I have noticed that everybody seems to be picking on catholics generally nowadays, why?

I mean the last I checked, We still have a freedom of worship in this country or has that freedom been revoked.

Believe me muslims believe in more ridiculos things like killing an unbeliever with the hope of getting 70 virgins in their own version of heaven. They even believe in Holy Wars till today but no, nobody seems to take offense.
Pentecostal churches believe in paying through their nose for tithes and placing their pastors in a (ridiculosly) cmfortable position so that he will have the strength to 'pray well' for them but no , nobody seems to notice that?

The way things are going! Whatever happened to the good old 'keep the grand commandment : love your neighbour as you love yourself?'

Please don't be angry, I understand your frustration. But my dear please remember that we work for our salvation and no one else's

The roman Catholics have their own lapses as we all know, but concerning good works they are 100%, but the so called Pentecostal pastors are great disappointment to Christendom, they know the word and they abuse it, Pentecostal is all about money and fame, its like a competition who pulls the greatest crowd without non is save but bringing their dirty money to the pastor who is busy acquiring assets all over the place. I can only advise brethren wether Catholic or Pentecostal read your bible and abide by it you will be blessed.

@poster,
NO, just that their shepherds are people with little understanding of the WORD.
If not why should they leave THE FATHER and be worshipping an image of a woman?

@Kola Oloye

Who told u they worship the image of a woman? Your second persoanlity?

~Lady~:

@Kola Oloye

Who told u they worship the image of a woman? Your second persoanlity?

What is the relationship between them and the Holy Mary's image? Afterall the Holy Mary
finished her course on giving birth to the Lord Jesus.They should all repent and be born again
starting from Pope to the newest member.That is the commandment.Whatever request they want
to make let them ask in the name that is above every name JESUS.Let them stop this idolatory.
I REST MY CASE

Catholics don't worship Mother Mary or her image, that is a misconception in the minds of those who don't even take their time to undersand that though she may not be God, but she did play a major role in God's merciful plan for us. If we can honour our mothers why not honour her. As for the rosary prayer, if u really want to know what it is we meditate on u can ask and u shall receive. I don't mind laying it out word for word for u, so just ask and u shall receive.
As for her asking that we pray the rosary prayer, she didn't say that it is by force, she let us know that it is a powerful prayer( which indeed it is) that can help to bring about world peace. If u meditate on it, u'll truly see why it can. Christianity is a way of life, it's not just about going to church and saying by his stripes I have been healed, Amen. You also have to obey his commandments and u do so by applying it to daily life. That is something that the Rosary prayer helps u with. You get to meditate on how Christ lived his life and think about how u can live as he did, today.
I can give u a layout of it all if u want SERIOUSLY

What u seem to be talking about is veneration. Which is honouring. And yes through them we honour God who made them and in whose image they were made. It just like finding beauty in God's creature.

Whatever request they want
to make let them ask in the name that is above every name JESUS.Let them stop this idolatory.

I would really like for u to provide me with a prayer that is said "IN THE NAME OF MARY" or "IN THE NAME OF ST. _____"

ALL PRAYERS END WITH IN THE NAME OF JESUS, INCLUDING THE MARIAN PRAYERS OR IT HAS SOME FORM OF THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD IN THERE.

