Catholic Misconceptions

Published on November 2, 2005 By Dr Guy In Religion

I am putting this under religion because lately there has been a lot of misconceptions about Catholicism.

Now I will be the first to say that I don't understand all other religions, but I am willing to and have learned from the believers of said religions. And when I am wrong, call me on it, although as I don't assume about other religions much, I don't guess I will get many calls.

But lately, someone has decided Catholicism is a cult! And they listed reasons, 6 of 7 wrong! and the 7th? Something practiced by all Christian, Judiasm and Muslim religions! I guess that makes 3/4 of the world a sect! Duh!

Today we are going to discuss Annulment. For those who know the truth, fine. This is for the other 75% who don't have a clue, including many Catholics!

In Catholicism, we believe that when a man marries a woman, and it is blessed by the church, the love of Christ has entered into the union. And I suspect every one hopes that as well. But we must promise that we will allow that love to guide us in raising our children! Yep, that may be Cultish, but one of the promises is to raise the children Catholic!

Now all is well for 1, 2 5, 10 20 years. And then Mommy and Daddy get divorced! Something went wrong! Indeed it did, although, yep! I was totally clueless (My family was not).

So I got a divorce. I found out, via her shrink, for a non event about her brother raping her (he did not, they were just....well...I did not know it when I married her, and not until the divorce)., that she never loved me.

Excuse me? I spent 20 years of my life married (plus a couple dating)! But that was an epiphany. And no, it was not a spite thing. This was her shrink! (she still needs one BTW).

So we divorced. I should have known she was and is a complete psycho! her mother is and was! But I thought we could be peaceful! hehehehehe! yea I am stupid!

So you see the set up. The Judge nailed her and her quota kid lawyer to the wall! (Never hire a quota kid if you want to win).

So she jumps in bed with some witless wonder, and I am sitting on a bunch of assets, and a lot of income. Only child support now!

Then I met a goddess! A woman who loves me, and yea she bitch slaps me (Note for Trudy - it is not always bad) when I deserve it (and sometimes when I don't). We marry years later. But her family is Catholic. She is not a good one, but once a Catholic, always a Catholic!

So I do the Annulment thing. It was long but not hard, as since my first wife never loved me (she used me to get away from an abusive situation), it was never in doubt. I did not lie (I did not have to). And she never contested it (although her stories to the kids leave a lot to be desired).

Why was the annulment so easy? Did it make my children bastards?

The answer to the first is simple. You cannot have the love of Christ in your Marriage when one party lied at the vows! And the second part is just as easy. No they are not. We were married, legally and in the eyes of the church. But Man is not infallible, and they need to acknowledge their errors.

The Church did. period.

So all you who get on your horse about annulment, chill! It has nothing to do with bastardization! It has nothing to do with making something disappear!

it has everything to do with realizing that sometimes, marriages are flawed from the get go!

So if you want to hate my religion, please do so for the right reasons! not for some ignorant ones.

Comments (Page 1)

Dr Guy

on Nov 02, 2005

Please! When it come to Catholocism, debate me on the beliefs, not the ignorance!

Tova7

on Nov 02, 2005

Doc Catholics take big hits because they left so much of the pagan offices and rituals in the faith. But it was the only way to make Christianity THE religion in Rome and therefore the world at the time. Caesar wouldn't have Christianity without the "rank" structure he formed in his previous pagan religion....so I think Christians at the time accepted what they could get......

Sorry, I find it so fascinating.

So I have been to churches who teach Catholics aren't Christians because they pray to idols and think Mary was sinless, add to scripture, and on and on...you wouldn't believe some of the things...but what I believe is this....there are Catholic Christians and I know a few! Each person in every Christian denomination has to have an INDIVIDUAL relationship with Christ and believe Jesus is God, came died and rose from the grave. Ya know?

So there are people in every Christian denomination who believe that, and some who don't....

All that to say...Catholics take big hits and most of them aren't well informed.

I don't have a problem at all with annulment. I don't know why people get their undies in a bunch over it.

Texas Wahine

on Nov 02, 2005

Meh, a Catholic priest blessed my child against my will. I didn't like that much.

Catholicism is an interesting religion. I'm glad it's a good fit for you and is something you can whole-heartedly believe in.

As far as annulment goes, that's a religious thing, not a legal thing (unless I misunderstand), so I don't see how anyone could be upset and say it makes it like a marriage didn't exist.

