<p>I have two serious questions I’d truly like to get answered:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>In India, is waving to a neighbor considered impolite? I live in a very self-contained subdivision of 46 houses in suburban Detroit. About 75% of the homes are occupied by people from India. I’ve lived here for 14 years, and whenever I drive or walk past someone from the subdivision, I wave or say hello. About 99% of the time, I get no wave or hello in return from people from the neighborhood who are Indian. What’s the deal?</p></li>
<li><p>What are the major beefs non-Catholics have with Catholics these days? Like if your son or daughter started dating a Catholic, what would your concerns be? I know that in decades past, one of the beefs was that Catholics had a reputation for having lots of children, but that doesn’t seem to true any more.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I hope this thread will be used for the calm exchange of info, and doesn’t devolve into accusations of various types.</p>
<p>The beef I have with Catholics these days is that one of the teachers at my daughters’ school told the entire class that if they support a woman’s right to choose, they will burn in hell. Many Catholics support abortion and this teacher’s stance turned many of the previous young faithful off to Catholicism. My other beef is that many of the Catholics I’ve met seem to feel that they only want to make friends with other Catholics. I’ve been given the impression they belong to an exclusive club. Sorry, my intention is not to inflame. Just stating the facts of my experience.</p>
Is this a catholic school? If it isn’t, then that teacher is out of line. But if it is, that is the Catholic stance towards abortion. According to the teacher’s beliefs, she would be entirely correct.</p>
<p>
Then they probably are Catholic in name only. There is not a “right to choose” in Catholicism or in many other Christian denominations. In fact, a women who has an abortion might be excommunicated if the church finds out, so if those kids were turned off to Catholicism because of this, it’s not the teacher’s fault, or really anyone’s fault. I doubt The Vatican would change its views on a divisive issue like this just so a few young faithful would be more apt to join/remain Catholic.</p>
<p>
I have seen this too. Not all Catholics, but the definitely among the ones who are very into Catholicism. Quite frankly, it is annoying because it is hurting their cause of “converting the masses.” </p>
<p>I don’t believe you were making inflammatory remarks, and I’m not trying to either. I’d thought I would just state what the actual Catholic doctrine is on that issue.</p>
<p>When I asked the question about beefs with Catholics, I didn’t mean things like abortion, the Pope is this or that, or the molestation scandals, etc. I was thinking more along the lines of things that you’d be wary of if your kids became friends with them or dated them (e.g., they seem to drink too much).</p>
<p>I think it’s the “exclusive club” thing as said before. Parents might be worried that their child might be converted I suppose. Nothing else that I can think of.</p>
<p>Sorry, I misquoted when I said “burn in hell”. The actual term used was that anyone who is pro choice is a potential murderer. I am appalled by this strong language especially when young people are being prepared to head out to college and the world. This doesn’t appear to me to mesh well with tolerance and empathy they also preach. I think the pro choice/life issue is more tolerable than the exclusivity issue. Pro choice/life is more of a political issue and we are all accustomed to people having differing opinions in that arena. Exclusivity is a whole other social area which is not well tolerated by most and shouldn’t be tolerated by anyone.</p>
<p>Catholic here. I’ll be your friend. I don’t think this “exclusive club” feeling is limited to Catholics. For the past 20 years, we’ve lived in an area that is defined by its exclusive groups. Longtime friendships are based on high school attended, country club memberships, jobs, and even religion. I’ve learned that some people cannot step outside the known and the comfortable. I prefer to seek friendships with those who are not constrained by these requirements.</p>
<p>*I was thinking more along the lines of things that you’d be wary of if your kids became friends with them or dated them (e.g., they seem to drink too much). *</p>
<p>Catholicism’s issue is that it is a more concrete institution than most any other religion. It has an established leader, an established, hierarchy, and an established doctrine which are obviously associated with the religion.<br>
If, for example, an imam or rabbi were to say something offencive, it would be harder to represent their views as those of the Muslim or Jewish religion. If a Vatican official does something stupid like compare the damage of the molestation scandal to centuries of antisemetic persecution and slaughter, that is more readily (correctly or not) associated with the Catholic religion overall.<br>
I’m not saying that this is right. I have pro-choice Catholic friends, I have Catholic friends who are outright appalled by the molestation scandals and the Church’s handling, I have Catholic friends who criticise the Church for excluding women from the priesthood and for condemning contraception. I’m simply saying that due to the institutional nature of the Catholic religion, it is easier to associate the ‘faults’ of Catholic authority figures, be they the Pope, Vatican officials, priests, or Catholic teachers, with the religion overall.</p>
<p>I find this thread very offensive and know that it would not be tolerated if the subject was about some of other religions.</p>
<p>Usually when the Catholic church gets discussed in these kinds of forums ridiculous things get stated. Also, ignorance runs amok. Also, any Catholic who doesn’t understand why women cannot be ordained obviously doesn’t know his/her own faith. It’s not optional, women can NOT be ordained…not now…not ever.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, I didn’t take it that beawinner was applying that stereotype to Catholics. She was applying the hypothetical to whatever stereotype one might have, based on her initial post. It was a general statement, as if to say “do [insert group] actually drink too much, or is that just a stereotype?”</p>
<p>Some feel Catholics <em>take advantage</em> of the confession idea- in that they do things that are wrong without any thought because absolving it is as easy as 1,2,3. Then they can go do them again, and confess again.