We will never understand the problem unless we look at it from the source. We are christitans, many of us dont see it that way, we christians are polarized by denominations, and this denominations is the main cause of all these hate, contempt and you name it. I'm a lover of history, and history tells me so much about the origin of christianity, and how christianity was overwhelmed by empires for political and other reasons. It first started with armenia, then twenty years later rome, and much later the division between the latin rome and eastern rome(roman catholic church and eastern othodox church). And other churches of other nations. Due to the vastness of the roman empire, the roman catholic church was the dominant church and because rome conquered europe and most of civilisation, the church was instigated as the sole religion. Blah blah blah and blah this is all history, but lets try n ask was this how christianity was supposed to be. The Roman catholic church was responsible for the crusade which caused the deaths of millions of people, innocent, infants, able bodied you name it,. Now tell me something will Jesus ever allow violence to prevail over peace, you try and answer. Centuries later there was a problem, a big problem that caused a reformation, which the roman catholics term as protestants, now we have thousands of different churches claiming to be relevant, thousand of churches who concern themselves with material benefits, biz interests sometimes you can hardly tell the diff btw a missionary school and a private school because both are pretty expensive, many pastors live bouyant lives in luxury n you name it, is that what Jesus intented for christianity, try an an answer that pls, Every church will have a lot to answer when they return to their maker. I tell you Jesus is the cetre of our faith, thank God for the bible that still stands today inspite of all the modifications of churches that has been occuring fromm the 4th century till now. You want to know about christianity read the new testaments and ask God for knowledge and understanding and you will see every thing you need to be a christian, Church is good but be careful these churches were made by men and modified to suite their purpose, jesus said many are called but few are chosen, He has given you the word, the bible then read it anything you see contradictory then you beging to question, go to church praise him worship him, learn and take your time to learn by yourslfe dnt be lazy dnt be a dummy christian, be an active one, You will be held responsible not your church, Read the Bible please I beg you all, sorry about my typo erros in a hurry. Later folks

@Gtunery and co.
Please carry your bible knowledge and resolve the following :

1) The tithing controversy here -> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-113108.0.html

2) The mixing of bible and juju by the Cele sect here -> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-10001.0.html

3) Does a Christian need to go to church? ---> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-2867.0.html

4) Can a non-Christian go to heaven? ->https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-3885.0.html#msg129562

5) Should a Christian join the army? -> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-58487.0.html#msg1184428

6) Who should control church money? => https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-116676.0.html#msg2011214

7) Are expensive church buildings necessary? => https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-78287.0.html


------
etc etc. These issues (and many others) are tearing the protestants apart and causing so much hatred, division and suspicion among them.

Like they say in "Star Wars" ---> "Anger, fear, aggression - these are the paths to the dark side"

Remove the beam in your eye before attempting to remove the speck in another person's eye.

The Roman catholic church was responsible for the crusade which caused the deaths of millions of people, innocent, infants, able bodied you name it,.

Have you really researched the crusades and the cause of it?

When you do, you will find out that you will respond the same way even today, so get to researching.


What is up with so called scholars who don't know that they need to check the sources of their information? A scholar shouldn't be biased. A scholar shouldn't already have a preconcieved notion.


@Imhotep

Don't mind them. They're searching for interpretations from us. If our interpretations are wrong which one should we accept, that of thousand of pastors that interpret everything differently? Seriously they don't see the confusion.
Then they claim that they're doing it for themselves and don't need to go to church, when that in itself is wrong. They need to check their incomplete Bible.

I really feel sorry for them, they have no idea what they're missing from their Bible.

"The Catholic Bible doesn't have additions, the protestant Bible has subtractions."

kola oloye:

@poster,
NO, just that their shepherds are people with little understanding of the WORD.
If not why should they leave THE FATHER and be worshipping an image of a woman?

Same old argument recycled over and over again.

Is it that U dont understand the difference between honoring and worshipping or u just want to ignore the difference.

Catholics chose to honor the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Now how does that change the sizes of ur boxers.

I will like to state that Catholics are sheep with great shepherds. If the Pentecostals are picking on them, it is understandable from the marketing point of view! Kill a product by demonising it and publisize your own USP, unique Selling points! The Catholic, Anglican and other older Churches are thick game reserves for the Pentecostals hunters. The advise I have for Catholics is to pay closer attention to reading and meditating of the Bible than their Sunday Bulletins.
God is not intrested if you worsip Him at Deeper Life or in Shallow Life, He is not bothered if you are in Winners or with Losers, The Most High God care less if you are at Mountain of Fire or the Valley of Waters. Elohim will not be moved because you are called an Anglican or a Jamican. a Roman Catholic or Greek Catholic. You cannot  please God because you are Right, Left or Back  Reverend, Bishop or One without shop,
God will only be pleased if you are worshipping Him in truth and in spirit and if you name is written in the book of life not on  earthly Church members list!

