2008 Woodie Awards
Religious ignorance continues to stupefy
Michael Winters
Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Opinion
Ignorance is a destructive thing, undeniably one of the leading reasons for so much misunderstanding and hate in the world. Sadly, religion is something that has never been spared from ignorance, which serves no better purpose than to further divide Christians and non-Christians alike.
On a personal level, the view supported by some Protestants and others, in which Catholics are not regarded as being Christian, is an obvious example of such religious ignorance. I am a Catholic, and I am certainly a Christian, since, after all, the word "Christian" means "follower of Christ," which I am. And I can speak for other Catholics as well in saying that they, too, are Christian.
I have never been outspoken about my religious beliefs, but I believe when one is attacked, it is proper to respond in a reasonable manner to show what has been wronged or, in this case, misconstrued. History tells us that Christianity began as a Jewish sect led by Jesus Christ, who, prior to His death, entrusted the Apostle Peter with the responsibility of spreading His teachings. Around AD 33, He founded the Catholic Church; Peter later became the first bishop of the Church in Rome, or Bishop of Rome, which is now commonly referred to as the pope.
In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, which stemmed from his desire for reform within the Catholic Church. His intention was not to divide the Church. Presently, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are the two major divisions of Christianity, with the latter being further divided into many denominations. So, it strikes me as more than a little odd to discover that Protestants, among others, refer to Catholics as non-Christians, when Roman Catholicism was the religion that they themselves evolved from.
While waiting for a class to begin on Good Friday, I overheard a conversation in which a classmate stated her confusion as to why restaurants cater to Catholics during Lent, since "there are so few Catholics left in the world today." Countered by the fact that, with more than 1.1 million members, the Roman Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian church, this is a statement of staggering ignorance. For one, Catholics are not the only Christians who fast during Lent, and two, it is always nice to be accommodating, something Christians and non-Christians alike can appreciate.
On a personal level, the view supported by some Protestants and others, in which Catholics are not regarded as being Christian, is an obvious example of such religious ignorance. I am a Catholic, and I am certainly a Christian, since, after all, the word "Christian" means "follower of Christ," which I am. And I can speak for other Catholics as well in saying that they, too, are Christian.
I have never been outspoken about my religious beliefs, but I believe when one is attacked, it is proper to respond in a reasonable manner to show what has been wronged or, in this case, misconstrued. History tells us that Christianity began as a Jewish sect led by Jesus Christ, who, prior to His death, entrusted the Apostle Peter with the responsibility of spreading His teachings. Around AD 33, He founded the Catholic Church; Peter later became the first bishop of the Church in Rome, or Bishop of Rome, which is now commonly referred to as the pope.
In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, which stemmed from his desire for reform within the Catholic Church. His intention was not to divide the Church. Presently, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are the two major divisions of Christianity, with the latter being further divided into many denominations. So, it strikes me as more than a little odd to discover that Protestants, among others, refer to Catholics as non-Christians, when Roman Catholicism was the religion that they themselves evolved from.
While waiting for a class to begin on Good Friday, I overheard a conversation in which a classmate stated her confusion as to why restaurants cater to Catholics during Lent, since "there are so few Catholics left in the world today." Countered by the fact that, with more than 1.1 million members, the Roman Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian church, this is a statement of staggering ignorance. For one, Catholics are not the only Christians who fast during Lent, and two, it is always nice to be accommodating, something Christians and non-Christians alike can appreciate.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 14
Andrew Garcia
posted 4/09/08 @ 11:24 PM CST
What about atheism? An outspoken atheist is always discriminated against. Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc. can explicitly state their beliefs, but when an atheist refuses to say "one nation under God", his life is threatened. (Continued…)
William Harris
posted 4/10/08 @ 12:27 PM CST
Is atheism a religion? No. That is why the author did not comment upon it in his article. As for the tirade you went on in your comment, it is obvious that you missed the author's intent completely. (Continued…)
William Harris
posted 4/10/08 @ 12:44 PM CST
And one last thing: You wrote, "An outspoken atheist is always discriminated against." Of course, this is untrue, and your attempt to propagate it as such is a sign of your argument's weakness. (Continued…)
Andrew Garcia
posted 4/10/08 @ 3:03 PM CST
I, myself never spoke of any religion as being irrational, illogical, and I never used the word foolish. I cited from Jefferson, Allen, and other articles by various authors. (Continued…)
John Miller
posted 4/10/08 @ 6:34 PM CST
Andrew, what are you getting so riled up about? No one has attacked you. What are you trying to prove by going off on this wild tangent? No one said anything about the Founding Fathers, Pat Tillman, Philip Pullman, or indoctrination for that matter. (Continued…)
Andrew Garcia
posted 4/10/08 @ 9:59 PM CST
"... something atheists tend to do often." Is that not stereotyping?
John Miller
posted 4/11/08 @ 10:49 AM CST
You just proved me right. Thank you.
Andrew Garcia
posted 4/11/08 @ 12:29 PM CST
I'm sorry, but I do not like stereotyping, and your statement would make a good textbook example. You may infer about me, but do not group all atheists, or any group, minority or majority, together in such a manner. (Continued…)
John Miller
posted 4/11/08 @ 5:14 PM CST
I'm sorry, sir, but when does often mean "all the time" and "all"? Never. Stereotyping would be me referring to a certain group and commenting upon them as a whole. (Continued…)
Andrew Garcia
posted 4/12/08 @ 3:25 AM CST
There was a time in this country, when minorities, such as blacks, latinos, Chinese, and many other "ethnic" groups were referred to in exactly the same manner. (Continued…)
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