or sins to Him on our own, not through a third party. We need to ask for the forgiveness all on our own, as this is a very emotional experience.\n4) Catholics baptize infants and children when they don't even know what it is they are getting baptised for. Baptism is for when we are ready to be saved and born again and have excepted Jesus as our saviour, and old enough to understand.\n5) The prayers the Catholics say are the same ones all the time. Anyone can rattle off a couple of memorized prayers in a few minutes. God wants prayers to come from us and to say whatever is is we need to tell Him or ask, not something that is written in books that He has heard a milloin times over and over.\n6) In history, Catholics are known to have killed many for their baptism beliefs. They killed the Hutterites for this reason. You can find this information on    www.hutterites.com \n\nThese are the reasons I left the religion. I became a Christian. I don't put down Catholics, as they are on the right track as far as when it comes to God and teaching, just that they have some beliefs that I did not agree with. I hope this helps.
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"
1081626
Roman Catholic and I attend mass almost every week. I do go with my friends to their Christian Fellowships, some being born again. I also attend the occasional Jehovah's Witness meeting, when friends ask. I don't try to be ignorant to other belief system and I do think the underlying theme with most faiths are similar. Everyone believes in the same God but have different versions of him :)
584633
I understand what you're trying to say to us protestants.I want you to know, as a protestant I do not put her(Mary) on a shelf, and only bring her down at the celebration of His birth,(Xmas), and His death on the cross(Easter).After all my protestant prayers, I thank Her for saying "yes" to God, and bearing a savior for the world.I thank her for rearing him, loving him, molding him for his ministry. Jesus loved her, shes His mother , so How can I help but love Her. I am a mother of Sons too. When I watch the passion of Christ, I cry, for my savior, for Her, for the heartbreak I share with her. Do I love Jesus?.......YES,  do I love His Mother?..........YES.   Does Jesus love me?.........YES.
1021867
I looked for the statement by Cardinal Castrillon but couldn't find it. So I can't state an opinion.\n\nPlease add a link next time. \n\nThank you.
388003
As a Cradle Catholic and current CCD teacher, I can assure you the Catholic Church is a true Christian church.  I believe they are attacked so much because they are the strongest, and largest Christian denomination.  Those in power are always reviled.  It's sad, too, because there is so much beautiful, rich tradition in the church that others will turn from simply from a lack of understanding.\n\nSomeone once said the Catholics are the "Marines" of religion.  I think people expect a higher standard from them.   I think because of the history, the scandals seem even more atrocious.  I'm not about to condone the way the church handled the most recent sex abuse scandals.  Our own priest blasted the church for not calling these priests down as the criminals they are;  but I do know from my theological studies that no matter the scandals in the heirarchy of the church, it has always been THE FAITH OF THE PEOPLE that is the true strength of the church, and where Jesus lives best.\n\nAs to theological divides, I believe that most of those stem from misunderstanding.  An example is that many people believe Catholics worship Mary.  We don't.  We worship God.  But Mary, as the mother of Jesus and first Christian, is important.  Jesus honored her;  so must we.  \n\nThis was a good question.  You phrased it with an open mind.  Good for you!
406571
i ve been asking this for so long. thank god i am not alone. i am so sick of this anti-catholic bs that has no validity whatsoever.\n\nyou would expect this kind of garbage from the secular world, but i have no idea what these protestants are thinking sometimes.\n\nhere's an idea protestants...why don't you actually learn about the catholic church first. as opposed to just blurting out a bunch of nonsense like we worship mary, and the pope ,etc.  give me a break already. still goin with those arguments?? don't even waste my time then.
1114787
Please continue your anti-catholic trolling... I need the points!
569598
yes I am Catholic - and tho money is on my mind in regards to bills and trying to provide for the future - I am very frugal - have to be... I am happily married - so the sex issue is within a happy marriage and not seeking outside bounds of God's commandments. I know it is frustrating and hurtful to see the anti-Catholic and anti-Christian posts - but you aren't alone out here! prayerfully .... KC
802939
Good question!\nThat's one reason I'm not catholic.\nThey will dance around the question with terms like 'prayer aids'.\nThey'll call it anything except idolatry.
539441
Good thoughts.  I think we protestants under value Mary.  Much of what you are referring to is ignorance about what Catholics truly believe about Mary, prayer and the saints.
354113
No one can be in favour of abortion and be simultaneously a Catholic. It's one or the other. You might continue attending Mass and whatever else but your pro-choice belief is totally at odds with the faith of the Church and automatically excludes you from being in full communion with Christ and His Church.