I've noticed a slight underlying of anti-Catholicism at my unit. In one instance, a member laughed a the Church and said I wasn't a "christian" for being Catholic.
While it doesn't bother me too much, seeing as how there are ignorant people wherever you go, I'm just wondering if anyone else has noticed some anti-Catholicism in the Coast Guard or if its just this particular unit. It seems that a majority of Coasties come from the south, where the anti-catholic sentiment is more predominant. That’s what got me wondering if its more Coast Guard wide
Sounds more like an individual rather than a Coast Guard problem. Idiots pop up in the strangest places! I am Catholic myself, but have never had anyone inside the Coast Guard disparage me for it. Of course I don't go around broadcasting my faith to everyone. I try to avoid religous debates and never play the "my faith is better than your faith" routine. Nothing turns a person away from God faster than the "holier-than-thou" act! I have run into that sentiment concerning Catholicism not being "christian" on the outside though, which I find funny as many of today's "Christian" churches are off-shoots of the Catholic faith. Doesn't really matter to me though. People are free to believe as they see fit.
I've heard it, and it goes in one ear and out the other. If you tried to sit down and have an enlightened, rational discussion with this individual, you'd probably find that their wordy knowledge doesn't go much beyond the backwater town they probably grew up in.
Originally posted by Ropechocker: When the $hit hits the fan were all praying to the same God.
That's a damn good point.
I was born and raised Catholic (Irish NY'er) and although I've not been active in many years I've not seen any other folks catch hell or be laughed at when they've claimed their own faith.
Of course I don't go around broadcasting my faith to everyone.
GrimWolf - The following question is meant with all due respect. If you "don't go around broadcasting my faith to everyone", how as a Christian do you spread the good news of Christ?
As a Protestant, we state in the "Apostle's Creed" that we "believe in the holy catholic church". However, Lutherans state they "believe in the holy Christian church". Most denominations that are derived from the Church of England state the holy catholic church.
Having lived in the South, I tend to believe most anti-catholic sentiment probably comes from hard core baptists. Note that I stated "hard core" and desire to be corrected if I'm off base; apologizing in advance.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mazski9,
If you "don't go around broadcasting my faith to everyone", how as a Christian do you spread the good news of Christ?
No offense taken; it's a fair question. The answer is: by small acts of kindness. We can all stand to be a little nicer to each other (and yes, I many times play the a-hole, proving myself a hypocrite (or as I call it; being human)). When someone is ready to talk about God, I am willing to talk (note: talk - not debate or argue). I find, more often than not, that those who choose to bring God into every conversation, doing what they believe to be "spreading the good word", wind up just annoying those who simply do not want to hear, or are not ready to hear, driving them further away. But that's just my opinion.
I bumped into a couple rednecks while I was in Iraq that claimed that since I was born and raised Catholic I wasn't Christian. The logic was that if you weren't a "born again" Christian then you just weren't a Christian.
I pointed out that since I had been born into the Catholic church I saw no need ot be "born again"......didn't do any good.
There are idiots everywhere, and many of them are born again idiots!
I've noticed a slight underlying of anti-Catholicism at my unit. In one instance, a member laughed a the Church and said I wasn't a "christian" for being Catholic.
Maybe it was a delayed reaction -- getting back at JFK for "forcing" the CGA to admit Blacks, after noticing the lily-white faces of the Cadet Corps at his Inauguration Parade in '61.
Sorry for all those who have gone through this. Having grown up as Jewish and being the only one at times in the group, I have heard my share of jokes that go too far, and have also gone fist to fist in my much younger years over it. Now, though, it's really easier to just laugh and/or say something just as stupid right back.
I am not a serviceman, like the rest of you, but I would hope to see as little of this as possible if and when I join. After all, aren't we all supposed to be on the same team as one group that serves and assists? I tend to agree with Ropechocker's notion, where when it gets like this, there is no other choice and all must work to pull it together.
Filing an EEOC seems like an awful over-reaction to me. For some reason our nation has decided to immediately file some sort of suit rather than solving the problem at the lowest level possible. Over-reacting simply makes stupidity a major case.
The guy of which you write is an idiot. He is a narrow-minded person ignorant when discussing the Bible, faith and religion. I would simply tell the fool the true facts of life and ask him to keep his bigoted opinions to himself.
Maz, I do not run around preaching Christianity to others yet I can reach many people annually. People bring up the subject to me. I don’t know why others always bring up the subject, but they do. Since they bring up the subject of faith, they cannot accuse me of Bible thumping.
People who believe in imaginary men in the sky tend to have trouble having rational converstations regarding the 'correct' way to appease said imaginary man.
Just let this particular 'tard know that he ain't the chaplain and should probably keep his religious opinions to himself.