Another reason some don’t care for Catholics is because in their belief, many of them they pray to men and women(saints) who then pass on the message to God. Many Protestants believe praying should be done directly to God; eliminate the middle-man.</p>
<p>I am not agreeing or disagreeing with either of the opinions as accurate- just passing on how some Feel.</p>
No, this meshes perfectly well. They have much more empathy for the right of a child to live than for the mother to kill a baby. They have empathy for the child in this case, not the mother. And tolerance relates to not judging people as a whole, but the actions of people can be judged. An abortion is an act, and therefore does not define the person.</p>
<p>I am merely stating what Catholics believe. I’m not trying to say if it is right or wrong, because that would lead to a debate, which I doubt anyone would enjoy. All I am doing is stating what Catholics believe and for what reasons.</p>
<p>I don’t agree with the Catholic Church on many things, but I wouldn’t have any concerns about my child dating a Catholic. I am confident that I have raised them to make their own decisions about religion, including informing them about beliefs that I do not agree with. My only concern would be maternal worrying that my child might not be mature enough to handle being made to feel badly by any religious family of any denomination, for not sharing the same beliefs.</p>
<p>I doubt the teacher actually said this. And Catholics are not an ethnic group. Anyone from anywhere can be Catholic. Can you name a country with no Catholics?</p>
<p>beawinner said: “The beef I have …is that one of the teachers at my daughters’ school told the entire class that if they support a woman’s right to choose, they will burn in hell.”
I don’t know if Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, Evangelist, Protestants said that…but if they do, they are right!</p>
<p>beawinner said: “Sorry, I misquoted when I said “burn in hell”. The actual term used was that anyone who is pro choice is a potential murderer.”</p>
<p>I don’t know if Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, Evangelist, Protestants said that…but if they do, they are right!</p>
<p>The problem that I have with Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, Evangelist, Protestants is that they are fanatics!</p>
<p>The problem I have with those that ring the door every Saturday, Jehovah’s Witnesses, to leave brochures is that they waste my time!</p>
<p>Each individual should have their religion and this thread is a waste of time. Everyone will have their own belief and religion if they have any. Respect everyone religion and stop pointing out a specific religion. Look the good in your own religion and if you don’t like other religion don’t try to trash it.</p>
<p>If any of my children will marry a Catholic I will feel proud and will accept their decisions.</p>
<p>greenery: ““if they support a woman’s right to choose, they will burn in hell” I don’t know if Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, Evangelist, Protestants said that…but if they do, they are right!”</p>
<p>greenery: Everyone will have their own belief and religion if they have any. Respect everyone religion and stop pointing out a specific religion. Look the good in your own religion and if you don’t like other religion don’t try to trash it.</p>
<p>the thing i don’t understand is how anyone who participates or allows an abortion is automatically excommunicated, but if one commits any other sort of ‘murder,’ one is still at least allowed the sacraments. </p>
<p>but regardless, I think much of the criticism against ‘catholics’ is instead directed at the Catholic Church. Not all, mind you, but a great deal.</p>
<p>Some feel Catholics <em>take advantage</em> of the confession idea- in that they do things that are wrong without any thought because absolving it is as easy as 1,2,3. Then they can go do them again, and confess again.</p>
<p>Ridiculous! </p>
<p>And, if anyone has this philosophy it would be some who believe in the “once saved, always saved” theology. Those are the ones that think they can do ANYTHING and not lose salvation.</p>
<p>Many Protestants believe praying should be done directly to God; eliminate the middle-man.</p>
<p>Then why do my Prot friends ask me to pray for some special intention for them? Why ask me? Why not just pray to God and not ask friends to join in? (Duh…it’s the same thing)</p>