Ziggystyles

on Nov 02, 2005

Well you asked to let you know when you are wrong. If you were talking about me calling Catholocism a cult, I did not. Someone said they felt Mormonism and Christian Science were cults based on something and then I replied with "Well....maybe....but along the same lines...couldnt catholocism be considered a cult as well?" I never directly said it was a cult; as I dont believe it is. I just believe that many of the things it practices are things that are not practiced as such in the Bible.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

All that to say...Catholics take big hits and most of them aren't well informed.

Catholics are like Jews in that respect. Once a Catholic, always a Catholic. SO most 'Catholics' are either C&E or just plain non practicing. And sadly, most are very ill informed.

But to judge the religion based upon them would be to Judge Lutherans based upon Jeffrrey Dahmer. And that just is not cool in either case.

I will tell you tho that the Catholic church you talk about earlier in your response is not the Catholic Church today (altho many Catholics dont even know that). Today, Catholics are a lot more liberal in their beleifs, and way more tolerant of other denominations than most other Christian Religions. And they have stripped the 'mystique' off of the rites and all are easy to understand and comprehend if anyone wants to take the time to do it.

That does not mean Catholicism is for everyone. But for those who learn about it and embrace it, it is right for them. Most of the most devout Catholics are not cradle catholics, but those who have converted. Why? because in order to convert, they have to learn about their religion. Cradle Catholics have no such condition. It is like Native US Citizens, and Naturalized US Citizens. Guess who knows more about American History?

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

I got to ask, How? HOw did a Priest bless your child against your will? Just Curious.

And you are exactly right abouut Annulment. So I really dont see why anyone would care. If you are not catholic, it does not affect you. If you are Catholic and dont like it, you will not burn at the stake if you never get one.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

Well....maybe....but along the same lines...couldnt catholocism be considered a cult as well?" I never directly said it was a cult; as I dont believe it is. I just believe that many of the things it practices are things that are not practiced as such in the Bible.

Along the same lines. Political double talk for saying "If I had said" crap.

But I will leave you with this thought. How does it feel to now know that a Cult Wrote your precious Bible? The thing you worship so much?

As a Catholic, we dont worship the Bible. We read it as a book of philosophy. I think I remember something about Worshipping Idols and such. Seems the some people dont like Mary, the Mother of Jesus, but put the Bible on a higher pedestal than the actual teachings of Jesus himself.

That is Idol worship in my book. You are welcome to it.

Ziggystyles

on Nov 03, 2005

As a Catholic, we dont worship the Bible. We read it as a book of philosophy. I think I remember something about Worshipping Idols and such. Seems the Holy Rollers dont like Mary, the Mother of Jesus, but put the Bible on a higher pedestal than the actual teachings of Jesus himself.

Because if I was to focus on only what God said in the Bible...I would be taking out a bunch of stuff. God taught many things in parables...that in and of itself is invaluable. Plus the people he chose had specific lives and backgrounds and futures based on the choices that they made. The Bible is filled with a wealth of knowledge for all to understand and all to read. The teachings of Christ are found IN IT, not just specific parts. I dont worship the Bible...but I hold it to a very high regard because everything in there is what I need to know. I dont need to make up extra stuff based on what I think he might have wanted me to do. The Bible is the only reference I need. Catholocism does many.....interesting things that arent mentioned in the Bible: infant baptism, stations of the cross, all the sacraments, annulments...etc the list goes on. I guess the church I goes to just follows the Bible and the teachings inside of it and doesnt have a desire to poof stuff up out of thin air to justify whatever reasoning it makes up.

The Bible is a weapon and a shield. I use it and gain knowledge from it to empower myself. My church wants me to read the words and teachings of Christ and everything in the Bible so that I may grow from it and Im encouraged to bring it to service so that I may look at the words of Christ as I grow in faith.....not as I sit through 40 specifically designed parts of a mass.

Catholic service:
1. one hymn.....3 - 4 verses.
2. hi, how are you...its nice.
3. reading.
4. break for a psalm reading
5. reading
6. alleluia.
7. Gospel
8. sermon
9. prayers
10. silent prayer for about 15 seconds
11. recieve eucharist
12. pray over eucharist while everyone is kneeling
13. stand and say the lords prayer
14 pray over the eurcharist some more and it now has become the real thing the body and blood....not symbols...but the actual flesh and blood of christ.
15. serve communion
16. come back and kneel and pray (if you want) while everyone else gets communion only given by a priest or someone designated by him.
17. put the eucharist away in the tabernacle (Hi god, how are you in there?)
18. pray some more.
19. stand up and sing a song.
20. leave

And as you know...thats leaving out many parts of the mass

Other services by churches like the Baptist and Pentacostals:
1. Praise and worship, in song, to God all mighty for 30- 45 minutes.
2. introduction...go over any notes from the pamphlet.
3. asking for prayer for members of the congragation.
4. praying together as a church body for those in our congrigation that need prayer and uplifting.
5. song by someone in the church that wants to sing on their own will.
6. sermon and interaction with the church body as we focus on one teaching of christ or one concept and how the Bible teaches us to work with it, or any other topic relating to God....using the Bible as a reference.
7. More songs.
8. communion and tithes for those who wish to recieve and give back what God has chosen to give them.
9. More praise and worship
10. thats it, yer done....Go and learn in Christ as a church body in small group discussions or Bible studies...focusing on the word of God, if you want.

