Catholicism Is Dangerous Now, Apparently.

[arfink]

Has anyone else noticed that people are increasingly insisting that Catholicism is inherently dangerous? Their arguments sound much like the arguments for why Islam or any other religion is inherently dangerous. Here are ones I have had thrown at me in the past week alone:

1. Catholicism demands obedience, which is poisonous to progress and freedom.
2. Catholicism can only exist by forcing its beliefs on others through violence and/or the brainwashing of children.
3. Catholicism actively seeks to destroy the world by denying science and "raping the environment."
4. Catholicism is evil because it hates all gays and if the church had its way it would kill them all.

And on and on. It reminds me of what [url="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/opinion/sunday/douthat-defining-religious-liberty-down.html?_r=1"]Ross Douthat says:[/url]

"If you want to fine Catholic hospitals for following Catholic teaching, or prevent Jewish parents from circumcising their sons, or ban Chick-fil-A in Boston, then don’t tell religious people that you respect our freedoms. Say what you really think: that the exercise of our religion threatens all that’s good and decent, and that you’re going to use the levers of power to bend us to your will."

In the space of a year the public perception of Catholics has gone from largely ignored religious oddities to flaming fundamentalist nutjobs who plan to bring the entire world down in flaming rubble and dance amongst the flames. (FIRE! Oh Yeeeeah!)

This is the same sort of thing that happened to the Jews right before the Holocaust.

Edited July 31, 2012 by arfink

[CatherineM]

I've been warning people for a long time that a major persecution is coming. We can arm ourselves by knowing what the church teaches, knowing why the church teaches it, being educated in apologetics so we can defend the teachings, and most importantly we need to live the teachings faithfully, even if we disagree with something.

I think we are approaching a time when we will be asked to suffer for our faith. Seriously suffer.

[Clare~Therese]

I agree with what you & CatherineM say. I'd give your posts props but I ran out of props for today.

I knew society's attitude was getting worse towards us but I never quite put it together like that. But you've helped me see how the dots connect a bit now, so to speak.
Viva Cristo Rey, amigos. Creo nosotros estamos Cristeros Americanos ahora.
One time my Confessor told me, "Don't go looking for martyrdom now. You'll have plenty of chances for that when you're older." Maybe he was right.

[God the Father]

Government is dangerous.

[ConfusedCatholicGuy]

I have talked to several friends about Catholic persecution. It seems like it is the only type of discrimination that is seen by most people as an ok thing. There can't be anything against Jews because of the Holocaust, Muslims are 'misunderstood' and yet Catholics seem to still be an ok target.

When I told people that I was going to enter seminary, the first thing out of their mouths was usually some comment about how I should be sure not to abuse little boys. Then there are the not so subtle references to the Crusades or other missionary work and talk about how Catholics actively went out and destroyed cultures in an effort to convert them. As if that is a terrible thing, trying to bring more people to the truth.

And even other Christians discriminate against us. I have applied to Christian organizations and was turned away when it became clear that I was solidly Catholic and was not going to waver on some of our 'sterner doctrines'. And I have had Christian friends try to convert me from Catholicism because they had been taught that the Church has rotted and that much of our teachings go against the Bible. I have talked in depth to these individuals about the information they have about us Catholics and who told them about it. It became apparent that these teachers were making an active effort to turn their students against the Church.

I am sure that I'm not the only one who has noticed this. I hope that we can spread the word that we are not 'Satan worshipers' or anything like that. I pray that the persecution that will come will end with a better understanding of the Church and its teachings to all the world.

[Winchester]

Catholicism is dangerous because every Catholic is required to build a nuclear device as part of his service hours for Confirmation.

[morostheos]

Francis Cardinal George stated, “I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square."

Batten down the hatches, rough seas ahead!!

[arfink]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1343786915' post='2460958']
Catholicism is dangerous because every Catholic is required to build a nuclear device as part of his service hours for Confirmation.
[/quote]

I am going to pretend I didn't see that.
[img]http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/339/764/93e.gif[/img]

[Ice_nine]

Let's not get too hasty now, that's a good way to get a self-fulfilling prophecy started.

[BG45]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1343786915' post='2460958']
Catholicism is dangerous because every Catholic is required to build a nuclear device as part of his service hours for Confirmation.
[/quote]

[url="http://www.cracked.com/article_18656_6-insane-do-it-yourself-projects-that-put-yours-to-shame.html"]You mean like this kid did in his backyard shed (number 4)?[/url]

[beaverman]

With gay marriage becoming a civil right, things will get very difficult for Catholic charities and hospitals. They might lose their tax exemption because they will be seen as a political organization and not a humanitarian one.

[MIKolbe]

Jesus said it was gonna be like this.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='beaverman' timestamp='1343841298' post='2461131']
With gay marriage becoming a civil right, things will get very difficult for Catholic charities and hospitals. They might lose their tax exemption because they will be seen as a political organization and not a humanitarian one.
[/quote]So get over it. The Catholic Church should buck-up and not compromise their principles just to avoid paying taxes. This tax exempt status standing is making them Thralls to the State. Just give Cesar his money and do what your morals call you to do and then work to regain tax exempt status.

[dUSt]

Why don't the government just get out of the marriage business all together? Let's let the churches perform marriages, and the government issue civil union certificates. Make it the same for everybody. Men and women, men and men, women and women, men and women + women, whatever. They all get to be legally civil union-fied. Then find a church to get married. Gay people can go to a gay church to get married. Pet lovers can go to their "pets are people too" church to get married to their pets. Everybody is happy.

[ThePenciledOne]

[quote name='dUSt' timestamp='1343841884' post='2461143']
Why don't the government just get out of the marriage business all together? Let's let the churches perform marriages, and the government issue civil union certificates. Make it the same for everybody. Men and women, men and men, women and women, men and women + women, whatever. They all get to be legally civil union-fied. Then find a church to get married. Gay people can go to a gay church to get married. Pet lovers can go to their "pets are people too" church to get married to their pets. Everybody is happy.
[/quote]

Basically what I've been saying....

Side note: Who honestly cares how society is going? Sometimes we become too concerned with persecution and the like and forget what our mission is as a Catholic. It's like we become protective of our own skins and in the process we end up caring to much for what the future may bring. I think we need to take a chill pill and just let the Spirit work as He will. Enough of the drawing lines in the sand and being in opposition to everyone, there's no need for it.