Catholicism

[georgesbluegirl]

Oh, I forgot a response to Jade, so here it is:

I have read the Bible. Contrary to what most people believe, Catholicism places a lot of weight on the Bible - that's why we have two readings, a psalm and a Gospel at every Mass. Every Catholic is supposed to read it. I have, several times. Here's the difference in Catholic doctrine (several Protestant sects view the Bible this way too): we believe in Divine Inspiration. That is, that God came to humans and inspired them to write the books of the Bible, interpreting His Word into human words. The books were thus necessarily crafted through the lens of a time period thousands of years ago and are therefore subject to interpretation. Believe me, it took me years as a kid to sort this out, since my best friend kept telling me that God wrote the Bible at the same time I was learning about Divine Inspiration in CCD! Anyway, I love God. God is love, God is great.

Here's a question for you, I'm actually curious. I know Martin Luther took them out, but what's the reason that most Protestants leave the Deuterocanonicals (Protestants call them the Apochrypha) out of the Bible?

[Guest charlie]

Welcome to worthyboards.

I think a lot of people are sort of anti-catholic because they've been taught to be that way. People believe a lot of things about it that imo amounts to old wives tales. I was taught that Catholics worship Mary and are all going to hell. That kind of scared me from investigating it further when I was younger. Anyway, I know better now after working around a lot of Catholics a few years back. I like to watch EWTN now-a-days.

Despite some of the problems going on in the Catholic Church today I think you are fortunate to have been born into it.

[georgesbluegirl]

Me too. Thanks for the welcome, everyone!

[ayin jade]

I was under the impression that the Catholic church added the apocrypha to the bible after the Reformation in 1546.

Im sure one of our members will add to this.

[Qun Mang]

we believe in Divine Inspiration. That is, that God came to humans and inspired them to write the books of the Bible, interpreting His Word into human words. The books were thus necessarily crafted through the lens of a time period thousands of years ago and are therefore subject to interpretation.

Absolutely, just as 2 Tim 3:16-17 says.

Though, as you said, the Apocrypha is not accepted as Canonical in most Protestant churches (I'm Protestant just so you know).

[georgesbluegirl]

Actually, the canon - including the deuterocanonicals - was finalized in something like 383. Martin Luther and the following Protestants took them out of the Protestant Bible because they were not compatible with Protestant theology. That's as far as my knowledge goes about the Protestant reasons for leaving them out.

[Qun Mang]

Someone more knowledgable than I of Church history will have to answer this one I'm afraid. It is my understanding though that some of what's in the Apocrypha directly conflicts with other (O/T or N/T) scripture. I've never read it for myself though so I'm just repeating what I've heard.

[georgesbluegirl]

Okay, just anybody that knows, I'm curious.

But back to my original question...why do you think there is such a clear stigma around Catholics to a lot of Protestants, particularly non-denominationals? Why can't some people just accept me and my beliefs? And do some people really believe I'm going to hell just because I'm Catholic? I've heard these things said to me, and more.

[Guest charlie]

Actually, the canon - including the deuterocanonicals - was finalized in something like 383. Martin Luther and the following Protestants took them out of the Protestant Bible because they were not compatible with Protestant theology. That's as far as my knowledge goes about the Protestant reasons for leaving them out.

I thought everybody had the same Bible until I was almost 30 yrs old. I didn't like the "implications" when I found out differently. BTW by what I've been able to dig up your statement above is correct, and when I discovered that the first edition of the KJV in 1611 ALSO contained the apocrypha it really disturbed me. This tells me that abolishing the apocrypha was the decision of a few men. If the people who chose which books belong in the Bible were inspired, weren't they also inspired when they included the apocrypha for reading. Many protestants are not even aware that the apocrypha even exists. They DO NOT tell us that, for obvious reasons.

I told you why I was sort of anti-catholic for a while, but I'd also like to add that my mother (who is very anti-catholic) slipped up once and told me that the main reason the protestant movement made so much headway was because King Henry the 8th wanted to divorce his wife and the pope wouldn't let him so he made England break away and our ancestors probably came from England.

Also the inquistion is a "hang over" of the worst of Catholicism. Torture has a lasting effect althought in all fairness protestants were capable of the same level of cruelty....another thing that is "politely"....not mentioned in protestant churches.

[GoodSamaritan]

I think within Catholicism there are some strange and unbiblical doctrines and a sort of elitist membership that frowns on anyone not under the unbrella of Catholicism.

that's quite an accusation (and not the greatest way to welcome someone). it seems you've made some judgements that may not be informed. If you want to discuss them, there seems to be a learned group of Catholics around to help.

the 'stigma' is a result of misunderstanding, IMO. Like Bishop Sheen always used to say, 'There are not maybe 100 people in this nation who hate the Catholic Church. But there are millions who hate what they think the Catholic CHurch to be.'

Things like 'submission to authority' and 'constant striving for salvation with no guarantee' are opposed to the American mentality. Furthermore, Catholicism is hard to follow. It's very restrictive (birth control, abortion, stem cell, etc) to most Americans used to having freedom of choice, speech, etc. Catholicism is very counter-cultural in this day and age. Just My Two Cents.

GS