Many churches focus on God and his teachings...and others put more focus on what seems like rituals and doing stuff that is not taught in the Bible. Thats where I have the problem.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

Many churches focus on God and his teachings...and others put more focus on what seems like rituals and doing stuff that is not taught in the Bible. Thats where I have the problem.

Damn, you still refuse to educate yourself and instead wallow in your ignorance. First, your 20 steps are wrong. Not to say there are not a lot of parts to a Catholic mass, but it is apparent you don't know what they are.

Second, it is the same Catholics you hate so much that wrote the New Testament. Have you ever heard of the Gospel of James? Probably not. It was an editorial decision on their part not to include it.

Let me give you another clue. Guess what bible the Christians on the early church used?

Give up?

NONE! Because it had not been written yet! So you see, your very hypocrisy of "everything you need to know is in the bible" is just plain stupid! Otherwise, there would be no Christian religion since Jesus did not write the bible. Neither did God, and it is only that he inspired it through Catholics!

So the whole Catholic religion is based upon the life and times of Jesus Christ (with some pageantry and mystery put in for the pagans of ancient times), NOT ON THE BIBLE.

So worship your precious bible. I can laugh at all the holier than thou people who condemn Catholics to hell, knowing that their beliefs, fragile as they are, were written by Catholics!

Sir Peter Maxwell

on Nov 03, 2005

Papists are evil, and that is that. Every year here in Britain we celebrate Bonfire Night on Nov 5. This is to mark the day when an evil Catholic insurgency group tried to blow up the divinely appointed protestant monarch James I, and the subsequent destruction of the plot.

Catholics are decadent idolaters, and they deserve scorn by the grace of England and St George!

Chakgogka

on Nov 03, 2005

Ziggy, it's obvious that catholicism didn't 'work' for you. And your new religion seems to. So why not just be happy with what you have now, and leave the hate and resentment behind. Wrap it up in a nice little bundle and drop it in the trash can. I'm sure you'll feel a burden lifted if you do.

Gene Nash

on Nov 03, 2005

As far as annulment goes, that's a religious thing, not a legal thing (unless I misunderstand),

Yes, there is a secular annulment legal "thing." It's when a court vacates a marriage, making it as if it never happened. Try googling: legal annulment.

In a Christian context, remarriage after divorce is, in general, considered adultery (something most denominations ignore) -- hence the need for annulment of the religious variety.

(And, yes, it's more complex than that, but I don't feel like writing a long-winded, scripture referenced screed when that's good enough for this convo.

)

Seems the Holy Rollers dont like Mary, the Mother of Jesus, but put the Bible on a higher pedestal than the actual teachings of Jesus himself.

I can laugh at all the holy rollers who condemn Catholics to hell, knowing that their beliefs, fragile as they are, were written by Catholics!

Your bigoted comments toward "holy rollers" as a group make you no better than the single bigot you are having an issue with.

As a holy roller who got thrown out of the church of my birth for confronting anti-Catholic bigotry may I request that if you have a problem with Ziggy the Asshole you confine your contempt to Ziggy the Asshole?

I could certainly start regaling you with tales of Catholic bigots who condemn all other "christians" to hell for being heathen -- even high-profile Catholics who have no qualms about taking such a stand. Would they justify sneering comments about your religion?

Call the individual bigots what they are, but make blanket condemnations and you're just another one of them yourself.

[That's the 6th draft and it's finally semi-nice. Now, good day. I wash my hands of this thread before I type something I'll regret and don't have the self control to not press "Post Comment."]

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

Catholics are decadent idolaters, and they deserve scorn by the grace of England and St George!

Yea, yea, yea. At least we dont worship the king of england.

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

I'm sure you'll feel a burden lifted if you do.

Saner heads prevail!

Dr Guy

on Nov 03, 2005

Your bigoted comments toward "holy rollers" as a group make you no better than the single bigot you are having an issue with.

Point taken and edited.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!