@Rotimy

Thank you for stating that. I don't think many people understand it though.

rotimy:

I will like to state that Catholics are sheep with great shepherds. If the Pentecostals are picking on them, it is understandable from the marketing point of view! Kill a product by demonising it and publisize your own USP, unique Selling points! The Catholic, Anglican and other older Churches are thick game reserves for the Pentecostals hunters. The advise I have for Catholics is to pay closer attention to reading and meditating of the Bible than their Sunday Bulletins.
God is not intrested if you worsip Him at Deeper Life or in Shallow Life, He is not bothered if you are in Winners or with Losers, The Most High God care less if you are at Mountain of Fire or the Valley of Waters. Elohim will not be moved because you are called an Anglican or a Jamican. a Roman Catholic or Greek Catholic. You cannot please God because you are Right, Left or Back Reverend, Bishop or One without shop,
God will only be pleased if you are worshipping Him in truth and in spirit and if you name is written in the book of life not on earthly Church members list!

That is just the summation of wat I believe in.

However, some people think that they can earn their salvation by casting stones on others. Jesus taught us better. He that is without sins _{u know the rest}

~Lady~:

If our interpretations are wrong which one should we accept, that of thousand of pastors that interpret everything differently?

At least 33,000 pastors to choose from. Perhaps we will have to cast lots (like they did in ancient Israel) to see which pastor to accept.

Well, It seems we will never know until the end times. if I was born a muslim, groomed a muslim and raised , I will stand by islam but it will take alot for me to realise that I will hve to change to another religion that suites my status quo, I dont blame you guys at all, you see nothing in my previuos explanations I am not agianst the catholic church niether am I against the protestants, The real point is that the core values of christianity has been overwhelmed, that is why those glorious times when Jesus and apostels did great miracles are hardly authentically heard of or done, that is why we have pastors doing magic or juju insome cases to perform miracles that is why you dont see men of God on the streets healing people as in the days of old, that is why there is so much business in the church of God, that is why is why things are so different from what the bible tells about the early church and early christiandom. I want you guys to tlak to n lets iron this out, this is a real issue lets not be biased. I studied philosophy in school that was what led me to have a critical appraoch to things, I am a christian, n I am not anti church, i am only trying why there's so much difference in what Jesus started and what we have now, you know in your hearts that there's alot of diff, you exactly what i'm talking about but prejudice wont allow you open up. Jesus knew that the church will be pervaded he predidcted it, but the truth is we as individauls are the church of God not an instituition we are the church and Jesus is the head, why cant just take our time and read what Jesus taught about let us try and understand the Gospel of christ. There is so much division in the church of God it didnt start after the reformation it started far back when empires calimed more relevance in churchdom an example is the latin church of byzatuim church that is the roman catholic church and the eastern othordox church, caused by a division in the roman empire, i dnt really talk about history now, but Lets try n see how we christians can embrace each other beacuse we believe in Christ and we share his testimony, Let us try as individauls to end centuries of disputes let us over look the walls of our churches and strecth our hands to one another in unity in Christ. It's a mental thing I'm not saying we should leave our churches for another I'm saying let us creat an awareness in our hearts from the knowlegde taught in the teaching of Christ in the bible, that as Long as we believe in Christ Jesus, share his testimony, and live by his teachings we are saved, let us be aware of equality, faorness charity love sacrifice and evry qaulity that Jesus showed let us do it,we need unify. We need too. Many of you may think I'm being pointless but the problem is that we rather heart what the leaders of the church decrees than waht Jesus taught, If you read the teachings of Jesus Christ whom you claim to be your Lord n saviour, if you read those teachings you'll see exactly what I am talking about.

I see myslef as a christian, I dnt need to be a catholic to be saved nor a protestatant, I need to be lieve in Christ Jesus as Lord n personal saviour, I need to leabe by His teachings, preach the gospel to all, and do my service to humanity, I believe in heaven the so called curches will have no relevance but our deeds will. One thing many of us get wrong is that the church is not the structures nor intstiutions but the church of God is we christians, I believe we have lost our relevance beacuse we so much depend on the structure church the institiution church and all that, many of us cant even pray for oursleves, God help us, we are like adults in dipers with a suckle in our mouth, we need to wake up, we have so much power in us, just imagine every christian like Jesus, or like paul or peter the apostels imagine the impact we will make in the world. The early churches made heroes but after it was overwhelmed victims were made n are still being made, but we can have an awareness in our hearts and become heroes, the church is in us in our hearts and Jesus is the head. Think about it if christianity can view the church in them now tell me how is it possible for an individual to be against it or have so much cotempt or division, reason with me me folks.

Gtunrey:
Lets try n see how we christians can embrace each other beacuse we believe in Christ and we share his testimony, Let us try as individauls to end centuries of disputes let us over look the walls of our churches and strecth our hands to one another in unity in Christ. It's a mental thing I'm not saying we should leave our churches for another I'm saying let us creat an awareness in our hearts from the knowlegde taught in the teaching of Christ in the bible, that as Long as we believe in Christ Jesus, share his testimony, and live by his teachings we are saved, let us be aware of equality, faorness charity love sacrifice and evry qaulity that Jesus showed let us do it,we need unify. We need too. Many of you may think I'm being pointless but the problem is that we rather heart what the leaders of the church decrees than waht Jesus taught,

How does Catholic bashing help you (or anyone) to achieve all these?

I am not just bashing the catholic church but every church, evry church that has become an institiution, evry church that has turned itself into a multi million enterprise and live in great affluence and humanity(many) suffers in penury, evry church with their hands stained with blood, the problem we have is what the church has planted in our hearts, contempt for other denominations, distrust, animosity, n all sort. We need to break through this polarization, Jesus is the center of christianity not any church of any kind, we are the church of our Lord Jeses Christ, and we will all outlive the institiuttion has has brought about so much hate amongst christianity. We need to go back and understand the teachings of Christ in the bible wether catholic or protestant version His teachings superceedes all the dispositions made by any church institiution, that I know, thats the only way we can unite in Christ.

Gtunery:

I am not just bashing the catholic church but every church, evry church that has become an institiution, evry church that has turned itself into a multi million enterprise and live in great affluence and humanity(many) suffers in penury, evry church with their hands stained with blood, the problem we have is what the church has planted in our hearts, contempt for other denominations, distrust, animosity, n all sort. We need to break through this polarization, Jesus is the center of christianity not any church of any kind, we are the church of our Lord Jeses Christ, and we will all outlive the institiuttion has has brought about so much hate amongst christianity. We need to go back and understand the teachings of Christ in the bible wether catholic or protestant version His teachings superceedes all the dispositions made by any church institiution, that I know, thats the only way we can unite in Christ.

Bashing generates hatred and argumentation.

Hatred and argumentation smothers whatever message you have to deliver.

What unites everybody is the experience of Christian Spirituality.  Discuss spirituality, and you will go a long way.

I am a Catholic (die-hard), but I have been invited by a Protestant Youth fellowship to discuss experiences of Spirituality. 

Initially, I was reluctant to go.  But I had a rethink, and when I met and discussed with them, we all learnt a lot ---- and we discovered that we have a lot in common.

I shall be going there once again this coming weekend.

Glory to Jesus

Honour to Mary

In some cases it is best you call a spade a spade in order to prove your point, even Jesus Christ did some serious bashing in the temple in Jerusalem. This is a very serious issue and it needs to be addressed. Some may just over look it and say who cares, but it is essential that believers in Christ, Christians must unite for the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Gtunery:

In some cases it is best you call a spade a spade in order to prove your point, even Jesus Christ did some serious bashing in the temple in Jerusalem. This is a very serious issue and it needs to be addressed. Some may just over look it and say who cares, but it is essential that believers in Christ, Christians must unite for the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Jesus, as true God and true Man, had every right to bash anyone.

In our case, when we point one finger, three point back at us. So we end up achieving nothing but hatred and resentment.

I totaly agree with you, but the real truth is that, truth hurts. By bashing I dont mean causing any means of animosity towards any church, we need to addresss some certain isssues that affects the core values of the way of life our Lord Jesus taught about in the gospel, and if addressing this core issues could be termed as bashing well I guess I'll bash then. We need to defend the cause of christianity, it has never been an easy task, history can tell, but I will start my part and I know this trend will grow for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is so much polarization in christiandom, God help us